How to Survive Law School

So here’s a little trivia about me: I am actually a law student! Hahaha! I maintain this blog to keep me sane and keep my mind off things once in a while. Of course, I’m not saying that Law school is all that I am thinking about; because the truth is that I think about a lot of things on a daily basis.

So anyway, I’ve thought about it and I’ve realized that there are a lot of things I wish I knew when I was about to enter law school. So now, I am writing this for those who are about to go through it now!  

1. Make sure that this is really what you want

From the moment you set foot in law school, set your mind that from that moment on, your life will change entirely. An author once wrote that:

Law school is like a jealous mistress

And that is true! Be ready to miss out family reunions, birthdays, weddings, etc. and instead spend that time reading books, analyzing cases, and writing case digests. It will definitely demand a lot of time from you, and you just have to accept that fact and always remind yourself that THIS IS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT

2. Everyone is treated the same way in law school

When you enter law school fresh from college,and you’ve had latin honors, you may think that this will be just like a walk in the park. Again, you’re wrong! Everybody has an equal footing in law school. Everyone will be treated the same, and not everyone will excel just because they did great in college. You’d be surprised at how you will be faced with awesome people; and this will actually make you humble. It can either push you to do better, and it can sometimes make you feel bad about yourself: trust me, YOU WILL! Which brings me to the next item on this list.

3. Get ready to feel bad about yourself

Sure, you’ve spent the entire night reading the lesson for that day, you’ve even memorized the provisions covered; but come recitation day, everything just fade and you are left being entirely clueless about what you’re going to say. 

Trust me, there was this one class where I’ve literally felt the things that I’ve read swooshing down as I got up! Hahaha! And that is normal! And it’s okay to feel bad about it, but then make sure that after an hour or so, shake it off, and move on to the next phase!

4. Practice the art of moving on
Now this should be easy, and just really take it literally! Bad recit? Wallow for a while and then MOVE ON. Failed exams? Wallow for a while and then MOVE ON. I don’t have to explain it anymore! Hahaha!

5. Make sure to laugh at yourself

Trust me, lawyers may look serious, but you can save that up in the future. In law school, laughter is the best medicine! Because not being able to laugh can drive you insane. Which brings me to the next one.

6. Surround yourself with happy people

Okay, it’s bad enough that you feel sad about that embarassing recitation, so why would you want to talk about that with someone who would make you feel even more sad? 

There are countless of times when I would wallow in self pity, and what really got me through that were my friends who made me realize that it’s okay and it was pretty hilarious how our professor walked out of the room hahaha! 

7. Be prepared to be on your own

It helps if you have friends in law school, but see to it that you also know how to be independent. You are your own savior! At the end of the day, you will be responsible for your own successes and failures. So learn to accept this early on. 

8. Know the people who are genuine

Trust me, there are a lot of politics going on in law school! Haha! Not everyone would be willing to help you. There would definitely be people who would be a little bit selfish with notes, sample exams, etc. So be sure to distinguish! 

Of course, there are people who would genuinely be there to help you. I was lucky to have found people like them, and I will always be thankful! 

9. Learn how to share

This would go a long way in law school! When you share, people would also share. Actually it’s more of the univese giving back the energy that you send. So if it’s positive, be ready to get positive things in return. I can definitely say that I haven’t been selfish with what I have and what I know, so I guess that’s why other people do the same thing towards me! So there! 

Learn how to share

 

10. Always give your best

Honestly, up to now, I really don’t know how to do this! Haha! There were lots of times when I felt that I have definitely gave my best but still it did not work. 

Sometimes I wonder if giving our best is just a state of the mind

(Sorry I was a psychology major back in college so this is really how my mind works haha!)

Maybe, giving our best should be something innate in us. But you know what? I’ve realized that only ourselves can tell if we gave our all. There is no standard. You just have to believe that what you did is all that you can at that time! So what if it did not pay off? You can always try! I’m pretty sure that there is no limit on how many time we can give it our best!
Right now, I am in my final semester in law school; and so far these are all the things that I can share! I’ll make sure to post again! 
All the Best in law school!
Xoxo,

@thecouchpatatas

My letter to myself last Valentines Day (2015)

People always ask me why I don’t date, why I’ve never had a boyfriend,and why am I still single. Honestly, even I cannot answer these questions. All I know is that I am genuinely happy with my life and with the people that I have in it; and even though there are times when I wonder if I’d ever find that romantic love, still, I’ve never felt that the lack of it made me any less of a person. I won’t say that I am not looking for it; because the truth is that I am praying for it. People who are close to me always think that I drive love away; but actually, it’s the other way around.

Right now, I am keeping the faith because I know that there is someone out there for me; and this alone makes me hang on and wait until I become the person that God wants me to be for the person whom He wants me to be with. 

Happy Valentine’s Day Self! =)

An open letter from Mr. Right

My sentiments exactly! This post speaks for itself!

#UNFILTERED

Dear daughters of God,

Contrary to what you have heard, I do exist. I’m no fairytale hunk with big muscles and thing for chick flicks (although, I may or may not have a man bun). So, put your daydreams of love off to the side for a minute and let me tell you what makes me, “Mr. Right” and why people keep telling you to wait for me.

The first thing I really want for you to understand is that I was not born your Mr. Right. I promise we weren’t destined to cross paths and lock eyes from across a crowded room and fall hopelessly in love. God has been working in my heart for YEARS! Do you realize what was in my heart before Christ saved me?! Of course you don’t because we haven’t met yet, but I can promise you it is equally as crazy and sinful as…

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UNCERTAIN

“If there’s one word that could describe your life right now, what word would that be?”

This question has always been asked to us, but always remains to be a hard one to answer.

Right now, I’ve been contemplating about how my life is as of the moment. I know that there are many words that could describe how my life is now, but if there is one word which I think would be the best, I think that that would be the word, “UNCERTAIN”.

And I’m sure that this goes on to many others too. No one in this world can say that their life is CERTAIN. 

I’ve always said, and I have always believed that the best way to enjoy life, is to ENJOY THE UNCERTAINTY that comes with it.

This is easy to say, but is VERY DIFFICULT TO DO.

There will always be this part in us that would want to know what the future holds. Maybe because we want to be prepared, or maybe because we just can’t bear the thought of not knowing what’s going to happen to us the next day. In this fast-paced world that we have now, we are always being advised that we should take a breather, and appreciate the things that are going on in the present. The days pass by so fast that we would just be surprised that another year is over. 

I’ve always been trying to keep my focus on what’s happening in the present, but I will still always keep on thinking about what I should do the next day.  Sure, I’d usually want to “seize the day”, but that doesn’t mean that my mind would stop and not go about what’s going to happen next.

This made me think that:

“MAYBE LIVING IN THE MOMENT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TOMORROW”

That’s why it’s hard to stay relaxed for a day; for we know that the next day may not be RELAXING at all.

Being in law school made me think that way. After a long week of studying, I would always say that I should take a day to relax and not think about my studies for a while. I would feel calm, sure, but then just as I was about to come close to the end of that day, my heart would start pounding again as I think about what’s going to happen to me the following week.

I would always tell my friends whenever they ask me if law school is difficult that “It’s not difficult, it’s just tiring sometime”.  I don’t want to sound so arrogant, but I really believe that. It would really entail a lot of work, LOTS of it i tell you!!!hahaha!! But I don’t want to vocalize any negative words, so I don’t want to say the word “DIFFICULT”, but rather, i’d say that “It would take a lot of your time and effort”. Hahahaha!! 

Being a graduate of B.S. Psychology, I have come to realize just how powerful our mind really is! 

So if we produce negative words, our mind would absorb that, and it will stick to it FOREVER! (True Story)

There have been a lot of trying times, but I would always try my best to look at these things in the MOST POSITIVE WAY THAT I COULD.  Of course it’s not easy; i would not call it denial too. It is more of a matter of MINDSET. 

Right now, a lot of things come into my mind. I would like to write them all, but then it would just be too much.  So I guess what I would just like to say is  in this life, there are and will always be challenges ahead. It would make us want to quit, it would even make us cry, and it would make us want to give up. But at the end of the day, what would matter is how we would take all of them, and how we will keep everything in stride. With perseverance, faith, and prayers, no uncertainties can ever pull us down. 

I have said that:

“MAYBE LIVING IN THE MOMENT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TOMORROW”

But then I’ve realized that it should more be of this way:

“WE SHOULD LIVE IN THE MOMENT AND ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF IT EVEN IF WE  FAILED BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A NEW TOMORROW”

See?it’s just a matter of turning things around! Hahaha!!

Kudos to LIFE’S UNCERTAINTY!

Why I don’t want to fall in Love

You see, for the past twenty four (24) years of my life, I have seen a lot of “INSTANCES OF LOVE”. 

Instance #1: People who were once so madly in love who later on become bitter exes in the end. 

Instance #2: People who have been together for a long time but ended up being with other people in the end. 

Instance #3: People getting so vulnerable because of love

Instance #4: People getting so STUPID because of love

Instance #5: People forgetting their friends because of love.

Instance #6: People crying for days because of love.

Instance #7: People getting fat because of love (true story)

Instance #8: People becoming UNREASONABLE because of love

Instance #9: People disregarding their family because of love

Instance #10: People committing suicide because of love (I know right?haha!but true story indeed!)

These are some of the things that I have discovered about being in LOVE.

I may seem negative for writing all of these things, but these things really do happen; they did happen! 

And how did I know?

Because these people came to me, asking for advice. Can you imagine?These people asked for an advice from someone who hasn’t even been in love in the first place!I guess instance #4 is correct.Haha!Kidding!

So anyway, being someone who has not experienced all the drama, I am not really sure if these people are giving me warnings or if they were terrorizing me or something. Hearing all these things really scares me! 

I have always been this person who is good in giving advices. I can make a person feel better by giving words of encouragement. But somehow, I cannot help but think that someday, these things can also happen to me; and that I will also be needing advices. This is my biggest fear! 

Okay, maybe at this point you may think that I am crazy or something; or that I am an anti-LOVE person. Actually, I really am not; I am scared, that’s true, but I also do believe that being in LOVE is the greatest thing in this world. Nothing can compare to that feeling of giving away a part of yourself to someone you really value the most. I also still think that this is something that I just cannot wait to experience in the near future.

But here’s the deal:

I am not against LOVE (like what I have said), but I am against LOVE AT THE WRONG TIME. 

One thing that I have noticed from all those people whom I have helped (naks!haha!), is that they always get hurt in the end because the love that they had was not mature enough; or that they fell in love too easily. Sure, it feels nice to be impulsive once in a while; but when it comes to love, i think IMPULSIVENESS DOES NOT REALLY WORK. They say that when love hits you, you would just know it. So the tendency is for people to act on in immediately, feel really good, and then eventually end up being hurt. And this brings me to formulate this saying in my mind:

“Nothing can explain how love happens; but there are lot of explanations about how it fades.”

Sounds unfair right? How love is unexplainable, but falling out of love has many reasons. Maybe that’s just it; being in love is complicated. Even the best-selling authors cannot give a precise and exact definition about what love is. And I guess it is also because not all people experience the same kind of love. Maybe what I consider as love may not be considered as love by other people, and it works both ways. 

See how complicated it is?

So I guess those people who were able to find their true love on their first try really are the lucky ones. They don’t have to suffer the agony of the process of breaking up, or the feeling of being a failure, and the feeling of being worthless in the end. I may sound ambitious, but this is the kind of love which I am dreaming to have. Maybe what I said before about being scared can be best explained by this:

I do not know yet how I will love someone or in what level will I fall. This scares me because I do not know if I will also end up hurting like the others; or if I will also get stupid, or unreasonable, or FAT! haha! 

These are the questions in my mind; these may also be the reasons that’s been holding me back. 

But I guess I am really just being careful; I do not want to rush into things because I know that if I am ready, it will happen. And I GUESS by that time, I will also be ready to be hurt, be stupid, and be unreasonable; but I am SURE that when that happens, I will be stronger. 

Preparing my heart for the battle is what I am doing right now. And those instances of love? Well, they are just my guide. Because when the time comes, I know I will also be able to write my own “LOVE INSTANCES”; and they will be the best!

Xoxo,

@thecouchpatatas

Regina Rica Rosari: Rizal’s hidden sanctuary

Being a Rizaleño by birth, I can’t tell you just how much pride I have of my home province. You see, I live in Angono, Rizal; it is actually the third town that you will reach if you are coming from the pasig area. My friends would usually say that I live very far, and I would consistently answer: “hindi ah! 30 minutes away nga lang ako from ortigas”, which is true, actually! You see, Rizal is a very good location because in here, you get to have a laid-back-town-vibes without having to feel much away from the hustle and bustle of the city. 

There are many places that you can go to in Rizal. In my hometown, Angono (the Art Capital of the Philippines) for one, has its own attractions that draw tourist very often. But I’ll post about that soon. In this post, I will share with you a place that you can go to if you just want to meditate and clear your mind, without travelling that far: 

The Regina Rosarii Institute for Contemplation in Asia in Tanay, Rizal (better known as Regina RICA)

Not far from Angono is Tanay, Rizal. In just about an hour or less (if you have your own car), you can reach this town. You will just pass by the towns of: Binangonan, Cardona, Morong, and Baras..then voila! You’re in Tanay already. So if you’re coming from Ortigas you’ll have about 2 hours to get there. 

If you have your own car, you just have to take the manila east road,keep going straight ahead, pass by the towns that I’ve mentioned, and once you get to Tanay, there are many signs that are put up in there so you will definitely not get lost. 

Regina RICA is open everyday except Tuesdays. Visiting time is from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. You have to take note that there is a dress code inside the premises. Girls are not allowed to wear shorts; however,if you still wore shorts, they will provide you with skirts that you can wear on top of your shorts (I knew this because me and my friends were wearing shorts the first time that we went there since it’s summer hehe). Sleeveless clothes are also prohibited for both men and women. Upon arriving you will first be given a short orientation about the place, and then after that, you are free to roam around already.

I was lucky because for the two times that I’ve been here, the place was not too crowded. During holy week, the traffic is just unbelievable! Well, this is because of the fact that Regina RICA has its own set of devotees already. Also, it is also part of many religious pilgrimage in the country, and I believe even in Asia.

So let me now share you the pictures from my two trips combined! Hehe:

   

( The Mary’s Sacred Trail: this leads to the statue of Mama Mary on top of the hill. There’s only one way up and you cannot go down this path; you would have to go down on the other designated path)

  

(The view while going to the top)

( Mama Mary!)

This is the huge statue of Mama Mary on top of the hill. There is actually a prayer room inside her mantle; and you have to remove your shoes if you want to go inside.

  

(This view! Love!)

(My panoramic shot of the place) 

After praying inside the mantle, there is a candle offering area where you can buy candles in different colors; each color representing your different intentions. My friend bought all the colors, by the way. Hehe. Now, in the usual Filipino tradition, you have to say a prayer first before you light your candle.  You can also sign up your loved ones so that they will be prayed for for the rest of their lives. You would just give a donation, and then list down the names of the people you love in the prayer list. 

    

(The Mangrove trail. Each is sponsored by different people. Amazing right?)

  

(Our candles!)

(This is the church inside the Regina RICA. They also celebrate the Holy Mass in here. The Regina RICA Mass Schedules:

 

 ( from http://reginarica.org )

   

(The side view of the chapel)

So there you have it! I hope you got to experience Regina RICA in Tanay by just looking through my pictures! I would really suggest that you go here if you have the time in order to nourish your spirituality. It is indeed a beautiful place; and it is very well-maintained not just because it is new, but because you can feel the sincerity of the people who are working thereat. 

For more info visit their website:

http://reginarica.org

Someday

Someday, BELIEVE that there would be someone out there who would like you and your ENTIRETY. You would not need to guess, assume, and wonder if he’s the ONE; because he would like you so much that he would be willing to take the RISK to let you know just that. God may have led you to believe that certain people who came into your life were the one, but the truth is He was only letting you feel and realize that just because you like someone and that someone likes you back doesn’t mean that he would be the one that God has planned for you to be with. Have you been hurt? Have you felt pain? That’s only because God is telling you that the one he has prepared for you will NEVER EVER BREAK YOUR HEART. That person would understand how precious your heart is, and that he would be very lucky once you open it for him. He would appreciate your uniqueness, your individuality, and the fact that you are a bit crazy. He would appreciate the fact that you may not be the most beautiful girl in the world, but for him you are more than enough. He would be proud to have you in his life because he knows that you are one-of-a-kind. You would never be jealous, because he would never give you any reason to. You would never feel insecure, because he would assure you everyday just how amazing you are. He would love each and every person in your life, because he knows how much it would mean to you. Your love would NEVER be PERFECT, you would have shortcomings, and conflicts; but at the end of the day, you would both fight to make it work because you know that your LOVE is ONE-IN-A-MILLION.  So be patient, and just believe that your story would be so EPIC that it would be WORTH SHARING WITH THE WORLD AND would be WORTH WAITING FOR.

— I know that this kind of Love may be too Idealistic and Unreal; it may not even exist. But I do believe that someday it would happen for me. God is making me wait because he wants to be sure that I am whole and complete before I open my heart to someone. He knows that I cannot handle heartaches so He is also preparing my someone to be the best that he can possibly be so that he would never ever break my heart.  He is making me realize that I don’t need someone to complete me because the one He would give me is a better whole which would complement another better whole.