DOST scholarship orientation

Yesterday afternoon, my dad and I went to attend the DOST (Dept. of Science and Technology) scholarship orientation. I learned that I had been granted the scholarship more than a month ago, but I never really factored it into how I reached a decision about my college and course.

See, one of the rules you have to comply with if you're gonna receive the scholarship is your choice of course has to be among their list of Priority Courses, namely, a Science, Engineering or Education in Science and Engineering course. Problem is, my chosen course, BS Health Sciences, isn't on the list.

It really makes me wonder why not. BS Health Sciences sounds just as science-y as Biology, or Chemistry, or Computer Science. Heck, it's even got the word Sciences in its name!

Nonetheless, my dad and I were going to attend the orientation anyway, so we could ask the DOST people if they would consider BS Health Sciences as a priority course. Chances were slim, but there's no harm in trying, right?

. . .

When we got to Budgetel, (the snazzy little hotel where the orientation was being held) we were already an hour late. (I had thought it started at 2 when in fact it was at 1.)

Coming in late to a DOST gathering full of scholars and parents of scholars didn't seem like a grand idea in the first place, but it is an understatement to say that we did not make the quiet, uneventful entrance I had originally planned in my mind.

When we opened the door, the bright sunlight from the outside flooded into the room and practically blinded the people sitting right next to the door. The place turned out to be full already, and there was only one seat available, near the entrance. I sat in it while my dad asked a waiter for another chair.

The waiter returned not long after with a monoblock, and he set it down near the water glasses right in the middle of the room.

My dad then asked if the waiter could move my chair next to his, and the waiter had to move again in front of the people who were unfortunate to have been seated so close to this disturbance. He plucked my chair, moved in front of people, and planted it next to my dad's.

All this happened amidst the scowling and glaring of the Disturbed People. (Okay, I exaggerate. There was no scowling.)

We were making such a commotion that the woman who was speaking up front said something like, "I see we have some latecomers." Argh.

Why, oh why, did I have to get the time wrong?!

. . .

Anyway, much to my relief, we got settled soon enough at the very back of the room, next to the water glasses and pitchers.

The speaker, a Mrs. Arellano (according to my dad), explained to us the requirements to be a scholar. She didn't give so much emphasis on the Priority Courses, which made me nervous.

And then Mrs. Arellano discussed - Waiiiit. You're not actually interested in the rest of the orientation, are you? :) Fast forwarding: There was tabirak for snacks, and iced tea too. Oh, and my friend Kabu was there!

In the end, we approached the speaker to ask her about the deal with Priority Courses, and she politely told us we had to take a Priority Course gyud to get the scholarship. She suggested we take Biology instead.

But Bio in ADMU is five years, and guess what. I checked the letter they sent me a month ago, and Biology in ADMU is NOT in their approved courses!

What the what!

Anyway, I'm sticking to my course and my college for good! I'm going to cling onto it like my little brother clings onto me when he's in his I'm gonna annoy Achi for the next thirty minutes mood.

P.S.: For all future DOST scholarship takers, brush up on your Biology, Chemistry and Physics. As far as I can recall, the Math wasn't too hard. It's the Linguistics you gotta look out for. ;)