My College Family

Last last Wednesday, three professors celebrated their birthdays and invited the whole college for a party. My bosses in the office where I serve as a student assistant tagged me along to the party. As always, I hesitated joining them, but then again I went. I was a subordinate after all. It was a big celebration. The three professors (all of whom were born on different days of September) joined forces and pooled their resources for the party. Food was aplenty and squabbles and work were set aside so that we will enjoy the celebration. As always my custom for the past four years and one semester as a student assistant in this college, I was always with my boss throughout the party. We sat with some of the professors. I was tensed ---- imagine a room filled only with professors of different ranks and administrative employees. I am felt out of place in this room filled with people from past generations. There were other student assistants, but I do not know them personally.

Two plates of food later, my hesitation waned and I started chatting with some professors gleefully. At that moment I realized that I will miss this college when I graduate. The college that adopted me as a student assistant since my freshman years. I formed some affinity with the College, even though I am an engineering student.

This college is my family here in U.P. I mourned with them when their dean died, I listened (and thankfully not included) to their squabbles and inter-office quarrels, I celebrated with them during birthdays and Christmas parties. I am with them every lantern parade. I have many friends here: students, professors, janitors, gardeners, security guards. I came to love this college more than the College of Engineering.

The party last last Wednesday, I realized, was not only a birthday party for the three professors but also a farewell party for me.