Once again, we didn't have class for the entire day and became an audience to the high school student who presented they speeches. We were forced to watched this. I didn't enjoy it at first, but lately one, I didn't realize that I am really enjoying the event.

I know that the kids were really nervous especially that they are in an environment they are not familiar with and with the audience have never crossed path with, but still, they all act professionals. I really admire them for sharing a piece of them to the audience especially the sensitive topics like family issues and personal heart breaking experiences. They were really brave. I will be part of the speech competition in December and I think I wouldn't be able to do as amazing as the kids did. They were really marvelous.

Each contestant really gave they all, I can feel their passion and their energy all the way from the back of the audience. I wish I could talk more about the individual contestants, but I have decided to talk about the winner alone. The winner is really tall and pretty, She has the legs and body, I've always dreaming to have. Hahaha enough with her physical look. When it comes to her skill in public speaking, I think she really does have a talent. Every word that comes out of her mouth has feelings behind them and her connects with the audience. When she speak, it does not seemed it she memorized it. She was definitely born for public speaking.

A day well spent. I learned so much from the kids and I enjoyed that day. I hope I'll be able to do great on the day of the competition cause I do not want to be a laughing stock infromt of the entire SOM.

I did not expect to enjoy the seminar. At first, I was really happy just because we wont have class for the day, but there something more than that. The seminar was really eye opening especially to those people who have their hearts open since the beginning. The only reason why I tried listening because our gramcom prof said that we will have a quiz regarding the topic. I am not into writing much, but I learned so much from them.

The first speaker talked about how to write stories effectively. She gave us tips and tricks that might help us in the future. We all know that The famous 5W and 1H  formula to get all the necessary information for a certain topic, but what everyone always forget is the question "So What?" Why should the reader care? Answering that question will definitely improve your writing skill. She also shared to us the Art of Interview . And here they are:

1. Embrace the silence
2. Do not be afraid to play dumb
3. Takes notes for more questions
4. Research is a process of gathering data, not a result
5. Start strong. Eng Stronger.

The second speaker spoke about the social issues which really caught my attention so much that I wasn't able to write any notes at all. I was so impressed with the things she discussed. She is not against entertainment but people has the power under our finger tips that we can help people around the globe. The media only feeds the people what they want, that's why more important topics were being put aside because we're too focus on the entertainment especially AlDub when we could have been saving people lives.

The last speaker discussed the role of the media and advocacy journalism. The media has three roles: to inform, to educate and to entertain. While advocacy journalism, should always look at all the sides of the issue to promote fairness. Corroboration is important as well as the two source rule. She talked more about raising awareness and presenting news.

The seminar was really good. I had fun.

According to Merriam Webster, it defined Plagiarism as the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit to that person. Basically, plagiarism has been one of the rising issues in this generation .Well, this is only based on my observation.

The youth has been more dependent on the internet that they copy and paste everything. Little did they know that plagiarizing or not giving credits to the owner is against the law and it's not a crime, but it may lead to a serious offense. The cases of plagiarism can lead to constitute copyright infringement.

I have searched the consequences if you commit plagiarism. This might be an eye opening to you, who are reading this, to give second thoughts before committing plagiarism again. I believe that all of us have. When I was younger, I didn't know anything about plagiarism and I am really glad that my high school teacher taught me the right thing.

So here's what ithenticate said about the consequences when you committed to plagiarize. Pretty much, ithenticate just said more about reputation being ruined; your personal reputation, student reputation and many more.

When you plagiarize, the owner is not the only one affected here. It's you as well, for you are not learning the proper and self discipline when it comes it researching habits. It's quite unfair for the other students as well for they are competing with someone who's not using his or her idea in the situations and it is otherwise known as cheating.

Here's how to avoid plagiarism:

1. Paraphrase. Summarizing is quite different because the exact ideas of the owner are still there. Try to paraphrase because when you paraphrase, you are telling the story with your own words and own understanding. Just read the entire article or etc before you start writing, so you can express them with words.

I hope this was helpful c:

Everyone knows that I'm an anime enthusiast and I am making this post because I want you to like or at least understand why we, anime lovers, cant stop watching anime.

1. Anime is very inspiring. Especially if you're watching sports or adventure, there are a lot of struggle in their journey just like how we get struggles in our journey as well and you can get to pick up words that will be grave into your heart. I can give few examples, but I forgot which Anime it came from since I already watched hundreds and I don't exactly remember.

When you're on a verge of giving up: "It's not over until it's over."
Separating ways with someone important: "It's okay because we are still under the same sky."
Aspiring professional musician or sports player, but you feel down and you want to give up because everyone around you is really good at it: "Nobody is great from the start" 
Someone is trying to pick a fight with you: "A barking dog seldom bites"
When you're being deceive by the outward appearance: "Not everything that glitters is gold."
Justice related: "It's not that justice wins. The one who wins is justice."
(Bonus) If you're trying to get away from being the hot seat: "A secret makes a woman, woman." --Vermouth form Detective Conan

There is so much more and here are just very few of the great inspiring lines out there. It's just that these are the lines I can remember right now.

2. Anime is very relatable. If you're going through something and you don't have someone to share what you're feeling is, try watching anime. If you found the character who is similarly going through the same thing, you will hear the words you can't even form in your mouth and you will hear comfort words you have been dreaming to hear. And the fact that it is very relatable is what makes it very addicting. Among all the hundreds of anime I have watched, the character who I see myself completely in is Ayase Chihaya from Chihayafuru. That's why when I was watching the Anime, I can't help but cry every time she cries because I know how it felt and I am pretty sure that if I were her, I would cry on that circumstance as well.

3. You can learn Japanese effortlessly. If you think this is a joke, then I am a living proof of this. I have never enrolled in any Japanese class but I can speak, read, write and understand Japanese. I have been watching anime since at the young age and I literally watch it everyday. That's why I am exposed to the language very well. I am not completely fluent, but I am above basic. Another living proof of this is Joe Inoue. Though he is actually Japanese, he wasn't born and raised there. He was born and raised in California and first learned Japanese from Anime and Manga.

I hope this made you a little curious about how amazing Anime is, if you still don't know.

Paz Latorana is one of the foremost writers of the first generation of Filipino English writers, both in literary writing and education was a poet, editor, author and teacher. Paz was born in Boac, Marinduque in 1907. She was brought to Manila at a young age and finished her basic schooling; first at St. Scholastica and later at South High School. She attended University of the Philippines in College and took a degree of education. She works as an elementary school teacher in the morning and attends class in the evening. In 1927, she joined some campus writers and formed the U.P Writers Club and contributed a short story, "A Christmas Tale" to the maiden issue of "The Literary Apprentice". Her short story, "The Small Key"won the third place in the same year in Jose Garcia Villa's Roll of the Honor for the year's best short stories. Some of her other stories received similar prizes over the next several years.

In her senior year, she transferred to the University of Sto. Tomas, from which institution she graduated in 1930 and where she subsequently enrolled for graduate studies. Her dissertation entitled “Philippine Literature in English: Old Voices and New” received a grade of sobre saliente, qualifying her for a doctoral degree in 1934. By this time, Latorena had already joined the faculty, earning a reputation as a dynamic teacher. Among her many students were then-aspiring writers Juan Gatbonton, F. Sionil Jose, Nita Umali, Genoveva Edroza Matute and Zeneida Amador. Increasingly involved in academic work, Latorena wrote fewer stories and at longer intervals, publishing her last known story, “Miguel Comes Home”, in 1945. In 1953 while proctoring a final examination, Latorena suffered a cerebral hemorrhage which proved fatal.

Thirty-five of her stories have recently been collected in a single volume: Desire and Other Stories, edited by Eva V. Kalaw (U.S.T., 2000).

I'm sure you've seen those characters with beautiful massive round eyes, colorful hairs, and amazing body structures. Just in case you don't what it is called, let me give you more information. Japanese animation, also known as anime, is a popular type of animation that is spreading like wild fire throughout the globe. The difference between Japanese anime with the western cartoon is that Japanese anime's target audience is not for kids alone. Anime is popular to many teenagers and adults. Same applies to the Japanese comics known as Manga.

In order to understand Anime, a look into the history is important. The best place to start is around World War II, since that was the time when the anime and manga industry evolved significantly. Around 1940, many organizations for artists were formed; among them were Shin Nippon Mangaka Kyokai (New Cartoonists Association of Japan) and Shin Mangaka Shudan (New Cartoonists Faction Group). The government used those who were not banned from work and not in the army in influence the people through their artwork filled with propaganda to use against the nation's enemies. The propaganda films that were made during the World War II were Momotaro no Umiwashi and Momotaro: Umi no Shinpei.

The first generation of animators in the late 1910s and also known as the fathers of anime were Oten Shimokawa, Jun'ichi Kouchi and Seitaro Kitayama. Oten Shimokawa was a political caricaturist and cartoonist who worked for a magazine Tokyo Puck. He was hired by Tenkatsu, who was an active Japanese Film studio, to do an animation for them. Due to medical reasons, he was only able to animate 5 movies, including Imokawa Mukuzo Genkanban no Maki (1917). Jun'ichi Kouchi was carcicaturist and a painter. He entered the cartoonist section in 1912 and was hired for an animation by Kobayashi Shokai in 1916. His works include around 15 movies and he is viewed as the most technically advanced Japanese animator in 1910s. Seitaro Kitayama is different from the two mangaka I mentioned earlier for he was not hired by large companies and made animation on his own. He founded his own animation studio which is Kitayama Eiga Seisakujo, but later closed due to lack of commercial issues.

Oten Shimokawa

Jun'ichi Kouchi

Seitaro Kitayama

Anime never stopped evolving and still creating better animation every season of the year that you should look forward to.

This is my first ever SOM Week! Well, that's pretty much obvious because I'm a freshman.... I tried my best not to participate because I don't want to miss any class. The good thing about it is we did not have any. I had mixed emotions about it because I don't want to have class but every time I think about the effort I made to wake up early and not to be late on my 7:30 class makes me sad. Waking up early is really what makes school challenging for me in general. It's just so hard. 

Anyway, back to my topic, the only event I willingly joined in is the TMystery. No one in this world would understand how much I love mysteries. I love how it makes my brain works and I love it every time my deduction is right. Everything about mystery is lovable. I usually watch detective anime like Detective Conan, Kindachi, Detective School Q ever since I was a little kid which I think triggered this mystery lover inside of me. That's why before I entered college, I was actually thinking in taking up Law rather than Tourism, but the thought of studying too long prevented me from doing so. Before we entered the room, we had a briefing in RM 1014. They told us the story, but not entirely because as detectives, we need to learn more about the disappearance of Louisa. The funny thing about this is we actually solved the case before we even enter the room. My classmate, who is a member of the other group, told me that he is confident that Louisa died and he has a proof. But me and my chocolatey buddies, my group, deduced that Louisa was raped by her own dad. We deduced that based on the briefing discussion we had. When we entered the room, it doesn't really matter if you have solved the case before you go because what you'll do inside is the decode everything and each phase has reveals what really happened to Louisa, which we already knew. I was not confident that we'll be able to finish the game because I thought 30 minutes is not enough. I also heard that 2 groups already finished the game and I heard that it's really scary inside, so lost all my confidence. Once we were inside, I can feel my heart beating really fast. Not because I am scared, but because I am too excited. The feeling of being scared was gone because it was overtaken by the feeling of excitement. During the awarding, the third place finished the game for 21 minutes. The second place finished it for 20 minutes and we, the winner, finished the game for 12 minutes. The time gap between the 2 groups and the thought that we actually played around inside the room, when we could have finished it for 8 minutes if we didn't makes me really happy. This is the event that actually made my entire SOM Week. Thank you TM for creating a very exciting and an amazing event. Thank you for letting me be a detective even just for 30 minutes. It was a dream come true.

The second event I participated in is the Clash of Courses; quiz bee. The funny thing about this is I didn't sign up for it. I got shock that my name was listed without my permission, but at the same time it was an honor. The experience was not as amazing. I am actually disappointed for I only encountered one question that I was able to study in the past and the rest of the questions were all something only a second year or third year student can answer. So all those times, I was answering based on how I feel which is all by chance.. I was really disappointed with the result cause I scored so low that's why I am planning to join once again on my third year in college.

I attended SOM Fright Night because of the awarding of TMystery. I am not really into parties. I just like it every time I get acknowledge. I am sure I am not the only one. It just boosts my something inside of me and motivates me to do more. I also attended Mr & Ms SOM 2015 pageant because I am rooting for few people. For the male, I was actually rooting for the current Mr SOM 2015, Karyll Lapuz because as I was watching the male contestants, I think he is the most suitable for the title; the way he walks, the build of his body. For the female, I was rooting for ate Debbie Dimaunahan. Same reason why I was rooting for Karyll, it's because of the way she walks, the way she carries herself. She is really like a beauty queen. Watching the pageant triggered me to join on my third year in college. Hahaha I actually auditioned for this, but I was not that serious. Answering questions about how am I better than others made it hard for me. I just can't do it. That's why I kept answering "I don't know" during the audition. I think it's so conceited if I answer questions like that because I believe that no one is better than the other. We are all better at something and weak at some things which make us all equal.

SOM Week was really fun. I am actually enjoying my college life than my high school life because I feel like a new bigger door opened for me. Since I came from a small populated high school, everything has always been the same. I had the same circle of friends for 8 years; same jokes, same stuffs to talk about, same things every day. The events that the school have are most likely the same for the 8 years I have stayed there; there's a musical play during Christmas time, same event during July, same event every. Single. Year. It's also hard to be in the same place for too long because the teachers their favorite student and I am never the favorite. The efforts I made were voided that's why I lost all my motivation in studying. But now, I can start new. I can start building my name for myself rather than having someone talk behind my back to introduce me and I believe that as a flower, I am placed where there's bigger pot for me to grow and experience new things, make new friends and learn new stuffs.