It was when she was a freshman in San Sebastian College-Recoletos in Cavite City when she really came out of her shell, when she learned that breaking some of the rules can be fun and that you don't beget babies by kissing. It was when she first learned about MTV and, being the music lover that she was, was instantly glued to it. Her taste evolved from the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys to Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and N'Sync to Oasis, Goo Goo Dolls, Gin Blossoms, Alanis Morrisette and Matchbox 20, although she had to admit that there were still times when she wouldn't touch the remote control when a boy band's video is playing on MTV mainly because she was crushing on one or two of the boy band members.

She represented her year level in their student council, which was her first attempt at taking on a major responsibility in school. She tried to balance time for her academics, extra-curricular activities, and her love for hanging out with friends and going out, but it turned out that she wasn't very good at it most of the time. From being the top student during her first year, she dropped to ninth place in her fourth year. She devoted a big part of her time to The Sebastinian Echo, their high school's official publication of which she was the feature and literary editor, to the Student Council of which she was public relations officer, and to the English Club of which she was president. Her inability to stay put at home and to be really diligent in her studies, plus her being a procrastinator at that time, didn't help much either. The awards and honors didn't matter much to her, though, and she still felt fulfilled for having made a name and leaving a mark in the school. She knew in herself that she gained the respect of the student body, the faculty members, as well as the admininstrators.

But nothing could prepare her for what she was about to face in the University of the Philippines, where she got accepted in the BA Journalism program. It was the closest she could get to complete independence, living at the Kalayaan Residence Hall. Although she missed the people back home, especially her older cousin and her three younger siblings, she rarely felt homesick. Here she had plenty of time to keep to herself and do the things she wanted, which included going to practically every concert held in the campus, attending every party in their dorm, and spending as much time as she could at the mall.

School was another story, though. It wasn't as easy to be confident as she was in high school anymore. She learned that the person next to her is just as good as she is, or probably, way, way better. She started doubting if she really was a good writer or if she really ought to be preparing for a career in journalism. She found herself getting all jittery when doing class reports or even when merely reciting in class, things that never ever happened to her in high school. She would always find herself staring back at a blank piece of paper or monitor because she couldn't get herself to write something good enough to meet her professors' standards. But she learned soon enough that the campus-figure-in-high-school-turned-nobody-in-college-story of hers wasn't exactly unique. A lot of her friends had similar sentiments. It was just a phase all college newbies had to go through. Every freshie, except for a chosen few probably, (the high and mighty, or well, those who think they are.) loses some of his/her self-esteem at some point.

She eventually regained her lost self-confidence, and just drilled in her head that she doesn't have to worry about not being the best. It was just a matter of accepting that there would always be people who are better than her in some respects. But it didn't mean she was not good and it certainly didn't make her any less of a person. Just being in UP already said a lot about her--that she's truly worth something. She joined organizations such as Youth for Christ and UP Angkan, a provincial organization, and the UP Sigma Beta Sorority, where she was elected as Sister Rapporteur during her last year as a resident sister.

She also learned to love her course, fervently praying that she would learn everything she can to be a respectable journalist after getting out of school.

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