Countdown Begins!

Four more days before my Admission Interview for UP Law! Wow, I have come this far and I can still remember the times when this was not even my list of goals or things I want to do. It started in February 2017 when I filled up my LAE form and was thinking that I can try. And here it is, 2 years later, I passed that exam and got accepted for an interview. Still hoping for the best!

Yesterday, I attended a mock interview and talk for accepted LAE takers. It was kind of a whole day event and started at 8:30 am for the registration at the UP CMC auditorium. It featured for speakers, 3 of which are the recent passers of the 2018 bar examinations, and the other one the 2018 class valedictorian. I must say, after their talk, it gave us the boost, well, at least for me. Taking the mock interview in the afternoon was very useful because it gave me something of a heads up for the real interview next week. And the panel who conducted the interviewed said I did OK. They remind me of Bam Aquino. Later that day, I confirmed it with Mark. He said that now that I brought it up, it was his impression of me on our first date! Probably because of my mannerisms and the way I nod. I thought it was because of the eyeglasses! Haha!

With my panel, there were 5 students in front of me. I was pretty much sure one of them was acting as a bad cop. He kept on butting in whenever I am answering the others' questions. But most of them were gentle enough and they were really interested with what I was saying. One of them was a close friend of Trish and she actually brought up that she knows me, and that she has already seen our apartment unit and that she already sat on my bed! Haha! She said our room that time was really messy (still true today). I mentioned that I was a practitioner of Theater Arts in college. So they asked me to sing! And I did!--a bit! I sang the first 2 lines of This Is My Now by Jordin Sparks since it was the detail I put on the questionnaire they gave us during lunch break--probably so that they have a background on what questions to ask the students.

Leaflet they gave us during the talk

After my interview, going out of that room, I was accompanied by a law student to the waiting area. He introduced himself and asked if I wanted to join them for a more focused and intense mock interview later in the evening. He told me it was kind of a way to recruit for their fraternity. He got my number and even texted again for invitation. He also added me on FB just this morning.

I have no qualms in joining fraternities. It's a good way to expand your network and it can help you a lot in law school. But after searching online, I just get iffy when frats get involved in violence. And if you are member of these groups, there is always the concept of utang na loob. Sometimes, it's helpful. But sometimes, you just have to be forced to do things you are probably uncomfortable with. I was considering his invitation but I am not fully sure. For me, it is better join an organization with causes that are close to my heart. I am eyeing on one! And the founding president of that org was one of the speakers!

Went home feeling great! But I was thinking if I should really consider joining a fraternity. My only concern is if they accept LGBT people?? It is a huge concern definitely. When I arrived at my place, I slept so hard and woke up after a couple of hours. I was disoriented and I thought it was morning already.

Good day! FOUR MORE DAYS!!!

Date #65

Wow, second post for the day. I’m now settled down and ready to sleep but decided to look for mobile apps good for blogging here in my Blogspot. Planning to post more often.

Just got home from dinner and reading date with Mark. We were supposed to meet directly at CBTL Katipunan but decided to have dinner at KFC first. Since we haven’t seen each other for 6 days, there was a lot of catching up. I told him about my uncle’s leg amputation and other things I did back in Naga City.

We transferred to CBTL and had our reading date. But, as usual, it ended up again with us discussing random stuff: Game of Thrones, upcoming big TV series, books, law school, work, etc. Just the way we wanted it, talking all night long. I missed him a lot and I missed talking with him. Just plain conversation, even discussing our goals and plans.

As usual, I ordered my favorite drink: coconut ice blended with my new favorite flavor, dark chocolate. Also added chocolate crinkles for dessert! I was supposed to be reading a political theory book but I couldn’t focus so we ended up just discussing a lot of things.

Good day, good day!

I am pumped

The other day--or was that yesterday?--, I finally received my schedule for my upcoming UP Law Admission Interview. It is set on May 30th in the afternoon at the UP College of Law. Ever since I learned that I qualified for the interview--meaning I passed the UP LAE--all the partners in the firm already gave me their pep talks.

U told me that it was better to take night classes because professors are usually practicing law in law firms, unlike day time professors whose career is all in the academe. Night time professors understand the sentiments of law students who are also working. U also told me that I have all the resources for studying, since by staying in the firm, I will be able to use the resources, the internet and the office itself for my studying.

N gave me tips for the interview. Since he is also a professor (and a department chair) for another top law school, he knows what the panel is looking for. He told me I need to focus on my resilience, how I overcome my failures (he knows I have failing grades, probably that's why), relating law with technology since I graduated engineering, how to talk and look the right way on the day of the interview itself.

B was the first one to give me tips the day after the release of the qualified interviewees. He gave me a question he was asked decades before, for his own UP Law admission interview. Coincidentally, this is also the same questions that was asked recently based on a Redditor posting about LAE interviews.

Overall, they are all supportive. And I am pumped. And I am nervous. Getting there to feel confident. On Saturday, I will attend a mock interview organized by different fraternities, sororities and organizations in UP. The mock panel will be comprised of past bar exam topnotchers. It will be a whole day event and I am really nervous. It has been a while that I really put myself into this kind of challenge.

In general, I just feel excitement. I don't want to be over-confident, but I am just ready for it. I can't wait to learn, to study, to meet new people, to challenge myself and my mind. I need to own this interview!

First of Two Steps!

Hello everyone! New blog post? It means I am on "self-care" leave again!

It's just 6:35am and still early for my self-care shenanigans for today. And since I can't sleep anymore, I just figured I may have to update you for a minute. I have a big news, actually.

First, let us get it out of the way: I passed my UP LAE exam! Would you believe that!? I have been doubting myself since February, not really knowing if I really did well or I did not really do well at all. I just can't gauge it. 2 and a half months is fast and I am thankful for that.

However, the law school changed their rules in admitting students for this year. Compared to previous years where UP releases 2 lists of passers (one who are sure admitted and one where students need to go through interview), everyone will go through the interview instead. So, we are all schedule for admission interview on the week of May 27. 2 weeks is such a long time, compared to 2 and a half months. As much as I want to celebrate now and tell my relatives about passing the exam, I still need to prepare for the interview. Everything is not yet sure!

All the partners at the firm know this already, I think. And I guess I have already decided to take night classes at the BGC campuses. I was convinced by an associate that it's not really practical to not work (meaning no salary) for almost 5 years. I know it's gonna be hard, with all the stress of law school and the lack of time, spending the entire day at work and then studying at night. But challenge accepted! I mean I am ready for the gruelling nights ahead!

WISH ME LUCK, WHOEVER IS READING THIS!

OK, let me just say it again: I couldn't believe I passed the hardest entrance exam for arguably the best law school in the Philippines. I---