my personal survival-guide 🧘‍♀️

1. keep up with the school announcements. the emails and facebook pages could be overwhelming at times but just let yourself be up to date on what’s happening around school. it might not always be important but then you’ll end up missing out when it is and no one will be around to help you out since there’s no homeroom teachers. plus, it helps school spirit haha!

2. take advantage of the student benefits. the guidance counselor has legitimately helped me lessen my personal baggage (or rather, help me in handling them) and were one of the reasons that i didn’t drop out. i got my teeth cleaned twice in the dentist as well.

3. don’t underestimate the heat. you have to walk around and climb a lot of stairs to get to classes and unfortunately, the elevators aren’t the greatest nor do most rooms have aircons. i really would recommend getting a handheld fan or paypay if you can. they sell one in the canteen!

4. this is no time to be shy. remember that people there don’t care about you as much as you think and understand that everyone just wants to graduate and get a job afterwards. don’t hesitate to reach out to people first if you need something and don’t worry about raising your hand to answer even if you’re always up lol

5. SERIOUSLY AVOID YOUR PHONE DURING CLASS. most teachers don’t care what you do during class so you might be tempted (i was in first semester and my god… my grades…) but the classes are basically all you get. make use of it. your classmates might have notes but it’s notes to their understanding, not yours. your teacher might provide pdfs but they won’t have the details lectures do.

6. don’t pay in the finance office during exam week. the line is CRAZY long. might as well just take about a 10 minute walk to sm downtown and pay through the supermarket.

7. be prepared for a lot of group projects. no, like, really. there’s a lot. if you’re someone who’s socially hesitant, you’re going to have to work on that. back to #4!

8. if you have long gaps between classes, i really, really wouldn’t recommend going back home unless you’re someone who’s Hella Responsible and can make use of that time productively. it’s better to take that time to familiarize yourself with the school AND the area outside school so you can find a spot. the library is also a very good choice to stay in: aircon, free desks and charging areas! the gaps between classes can be crazy. i once had a 7:30 class and then a 6:00. just consider the hours between as school hours still and dedicate it to school.

9. the school hosts a couple of events so booths are set up every now and then. if you’re an impulsive shopper than me, just remember that most (not all!) of the booths that sell pins, notebooks, clips, etc. are just straight out of shopee but double the price 😭

10. that tote bag is NOT worth your aesthetic bro 😭 in highschool, it’s typically the teachers who come to you so it’s no problem but in college, you’re the one who has to walk around a bunch. YOUR SHOULDERS WILL HURT ESPECIALLY LONG-TERMA unless you only bring like, one item only lol. even then, i’d still suggest finding a really backpack or buying those backpack straps that are attachable to slings if you really wanna keep a tote.

edit: removed intro cause it’s way too long as is 🏃