"Bye mom! Manang!" Paalam ko sa dalawang matanda na naguusap sa dining table habang nag uumagahan.
"Hindi ka muna lang ba mag uumagahan hija?" Tanong sa akin ni Manang ng makababa ako, umiling naman ako bilang tugon. I'm excited for school, sinadya ko talagang maaga ngayon so I can still have time to tour around the campus and para narin mahanap ang room ko agad. Hindi ako masyadong nakapag libot kahapon, after kong tumambay saglit sa soccer field I went home.
"Sa school nalang po" sagot ko sa kanila habang kumakaway na sa kanila papalabas ng bahay. Sakto naman pagkalabas ko ng bahay agad na dumating ang grab na naipabook ko papuntang school. Hindi ko pa masyadong tanda ang papunta sa school para mag commute, kaya tiis tiis nalang muna for grab.
Nang makarating ako sa Clarkson University nagmadali na akong lumabas ng taxi at pumasok ng gate. They just scanned for my I.D and viola! I can enter my school now without the guards na humaharang sakin. Maaga palang marami na akong nakikitang students na may kanya kanya ng ginagawa, I can see different faces, some are with their friends already, ang iba naman ay tila nag mamadali na, maybe they have early schedule for class. I looked at my watch and saw its still 6:30 AM, I still have one hour and thirty minutes to tour around, maybe I can go to the Dean's office 30 minutes before the time. So as I planned, naglibot libot muna ako sa campus na inabot din ng ilang minuto. Hindi ko na nalibot lahat dahil kakapusin ako sa time plus I intended to stop by at the skating rink, I'm excited to see it and maybe dito narin ako magpapahinga. One of the conditions of the school, they will accept and let me enroll for this year kahit na late na as long as I will be the representative of their school, which I agreed without hesitating, its not that bad and I really want to experience studying on a university already not just on our house.
Pagka pasok ko palang nakita ko na agad ang mga iilan sa nag tatraining, mostly girls, nasa dadalawa pa lang ang nakikita kong lalake dito. Well maybe padating o kaya naman mamaya pa ang training ng iba. Habang nasa taas ako ng mga benches I can see the student's achievements posted on the bulletins even their trophies. I sat on of the benches here while watching them train, na palagay ko ang iba ay baguhan palang based on the steps and warm ups they are doing.
"Hi, bago ka?" I'm still sitting on the bench when a long-haired girl with an eyeglass approached me carrying her books.
"Hello, I'm a transferee here" Nangunot naman ang kanyang noo, maybe she's wondering if the school can still accept students.
"Can I?" Paalam niyang makikiupo sa tabi ko "Why are you here by the way? Are you interested on joining ice skating?" she said habang tinabihan na ako sa pagkakaupo ko. Tumango naman ako sa kanya bilang sagot.
"Oo, One of my conditions bago nakapasok dito"
"Really? What year are you na ba? You don't seem like a high school to me, so I assume nasa college kana rin like me"
"May high school dito?" I asked
"Yup, Some of the senior skaters here are teaching the newbies kaya iisa lang ng training place ang lahat ng skaters" paliwanag niya. I see, kaya pala I can see some trainers younger than me. Mahahalata mo naman agad based on their appearance.
"So what year are you in?" Tanong niya ulit
"1st year, BSA"
"Oh, same course tayo! But I'm on my 3rd year already" she said now while smiling "Ay Oo nga pala my bad, I'm Joanna Serafine Reyes, Jo or Sera nalang for short" she added while offering her hand to me.
"Clarissa Monette Fabrigas" I said while accepting her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Clarissa" I gave her a sweet smile
"Are you an athlete too?" I asked her
"Nope, madalas lang akong tumambay dito"
"Hindi mo ba naisipang mag try out?"
"I want to, but my parents wouldn't let me".
Minutes had passed and we bid our goodbyes to each other, dahil may class pa ng 7:30 si Sera, but before that we exchange numbers so we can still contact each other. That's why I decided na pumunta narin ng Dean's office dahil malapit narin naman ang time for my first subject.
Nang makarating ako sa Accountancy department building I went straight to the office ands knocked twice before entering.
"Good morning Dean, I'm Clarissa Monette Fabrigas po"
"Ah! The figure skating athlete, maupo ka hija" She said.
"Thank you po"
"How are you hija? By the way I'm Mrs. Esterlina Hevera the Dean of Accountancy" Pagpapakilala niya sa akin. "I just want to inform you that they have started their classes and every two weeks students are having their exams and since exam week na ngayon,and we decided for you to have your special exams para makahabol" Paliwanag sa akin ni Dean
"Paano po ako makakahabol sa class?" Tanong ko sa kanya na medyo kinakabahan na. Just by telling me this, I can already feel the strain but I'm already aware na hindi biro ang pinasukan ko and I'm ready for it.
"We have our academic organization called Dynamic Society of Accounting Students for those students who needs bridging or tutorials on accounting class and we assigned someone personally na magiging tutor mo for two weeks, okay lang ba sayo mag over time hija? You'll have your bridging session after your class before your training, since that's the best and available time for the both of you." she said.
"Yes po din, but where and when can I meet her po?"
"He will approach you after your class" He!?? He's a guy!?
"Okay po Dean"
"Okay that's all you may now proceed to your class" Matapos kong magpaalam kay Dean ay lumabas na ako. My tutor's a guy I hope he's a hottie one.
AD327 my first room for my first accounting class. Nang makarating ako ng classroom ko pumasok na ako at nag hanap ng mauupuan, ramdam ko naman ang tingin ng iba sa akin. Siguro ay nagtataka kung bakit ako nandito. Maya maya lang ay pumasok na ang profesor namin, na sa tingin ko ay binata pa hindi siya katandaan, I think hindi lang rin nalalayo ang age gap namin. Bigla naman niyang ibinaling ang tingin sa akin ng makita ako at nginitian.
"Okay class good morning, we have your new classmate from states. Ms. Clarissa Monette Fabrigas an athlete figure skating" Kung kanina ay iilan lang ang nakatingin sa akin, ngayon naman ay ramdam ko ang mata ng lahat sa akin habang pinapakilala ako ng prof namin ngayon. I'm used to crowded and many people watching me but this time its different, naiilang ako na hindi ko maintindihan.
"I am Mr. Aldeo your ACC 111 profesor for the whole sem, I hope you'll enjoy your stay here and in my class. Now let's start with the discussion" And just like that the class had started. Nakikinig lang naman ako sa kanya kahit pa wala akong maintindihan hanggang sa natapos ang klase niya.
Fuck! seems like I badly needed that bridging thing I said to myself. First hour of the class I am already drained
"Clarissa okay ka lang?" Erika asked me while fixing our things preparing for our next class. While on discussion si sir kanina nagkausap kami ni Erika at napag alaman kong same codes lang kami sa lahat ng subjects kaya hindi malabong mag sama kami lagi.
"Yup, medyo nahihirapan lang since its my first day and first time"
"Don't worry you'll catch up our lessons soon, Tara?" Pag alo niya sa akin at nag simula na kaming mag lakad papalabas ng room.
Papalabas palang sana kami ng biglang may humarang sa aming dinadaanan, and to my surprise its the guy on the bookstore.
Nakakunot naman ang kanyang noo na tinignan ako habang pasimpleng tinitignan ang ID ko.
"Ms. Fabrigas?" Tumango naman ako bilang sagot.
"I'm Jack Noah Olivares DYSAS President and your tutor for two weeks"
