Such Great Heights

Today’s drizzle didn’t dampen my spirits. Despite arriving home at 3am, I still felt energized when I woke up around 10am. Nothing was gonna stop me from making sure this day pushes through.

Today was enrollment day for my MA (masters degree) and I had to commute because my brother needed the car more than I did. Commuting, I think, actually did me good despite the rain. It felt good to be part of the ‘madding crowd’ while I still get to keep in tune with my own private world via my ipod. I arrived by 1pm and got to work. Steps to enrollment:

1. Acquire printed form 5-A from the department.

2. Seek advise on the MA program.

3. Enlist for your subjects.

4. Acquire form 5 from the graduate studies.

5. Evaluation.

6. Pay for the student fund.

7. Get library clearance.

8. Assessment.

9. Payment.

10. Voila, form 5 is ready and complete!

Big thanks to Khaye (hope I got her name right), Lanie (hope I got the spelling right, too) and especially to Prof. Arguillas for being so accommodating and helpful. I was done by 430pm. 4.5 hours for enrollment beats any record in my undergrad days. Enrollment for MA was a piece of cake - walking from one building to another, going up six flights of stairs to get to the 3rd floor - that was probably the most strenous physical activity I’ve done in months, no make that years!. Haha.

Would you believe that even passing the fare to the jeepney driver made me feel nostalgic? I can’t even remember when I last took the jeepney.

I went to the mall afterwards and treated myself. Cheap thrills to be exact. Bought a P100 bracelet which I thought looked novel until I saw a similar-looking one on another woman’s wrist in the FX queue (sheesh, well at least mine had better color combination, LOL). Bought a Papemelroti notebook (school supply) and a P299 keychain with a sunflower and the name Emily embossed on it (don’t ask me why). Then I treated myself to white pizza, spaghetti and raspberry iced tea in Sbarro’s. Yum.

Riding back home, I couldn’t help but feel contented, happy. Classes will start on Friday. I have left the corporate world to take on new grounds in the academe, hoping I will be able to live a socially-relevant life: a meaningful one with purpose not necessarily profit or fame.

I remember listening to Iron and Wine’s version of ‘Such Great Heights’ on the way to school. Music really is the soundtrack to my life.