Sunday, February 27, 2011

Faith Goal Number 1, Check!

Lord, thank you. It was indeed by your grace that I passed the two Sundays. I give you back all glory, honor, and praise. =)

My Romance with the Library

My romance with the library started last Monday, January 24, 2011. It is my first time to really sit down and read from 8am until 5.30pm. This is something I haven’t done ever since I started going to school. The library for me can only mean three things: it is a place where you borrow books; a place where you read journals, magazines and newspapers that you cannot afford to buy; and a place where you sit down while waiting for the next exam.
I took a leave from work for a week, without salary, just to stay in the library. That is six days to be exact (by the standards of the organization).
But a week without a salary was the least thing on my mind. My priority and my goal is to pass the Comprehensive Exams. This is the toughest exam, perhaps, that I will be taking my whole life. There were at least three friends who told me I shouldn’t take it if I’m not really ready. These three friends, are really friends. They know what they are saying because they have been there and were able to successfully hurdle the test.
My sister, who has fifty percent encouragement and fifty percent sarcasm in her blood , told me, “one week before the exams is what really matters” and threatened me that I should make good .
I have also my friend and my mentor who pushes me hard to really pass and there’s no excuse for me not to pass.
A friend and somebody who is like a mother to me told me that all the more that I should take the exam even if I am not that prepared. What I need to do is to review diligently for that one whole week. And she encouraged me that I could make it, for as long as I trust God.
I have a nine year old son who always prays at night for his mom to pass her major major exam.
So these were my motivations why I had a romance with the library. First day, I really had a hard time keeping myself awake. So I pee every once in a while, roam around, inspect (yes, inspect) the books neatly piled on the shelves, check books in their OPAC system. Those were my little recreations.
At exactly 11:30am, I leave my books in my chosen corner, go up to the canteen and eat lunch. I eat alone. I only have with me my eyes and my cell phone. I observe the students lining up for their meals. I observe what they eat, what they wear, how they group together. It’s a relief to see students wearing big backpacks, pants or pedal pushers, sleepers, sneakers, rubber shoes. They discuss about their lessons. They eat one and a half serving of rice for the girls and two servings of rice for the boys. They usually cluster in groups depending on their course, subject, organizations. I want to think that my observations are all true and correct. After lunch, I see students sitting in the corridors with their laptops, or with their orgs putting make up, then some of them playing a kids game. It’s so nice to just roam around the campus and observe.
Then I go back to the library, do my crossword first (something I haven’t done for years), then read then nap for 30 minutes. Yes, a nap. A super powerful nap. Then I go on reading. And I’m now getting the hang of it. Yes, I’m enjoying every moment now that I spend in my little corner.
At 5:30, I start packing my things. Then get the rest of my things at the baggage counter, have the library employee check my things and enjoy listening to the alarm go off as I go out. It’s my Strat book authored by David. I did not remove the price tag. And I do not also plan to remove the price tag. I am just so amused listening to the alarm.
Sunday is getting near. The results will be all up to God. My future is in His hands.

My Romance with the Library

My romance with the library started last Monday, January 24, 2011. It is my first time to really sit down and read from 8am until 5.30pm. This is something I haven’t done ever since I started going to school. The library for me can only mean three things: it is a place where you borrow books; a place where you read journals, magazines and newspapers that you cannot afford to buy; and a place where you sit down while waiting for the next exam.
I took a leave from work for a week, without salary, just to stay in the library. That is six days to be exact (by the standards of the organization).
But a week without a salary was the least thing on my mind. My priority and my goal is to pass the Comprehensive Exams. This is the toughest exam, perhaps, that I will be taking my whole life. There were at least three friends who told me I shouldn’t take it if I’m not really ready. These three friends, are really friends. They know what they are saying because they have been there and were able to successfully hurdle the test.
My sister, who has fifty percent encouragement and fifty percent sarcasm in her blood , told me, “one week before the exams is what really matters” and threatened me that I should make good .
I have also my friend and my mentor who pushes me hard to really pass and there’s no excuse for me not to pass.
A friend and somebody who is like a mother to me told me that all the more that I should take the exam even if I am not that prepared. What I need to do is to review diligently for that one whole week. And she encouraged me that I could make it, for as long as I trust God.
I have a nine year old son who always prays at night for his mom to pass her major major exam.
So these were my motivations why I had a romance with the library. First day, I really had a hard time keeping myself awake. So I pee every once in a while, roam around, inspect (yes, inspect) the books neatly piled on the shelves, check books in their OPAC system. Those were my little recreations.
At exactly 11:30am, I leave my books in my chosen corner, go up to the canteen and eat lunch. I eat alone. I only have with me my eyes and my cell phone. I observe the students lining up for their meals. I observe what they eat, what they wear, how they group together. It’s a relief to see students wearing big backpacks, pants or pedal pushers, sleepers, sneakers, rubber shoes. They discuss about their lessons. They eat one and a half serving of rice for the girls and two servings of rice for the boys. They usually cluster in groups depending on their course, subject, organizations. I want to think that my observations are all true and correct. After lunch, I see students sitting in the corridors with their laptops, or with their orgs putting make up, then some of them playing a kids game. It’s so nice to just roam around the campus and observe.
Then I go back to the library, do my crossword first (something I haven’t done for years), then read then nap for 30 minutes. Yes, a nap. A super powerful nap. Then I go on reading. And I’m now getting the hang of it. Yes, I’m enjoying every moment now that I spend in my little corner.
At 5:30, I start packing my things. Then get the rest of my things at the baggage counter, have the library employee check my things and enjoy listening to the alarm go off as I go out. It’s my Strat book authored by David. I did not remove the price tag. And I do not also plan to remove the price tag. I am just so amused listening to the alarm.
Sunday is getting near. The results will be all up to God. My future is in His hands.