the first words of the first few pages of the last chapter of my student life

This is greater than what i expected it to be.

It's my first day in UP, and I had anticipated so many things about what would possibly happen today that I could feel the end of my hair become edgy with excitement. I had prepared myself for this event during the last few days of summer. I bade Martin D. goodbye (He is the only DJ whom I listen to every day. As in, EVERYDAY!); I kept all my drawing materials away (These are my loyal companions whenever I feel like flexing my creative juices at home); I ironed every possible piece of garment so as to have absolutely hassle-free days (In fact, I do this every week. I iron every clean garment that I could lay my hands on. Sayang nga daw sa kuryente sabi ng mama ko. hehe.) And so on and so forth... I felt that with all the preparations I had done, I would be more than prepared to face today's event. So I slept with nothing but a tingle of excitement on my mind.

I woke up at precisely 3 am feeling heavy. It's like I couldn't get back to sleep no matter how I tried. I so wanted to fall into Slumber Land again, but I just couldn't. Then a sharp white pain exploded in my right shoulder when I tried to yawn. I tried to remember anything that happened last night that might have caused this sudden jolt of pain. Then it all occurred to me. I was way too excited for today that I forgot to relax myself before dozing off to sleep. So there. Pulikat ang inabot ko. My shoulder muscles were too cramped while I was asleep. And there I was, squirming with pain, trying to suppress both a good cry and a good laugh at my stupidity.

I thought that preparedness is the only key to get you through a special event. Uh-uh. Not anymore. At least not when your body shook with so much anticipation that you almost died after 3 and a half hours of sleep.

--the anchor