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In a society filled with perfectly sculpted faces and personalities oozing with appeal, it is quite hard not to create a mental picture of what could be THE perfect boyfriend.

Here’s a my take on boyfriend-worthy personalities in the form of my favorite Hollywood charmers:

Zac Efron as Troy Bolton in High School Musical

#1 Admit it, no matter how cliché it is we just can’t help but fall head over heels with boyish looks and expressive eyes. Beauty may be skin deep but it’s hard to ignore a face like Zac’s—especially when we are absolutely sure he’s a gift from the heavens above.

Ed Westwick as Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl

#2 If “I am Chuck Bass” is not reason enough to convince you, nothing can be more thrilling than turning this bad boy into the one. And while we’d rather have that happily ever after than a whirlwind romance, there’s just something about a certain level of being badass that can make us girls go ooh la la.

Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski on Chuck

#3 What would looks and appeal be without someone like Chuck Bartowski to brighten up your day? Whether it’s in the form of witty jokes, nerdy remarks, or funny antics, everybody loves a person with sense of humor.

Jim Parsons as Dr. Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory

#4 While the Perfect Boyfriend need not necessarily talk about theoretical physics and advanced calculus like Dr. Sheldon Cooper, I highly doubt a girl would fail to appreciate a guy with a good head on his shoulders. Personally, I think guys who can carry out intellectual conversations are sexy

Rico Rodriguez as Manny Delgado on Modern Family

#5 Finally, although we swoon over good looks and irresistible charm, at the end of the day we just want someone to love and respect us for who we are. Manny here may only be 11 years old but he sure knows how to treat girls right—especially his mom. If only boys can be more in touch with their sensitive side, maybe we wouldn’t have to spend so much time and energy figuring out all the mixed signals.

However, remember that being in a relationship is more than just having a boy to hold hands and watch movies with; it requires effort on both sides for it to work. Knights in shining armor no longer rush to the aid of damsels in distress -they meet each other halfway. I can’t promise you a fairy tale ending but I assure you that any boy will be willing to stick around for a girl worth fighting for.

photos courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures, The CW, ABC, and CBS

Posted in Reflections | No Comments »

June has marked the end of my HR internship aka my “summer break” and the beginning of senior year.

Again, I apologize for not being able to update my blog regularly. I didn’t expect the first month to be so hectic already. Nonetheless, I’m happy that everything is working out well for me. In case you’ve been wondering about the things that kept me busy, here’s a rundown of what I’ve been up to this month in photographs:

1. Volunteer Work
   I was lucky enough to be given another year to become a part of the TNT (Talks and Tours) committee of the annual Freshman Orientation Seminar. The 3-day program comprised of activities designed to welcome new students to the Ateneo community. Despite having served as a volunteer last year, this event was still a memorable first for me because I have been trusted to handle a block of 20 Biology majors on my own. Amid the challenges of not having a partner to share tasks with, I found the experience very worthwhile. I was able to embrace my limitations and prove to myself that I am still capable of doing great things. I owe my strength to the TNT family who has been very supportive of one another. Finally, I feel really blessed to have been given a group of smart and talented people to call my “anak” aka my OrSem babies for the last time.
   
2. Foodtrips
   Like my fellow girls in the council, I love food. Unfortunately, compared to them I am not as adventurous. After 3 years of living in Manila, it finally hit me that I ought to go out and try food in unfamiliar places. Well… my progress only goes as far as a couple of lunches and dinners in the streets of Katipunan. But thanks to my roommate Angie, I’ve discovered delicious and affordable milk tea (Moonleaf), delightful burgers (Craveburger), cute diners (Mile-Hi) and quiet hang out spots (Fruit Magic)!
   
3. Managerial Tasks
   I have been appointed as The GUIDON’s (official student publication of ADMU) Training and Development Manager for this school year. It’s basically the human resources arm of the publication and my task is to organize events and training sessions for the members. I’m looking forward to a wonderful year as a member of the Editorial Board but more than anything else, I’m very excited to work with exceptionally talented and hardworking people! The photo below is taken from the behind-the-scenes album of our column photo shoot led by the lovely Pia Guballa.
   
4. Planning the rest of our lives ahead.
   My bestfriend Carol always says that she does not plan her life (10-20 years) that far ahead. But since it is thesis year and minor year (I’m taking up additional subjects in English literature) and we are both involved in a couple of extracurricular activities, we know that to make it to the finish line aka graduation, we have to set our priorities straight. We don’t have that much time for one another like we used to but I’m glad that when we do sit down and talk we always learn something new from one another. Here’s Suzie reading my planner for “life updates”—one of the many rituals we’ve gotten all too familiar with since freshman year:
   
5. And finally, hanging out and catching up with friends
   Would you believe that even after all of the things mentioned above, my social life is still afloat? Haha! I managed to squeeze in movie dates, isaw trips, pool parties and tambay time in between my list of things to-do. I was also able to visit my family in Subic together with my boyfriend, Miguel and even meet up with my high school friends!
   
   All in all, this has been a good way to start the school year, don’t you think so?
   For more photos, visit http://documentingsenioryear.tumblr.com

With happiness and a hopeful heart,
Mikee

Posted in Happy Thoughts, Red-Letter Days | 1 Comment »

Ever since I was little, my father would drive our family all the way to Nueva Ecija to visit my grandparents. My aunts and uncles, who came from far away places like Isabela and Manila would be there too. While they catch up on each other’s lives over card games and good food, I would find myself soaked in the sun, playing with my cousins. Even now that we’ve all grown up, we still find time to meet with each other. A number of our summers were actually spent in Puerto Galera, Mindoro but this year we wanted to go somewhere we’ve never gone before.

Last weekend, I was on a roadtrip with the Garcia clan to Lumban, Laguna. We stayed in a resort called Caliraya. I believe the place was meant for big companies to hold their teambuilding seminars but since we are a big family we were able to make use of the different facilities that they offer. Despite the rain (why Typhoon Bebeng, why), my cousins and I enjoyed our stay in “laguna’s best resort.”

First, we toured around the place and discovered that they had a beautiful man-made lake, 3 swimming pools, a fish pond, zipline, fly pinoy, bungee jumping and wall-climbing areas (which I wasn’t able to try because it rained), a large field full of obstacle courses as well as several courts. The package we took was inclusive of meals so we really enjoyed the buffet in a pavilion overlooking the entire resort.

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Posted in Red-Letter Days | No Comments »

If I can have it the couch potato way, summer will be spent lazing around the house watching marathons of Chuck (I’m almost done with season 3) and looking up random things on the web. March has kept me busy with tests, paperwork and class presentations (I apologize for being MIA the past month) and I would like to spend the break as stress free as possible.

However, this will most likely be the last vacation I’ll be spending as a student –I’LL BE GRADUATING NEXT YEAR – so I’m determined to make this a summer to remember. Here’s why I’m excited for the next two months:

1. Talks and Tours Committee Auditions
   Last year, I joined the Talks and Tours Committee for the Freshman Orientation Seminar our school organizes every June. It has been such a wonderful experience and I want to do it all over again! But before I get to be a part of OrSem 2011, I have to go through 2 rounds of auditions and 3 days of training! Being a “TNT” is not as easy as it is fun but it definitely is worth it!
   

   With my partner, Rye and blockmate, Lianne

2. Internship
   The Psych curriculum of the Ateneo requires undergraduates like me to complete 150 hours of on the job training (OJT) for a company of our choice. After applying to a lot of companies at the school’s job fair, I have finally been called to an interview! Right now, I just have to wait for the release of my NBI clearance and then I can start working (ooh I feel like an adult)! After a whole semester of Industrial/Organizational Psychology, I think I’m ready to “wing it” at the actual work place!
   

   My I/O groupmates, Ana, Suzie and Mikee A.

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Posted in Lists | 3 Comments »

Last February 18, one Political Science 100 class of the Ateneo de Manila University launched the second leg of the Ateneo MP3 experiment. Inspired by the New York-based group, ImprovEverywhere the event sought to relive the first People Power Revolution that made democracy synonymous to the Philippines 25 years ago. They partnered with One CORE Success Center to promote the values of heroism and nationalism. In line with Coach Pia Acevedo’s newly published book, Born to be a Hero the project served to inspire each and everyone to develop their inner hero. To know more about their advocacy, visit www.theonecore.com or www.borntobeahero.com

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Posted in Etcetera, Red-Letter Days | No Comments »