A: AE, Wake up, we’ve got to have our journey today!
AE opened his eyes and speak in a dreamy voice.
AE: Journey to the top of Mt. Everest?
A: No, greater than that!
AE: (Puzzled)
A: Journey to the past!
AE: What shall we use, Time Machine or Pensive? Hahaha..
A: I’m serious.
AE: Yes, you are. Now what?
A: We shall bring back the memories of the past…
AE: Oh, I’ll bet I heard something like that before in the radi-Ohhh Whoah!
A strong twister-like force has gotten both of them and brought them in an old infrastructure where ICE rooms are formerly located. They walked in the corridor and sat on the metal bench in front of the faculty.
A: I can still remember my first day as a College student.
AE: I can still remember your face that day. You’re like an innocent teenager who knows nothing about college life...
A: What I only knew that time is, college is more serious and harder than high school life and it could be my last stage of studying.
AE: And you realize that it couldn’t be your last stage, right?
A: (In a dreamy tone..) So many dreams, so many learned lessons to ponder…
AE: By the way, what made you decide to take BSIT?
A: I am very confused that time just like other HS graduates. After I graduated in HS, I realized that I love art. But they say if I’ll take fine arts, I will have no future on it.
AE: How about MassCom? I heard you are good on planning act scenes and designing props when you were in HS.
A: Oh, I’m not talented in being loquacious, ha-ha..
AE: So why did you choose IT?
A: My father pointed at the BSU catalog and I was enlightened to see what he is pointing out---BS Information Technology. It sounds great to my ear…
AE: That’s all?
A: I know it’s God’s will that He had me placed in this course. I am always praying in all my plans. That’s why I don’t regret that I became an IT student.
AE: Did you find it joyful when you started out your life as an IT student?
A: Life as an IT student did not become as easy as that, but as a freshman student that time, taking two majors and several minor subjects, studying at first couldn’t be hard to do.
AE: Hey, I heard that programming isn’t your favorite one. What makes it true?
A: Ha-ha.. Programming? I never hated programming, but it hates me! aw!
AE: Is it true that it depends on the teacher on how the student will learn the subject?
A: For most students, yes! Because most students are depending on their instructors. That’s why they must be thankful if their instructors are diligently teaching them with proper knowledge.
AE: Seems you have complaints with some instructors?
He looks at her with a catching look.
A: It’s inevitable. Not all college instructors can teach well even in prestigious schools. That’s why students need to strive harder and it’s a challenge for them to face, because not all learning can be learned in school.
AE: Right. Care to tell me some highlights of your college days?
A stood up and went in front of Valencia Hall.
A: Hey come over here!
A: This gym has so many memories to me…
AE: Yeah, the acquaintance party. The unforgettable night because it was your first time. It’s really a loud night with hard rock and songs from ICE band and overnight dances.
A: But my friends and I just became wallpapers at the bleacher. Ha-ha.
AE: (Smile) So how did you become totally different as an IT student?
A: Firstly, schedules. I can still remember my first year and second year days that I have long vacant time between subjects. In those free times, I find so many students using those times idle, chatting all around, roaming, and eating.
AE: Maybe they were just resting.
A: I don’t say they were wrong, but those times are too much for resting. Those precious times should be put to good use.
AE: Then what do you do?
A: Well, I admit, at first I use those times. I go with my friends in computer shop wherein I explore the use of Yahoo! Messenger, chat and friendster. I can still remember the time when I make friends with a black American that I had defeated in Yahoo! Chess game. It’s fun having American friends, you’ll practice English well.
AE: But I guess, they weren’t a waste of time. You try to explore things that aren’t familiar with you and I know you wouldn’t cross lines.
A: ‘Course. There should be time for everything. I learned it from Rizal, he’s not comfortable in using his time idle. He didn’t let time pass by doing nothing. You know by that time, I started to explore things, particularly gadgets. I enjoy exploring capabilities of my N6650 that time.
AE: Ah, the crazy rounded-keypad phone! Nah.. so what did you do?
A: Yes, and that is the start of my interest in exploring gadgets.
AE: So what made you inspired in exploring gadgets?
A: I don’t know. I think I am just happy applying something I learned in our computer subjects. Exploring its system folders. Experimenting with various mobile applications become my leisure then. I am exploring all the things I can do with it until I realize its limitations. One is, it cannot multitask. You cannot listen to the music while texting.
AE: Kinda easy job. So what’s your point?
A: My point is.. you’ve got to try something new out of your gadget. I don’t say you should overuse it but I say, you should be witty in discovering something new and be smart in putting it to good use. If you discovered its limitation then you should be responsible in taking care of your gadget to extend its lifespan.
AE: Oh it’s good. And by means of exploring their capabilities, you could make good use of what you had paid for.
A: Not only that. You could save money by having knowledge even on those simple things.
AE: Ah, smart! Kinda…. Just like downloading trial version softwares…
A: And?
AE: And put them to good use by downloading cracks!
A: Quality Consciousness, Process and Habits taught us that that practice is illegal! It’s against Intellectual Property Rights.
AE: Huh? But what if you’ll need Photoshop and Dreamweaver in web development? They’re too expensive. Each costs as much as Php5,000.00.
A: That’s why sourceforge.net and many others developed open source software just like Gimp --- Photoshop equivalent, and Kompozer--- Dreamweaver equivalent.
AE: But those open source softwares aren’t that flexible to handle than commercial one. I believe they should be used for commercial purposes only but for self-use, you can do the “smart way”?
A: You wouldn’t quit. That’s why developers and programmers’ pocket get ‘hurt’. ..
AE: Oh, I don’t think so. Hey, I heard you recently hacked your PSP?
A: No, no, who told you? I have never tried hacking that thing. It’s too complicated you know. You may brick or damage that thing if you have done mistakes in upgrading its Custom Firmware.
AE: Oh yeah, It’s full of twists. But if you have done it right then you could save money, and you could make it a business.
A: Hold your breath, businessman… It’s not that easy. You need to learn more on PSP-Hacks. CFW isn’t illegal in our country, that’s why we could take advantage of cheap games than UMD ones. And I think, this vacation, I should study those things.
AE: Cool! And you told me, you will also study more about Multimedia. By the way, why are you so informed of these things? What makes you?
A: Oh, to learn about new things, my favorite activity when I am online is lodging in forums, especially in my 3rd home, Convergence Forums. If you get in there, you wouldn’t be left behind in technology, whether in software, hardware, programming, networking or database technology. They have updated talks and conversations about new trends in technology. That’s not all, you could get help in your tech problems by joining techy forums. I got help many times in consulting my techy problems with my forum mates. Internet really gives a lot of knowledge, so much that you couldn’t put them all in your brain.
AE: That’s why you become familiar with CSS in your friendster account that makes you edit CSS coding and rub out the unnecessary advertisements on your media box.
A: Oh, if you are in web designing, you should learn CSS. It greatly helps you in creating outstanding web designs.
AE: Hmmm… How about the CICT professors highlight?
A: Oh, I can only recall those remarkable ones.
AE: Oh yeah, how significant have they become to you?
A: I’ll first state the criteria in judging the CICT’s top teacher in our batch.
AE: Yes, it’s necessary as they could be a model to others. So the criteria are---?
A: (1) Disciplinary
(2) Dedication
(3) Motivation
(4) Skillful
AE: And they are---?
A: Here’s the first one. She became our teacher in basic programming. If she’s the teacher, you shouldn’t miss every discussion. ‘Cause in every meeting, there’s new knowledge to gain. And even if programming isn’t fun for most of us, we have the guts to study it eagerly.
AE: Really? Proof?
A: I got 100% on our actual exam. :) And there’s more, you’ll find in her the disciplinary as she also has the close-door policy, that’s why if you’re still coming from Capitol and it’s already 7:10, you’ve got to run or ruin your day in not attending in her class.
AE: Really amazing huh? Who else?
A: He became our teacher in DataCom and Networking. Others had met him in Presentation Skills. He’s another remarkable professor we’ve met. We’ve learned a lot from him. In his class, I’ve learned that I could open my desktop CPU without ruining its inside components. Because of that, I’ve learned not to bring my heavy CPU in stores whenever I’m upgrading components. We’ve learned basic pc troubleshooting, hardware and software and it helps me save pesos from being spent in repair shops.
AE: I heard he’s the only instructor in there that instructs students to hand write their assignments. Isn’t it absurd? You’re IT and –
A: And we aren’t allowed to computerize it?
AE: Well… yeah? Why?
A: I’ll say it’s effective because we learn it while we write it. I never say it’s a good technique but for him, it has become.
AE: He taught us Networking. That is one. We learned so much because we’re always on actual and it’s much effective than pure lecture and class discussion. It’s easy to understand and remember because we’re doing it ourselves.
AE: Wow! Networking is one of the in-demand skills in IT companies and one of the high-paying jobs.
A: Yep.
AE: What else are your unforgettable learnings in here?
A: The Complex SAD.
AE: What?
A: The complicated Systems Analysis and Design.
AE: So it’s sad anyway huh?
A: Not really. I’m thankful we’re under one of the best SAD teachers. The study goes not too much complicated. We experience creating DFDs, HIPO, and after creating and revising all the system planning, we proceed in creating the system. Although it is not thoroughly successful, we’ve learned so many things in developing a system.
AE: And speaking of system development, I heard you were also taught Project Management in order to come up with a successful project.
A: Yep. It’s SRM (System Resource Management). We’ve learned that IT projects are really complicated and cost millions of dollars. And I got shocked to know that there are very few IT projects that became successful and the rest are wasted and go in nothing.
AE: Oh, that is how meticulous IT projects were.
A: And before executing an IT project, it will go through several knowledge areas that the project manager follows so that the company will know if the project is worth continuing or not.
AE: Yah, it’s not easy to waste millions of dollars.
A: But like the project manager I had interviewed, he always say, “There’s always opportunity to every problem.” And I couldn’t forget his favorite quotation: “I do not have special talents, nor special skills and trainings, just passionately curious. –quoted from Albert Einstein”. He said that the basis of good work is very good experience, followed by talents, details oriented, persistence.
AE: And that’s all?
A: And I couldn’t forget that Dean became our remarkable professor that disciplined and trained to become better professionals someday. He taught us so many things. Some are from his own experiences.
AE: Like?
A: Like teaching us that poverty is not a hindrance to success because Dean came from a simple life but look at him now, highly respected in the University.
AE: And it inspires the students to strive harder to attain their goals and be successful in their fields of endeavor.
A: Right!
AE: What else are your remarkable memories here?
Scene becomes dramatically calm…
A: Here in college, I saw different faces of life, of people and their ways. In college life, I learned to mingle with different kind of people. I learned to become friends with them. I become more extrovert here than in my high school life. I’m one of those people that are happier with college than in HS life. One of the things that I wouldn’t forget here is that I met a friend that is best among the rest, and a bundle of friends that will surely leave good memories in me.
AE: For sure, they will never just become memories. They’re all wonderful experiences that strengthen your soul and spirit in continuing life.
AE: Hey wait… so how could IT make human an Android?
A: Android means, human that can do things that more than a human can do, as to a powerful robot. Superhuman, others say.
If human could hold technology in his hand and use it almost perfectly then he could witness its power in his hand as he could discover and do something new in technology. He could develop things more and maybe do the first flying house. Or be the first one to create an electronic mind reader that can read exactly one’s mind without asking them any questions.
AE: Yeah? Wondering if they could be possible… And that’s the crux. :)
Writer: Aimee V. Mendoza