000000

If you knew me in school, be it in elementary, high school, or college, you would know that I really took it SERIOUSLY. Waaay too seriously sometimes, in fact. I sometimes wish I didn’t, and instead made more friends, took it easy, experienced more things, went out more, etc. etc. I sometimes wish I could go back to school, but earning is way more important to me now, so it will either have to wait or I’ll just have to accept that further studies is just one of those things that aren’t for me in this lifetime.

Now that it’s back-to-school season for the kids, I feel this pang of envy. Besides being back in the dynamic environment of the academe and not having all these adult responsibilities on my shoulders, there are other things, mundane things, I miss about being a student. Here are some reasons I wish I’m still one:

1. Having all the time and resources to read—not just for school, but for fun. School libraries not only hold a wealth of reference books, they also have a wide variety of books for leisure reading, not to mention subscriptions to various magazines, especially in my alma mater’s famous library, Ateneo’s Rizal Library. I wish I spent more time curled up with a good novel or magazine, instead of just taking out books for assignments. When I was working full-time, it took me months just to finish reading a novel, and sometimes I didn’t even have the time and energy to pick up a new one. And even now that I have more time to read since I’m freelancing, I have to buy books I want to read, instead of just borrowing them for free! Alas, reading is now somewhat a luxury.

2. Having lots of cozy places to study and do homework. There’s the aforementioned library, but besides that, there are study halls, org rooms, even empty classrooms, not to mention the many benches around campus, in case you feel like studying outdoors. And speaking of the outdoors, you can even just bring a blanket to spread on the school field and enjoy a bit of sun while you read. I bet lots of schools now have WiFi everywhere, too. Meanwhile, I have to look for cafes and restaurants that offer free WiFi and spend on food and drinks when I need to do some work outside of the house.

3. Having an excuse to shop each year or even each semester—everything from pens, notebooks, pad papers, and books, to school bags, shoes, and clothes. I remember always getting excited about going to National Book Store armed with my school supplies list and to Tutuban and the nearest mall to get a pile of new clothes at the best bargain. Students these days have a lot more options for shopping, especially for clothes and bags (apparently pwede na palang school bag ang Chanel at LV, not to mention Coach, Longchamp, and Michael Kors!).

4. Having a reason to buy fancy notebooks and planners for taking down notes and homework. I was an obsessive-compulsive note-taker back in school, and I guess you can say I still am—I’m one of the few you would still see actually writing down notes rather than recording or typing them on a mobile phone during interviews and press conferences. I still like jotting down to-do lists and appointments on a planner instead of saving them on my mobile phone or Google calendar. My planner for the year is my lifeline, and I also have a tiny notebook I carry around everywhere. I get a certain satisfaction from filling a notebook with notes, and then using a new one.

I wish I’m still a student so I can actually make use of the new 2015/2016 Blogberry University Lifestyle Planner (P499.75) by Stradmore Notes, a leading stationery supplies brand in the Philippines, in collaboration with fashion and lifestyle blogger Laureen Uy of www.breakmystyle.com.

With the theme #BeTheBestYou, this Stradmore Blogberry planner is especially made for students, and it follows the school calendar, beginning in June 2015 and ending in May 2016. I find this unique feature really exciting, and even if I’m not a student, I think I will use this because as early as now, I know of events (weddings, trips, etc.) that are scheduled in 2016 and that I need to plot in a planner!

And since I haven’t been in school for a decade, I only found out recently that apparently, the Blogberry University Lifestyle Planner has been a yearly tradition for students since 2008, with a different theme each year, always relevant and motivational. This 8th edition of the planner is its most stylish ever and features its first collaboration. Laureen said she was very hands-on with the project: She selected the design, included helpful quotes and personal anecdotes, and even picked the activities on the inside pages herself.

“Each month covers a topic that encourages you to take a step closer to being the best version of yourself. I asked my siblings Liz and Vince and some of my closest friends, Camille Co, Kryz Uy, Nicole Andersson, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Julia Barretto, Georgina Wilson, Isabelle Daza, Grethchen Ho, Jeron Teng, Bianca Gonzalez, and [more] to share inspiring and encouraging advice in the pages of the Blogberry #BeTheBestYouPlanner,” she said.

The 15/16 Blogberry University Lifestyle Planner helps students organize and plan school and personal activities, with the class and organization, grades, and cash trackers, as well as the month-view and week-view calendar. It has cheat sheets like “Google like a boss,” mathematical hacks, and MRT/LRT map. The blog pages are for writing down monthly goals and favorite quotes, doodling, and even pasting a selfie.

But don’t worry fellow employed women: There’s also a #BeTheBestYou Journal (P299.75), a chic journal notebook that also features the inspirational and encouraging quotes from the planner.

5. Putting together school-friendly outfits and makeup looks. No matter how much I want to deny it, there are just some outfits that are no longer appropriate for my age, not to mention my weight (no matter what I do, I just can’t bring myself back down to my ideal slim figure when I was in my mid-20s). But, I look at these students who attend universities without a school uniform, and I wish I had the wardrobe options they have now when I was still a student. Back then, I had to stick to my t-shirt/tank top and jeans combo every single day.

Incidentally, the Blogberry #BeTheBestYouPlanner can even help you come up with wardrobe inspirations with the monthly Dress-Me-Up Dolls. “These let you channel the fashionista in you by mixing and matching the fashion stickers to create the look you want for your doll,” says Laureen. This is my favorite feature of the planner.

For more information about the 15/16 Blogberry University Lifestyle Planner and other Stradmore products, visit www.stradmore.com. The 2015 Blogberry University Lifestyle Planner is available in National Book Store and Powerbooks. Shop online and buy eBooks at nationalbookstore.com.

Did you enjoy this story or find it helpful? Get updated on my latest blog posts; like my page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

000000