Third Year Second Sem

Tomorrow is the last time I'm ever gonna have to submit anything for third year. I cannot believe it. Afterwards, I am going to breathe. And escape to Capiz for a whole week!! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT! But before that, I really want to take a moment to let things sink in. Third. Year. Is. Over.

:)

That's my favorite team and our amazing professor in the photo above. MLK and Sir Joson. Along with my amazing final plate partner and good friend, Raisa, they played a giant part of this sem. I am super duper grateful, huhuhu.

For the first plate, Mico, Lance and I (MLK haha so creative) designed a 5 star business hotel called The Orient. We loved our giant twisted building with all our hearts huhu. Although they're probably the two most sabaw people in the batch, they're two of the most talented arki students I've ever worked with........ naks. ok. bye.

And here's our final plate. The Caticlan Internal Airport. :) I think Raisa and I super loved working on this because of how much we both learned in the process hihihi. Legit. We forced Photoshop, CAD and Sketchup down our throats in maybe just a week in order to come up with the 20x30 PDF boards that Sir Joson required. In the end though, we legit happy. We could have done better, as is always the case, but, I think we were pretty happy. Huhuhuhu yay. Below are some detail photos the model.

Note: Everything looks better in black and white! That's why... yeah.

Anyway, this sem really pushed me to my breaking point. Twice, if I'm not mistaken. But according to my wonderful Legally Blonde mantra...

"Even if I crash and burn ten times a day, I think I'm here to stay. I'm gonna find my way." :)

Here's to junior year...

and our our week-long, post-sem celebration at the beach!

Love, Kara

Post - Sem Realizations

This post is a week late but, I've been wanting to write about everything for toooo long.
Because tooo much has happened and toooo much is happening.
And I really need to pause and process everything. Haha.

This is how our dining table looked during the finals week of last semester,
on the night before the deadline of all three final plates.
x_x

All throughout the sem, I was tired and sleep - deprived but still, I couldn't complain. Well, fine. I did complain but, I shouldn't have because it was my fault for choosing to get into so many non - academic activities. And I guess I was surviving. Haha. However, in the latter part of September, instructions for all the final requirements were given and the deadlines were set. After compiling it all in one neat list, I got totally overwhelmed.

It. Was. Just. Too. Much.

Do you know that feeling when you have a billion things to do but, you just can't do any of them? You just sit there and stare into space and think about which  plate to start working on or which paper to start writing. You contemplate on whether it's better to start studying for your org interview the next morning or your math finals the day after. Or if it's better to just stop everything and follow your heart... and chill with your friends or your family OR SLEEP, cause obviously that's all you wanna do. Haha!

Half the time, you're paralyzed, thinking about your game plan. You're just worrying or complaining about the amount of work there is but, it takes a while for you to actually DO anything. It's like you need just as much time for mental and emotional preparation, as for the actual execution of the tasks.

Well, at least that's how it is for me. :( I write the things to do again and again and break it all down to sub points, with the hopes that by doing so, the tasks will magically get.. uhm... easier and less scary. Haha. 

Oh yeah. What was both a blessing and a curse was the fact that I had to finish everything the day before the actual deadline because my sister and I had to leave for the airport at 3 AM on that fjdfalnmlmdk triple submission day... so, yeah.

Everyone was stressing out though. Not just me. You know that it's already finals week when the students start disappearing at the arki building. Haha. That's the indicator... it means everyone's "working" haha. There were many people suffering from Math 53, Physics 71 and Arch 4... subjects that will kill me later on in my UP Arki life. Haha.... anyway.
(Sorry I keep saying haha....)

"I lost count of how many times I've gone through the stress cycle wherein you have no idea how you're gonna pull something off at first and then you feel like you're on top of the world once you actually do."

That's what I wrote in my July blog. Imagine how many times we all went through the stress cycle since then... @-)

It feels as though it was just yesterday when I was freaking out about having to take 4 majors and panicking about how in the world I'd pull everything off.

And then, there was that beautiful, wonderful, awesome, amazing, moment... when I handed over my plates at 2:30 in the morning and thought...

"Oh my gosh. I did it."

Just like that and it's all over. I submitted the stress along with all the plates and sem break has been pretty great! For two weeks straight, I was basically in panic mode, working like a machine, with barely any sleep. (Except for the times I took naps that were ideally meant to be only 10 minutes long. Hehez.) and immediately after that, I went on a trip with my sister that made up for every single stressful moment in the past semester worth it. Hahaha.

 Isn't it weird? How fast life just switches from stress mode to chill mode and back? I can't get over it. I can't get over the fact that it's done... because honestly, I know that there are much harder things in life but... that was pretty challenging okay! :( So I'm just so, so, super happy it's done. Allow me to be happy before I start thinking of how difficult next sem will be haha.... huhu but, I guess I'll just have to take the same mindset with me. I just have to live with the awareness that whatever I'm going through is temporary. And because it's 10:09 PM and I'm getting sleepy, I shall just quote my old blog again hehehez

"Things pass. That's the lesson. No matter how stressed you are RIGHT NOW, it's going to pass. Your horrible schedule will only last for one semester and so will the reign of your terror prof. Haha! The tension you feel over an exam will vanish after you've taken it and it will be replaced by the best calmness in the world - which will also vanish when the next challenge arrives."

Again, I wanna end with my extremely effective note to self - and what I re-realized after seeing how it all panned out...

It always seems impossible until it is done.

Congrats to everyone. We're all one sem closer to getting out of college, yaaay! Heehee. Goodnight. :)

PS. I will never pray for a challenge again. Hahaha jk

Concrete Love

For our additional work in Design class, we were tasked to select 10 of our favorite local structures, rate them and create a short write up about. Although I don't really have a single favorite building, here are the structures that made it to the list!

Henry Sy Building, DLSU

Rating: 9

In contrast to its environment, this building gives a modern touch and compensates for the lack of open space in the La Salle campus. Elevating the entire structure was a genius move - making the structure more dominant and less crowded/ claustrophobic at the same time. Some floors have indoor gardens which balance out all the concrete and that's just one of the many applications of sustainable design. 

The Mind Museum

Rating: 8

The Mind Museum is a crowd favorite - both the structure and everything inside it! It was designed by Arch. Ed Calma, one of the architects I admire most. Like many of the structures I love, The Mind Museum offered something different: a futuristic facade with openings and greens sprinkled in appropriate areas to break the heavy, metallic look.

PETA Theater

Rating: 7

Living next door to this wonder has been nothing but a privilege! From an angle, you'd see how the rehearsal/ office area connects to the balconies of the different floors, as well as the staircase that look so good with the effects provided by the glass and lights. However, looking at the building from the front, you'd wonder how an entire theater can fit inside. It's amazing how the architect was able to keep the balance while playing with different shapes and proportions at the same time.

Treveia Clubhouse, Nuvali

Rating: 8

This irregular structure really stands out in the fields of Nuvali. I actually love the entire Nuvali area - or any area where the environment is just as revered as the structure that stands there. But as for the Treveia Clubhouse, it really got my attention the first time I saw it and maybe because of its shape, strange proportions or downright weirdness, it made an indelible mark in my mind. And I mean that in a good way!

Ayala Museum

Rating: 9

Here's another crowd favorite! The Ayala Museum. This clean, modern look is a very familiar one to many people but somehow, this structure totally owns it. As if the look has been presented for the first time. The black tiles for walls, the glass, the walkway, the steps, the sculpture and the fountain... these elements make it obvious that those who thought it up really had a eye for design.

Church of Gesu, ADMU

Rating: 9

This is definitely not your average church structure. Usually, Catholic church designs take after ancient Roman architecture but, the Church of Gesu on the other hand, was able to pull off something a bit more modern. Being all while and irregularly shaped, this building really catches your eye when you go around Ateneo. It's different, yes. Beautiful, yes. And apart from all that, the architect was able to keep the design in sync with the purpose for which the structure stands.

Balai, Taal
Rating: 6

The location, interior and overall feel of this structure would most probably get a rating of 10. The surroundings are beautiful ; no question there and the bedrooms and living rooms are to die for. However, the external appearance of Balai is its only downfall. Aside from its pentagonal shape, which isn't even that noticeable, it's rather ordinary. It lacks a focal point or an accent, at the very least and for that, I gave it a 6. 

Greenbelt 5 Mall

Rating: 8

Greenbelt 5 is yet another Ayala masterpiece. Another beautiful structure that respects the environment and works well with its surroundings. If I'm not mistaken, Greenbelt won an award for it. Because of the beautiful landscaping and all the glass in the buildings that allow mall goers to see and appreciate it, people really feel one with nature. No matter how beautiful a building is, if people don't feel good when they enter, then all its beauty goes to waste.

Robinsons Magnolia

Rating: 8

The wow factor of this structure came as a surprise to many. During the construction, people didn't really expect anything out of the ordinary. But almost out of nowhere, a structure so massive started taking shape and once the park area was arranged, it transformed into a little piece of first class, right in the heart of New Manila. The variations in the ceiling levels, materials for the railing and even treatment for the windows all seemed to complete the mall's look and make it even more inviting. Such a treat for those who live nearby!

Trump Tower
Rating: 9

Now, here's a true taste of first class. Donald Trump has finally made his mark in the Philippines! This residential tower seems to scream high end. But how? What makes it different from all the other tall, rectangular prisms in the area? It may be the glass finishing, the lighting or even the accent bars that go through the whole building. Or it might be all the details, working so well together. Maybe that's what makes it a cut above the rest.