All posts filed under: Graduate School

Beyond my wildest dreams

Published by Layla

All my life I’ve stumbled, yet up here I am just perfect. Perfect as I’ll ever be. Marie Digby, “Spell” So, I finally got the last grade that I have been waiting for. After the weekend, I will be asking how I can file a late application for graduation. I don’t know if I can make it to the graduation ceremony next Saturday, but for me, to be formally declared as a graduate from the diploma program is enough for me, as it would mean I can move on to the Masters’ proper of the graduate degree I am in. There are a lot of things I need to get done, but I’m ready for it.

This semester: A reflection.

Published by Layla

Note: This picture was taken in 2019– long before the pandemic.  I loved  exploring the university campus, and I did it whenever I had time. And I’m glad I did, especially when the pandemic hit our country. I won’t lie, I miss my uni campus very much. There’s so much about it that gives me peace–whether it’s the trees and lush greenery or the confidence it has given me, it’s hard to tell. Maybe I am just half-bottle-of-whining–but I would very much like to say that this semester wasn’t the easiest I’ve ever had. If I thought my first semester was awful, the second was far worse. Not only was I struggling to revise a research proposal, I was also trying to cope with the requirements for the subjects I was currently enrolled in.

That Uno: How I got it, and how you can get it, too.

Published by Layla

  Let’s get this clear–I am posting this with absolutely no intention of bragging, but I’ve promised myself that if I get better grades than those I received in my first year of graduate school, I would share how I did it. So, here I am. To be honest, I am still in a state of disbelief. That I was able to do it. That I was able to perform well in graduate school and in the university nearly every Filipino wants to study in, no less. However, I have to believe it, because a lot of hard work went into it. And for the first time, the grades were commensurate with the effort I put into my studies.  So, how did I do it? It wasn’t an easy process. It took dedication, determination, and discipline to get it done. I’ll be sharing my process, which you can try and tweak.  Make sure that your health is in good shape. This covers both mental and physical health. Eat healthily–make sure that you eat fruits and …

Me, academia, my wallet, and spending habits

Published by Layla

I am no stranger to shelling out my money in the pursuit of learning, apart from paying my tuition fees. After all, when I was still studying law, I spent thousands of pesos buying law textbooks. I spend almost a thousand pesos a week–no exaggeration–in photocopying cases to read for grueling, soul-crushing recitations. In graduate school, there are no cases or textbooks to read–at least, for now. If there are any, it’s a rare instance, but there are pages and pages of journal articles to read instead. That didn’t pose a problem for me. After all, I’m a veteran where readings are concerned.

Yes, you can teach this girl new tricks.

Published by Layla

NB: This pic was taken a year ago. I haven’t been to the UP Diliman campus since the Enhanced Community Quarantine was announced in March. So yeah, I miss my university. While I’m enrolled right now, attending classes on Zoom is a different ballgame. I know this feature picture is totally irrelevant to the current blog topic, but this university has given me a new lease on life, and it has given my confidence back. I do acknowledge that that newly regained confidence is only a small piece of the puzzle, having managed to survive graduate school–and to do well in the first semester–and it is all due to hard work. But I would like to say it’s because I  was also willing to try something new. And this is what this blog post is about. I have friends who asked me how was I able to survive my first semester of graduate school, it was all down to five things: a goal to work towards, discipline, determination, working smart, and yes, a willingness to …

Preparing for a new semester.

Published by Layla

Well, hello there! And hello, August! We’re having a pretty late start where the first semester is concerned, but with the world being pretty much upside down at the moment, it’s understandable. I’ve gotten word that enrollment will start mid-August. And that’s just mighty fine with me. I’m pretty excited yet apprehensive. I don’t know how online learning is going to pan out. I guess we shall wait and see.