myorangedreams, posts by tag: law - LiveJournal

Graduation from law school is often described as anti-climactic. For other students, graduation is seen as a cause for celebration. But for most law students, graduation is merely a simple exercise of marching and getting their diploma and then studying for the Bar the next day.

4 years ago, I entered Malcolm Hall having no idea of what lies ahead. I had heard numerous horror stories but I guess there's really no way a person could fully narrate the experience of being a law student, especially a freshman law student. For me, it was the most difficult time of my academic life. I had to adjust with the pace and the demands of perfectionist and terror professors. But as I moved on to the succeeding semesters, I began to "adjust" with this kind of lifestyle. Now I'm already used to having no free time :P I can't even remember how I preoccupied myself during my undergraduate years. In fact, I actually didn't realize that I had a lot of free time back in college until I became a law student!

The 4 years I spent in law school could be described as merely "passing through." I just accepted the demands of each subject and tried my best to fulfill them. Maybe that's the reason why I managed to graduate despite my ambivalent attitude towards the legal profession. And my graduation is very symbolic of such attitude. I didn't feel a tinge of excitement this morning as I was preparing for the occasion. But during the program itself, I began to feel appreciative about the law and my experiences in this school. That's me... always hesitant and doubtful but still finding some sort of inspiration (or vindication) on why I stayed and why I am still pursuing this goal.

As our Dean told us, law is used as an implement of truth and justice. But in the wrong hands, law can be used to perpetuate falsity and injustice.

May truth and justice prevail in each one of us.

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As a comic relief, I didn't waste the opportunity to have my picture taken with the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court :P


With pinkrabbit17, my cameraman and PA, hehe!


With the barkada (Nico, Grace and Chi were not included in the picture, mga late kasi!)

Tomorrow... is the start of a new day, a new week and a new life.

In a masochistic way, I am excited to experience the change of pace and the change in lifestyle. However, I know that the excitement I'm feeling right now would be very short-lived. I'm already expecting that the next few months will be one of the most trying times of my life.

Tomorrow... I'm going to start feeling sorry again for ZaiZai. I just hope that his mood wouldn't be affected too much considering that he takes everything to heart.

Dearest Monkey King,
No matter what other people say, we're always here for you.
From your little apes XD

Yesterday, we celebrated the 1st birthday of our niece, Micah. It's been some time since I attended a full-blown children's party. That probably explains why I really enjoyed her party. :P Add to that, the sinful chocolate fountain (where I spent most of my time, heehee!)



Last week, I was in Singapore with my mom and my sister, pinkrabbit17. On the plane ride to Singapore, while I was very much engrossed in reading the newspaper, a stewardess suddenly plopped on the vacant seat beside me. She saw the book I was carrying (my security blanket) and then she asked me about my course, my school, my exams, my name, etc! To think that I was really looking forward to this trip so that I could forget all the things that she was asking me. Oh well, I guess I have to get used to people asking similar questions.

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If I could sum up 2006 in one word, it would definitely be serendipity. I welcomed 2006 with a lot of apprehensions about school, fangirling and life in general. But true to serendipity's form, everything just fell into their right places.

Here are the definitive moments of my 2006:

January
My year started with a bang. I met the Backstreet Boys! Days before the concert, I was scouring for the soundcheck passes to no avail. The morning of January 20, 2006 (the big day) had me searching listlessly in different yahoogoups to see if the other fangroups would have any plans for the concert and I luckily stumbled upon this newly created yahoogroup, which offered soundcheck passes! Para talagang hulog ng langit, lol!

During the soundcheck, I grabbed the opportunity to talk to the 5 Boys who shaped my high school and college life. I told them that I waited for them for 10 years and I'm sooooo happy to finally see them in person. ^___^ As usual, I rambled on with my fangirl messages to them. But even if I could no longer recall exactly what I told them, I remembered the most important ones, such as their sincere smiles and appreciation for their long-time fan (and, of course, their chorus of "Hi Mia!") ^____^

The concert itself was unbelievable. My sister pinkrabbit17 and I were right smack in the front row and center aisle, due to my presence of mind to immediately run forward after the lights went down! Seeing them perform right in front of our faces and hearing their better-than-the-recorded-album voices made me feel that I was in fangirl heaven!

I also made my very first ZaiZai MV! Thanks to pinkrabbit17 for the song. :P I had a lot of fun choosing wacky videos of ZaiZai. But I had difficulties choosing which video to use because there were just too many wacky clips!



ZaiZai, you've got the best of my love!

February
The whole month of February had me feeling anxious and worried. Headaches over the concert tickets... Trying to study early for the final exams... Making a decision between internship or vacation...

March
Forever 4 Concerts in HK. One of the happiest moments of my life. Finding out that I could watch the 4 concerts even if the dates were sandwiched between very major exams... (Hello, Corporation Law?! While my classmates were poring over their Corporation Code, I was waiting outside the HK Coliseum for ZaiZai! Talk about alternate universe!) Disneyland in March... GA with the MSP in HK... Moments with F4...

March 22 - The worship service. The first night. ZaiZai's dance & striptease. His shoulders. Huran. Meteor Rain (and ZaiZai's mistake :P) I was perpetually in awe over their performances.

March 23 - ZaiZai saw our very own Philippine banner... *dies*




And the next moments defined the Forever 4 concerts for me... I shook ZaiZai's and Ken's hands. ^_________^ While I was staring at ZaiZai (and holding his arm and hand... I just couldn't let go :P), he kept on nodding and giving this reassuring smile. Whenever I feel tampo, I just remember that smile and I know that all the hardships of being a fan are super worth it.

When I turned to my left, I saw Ken's dazzling smile and if I thought I could only die once after my moment with ZaiZai, I was proven wrong because I died a second death after being blinded by Ken's smile and outstretched hand. :P

March 24 - I touched Vanness' and Jerry's hands. And those moments were again topped when I learned about pinkrabbit17's moment with Jerry. I'm sooooo happy for her. ^___^

Then, watching the 4 guys having so much fun in the stage while singing the Leslie Cheung medley and Meteor Rain overwhelmed me and I just couldn't hold back my tears. It's as if all the worries and anxieties I had experienced the past year and all the things I had sacrificed in order to be there at that moment, just faded into the background.

March 25 - The last night. Absorbing each and every moment of their performances. Yong Bao. ZaiZai playing the guitar. Screaming hoarsely until the last minute. Forever 4.

March 26 - Waving goodbye to ZaiZai at the Hong Kong International Airport was the perfect ending to this perfect trip. I never expected that I would see him. My sister and I just followed the suggestion of the taxi driver to directly proceed to the airport instead of taking the airport express train (which proved to be a very crucial decision). We were walking inside the terminal while trying to absorb our last moments in HK when I suddenly saw a commotion. Seeing ZaiZai towering over the Securstar is just serendipity. Shaking his hand... Telling him that I'm so proud of his performance... Repeatedly saying Philippines to him... Seeing him listening to what I was saying... Ah Juan smiling...

I came home an exhausted, but a very happy and contented, fangirl. And after several hours of sleep, I went on to tackle a bigger challenge, surviving another round of final exams (Tax and Corpo... the horrors!)

April and May
My decision not to apply for a summer internship program was met with mixed reactions. Some were saying that I should have applied in a law firm while some welcomed my decision as a chance to unwind and relax since technically this would be my last carefree summer vacation. Now I'm super thankful for that stress-free vacation.

We welcomed the newest addition to our family, Micah. When we first saw her, she looked so delicate and I was so afraid to touch her. But now, after 8 months, she's a big bundle of joy. Although I'm still hesitant to carry her, I never fail to pinch her soft arms and thighs, hehe!

May 16, 2006. The day the doctors removed my cracked big toenail. 5555555! I was in pain for several days.

Premiere of Silence! Another breathtaking performance from ZaiZai.

June
I fell in love with Goong and Shin Goon/Joo Ji Hoon. <3

Our legal aid internship program was an eye-opener for me. It still is actually.

July
My very first court appearance. It was nerve-wracking even if I only uttered a few sentences. This experience strengthened my resolve that my future does not involve litigation!

I also saw Lee Dong Wook oppa! He was the very first Oppa I've seen in person, heehee!

August
ZaiZai + Internet = a whole new category for stalking

Stalking ZaiZai in the cyberworld is another unique experience for me!

September
BarOps. The realization that we are next in line. 5555555!!!

Serendipity. Seeing ZaiZai at the HK Airport again. Another perfect ending to a perfect trip.

The destructive path of Milenyo.

October
Enjoyed the very short sembreak. Watched Silence with English subtitles. I cried buckets of tears for Qi Wei Yi.

November
A second round of OLA. Choosing electives. Panic over our thesis.

December
My birthday. Kwon Sang Woo. Thesis cramming. Christmas get-togethers with old and new friends. Christmas Eve. Gifts.

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Serendipity.

For 2007, my wishes for myself are similar to what I had wished for my friends. Dreams. Magic. Good madness. Sweet surprises. (The first three were adopted from Neil Gaiman)

Despite the infamous reputation of UP, I had never felt unsafe in the campus until last Friday. I actually had no inkling about the tense atmosphere in UP. I went to the MSP Christmas dinner the previous night and I stayed up late working on our thesis. Hence, when I woke up the next day and read the text message that the Lantern Parade was cancelled, I had no idea why and I even thought it was due to the opposition against Cha-Cha. I later found out that the UP students staged a rally to oppose the increase in tuition fees and the Chancellor cancelled the Lantern Parade due to security threats.

So I went to school to meet my thesis partner before attending the college Christmas event (Malcolm Madness). When I passed by Quezon Hall (the administration building), I saw students milling around and sporting lighted devil horn headbands. I suddenly remembered one of my creative shot poses for our grad pic a few days ago when my barkada sported a similar headband.

Then I received another text message from my blockmate saying that the Malcolm Madness had been cancelled due to the unstable atmosphere in our college. The rallyists stormed our building daw because the Board of Regents supposedly transferred the venue of their meeting from the Quezon Hall to Malcom Hall (Law building) for the deliberation of the tuition fee increase.

However, since I was only a few blocks away from Malcolm, I still proceeded there. The stories and recollection of the people who had witnessed the unfortunate event gave me the chills. How they tore down the main door of our building... how they pushed some of the students in the lobby who were innocently preparing for the Christmas program... how they pounded the doors of Malcolm Theater and the rooms beside it... A friend of mine was actually inside one of the rooms!

It was very scary. Even if I arrived a few moments later, I could still feel the tension in the air while some of our professors and the staff inspected the damage to our building. It was my nearest "first-hand account" to a chaotic demonstration because I had never participated in any rally. Unlike most of my classmates, I actually stayed indoors during the EDSA 2 revolution.

I know that tuition fee increase has always been a very sensitive topic among UP students. But I have always maintained the stand that UP needs to revamp its present tuition fee scheme in order for it to survive. Yes, I am enraged that the government is not prioritizing education as much as it should. But should we just wait until UP self-destructs while waiting for the meager state subsidy that the government is churning out each year? I don’t think so. I love UP and I wouldn’t want my school to lose its luster just because some sectors in our community keep pushing for an ideal world where education is truly free.

The head of the committee which proposed the tuition fee increase is my professor in Econ 11 and 101. He’s a brilliant professor (like most of my professors at the School of Economics). I have read their proposal and I find it very reasonable. All these reports about tuition fee increasing from P300 to P1,500 per unit are very misleading. They fail to mention that only those whose annual family income is over P1M would pay for the full cost of P1,500 per unit. So how could that be unreasonable? I’m sure the students belonging to this category could very much afford the increase in tuition fees. It is a progressive tuition fee scheme and I find it equitable.

Nevertheless, I don’t discount the right of the students to fight for their beliefs. But please take the time to analyze what is best for UP, which would consequentially be the best for its students. My law school blockmates who went to Ateneo for their undergrad often ask me why I didn’t study in Ateneo. It’s really simple. For me, there was never any other choice. Just like how they hold Ateneo (or any other school) in high esteem, I feel the same way for UP.

After an agonizing wait, sembreak is finally here. I had to literally crawl in order to fulfill my academic obligations. And even if this is the shortest sembreak that I ever had in almost 8 years of university life, I intend to make the most out of it.

Here's my Top10 to-do list:
1. Binge at Saisaki.
2. Buy bar review books.
3. Start reading Criminal Law review books.
4. Prepare the pre-trial brief.
5. Organize my cases and reviewers.
6. Finish encoding the Silence episodes.
7. Arrange my computer files (i.e., delete the unnecessary ones while burn the important files, defrag the PC).
8. Email my long-lost ZaiZai friends across the globe.
9. Update my LJ-layout and userinfo. (c/o pinkrabbit17) :D
10. Sleep and mindlessly surf the Internet. ^_^

While I took heart of my no.10, look what I found:
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Today I had some sort of an epiphany. I was in Malabon to attend the mediation proceedings of my client. When I personally served a copy of my "Entry of Appearance" on the opposing counsel, I found out that he's a UP graduate! He nonchalantly asked me about our director and supervising lawyers because some of his batchmates might be SLs already in our school. It was like an indiscreet message telling me that he's not just a lawyer, he's a UP lawyer! I know that in the eyes of the law, there is really no difference, but in reality, there is actually some kind of a bragging right bestowed upon UP lawyers (encouraged to a certain extent by our professors and the alumni). I don't consciously aspire for that bragging right because I still think that the choice of law school is not the operative measure on how you determine a lawyers' competency, but I don't deny that it can be an ego booster (if they only knew the real state of my knowledge of the law... but let's keep that to ourselves, hehe).

Nevertheless, I honestly still cringe whenever my clients refer to me as "attorney." It just reminds me that I'm merely a "quack" lawyer because I haven't even taken the bar yet! And that leads to another insecurity of mine... The bar exams! I noticed that as we entered our senior year (the last stretch), my friends and I have taken to discussing the bar more and more frequently. I guess it's because of our panic induced by the proximity of the exams. As a friend of mine said, after this September's bar exams, we'll be the next in line! And I'm already panicking and counting the months before Sept. '07 (assuming that I graduate on time)...

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On my way home, I resolved to put more effort in handling the cases assigned to me because it's so easy to put their interests as my last priority. I can always say that I also have to study for my classes and attend to my extra-curricular activities. I can reason out that this internship is just a 4-unit course and I have to manage the other 14 units. But then I have to think of my clients who kept on calling me "attorney," who depend on me to help them resolve their problems, and I know that my immediate concerns are nothing compared to their concerns of losing their homes, property, livelihood, and even liberty. Amen to that.

With all the kaguluhan happening around me, I actually had a very "memorable" day. I went to my very first court hearing! But before you guys think of The Practice, Ally McBeal or whatever, let me just say that it's definitely not like what you had seen on TV.

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Outside the courtroom, I talked to my client about the case. I felt more scared because these are real people with real issues. I pity them because they can't find a decent lawyer who could represent them. Most of our clients kasi are indigent and maawa ka talaga sa kanila. All I hope is that I would be able to help them someway with my very limited knowledge of the law... Coz no matter how much I slack off with my subjects, I can't afford to bungle these cases because there's a REAL consequence not to me, but to these helpless people...