I received my very first "Mukha kang pang high school student" yesterday. Nope, not a direct entrant Imed. Nope, not a high school student. Yep, I'm 20. Yep, I have a bachelor's degree already.

I just thanked that person for thinking that I still look so young. It's a gift, I guess...

And apparently our first day would be on Monday. This sucks. I have to wake up early and commute during rush hour. Hate hate. Rant rant.

---
I saw one or two organizations I might join in UPCM. I guess I have to start fixing my schedule and bracing myself for less hours of sleep. And since my brother is now in college, it'd be harder to go to school very early and study there. Good luck grades.

---
Grades... the bane of my existence. I figured if I ever want to have a good shot at obtaining a scholarship for a graduate school, I still have to make sure that my record is consistent with my undergraduate record. I'm not dreaming of matching it since there are no more chemistry subjects that can provide easier (for me anyway) line of 1s but I can always try to be in the upper 10% of our class. I'm not confident I'd be able to get a latin honor this time but I do want it.

---
There are only 13 scholarships available for our batch this year. Is it wrong for me to apply for scholarship? My family's income is in between the 3rd and 4th quintile. My parents are very much willing to fund my med school education but I want to gain a bit more financial independence. Work would not be strategic given the academic load of a med student in the Philippines. In terms of grades and attitude, I think I'm deserving of a scholarship. I know there are many financially needy students in the Philippines but I'm not sure about there existence in UPCM. I should be more appreciative of the fact that the entire nation already funded my education for the past 8 years and will do so for the next 5. And they could always not give me one but if there's available funding why not give it to me right? That money will just go nowhere and therefore, to waste.

If I don't get one this year, I could always apply for the Pinoy MD and the UP Presidential scholarship next year. Though they positively discriminate (poor>rich), they do not outright reject more financially capable applicants. This will be more competetive as there are only 8 slots and the student population is around 800.