Finally, Officially

Finally, I now have in my hands my official college diploma. After 6 years (the date stamped on the receipt was year 2000), I was forced to break the spell of procrastination, went to my Alma Mater and claimed my diploma. I was forced, mind you. I wouldn't have bothered if only the Dep. Ed. wasn't requiring us to submit our transcript of records--now that's another story. I don't have even a photocopy of my college transcripts. Seriously. Is that really strange? When my co-teachers found out, they were shocked. You don't have a copy of your records? Nope. I never really needed to show anyone how many times I endured Math 102. But what about your previous job? Nope. My brilliance was apparently enough for them (ahem ahem). But you're supposed to keep your records! Eh, wala eh!

Truth is, I used to have a copy--of course. Silliman wouldn't have accepted me for my master's and fellowship without it. U.P. wouldn't have let me take my M.A. units in MP if I didn't submit that darn paper.

But two days ago, when I was forced to show that "proof" and couldn't, I myself doubted: did I really finish college, went to graduate school, or was I just imagining it? Then if that's the case, I told my poor self, everything that transpired some time between 1999 and 2002 was just a hoax: Dumaguete was just a dream--the boulevard walks, the apartment in Amigo subdivision, the barbecue plates and 3+1 Red Horse rounds in El Ams, the lovers, friends, unfinished thesis--all never existed! Then, the shared townhouse, Vlad, Bebang, "the second encounter" with Vim, my humiliating "iyakan" blues in Sir Jun Cruz Reyes' class, etc, etc--these are all figments of my imagination!

And so, to Espana I went.

Ha ha. Totoo nga. Nag-kolehiyo naman pala talaga ako. But don't you think it would be more interesting if I DID find out I never graduated from college or worse, never went to college? Mas masaya di ba? Mas Calvino ang dating. May dating. Ha ha.

But of course, there I was standing at the Registrar's Office, proving to the world that I, Tintin, on the detox couch, is as normal as the bubble gum on the sole of my Chucks.

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Six years pa lang pala akong nakakapagtapos ng kolehiyo? Parang sampung taong mahigit na ang pakiramdam sa dinami-rami ng mga pangyayari, kabulastugan, pagbabago, walang-pagbabago, kabagutan, kasintahang nagdaan, mga kaibigang iniingatan...parang ang tagal-tagal na!

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Then again, six years--that's long actually. I don't remember much of it now. Another sad fact in my book.