First Year: Baptism of Fire

Now that I am officially a second year student, I think it is only appropriate for me to update my blog.

I entered Law School uncertain but hopeful, nervous but excited, I have nothing but dream and determination of one day becoming a Lawyer.

Studying Law is an experience unlike any other. First Year in Law School is commonly referred to as the baptism of fire. There is no such thing as testing the waters. The only step is by diving right in and hoping that you will not drown.

You need to read hundreds of pages and shitloads of cases just to be terrorized by your professor the next day.

But as they say, if it was not difficult then everyone would do it and the difficult is what makes it worth it.

Law School is indeed difficult but it has been one of the best experiences of my life. The grief of being asked in recitation with that one single topic that you may have missed in your readings and the joy of successfully answering and acing your Professor’s questions.

The unsettling feeling of studying for exams, the worse feeling of waiting for the result, and the gratifying feeling once you receive the results and knowing you passed it.

Studying Law is mentally draining and is a roller coaster ride of emotions. You need not only to be mentally prepared but emotionally as well.

It will push you to the absolute limit. You will either break down or you will exceed your limitations. At the end of the day, the thing that will help you push through is that dream and determination you have with you the day you first stepped in Law School.

Do not lose sight of that dream. When everything is going wrong, that is the only thing that would keep you sane. Couple that with prayer and hard work, everything will work out.

I overcame First year and there are three more years to go. I entered Law School with nothing but dream and determination and I will now face bigger challenges with the same dream but much more determined.

 U.I.O.G.D

Why Are We Here?

Now that Midterms is finally over, I have a little bit of free time to make a new entry.

So, my blockmates and I were goofing around. And as a joke, this topic came out.

Why are we here?

Started as a joke but it is really an intriguing question, why are we even here? We all have our Bachelor's Degree. We could all probably have a decent job, earn some money and not worry about anything else.

Why do we let ourselves feel the pressure and anxiety with every pending recitation? Why do we let ourselves be tortured by our professors by succumbing to enormous amount of readings and further be terrorized on recitation day? Why do we trade our precious sleep to shit load of cases that has already been resolved? 

We have given up some of our hobbies, our social life, and for some of us, our love life to study law.
Why are we even here?

We are here because we have a goal to achieve. For some of us, we want to make our Parent's dream become a reality. For some, this has been a life long dream. For some, becoming a Lawyer is the first step into stepping to Politics, and for some, being a Lawyer is the best way to have an impact and help change the country.

Here are the quick facts.

Facts: We are going through hell

Issue: Whether or not we could get out of this alive to see ourselves have a Roll Number and take the Lawyer's Oath

Held: As long as our dream and ambition is greater the obstacles and fear we are facing, we shall become a Lawyer no matter how hard it takes. 

So, Bring it on. We can handle the readings, we can handle the sleepless nights, we can handle some bruises and cuts that we might acquire due to some stumbles along the way. But nothing would stop us, in fact all of these would just make us better, stronger, smarter and would equip us to become the Best Lawyers we could possibly be in the very near future.

We are here because we have a goal, although different for each persons, still a goal that we all whole heartedly want to achieve. 

Engineering and Law School

The common perception is Engineering is worlds away from Law School, and rightfully so. Engineering mostly deals with formulas, equations, numbers, devices and innovations; while Law School deals with different kinds of Laws, its interpretation, construction, how it should be understood and how it could be applied.

That is why before Law School began, I had a lot of uncertainties, questions and doubts. As class began, the uncertainties are slowly being realized. Days turned into weeks and we have now spent more than a month in law school. After some adjustments, I am finally getting the hang of this Law School thaaang. 

Yes, it is true that Engineering is worlds away from Law School. Engineers are believed to be soft spoken analytical thinkers, that does everything through application rather than words, while Lawyers are believed to be out spoken preachers who makes a living by interpreting, applying, and expressing the law through written documents and through their own language.

Engineering and Law School: Environment is different, methods are different, and even some common characteristics and attributes of students and professors are different. But even if they are worlds away, there is one very important similarity. In Engineering, it is not enough that you have memorized each formula. You should know why, when, and how to apply it. The same with Law School. It is not enough to know and to have an understanding of each provisions of the Law. You should be able to know why, when, and how to apply them.

Engineering and Law is very similar in the sense that one of the most important factors is analyzation and not mere memorization. 

First Week in Law School: First Round

In boxing, if you swing for the fences on the very first round, you’d either knock your opponent out or be knocked out. Crazy or Genius, pick the appropriate term for someone who could pull a stunt like that.

The first round is usually the feeling out round. Boxers usually study the moves of their opponent, mind their surroundings, and even get a feel on how their mind and body react.

This is usually the best move because the first round because all the information he’ll get in the first round will dictate his strategy for the succeeding rounds.

For our first week in Law School, we have experienced reading more than 100 pages a night before the class. We have seen how our professors conduct their graded recitations. And we now have a little bit of idea about the challenges we’ll have to face, and the obstacles will have to overcome in the pursuit to become a lawyer.

I cannot say that I’m surprised since I knew what I was getting myself into, even before I entered Law School. But it’s safe to say that I need some time to adjust because this is an entirely different environment from what I am used to. The first week was the perfect adjustment period, and it gave me a good idea how to tackle my subjects, manage my time, and prepare for class.

Other than that, I’m very glad that I made the decision to study at SBCA Law.

From the first week alone, I can say that:

·         I feel comfortable with the environment: Should be no surprise since I graduated Highschool here.

·         We have great professors: Enough Said. And our block is under the living legend in Criminal Law 1

·         I have great Blockmates: All my classmates are very friendly. On the first week, our block as a whole has become closer. We have already conducted some study sessions, tsismisan sessions, etc.

·         Bedan Community is fantastic: Everyone is looking to help each other out. Almost every student, if not all, is approachable. Upperclassmen even extend their help to give us tips and needed materials.

Well yeah, basing on the first week alone, I am more than satisfied with my decision to take my talents to SBCA School of Law.

The only thing that could truly validate this is for me to pass all my subjects.

SHOUTOUT: Thanks to Mapua for all the sleepless nights, and the sleepless month(s) during our review days while preparing for the Board Examination. It has equipped me better to face the challenges of becoming a Lawyer. 4 sleepless years are about to come.

THAT IN ALL THINGS, GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED

Where it all begins..... Again

In the middle of my fourth year as an Engineering student, I had my doubts whether I should continue it. Not because I found it difficult, but because my heart was not into it. The only reason I chose to study Engineering is because I’m good at Math. I took a lot of time to think what I really wanted to do and it led me to one thing and one thing only, TO BECOME A LAWYER.

I wrote my parents a letter and told them that I wanted to study Law. We ended the discussion with an agreement, for me to finish my EcE course, then they’ll let me study Law.

After I graduated I decided to study and take the Board exam so that my degree in Engineering wouldn’t be for nothing. With God’s grace, I passed the EcE Licensure Exam with flying colors.

Now, I am here. I believe that everything I’ve went through, every struggle, hardwork, and triumph has led me here. All the lessons I’ve learned and all the experience I’ve gained would be for this opportunity: to study Law.

I’ve turned down some Job offers, financial security and independence for more Education. This is not about the money and it never will. This is about doing something I believe in, doing something I know that would be right for me, and doing something that would give me the knowledge and put me in the best position to be a productive member of society.

I decided to study in San Beda College Alabang, School of Law. I’ve attained my early education there, and it would only be fitting for me to continue with my dream in the School where I began.

Boston Celtics 2013 (Celtic Pride)

This is not directly related about me becoming a lawyer, but you'll see how this team has inspired people not just on the court but more importantly in their lives. And I'm sure that when I face adversities, I could always look at this team and believe that "ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE"

Here we are again, the end of another playoff run by the Boston Celtics. What started as a promising season has turned into a beautiful tragedy that no one could have written any better.

What more can I say? Game 6 of the first round of the playoffs said it all. The Boston Celtics were down 26 points with a little over 6 minutes remaining in the game and they had almost done the impossible. They fought back, made a 20 – 0 run and went out like warriors.  We were outmatched and we were left for dead, but we fought back, we never gave up, we refused to die, but in the end we came up short.

But this is not a story of defeat, this is about the Glory of being a Celtic. Any other team in the NBA would have easily given up and would allow themselves to be swept in the playoffs. Any other team would have lied down after being down 26 points in the 4^th quarter and face the shame of being humiliated in their home court. But the Celtics is not just any other team. With Celtic Pride passed from the time of Russell, to the time of Bird, and now to the KG era, these warriors would not allow themselves to go out that way.

These warriors would go out at their own terms. These warriors looked their opponents in the eye and said “Before you get through us, we will show you something you will never forget” With the heart of a Celtic pumping hard in their chest, and having the bloodline of Celtic Royalties flow through their veins, they allowed themselves to go out with pride, heads held high, and shout to the world “WE ARE CELTICS.”

It may now be time to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new. The faces would change, the names on the back would change, the numbers would change, but CELTIC PRIDE WOULD NEVER DIE.

Celtic Pride! It is not just basketball, it is about believing in yourself when no one else does. It is about overcoming obstacles that seem insurmountable. It is about overcoming the odds. It is about never giving up even if no hope could be found. And most of all it is about being proud of yourself and your actions no matter what the outcome may be.

Celtic Pride is not just basketball, it is a lifestyle.

San Beda's Admissions Test

I took the entrance exam for San Beda College of Law yesterday (February 9)

The test was scheduled at 8am, but the applicants needed to fill out personal information that time. So basically, the real exam started at about 8:15.

There were four parts in the exam. All parts were 60 items, and the time ranged from 35-50mins for each part.

The first part was about verbal reasoning and reading comprehension. Their passages were rally easy. Not much to think about, most of the answers were a given as long as you read the passage carefully.

The second part was critical thinking. This part was LSAT based. You have to determine from the choices which were the right conclusion, assumption, etc. And the last 20 items were all logic games. I think the time given was sufficient, the examiner simply shouldn't dwell too long on an item.

The third part was all about math. Yep, MATH! Calculators weren't allowed, as if you'd need them. This part was pretty easy. Basic algebra, geometry, radicals and other HS stuff. It's funny because these were the things I've been teaching my sister w/ regards to their topic in school. (Take note: She's only on her 2nd year in HS)

The fourth part was about abstract reasoning. The difficulty ranged from easy to average. But you need to have a good eyesight to answer this quickly. LOL

After the time alloted for the exam was done, we were given another answer sheet for the essay which was needed to be answered for 35mins. The topic on our exam was
"Do you agree that a lawyer should undergo one year of Governement supervised OJT in the Philippines before he can practice in the country, why or why not?"
Sorry, I'm not gonna tell you my answer.