That Much Awaited Black Toga

In my article three days ago, I'm Gonna Wear That Black Toga: A Shocking News, I shared that I am one of the third year students of our degree program (course) that will about to participate in the Mid-Year Graduation. Though, it is not formally for graduation but under the Certificate of Agricultural Science (CAS).

Wondering what is CAS all about?

For the sake of my new readers or those who hasn't read that linked article above, here it is.

is given to agriculture students who already finished the first two years of studying the said course above. It is not a college diploma but can be used as our credential once we decided to apply for a job or to get employed. We can use it whether if we will pursue the next two years or more specially when we will not.

-definition was copied from "I'm Gonna Wear That Black Toga: A Shocking News."

As I've also mentioned in that recent blog, we have 5 different requirements to comply with. This are the:

(1) Application Form, (2) Graduation Clearance, (3) Tree Planting, (4) Payment for Certificate, and (5) Graduation Picture.

At this point, I already had accomplished four out of five requirements. Except for the number 4. Now, let me proceed to the sharing of my stressful-days of responding to all those requirements that the higher-ups had instructed.

Morning, 01.22.2022

I woke up so early this day coz I need to search for a mango seedling that I'll be using for the tree planting. I can't afford to buy because I can't afford to highly-variated mangoes like Catimon that costs PHP 500.00 ($10) for just one seedling. Ahhh! I'm poor so that's really expensive for me, hehe. So, I just resorted upon looking for a mango seedlings that had already sprouted and grown along the road or in any of the vacant lots here. I started the manhunt by 7:10AM and good news, I found one in just a short time. Wieee~ actually, there's so many out there but most are still young pa. And, this one is just good to be transplanted.

Not that young nor old, so yeah. Thank you to this boy right here for helping me up in times like this. He's the one who digged up the seedling and the hole for me. 💚

Shared in this linked noise.cash post: https://noise.cash/post/1rgk9jvm

Of course, I am the one who transplanted it. Not just for documentation purposes but because it's my responsibility to do so. Around 8:20AM, that morning, I finished the simple tree planting activity as per our requirement.

Shared in this linked noise.cash post: https://noise.cash/post/15r3qz03

Why need to do a tree planting? Just so you, guys know, the Department of Agriculture Secretary, Dr. William Dar had instructed every Agriculture students who are candidates for graduation to plant a tree. It's not a voluntary activity, but a mandatory one.

After I finished the chores that morning, I immediately submitted it to the organizer two hours before the deadline. By then on, I checked the checkbox allotted for that requirement. Tree planting, done. Two more to go. 💓

Morning, 01.23.2022

On this day, I and my close friend planned to have our graduation picture at one of the photo studio in the town. Our other friend can't come with us coz she's currently in Pampanga and can't bring her a$s in here yet. Our call time is by 10:00AM, but she came late coz she waited for her boyfriend to pick her up and join us. Apparently, we hadn't done our agenda right on time because there's no black toga available in there. We even tried to look for other studio, but they are all close. Hayst! So, no choice but to come back in the first studio. The owner said that there's a girl that will come that day who has a black toga and we should just rent it na lang daw. So, okay. We tried that option, however, the said girl hadn't arrived yet and it's already lunch time. Coz we are so hungry na, we just decided to eat at Mang Inasal, as our bonding na din.

In there, I ordered PM1 or the thigh part and 1 rice. Can't have unli rice coz I am shy with her boyfriend even though we are close din naman. I also added a medium iced tea and small halo-halo.

That's all for almost $4, hehe~ Planning to take out sana for our family's lunch, but I remembered that Mama bought some chicken that morning. Baka lumipad na kami nang wala sa oras, HAHAHA!

To make it short, we hadn't had our graduation that morning. But, I leaved my contact number just in case that we can still have it that same day. It was due by 01.26.2022 na kasi and we are just informed by 01.21.2022, so we are rushed.

I was saying to myself that it was alanganin if we'll wait for that girl so I made another move. I asked one of my friends from other major who's living in the neighbor city if there's some studio in their place that has a black toga and she said, yes. Though, it was sooo far from our place. Maybe, a travelling time of about or less than an hour. I told this to my Papa and he said that we should go right after they ate their late lunch, coz I might get late if I'll do it the next day.

So, okay. I go to Tita's house coz she'll do my simple make-up and do my hair. Mas kinulot n'ya lang 'yung kulot kong buhok, haha.

Fast forward, tadaaaa. By quarter to 4PM, I already had my graduation picture. Though, I was instructed by the handsome photographer that they'll just email me the softcopy and to come back tomorrow (today, 01.24,2022) for the hard copy. In there, I payed PHP 220.00 for the package. Excluding the gas for Papa's motor, hehe.

Of course, this won't be possible without my first man who patiently accompanied me for the whole day. He sacrificed his sleeping time even though he'll work straight from night until the morning as a baker. Thank you, Papa! 💛

So, to make it up to him, I told him to buy some thrifty shorts at the store beside the studio before we go home. He really adores thrifty shorts kasi eh, as in.

And, he chose 3 maong shorts that he'll use for our errands and his work daw. For just PHP 150.00 ($3), he had a branded-liked shorts.

To tell you frankly, I was really excited to see my picture even though I am aware that I kinda looked haggard in that photo, haha.

And no need to wait more longer, coz I'mma gonna dropped it naaaaa. In 3, 2, 1 .... tadaaa! ✨

This is the soft copy that was emailed to me this morning.

What's the feeling of seeing myself wearing this dream black toga? Honestly, I can't find a more suitable word to describe it. Basta, it feels so nostalgic and surreal even I just had wore it for a few minutes. Nakaka-kilig, superrrr! I can't stop myself from smiling and my heart to beat so fast while coming back so many times in my gallery for this photo. 🧡 What more if I'm also about to wear the cap with tassle and the hood? Maybe, I'll palpitate so bad. Haha! Seriously.

Shared in this linked noise.cash post: https://noise.cash/post/l0q32k68

When I got the hard copy, I instantly bought a frame for it as I am planning to hang it in our room. And, here it is na nga.

When I finalized our study area, I will hang it in the wall in front of me. Additional inspiration to look at whenever I'm feeling so down and wanted to give up reaching my dreams. I'll just look into it and viola, I'll get to know again the reasons why I'm so eager to have all my dreams come true.

Captured and framed post in noise.cash: https://noise.cash/post/1n95r3z7

As a final remark on this article, let me rephrased what I written at the end of my recent blog.

I finally had wore that black toga, in which I and our parents had been dreaming of. It's not yet the final one but I'll make sure that years from now, I will also that toga, a cap with a yellow tassle, and yellow hood that symbolizes the degree course that I finished. Can't wait for this moment ey~ soonest, self! For now, good luck with the thesis. You can do it! 💚🥂

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imanagrcltrst: https://read.cash/@imanagrcltrst

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LOVE LOTSSS!

Published by January 24, 2022