Make your first or last Paskuhan special by doing these five oddly specific but memorable things
By Mharla Francesca Santiano
Even though Morisette Amon has been the soundtrack of our breakdown sessions lately, we can’t let go just yet because Paskuhan season is finally here. As the campus attempts to encapsulate the Paskuhan spirit inside the four streets of UST, the emotions evoked from the festivities will never be measured.
To guarantee that, here are oddly specific but memorable things to do in Paskuhan.
1. Have a Paskuhan breakfast
It might not be the same as our younger days of Christmas mornings, but there’s something peaceful and comforting about the campus before it welcomes the entire throng of Thomasians for the day.
As you walk to your favorite food place on campus, immerse in the gentle business around you: our ates and kuyas making sure all the equipment for the day is finalized, your fellow early birds in the form of student leaders and volunteers getting into the zone for their schedules, and the birds themselves singing to the campus cats as they wake up. With bites of your favorite breakfast or morning snack, the plotless movie of sceneries may just be the perfect 2-hour lo-fi loop you will ever need.
2. Scream “‘Yung tuition fee ko!” at the fireworks
Besides the voices of Thomasians singing along to the Paskuhan concert, one can also hear distant screams of “Uy, tuition fee ko ‘yan!” when the fireworks finally take center stage.
The expression can be considered an inside joke among Thomasians, and some even jokingly treat it as their main motivation for attending the Paskuhan festivities, saying that it would be a waste if they don’t see their tuition sparkle in the sky. And honestly, they have a point. Our tuition fee never looked this good.
3. Have your own costume party
Assign a dress code for your group of friends, and strut like it’s Halloween on Christmas!
Lie down the fields in your favorite animal onesies. Chill by the benches at Plaza Mayor in your Scooby-Doo fits, with one character assigned per bestie, of course. Sing along to the performances in your patterned pajamas. As long as they’re cool enough for the heat of the day, and comfortable enough within the university grounds, pose by the iconic giant Christmas tree like it’s Halloween again.
4. Have a picnic at the field
If weather conditions align with your picnic plans, having a picnic at the field brings a different type of comfort.
You can bring the iconic red plaid picnic blanket or any mat that can serve as your table on the grass. Lay out the food from the variety of food trucks and stalls around the campus, and accompany the snacks with some tea (it can be the figurative kind). Picnics may not be the most extravagant thing to do, but it surely isn’t the most common these days, considering the school works that don’t always leave space for outdoor activities like this.
5. Be a volunteer
In the true spirit of giving, we can extend a hand to our student councils, volunteers, ates and kuyas, by not only practicing CLAYGO, but also helping out in picking up the pieces after.
You can be a volunteer and bring your own trash or plastic bags to help clean up the fields. You can use gloves or a trash grabber or rod to pick up the garbage around you. If you want to be a part of a team or help out in more ways, you can message your local student councils or ask around about how to be a volunteer for the event.
Make your first or last Paskuhan memorable by incorporating any of these activities into your Paskuhan schedule. And who knows? It can be your next core memory.
