I got admitted to UPLB at just the right moment in the pandemic timeline. It was 2022, COVID-19 cases were easing down and the university finally greenlighted the return of face-to-face classes. However, at the start it was a rather awkward setup of juggling between in-person laboratory classes and online Zoom meetings. I was simultaneously adjusting to the college environment and this new learning modality that UP was implementing. My freshman year was a bit clunky at times but I’ve still found so much to love about it.

As a computer science major, most of our classes are in the Physical Sciences building because our lovely institute resides there. The first time I stepped inside of that building, I found difficulty channeling my oh-my-gosh-I-just-got-into-UP excitement because the premises had this gloomy asylum ambiance; some friends even jokingly referred to it as the New Bilibid Prison. The good thing is that it’s only the corridors, as lecture halls and, most especially, the computer laboratories are brightly lit. And even if those rooms were as sad as the rest of the building, I would still gladly take them over online classes. Back then, nothing was as refreshing as finally being able to study with other people. I was still a heavy procrastinator, but being around my classmates often inspired me to get moving—mostly because I had no choice. Moreover, being in the same room with your professors and instructors gives way to better dialogue than what is possible on online platforms.

Elbi is indeed a big university. I got to meet a lot of people, all sorts, I guess; diversity is never foreign at UP. And since there is no dress code (mostly), heck, it is amusing to see how people express themselves with the clothes they wear for class. From the bare always white t-shirt wearers to people fashioning corsets and enduring the freezing ACs while in their shoulderless tops—tiis ganda, as they say.

Personally, the furthest I've gone with the no dress code rule is wearing a complete set of pajamas a couple of times, once even during an exam. I felt confidently prepared for that, but I dare not dress silly in challenging exams, as I fear the universe might find offense and turn the odds against me.

Outside of the classroom, traversing the campus is a wonder—and a rather sticky one, literally. Elbi is by far one of the most humid places I know. When it’s rainy, there are instances when it feels like I’m inside one of those siopao steam cookers you find in convenience stores. On the bright side, that exact same climate allows for so much flora and fauna to flourish in the surroundings, which makes up for the intense heat index. And I often get to enjoy that green environment because I walk a lot, since everything I need is at least 500 meters away—for pedantic reasons this is just an exaggeration. Seriously, I hit a minimum of 6,000 steps every day. Hungry? Want some coffee? There are a lot of food choices but they’re either deep inside or outside campus. Not just that, classes are done in separate buildings. Simply put, extensive walking has become an integral part of my life there.

Even before I set foot on campus, I had read so much gossip online about BS Computer Science folks being red flags. I still take that with a grain of salt, but boy does it make us wonder what unfathomable things our upperclassmen and alumni could have done in the past to cultivate that stereotype. Outside of our institute, students from other degree programs often banter with us about those labels. Rumors and gossip are so abundant here, but one thing I’ve learned is to be a bit more mindful with those. They can be insightful at times, but they are usually misleading. Just like with people connoting the Young Software Engineer’s Society as a bunch of computer nerds (they are?), that doesn’t seem to be the case as they’re so wacky and unserious—fun people to be with! (Gosh, it’s hard to make this sound believable.) But in all seriousness, I would be happy to see you join us.

Cheers! To more colorful memories here on campus.