24th march 07

here i am

with my mum on my left that ive bonded a lot with during baclaran days and hatid-sa-olongapo fridays

with my dad on my right who had been there inspiring me and reaching out and being my cushion when i feel weak

here i am

a year ago i had doubts if im gonna be on time graduating.

two years ago, i have no idea what a dinoflagellate is

three years ago i was just happy i passed biolab and lec

four years ago i was in high school. and have no idea what i am going to face...

no idea how much of a stuggle this wil be,

no idea how great of a journey it is,

no idea how difficult our biosem experience will be,

no idea that im yet to meet great friends,

but today. at this glorious moment,
i stand with pride,
and joy,
and love,
together with the people who made it too,
to march that stage when they call my name,
and people clapping,
and smiling,
and the professors proud of me,
(except for one)

here i am.

i fucking made it.

now i have a BS before my name .
no, not BullShit, Bachelor of Science.

sleepless nights just staring blank at a book talking to myself,
crossfingered clearance days,
controversial field trips,
facing first time failure,
stepping up to lead the way,
overnight inumans,
writing a journal that made a lot of people laugh,

yeah, its over baby.
that 4year course at the main building and CAL.

this is much sweeter now since i can slap this one on Mitch's face:

"hey bitch, i graduated"...

here i am.

bowing before, wearing this filipiniana i bought only for this event, seizing every second of it, smelling the aura of thanksgiving, of finally graduating.

here i am.

im man with bilateral symmetry, a postanal tail, a dorsal hollow nervous system, and a notochord during my embryonic development

im now a biologist ready for the next exponential level, knowing that this is just a freaking warm um, that the next stage is thrice the tuition fee

im now in a thousand feelings and exploding deep within.

here i am...

i am everything but me.