Last Ten Days

The countdown for the last TEN days of summer vacation begins today. It's sad that break is almost over, but sadder still that I'm going back to school real soon. The first day of the school year will eventually become the first week. The the first week will just pass by and become a month. Before you know it, the finals are coming.

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But let's look at the bright side, shall we?

With the last days of summer knocking at my door, I suddenly realize everything that I have yet to do before classes begin. Being the student that I am, I cram everything in the last couple of days-- hours even-- before the deadliest deadline. Unfortunately, quality is foregone. I know that I should change, but cramming is just a bad habit that can't be easily, well,  changed. I'm sure you can understand, yes?




In the meantime, here are the things that I have been pondering:

1. Practice my handwriting. The last time I wrote with a pen for someone to read was during my last final examination last semester. After that, I have been scribbling a way with handwriting worse than chicken scratch. Since I have been used to typing my life away on my laptop, I haven't really gotten a chance to make use of the traditional pen and paper. But as my parents remind my brother again and again to practice writing, I have become conscious of my own penmanship. Though I still haven't acted on it, I won't lose hope. I will have better handwriting than that of some poultry by the end of summer.
2. Swimming. This summer (which is already a given), my brother takes swimming lessons and yesterday he participated in his first swimming competition at Roxas City, Capiz. I envy him, not because of his currently dark complexion, but because he was able to join a sports event early in his life. I have joined (and won, modesty aside) competitions when I was younger, even younger than my brother, but none were sports. I regretted that I didn't focus on one sport and strive to be the best at it. It was just alright for me to get through a summer clinic of tennis or swimming. No more. Oh, the price I would pay just to go back in time and make sure that I grow up to be an athlete, not some frustrated nerd who can't even ace a test in college.
3. Read, read, read. It's funny that I have stocked myself some good reads this summer, but haven't gotten through all of them. I had all the time in the world this summer but I have taken too much time not reading a book. In the foreseeable future, I shall finish at least three books. I'm challenging myself, see?
4. Friends, where are you? If I have any. There are a lot of social networking sites out there and I am in many of them but I still don't find myself connecting with friends. Maybe I just want them to start the conversation. (Hint!) Or maybe we're just going online in the wrong sites at the wrong time. Either way, I miss my pals from elementary and high school so much! Well, college friends and I are updated with each other, especially since we have to make sure our subjects next semester will match. We have to ensure ourselves that we've got each other's back. So who's got mine?

And so many things are still in my head: whether to paint my nails before flying to Manila, treating my mother to a well deserved spa date, cooking pasta dishes with my brother (who dreams to become chef after studying Biology as an undergrad).

As the saying goes: "Kung ayaw, may dahilan. Kung gusto, palaging merong paraan." It's shorter in English: "If there's a will, there's a way." (I like the Filipino saying better.)