Schooling Updates

by John Carl on 01. Jul, 2010 in Personal

My fifth and final (crossed-fingers) year has come, and all I can say, for one month, I have enjoyed it a lot better than any other year of my collegiate life. It’s great to look back at what I have been to and see myself in a different scenario. Now, I can fully decide for my wants and endeavors. I’m able to work with some of the university’s great minds. Lastly, I can feel the pressure of a senior-plus-one bachelor.

While my excitement for graduation is getting high, I’m starting to feel anxious week after week because of academic requirements - I have to meet a slew of these. For the benefit of the doubt, I am a shiftee from UPD National Institute of Physics. Only when I became a sophomore did I apply for the BS-ECE program in UPD EEE Institute. In a way, I was delayed for one year, and I had to drastically catch up with the new curriculum. With that situation, my fifth year is going to be like a Brothers’ Double Burger – two years squeezed in one!

Even so, I help my haggard self enjoy life. So far, here are the things I’ve been busy with.

1. I’m starting to do our group’s thesis. I am with Cyhsi and Francis, and we’re about to do a less stereotypical ECE project – something that’s about RFID and microwaves. When I worked in San Miguel and PLDT, I was fully enticed to pursue communications in the industry and to be with the WCEL group. That went on deciding what my thesis should be. (more…)

Read full story • Comments { 8 }

Game Changer

by John Carl on 13. Jun, 2010 in Experience

Internships are no less than a fad in many academic programs. They help hone students on becoming professionals by giving them real work-training. Other than that, bachelors share their fun stories with everyone else in school – that makes on-job training complete their collegiate life.

In the University of the Philippines Diliman, if my assumption serves right, only a few colleges require internship (OJT, practicum, whatever you want to call it) in the last summer term.  My department, the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute, among others, doesn’t oblige us to apply in companies; rather, it offers students a privilege to apply for in-school research-oriented laboratories of different EE/ECE/CoE specializations. Laboratory affiliation is the equivalent of off-school internship.

Obscure it may be, but I find off-school work more exciting and conducive to training. That made me decide to change the usual academic game – I applied in some of the country’s giant firms.

San Miguel Corporation – Telecommunications Company

smc

This is not SMC’s wi-Tribe broadband. It’s a start-up company that San Miguel works on that will compete against Globe, Smart, and Sun Cellular. (more…)

Read full story • Comments { 9 }

Potipot Island: The Little Secret Paradise

by John Carl on 20. Apr, 2010 in Experience, Money Wash

I want the coolest summer break!

That I had been demanding myself to have a rest after bumming on the second semester. I was waiting for an invitation and a bandwagon enticement to finally open my summer break. The Digital Signal Processing Laboratory (DSP) broke my silence of fervent anticipation. All of us decided that the perfect getaway was in a remote place called Potipot.

Potipot is drop of white sand island off the shore of Candelaria province in Zambales. Dubbed as the little secret paradise, it is surrounded by calm and crystal clear waters from its shore to the South China Sea. Within its small area, coconut trees give shade and cool the (more…)

Read full story • Comments { 13 }

Chinese Ipil Week Poster

by John Carl on 16. Mar, 2010 in Work

It has been a month since my latest client asked me to work on their publication materials for Ipil Week 2010,  themed Clash of the Chinese Zodiacs. You see on the artwork, I incorporated the usual red and gold palettes that are seen during Chinese New Year. On the background, the black ink splatters symbolize the clash of the eight zodiacs surrounding the event title.

I designed this, together with nine others, the daily events of Ipil Week.

Thank you to my client for trusting me!

Read full story • Comments { 6 }

How to Draw the Number 20

by John Carl on 07. Mar, 2010 in Brainbuster

Barely one hour left and I’ll be turning 20. Sad to say, I think I’m not yet read to accept that I’m going to be at the brink of teenage life…until the end of this entry.

Now, how do I draw this number on my sheet of journey called life?

1. My cousins who are above 20 years old have a lot of gimmicks in their lives. Some go bar hopping. Some travel alone. Some go out for a date with strangers. Should I push myself to the limits?

2. I’ve just heard the word CouchSurfing. I might dare myself to invite strangers online to accommodate them a sleeping place – my place. Promise, hospitality exchange won’t push me to extend my heir.

3. Apprehension must be erased from my dictionary. It has always been a hurdle towards my view of success.

4. I shall seek pieces of advice from older people who have proven a lot in their early twenties. I believe in redesigning the way they accomplished things and doing that based on my accord. Twenties is the time achievers got serious about their work.

5. Master in Science, maybe? Or go for Ph.D?

Any time sooner, I will no longer be a teenager. (more…)

Read full story • Comments { 8 }
Older Entries »