AGAPE
My excitement for this particular event at our university grows with each passing school year. It's known as "Paskuhan," which translates to Christmas in English. UST is well-known for its annual effort to transform the campus into a Christmas wonderland playing with different themes each year. Here are some of the themes I've experienced since I was in Senior High School. We had Game of Thrones in 2017. In 2018, we had Tangled, which was my favorite so far, and in 2019, we had Harry Potter (although it didn't really look anything like Hogwarts at all😅).
A gathering to turn on the Christmas lights at the campus is traditionally held in the afternoon of the first week of December. Providing free food to students, as well as musical performances by bands, and of course, pyrotechnic displays, has become an annual practice at the university. We always joke around and say that it is where the large portion of our tuition fee goes 🤣 Anyway, even though the crowds are crazy and the lines at each restaurant are long, I don't mind it because I'm with good company of friends. Few of the many food options that are available include Chicken from Max's, Jollibee, Aristocrats, and there was even a time when they served lechon (a roasted suckling pig cooked over charcoal). We appreciate it a lot even though the chicken is already dry by the time we sit down to eat it, as I assume that it was prepared earlier in order to accommodate the 44,000 students in the Thomasian community😅 But, in any case, it's still a delicious treat to share with friends🤤
Another highlight was when a friend of mine asked me to take a picture of this painting for his special someone. His crush won't be able to attend Paskuhan so he decided to give her a gift depicting the Paskuhan scenario that they would've spent together🤧
Due to my involvement with documentary teams of various organizations at our school, I am often seen roaming around and capturing special and candid moments of my peers.
Of course, the presence of lovebirds will not be missed because they are literally everywhere (I'm curious if any of the couples I photographed are still together today LOL😜)
But I make it a point to enjoy my time with my friends as well. My college friends and I spent our first agape together in 2019. We ate in the grass, laughed at inane things, and bonded as if the night would never end. We always make sure to take advantage of this event because it occurs a week before our exams, which is the most grueling point due to heavy academic workload. It is the only time we get to be free from acads (well, not reallyyy because of conscience bothering us for having fun😅)
My college friends and I went on a photoshoot, and we had a great time running around with lights flashing everywhere. If you're a fan of bokeh, you'll most likely enjoy visiting our campus as well! As usual, I was in charged of taking their photos.
Every evening after classes, I long for the sensation of simply gazing and walking beneath the Christmas lights. Despite the fact that I see it every night, it always seems to have something new to offer me when I look at it at a different day.
I am grateful to be a part of a community that places a high value on camaraderie, and I hope that this tradition continues in perpetuity. Indeed, we are truly embodying the significance of the event's name itself which is love😌
