iPhone 5.

Don't mind the feet. Haha.

The reason why I named the post series "Path to Five" is basically because of this. I really wanted this phone since it was first announced back in September. Ever since, I'd always stare and drool over people who already have it. I'd always tell my parents that I really wanted this, and so my mom promised me that she'll get it for me as a graduation gift. It actually became additional motivation for me since as I said, I REALLY WANT THIS. Now fast forward to last Friday night, I finally got it. I was so happy because it's one of the two things that symbolize the affirmation of my efforts during my college years. I was super duper happy when I finally got my dream phone! Okay, enough with the drama for now. I wanna give you my first impressions of actually using the iPhone 5.

DESIGN & BUILD QUALITY

When I first got it out of the box, it's weight already impressed me. I couldn't really compare the weight of this because the demo units were always stuck with something to hold it in place. The design of the phone is amazing. Never before have I seen Apple do something that's of this level. The chamfers are really nice to look at. It really does look like jewelry. The feel of the phone seems a bit strange even though it looks familiar.

PERFORMANCE

Another thing I noticed after finishing setup is its speed. It was REALLY fast. Apps that seem to crawl when I had multiple apps open in the iPhone 4 open very quickly. Games like The Walking Dead run very smoothly. Not just in apps, website loading in Safari was really fast. Overall, it's insanely fast.

That's it for now. I only got it 2 nights ago! Let me tinker with it longer. This is the final Path to Five post. Thanks for reading through all of them. Click HERE to read them all in one place. :)

Graduation.

FINALLY.

It's a feeling that I've experienced before, yet it also feels strange and exciting. Graduation is something that comes only once in a while. I've been through three, but never has there been one where I felt like I've achieved a lot of things and at the same time have this high level of uncertainty. Thanks to my life here in college, I am more confident than ever that despite the uncertainty I'm feeling, I know that I am able to do the best that I can.

March 23, 2013 will forever remain with me as one of the most memorable moments of my life. It not only represents the start of a new chapter of my life, but also how far I've come from those times where all I do is study, study, and study. I have learned that life's so much more than that.

So you see that medal up there? Yeah. Magna Cum Laude. I don't really feel like I am one though. When I found out earlier this year that this was sure, I was really shocked. I never expected that I would get any honors because I graduated high school without one. I'm super grateful that I got this since the path to getting here was long and SUPER hard. Thank you to the University of San Carlos for molding me not just to be a person with knowledge, but also with character and dedication. I also want to thank ALL the teachers whose classes I am a part of. I will surely never forget the good (and bad) things that you've shown. I may forget the content of your class, but not the life learning that you have given to us. 

Thank you very much, BSCSMA! Though tomorrow may be our last moments together as a block, I just want you guys to know that I love you all through thick and thin. I appreciate every single moment that I could be with you and I hope we'll never forget the moments we've shared. If I had to go through college all over again, I would do it with you guys and no one else.

Thank you very much to my beloved family for being there for me every step of the way. I honestly wouldn't have made it this far without you and I will forever be grateful for what you have done. This is now the beginning of me giving back to you for all that. All those things I told you will already be put to work very soon! Hahaha.

And to everyone else who I may have forgotten to mention, thank you so much! You have been a part of the best day of my life so far. I LOVE YOU!

As you may have noticed, this sounds like the last "Path to Five" post. NOPE. There's a reason why it's called that in the first place. You'll find out in the next post. Until then!

Tour.

Yesterday, our teacher asked who among us, the CS graduates, had been offered a job. Some of us didn't have any and others were betrayed with some company so she decided that we visit a company where her sibling is working. That happened a while ago, actually.

It was weird because we thought that we're the only ones going there (including a few IT graduates) but our teacher actually contacted one of us and said that she would tag along. This was great since it's one of the last times we could hang out with her as a group. So we went there in groups: one was riding Charles' car while the others were riding taxi cabs going there.

When we got to the office of the company, we were conscious whether to remove our shoes since they only wear slippers when inside the premises. Good thing they let us go in with them on. After a long discussion about the company and what they do, we were given a tour of the office. There was one area that we really had to remove our shoes but it was okay. After the tour, we had snacks! Yay!

After that though, two of us actually wanted to work in the company. Each of them had a one-on-one interview and were hired on the same day! Congratulations to them! :) While they had the interview, we had a photoshoot! Hahaha. It was really fun since our teacher went along with it because she couldn't go to our graduation. 

Today made me realize that it isn't really the company that you enter that determines your path, but you alone. I will really keep that in mind. TWO DAYS LEFT.

Best Batch.

Yes, the title is not self-proclaimed anymore. Our section head has said so. It was very clear in the tone of her voice that she is very happy to know that there are many honors on a course she really loves to manage.

We had a meeting today and one of the agenda was the announcement of honor graduates. People in the room were clapping for each one being mentioned from our department, and screaming whenever it was your friend's name that was said. The room had a happy and exciting aura that time. It was INSANE.

I'm truly happy that our batch is one that our department can be proud of and would be hard to surpass, but I think future graduates will be better. 

CONGRATS TO ALL!

Sleep-Deprived.

I can't sleep again for some reason.

I'm here in my parents' bedroom with my sister doing her school works in the middle of the night and I can't sleep because the light is on. Actually I did, for like a few hours. It really ticks me that my sister always does this to find out that she'll get scolded for not waking up on time for going to school. At least this is giving me a topic to talk about, which is how I'm ALWAYS sleep-deprived when I was still busy with school projects. Sorry for that random picture up there, I have no picture of my bed. 

Of all the times that I didn't sleep properly, it was during the past few months that I realize how important sleep is. Whenever I deprive myself of it, I tend to be off my usual self in the next day or even worse, cranky. I would always be hungrier than most days, and I would get tired easily when I am in the gym. It also caused this sudden outburst of acne in my face. If there was one thing I want gone first, it's the pimples. I wanna sleep early now, but there are still things that are barriers to me doing so more often.

I admit that I don't know how to fully balance my time when it comes to using technology because I basically live and breathe it. It was only now that I should take care of myself more and not take for granted my health because it's important that I'm happy and healthy in order to do the things I wanna do.

And for the record, I made this simply because I couldn't sleep. Good thing she turned off the lights. :)

The iPhone Experience: iPhone 4.

I never really posted a lot of iPhone experience posts. It's hard because I never had a major significant event that involved this. It's actually composed of thousands of little moments that made using this phone very satisfying.

Before getting into this, I'd like to say that I first got this phone with iOS 5 on it and it is locked to work with Globe SIMs. I upgraded to iOS 6 as soon as it came out and some opinions have changed since then. Android has also affected stuff I experienced with this phone since it has grown to be a formidable rival to Apple's platform. So here we go.

The iPhone 4, as Steve Jobs wants it to, "just works". Sure it may be almost 3 years old and two successors already exist after it that are better than this, but I never once complained about its overall usability. Even in 2013 where flagship phones already come out as early as February like the HTC One, the Xperia Z, and the Galaxy S4, I was never swayed from using this phone.

APPS

Apps in particular are one of the reasons why I never swayed away to an Android phone. There are games which are non-existent on competing mobile platforms like The Walking Dead or Infinity Blade. Even though popular apps like Flipboard and Path are already on Android, Tweetbot is still only on iOS. Here is my latest home screen, which right off the bat has a lot of apps. Three of the apps on this page of my home screen are iOS only. I know it's not much, but developers usually innovate in user interfaces of third-party apps. Until there is major shakeup with iOS devices that would sway them away, iOS is THE platform to develop for FIRST.

I can't really say that I have favorite apps because I like each one for different reasons. I use Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, Flipboard, and The Verge more often though. My experience with each app vary though. There are times when it would slow down or crash but not all the time. Maybe that's because some of these apps are already taking advantage of the iPhone 5's power. I was getting concerned with how apps are storing stuff on my phone. Is there any way that we could remove just the data of the app but not the app itself? I found this pretty annoying when I have limited amount of space left because Facebook and Instagram store way too much data.

BATTERY LIFE

Battery life decreases over time in every phone. The iPhone 4 is no exception, but it decreases slowly. After almost a year having it, it still lasts for at least a day. Apps and games are the ones that kill this easily. The more graphics-intensive the app is, the faster my battery goes down. Cellular data clearly does not help the situation. There were times where I had to set my phone on Airplane Mode so that it doesn't consume battery while the screen was off. I just wish that Apple would just have a bigger battery on future phones.

iOS

Since I've been through three iterations of iOS, the mobile operating system that powers the iPhone, iPad, and the iPod touch, I could definitely say that Apple needs to change it up a bit. Not that it doesn't work at all because it's still as functional as it can be. There are just some parts at which I already got annoyed and wishing that Apple would implement an easier way to do such things. For example, the Settings app (shown in the right) is still clunky and there are things that could be integrated into a shortcut menu where you can toggle stuff on or off. My favorite feature of the OS though is Do Not Disturb. Even though glitches came to it when 2013 struck, it works like a charm. I can set a schedule as to the times that it will go on and off. When it's on, it really works. The only way I'll know when they're there is when I turn the screen on. Despite that, it's best for Apple to change the user interface and functionality of iOS. I'm sure it'll never be the same after Jony Ive will now be in charge of Human Interface. Having high hopes for iOS 7!

FINAL THOUGHTS

All in all, I love having the iPhone 4. The design is still good despite the glass back, and there are still reasons for me to stick with it except that I want my phone to be faster. I've always wanted the latest and greatest and although this isn't it, I would still love to keep it. iOS needs to change (especially in UI) but they should maintain the quality of apps that are churning out in the App Store. If Apple still rests on their laurels, Samsung might just win this war altogether. As for my next phone? Well, you'll figure it out. Maybe you will, even before Path to Five is over. :)

Finally Stress-Free.

Almost there. Graduation.

It's something that I haven't thought of all this time until this very moment. It's something that I thought would happen after a long time. Yet, here I am, just around a week before it happens. I know I've been in this situation twice, but I have never experienced one in which there is a greater amount of uncertainty than before. It always got me thinking as to where I'm going after this.

Yet, I'm not really worried. It's not something I have to constantly think about. Maybe that's just because I don't wanna leave college... YET.

On that note, I would like to apologize to my readers who haven't heard from me in over a month because I needed to tend to my studies and I want to make sure that I could graduate (thus the picture above). Now that I'm free and clear from most of my responsibilities as a college student, you'll be hearing from me frequently. Hopefully that would be once a day starting today. :)

Thanks for understanding!

Realizations on Thesis.

  

Some of my classmates had their thesis defenses last Saturday and thankfully, they passed! (Congrats to Gian, Joseph, Clyde, and Michael for passing!) I asked Joseph and Gian about how they were feeling after the defense. They told me that it was like a giant weight was lifted from their shoulders. I have to agree. For me, this was the most difficult path that I faced throughout my college life. Good thing I did not have to go through it alone because I have a partner during this insane joyride that is THESIS.

I also realized that this may very well be the most difficult obstacle I've faced in my life so far and I could say that small obstacles pale in comparison to this. Whatever I'm facing right now is really small compared to what I faced during the thesis implementation. The feeling that you have accomplished something very important to you and can be used to your advantage is great. 

I sincerely hope that those who have not defended their research or those that are going to will realize the significance of what they're doing and not just do it for the sake of it being a requirement. Do your best in this and the feeling will be all more joyous.

Good luck to those who'll defend their thesis. :)

Back to Basics.

Nokia 1280. DON'T JUDGE ME!

So yes, I got a basic cellphone called the Nokia 1280 today. Don't judge me right away because you don't know why I got this. The reason why this post exists is to tell you all about how I decided to get this phone.

For the past few weeks, the phone that I use for my Sun Cellular SIM wasn't really functioning well. It kept losing signal when I needed it the most, and it would restart by itself more often. I didn't mind at first, but one event gave me a sign that I need to change my phone. It was Thursday, and I was on my way to an important orientation for a contest that I'll join three weeks from now. I needed to get some documents from the coach so that our school is okay to join the event. My phone kept losing signal to the point that I had a hard time communicating with the coach. It took me around 20 to 30 minutes just to contact her. Good thing we found each other or else I would have been later than I was that time.

So awhile ago, I looked for a phone to replace the crappy phone I had. I first thought of getting an Android phone. Clearly, there are a lot of choices but I have a budget since I don't want to crush the certainty that I'm going to get my dream phone. I first decided to get one of the most popular budget Android smartphones, the Cherry Mobile Flare. It has a dual core processor with a 4-inch display and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The problem was that the build quality of the phone isn't comparable to other budget smartphones out there. I didn't wanna break a new phone after a few months, so I decided not to get it. We then chose a simple Nokia phone that can do calls and texts. I was okay with the Nokia 1280. It even has a flashlight! Hehehe.

I realized that this could be a great time to compare how phones were before to how they are today. Are the benefits of having more functionality outweighing the disadvantages? Is it making our lives better for the long term? I'll know soon enough. :)

Hyper-Connected.

First thing to do in the morning: Turn on the computer and open Facebook.

Last thing to do at night: Read Facebook and Twitter updates on my iPhone.

People these days are becoming what we call "hyper-connected", where they live and breathe through the internet and social networking. I've been thinking about the long-term effects of this and why they can't seem to let go even for just an hour. Before I go on with this, I would like to say that I myself am hyper-connected so I could be guilty with some of these situations. I am not a hypocrite, but I only want to point out things I've observed from people. Let's get this ra

There was one time when I went to church and I saw people texting DURING the homily. I really think this is disrespectful to a lot of people who are attending the mass, and most especially to God, who is the reason we celebrate it. It's not like the person who you're texting would just suddenly disappear. You can just text that person AFTER the mass. God is way more important than that.

Another instance of the effects of hyper-connectivity is when you're in a dinner with family or relatives. Instead of talking a lot with your relatives, you stare at your phone for a long time and sometimes, you don't even mind the people with you at that moment. Again, we still have time for that after we have talked with family.

One last instance that this is evident is in shopping malls. (I am certainly guilty for this one!) We ALWAYS use our phones around the mall. I can't really blame them though, if you can't really buy anything you see around the mall then might as well find something else to do. Food's not included, of course.

No matter what situation you are in, the modern smartphone or tablet has now invaded your life. It's just up to you if you control it or let it control you. Stay safe in cyberspace!

Sinulog 2013: The Greatest Story Ever Told

Churchgoers attending the Novena Mass in the Basilica del Santo Niño.

Sinulog's just gonna get hotter as time passes by. Every third Sunday of January, we celebrate the feast of Santo Niño. He is the reason why the Philippines became the cradle of Christianity in Asia. When we celebrate it though, we do it over the course of 2 weeks! The Novena Masses are attended by a lot of people and the procession last Saturday was attended by 2.7M (according to Sun Star). I'm sure that the numbers for the Grand Parade are much much more. 

And yes, with the Grand Parade comes VARIOUS street parties around the Metro despite the fact that there's a ban being implemented for those. Too bad there were more party people than even the police! Walking around the streets already counts as a genuine Sinulog experience simply because of the sights you see and the sounds you hear around you. Giant floats from companies were there, including the ABS-CBN float which for me feels like the best float in terms of crowd insanity because of the people shouting and taking their pictures.

Grand Parade from up above. :)

The contingents who join the parade every year are not there to win, but to show their utmost devotion to the Señor Sto. Niño. I really applaud them for doing this. I also appreciate the people who are out there and joining in the celebration. Even though there are times when we get perked up because of the tightness of the crowds trying to walk through the route, it was really nice looking at the contingents giving their all. I think that the street party ban is stupid. We all know what the real meaning of the festival is, but a street party is also a way for people to be happy in the celebration! I'm sure even the police looking at the party people understand that (and the fact that they're outnumbered HAHA) despite their orders.

Even though I didn't get to party much at Baseline (the most trending place during Sinulog, best known for getting yourself dirty and smelling like beer), I enjoyed even the insane walking I did with friends. YES, I was with friends for the whole afternoon though I was with family during the morning and evening. We walked trying to find a place to stay after partying in the night. From Fuente to Mango to Sanciangko then back to Mango again to AllSon's Inn to Ayala (because we were getting our stuff) to Fuente again (because my stuff was there). I really found the experience very amazing, to say the least. I thank God for letting me experience how Sinulog really is. Indeed, it is the GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD.

'Till next year, Sinulog! Pit Senyor!

By the way, here's a picture of my friends making random shiznit. HAHA:

January's about to end. Midterms a'coming. Gotta go.

Path To Five: Why I'm Doing This

There's more or less 2 months left, and my college life will come to a close. It's an insane 4-year ride of self-improvement, learning, and reflection as to what's in store for me in the outside world. Since I'm no ordinary person, I wanna graduate from college by doing random stuff. This is one of those.

Path To Five will be a post series about experiences that I will have over the course of my last two months in college which may vary from hardships in projects to a spiritual retreat to insane outings! I will be posting one every week because I still have school work to do with this. I won't promise on which day of the week I would post since I blog when I have the mood to do so. Remember that iTunes / Google Play gift card I said  from this post? It will be given away during this series! Hope you read this as much as the other posts!

For your reading pleasure, I'll put a link up in the menu just so that you can check the latest updates on Path to Five right under one page. :) By the way, I reached 7000 views here so thank you all for the support and here's to another 7000! :)