Countdown to Cebu

I am leaving for Cebu on July 7 and its already 12 days more until I will be separated briefly from family and close friends. I have decided much earlier that I will be taking my board exams in Cebu out of convenience. I am still attending my regular review at school...irregularly. I have studied enough but not really enough for the boards. So, as soon as I arrive in Cebu, the final phase of the review shall begin.


I am leaving for Cebu on July 7 and its already 12 days more until I will be separated briefly from family and close friends. I have decided much earlier that I will be taking my board exams in Cebu out of convenience. I am still attending my regular review at school...irregularly. I have studied enough but not really enough for the boards. So, as soon as I arrive in Cebu, the final phase of the review shall begin.

At least 14 of us will be going to Cebu although not all together in the same dates. As far as I know, the people who will be going to Cebu are Mary Ann, Con2x, Marc, Melvin, Tere, Leah, Pax, Gabby, Ken, April, Bam, Bel, Joanne and Me. We will be mostly staying in the same pension house and it is really quite expensive. The cheapest lodging we could find that is conducive for studying is around 5000 per person per month. That still excludes food and laundry, not to mention transportation expenses and application fees for PRC. I have estimated my personal expenses to be at around 15k. That is quite a heavy sum but that is maybe cheaper compared to those who will be staying in Manila. I am assuming the cost of living is higher than in Cebu and the travel time to the testing areas are perhaps longer due to the endemic traffic problem. And it's the rainy season! I would just imagine the flash floods that would usually add to the stresses which are not present when one is perhaps in Cebu.

But in my personal opinion, whether one is in Cebu or in Manila really doesn't matter. The questions and answers will be the same. The scoring system will be the same. For as long as all of us get to pass and USLS will have 100% passing, that is already okay.

It has to be 100% passing. Nothing less. That is why, there is no competition among the 24 of us who will take the boards. Nor are we really trying to compete with other schools. If there is indeed a competition, it is a competition between us and ourselves. This batch has something to prove, unfortunately, thus the pressure is bigger, heavier. The batch has something to prove not only because it is the pioneer batch of USLS but because sadly, so many would want to see us fail. This less-than-constructive criticism has always been a personal source of frustration and challenge for me.

The board exam is getting closer and closer by the minute. Inasmuch as we have done our best and will be doing our best, most of it is all up to God. If Divine Providence shall grace us with enough inspiration and luck, then I am confident that we will make it okay, despite the odds.

P.S. I got NOMINATED by The Composed Gentleman Please vote for me. Go to the polls and check the box beside bayenn. Not really expecting to win and get featured (The competition is tough) but at least you can give me a decent gap from the leading blogs, okay? http://salaswildthoughts.blogspot.com/. Thanks again, talksmart.