It is terribly boring to be a driver especially

when you have to wait for their boss all day in

the terrible car park they now call home. Yes,

I do not believe that drivers live a life like

Frank Martin does in ―The Transporter.‖Yet

they do get by day-to-day finding

entertainment in either sleeping or socializing

with their colleagues. It is a rule in Ateneo

where cars that are driven by chauffeurs need

to be parked on the North Car Park which

means all the drivers who are waiting for their

employers are just sitting there killing the time

or at least that is what we think. The car park

is a community of bored drivers that gamble

or sleep.

Behind the cemented portion of the car park

that we regularly see passing by Leong hall to

the third gate of Ateneo is where the often

muddy/dusty (depending on the weather)

area where the chauffeurs call home. In the

middle of everything is a tiny waiting shed

beside a large acacia tree that provides shade

to many cars. Further ahead are the woods

where they congregate and play games. Many

of them know each other by name and share

an awful lot of gossip with each other. Well,

who can blame them? They have all day to

talk about just anything ranging from their

wives to their dogs.

Before my driver learned to distinguish JSEC

from Gonzaga, I had to walk to the car park

and it was extremely inconvenient. But

anyway when you reach the car park you do

not see drivers inside their cars. You see

lifeless bodies, often with their mouths still

open and positions vary from the dead man in

the driver seat to the ―murder in the trunk

scene‖. When I finally get to my car, I found

my own driver in the same ridiculous position.

I gently tap the semi-open window to awake

Snow White from her slumber. Sleeping

seems to be one of the more popular

activities; I would hardly call it recreation

though.

The effects of the poisoned apple vary of

course, some are strong and resist it‘s ill

effects. I remember one time my driver telling

me about someone who got a heart attack in

the car park. He tells me afterward of a

proposed transformation of habits by one of

his colleagues stating that the next day they

will start wearing shorts and start jogging

although I have heard no reports of this

actually coming into fruition. Some will sleep

all day and some will sleep half of the time

and stare blankly at the Ateneo buildings

about a kilometer away.

Drivers who park here are usually the ones

from the province some of them from as far

as Dumaguete in Visayas or in my driver‘s

case Davao. They say it is hard to be away

from their families and some having being

only able to go home during sem breaks or

holidays.

Most will agree however that life has gotten

better when they arrived in Manila one driver

that I was talking to said that he was a fire

Photos by Leonard

Floresta Sleeping Beauties

1

Parking areas in Ateneo

truck driver unable to even feed his family

three times a day living on only 180 pesos a

day. He said he wanted to give his three

children an education, an education that he

would never been able to give them if he had

stayed in the province.

There were interesting stories, that I would

never have imagined, tales that belong in ABS

-CBN‘s ―Maalaala Mo Kaya‖. The most

notable however is not a sad one. A thirty-

year-old driver says that he transports his

boss from; guess where, My Place in

Katipunan to Ateneo. I was quite surprised at

first; the words ―Ikaw na‖ immediately came

up. He also lived in Katipunan which made

me dread for his situation, his routine

included sleeping, eating, and more sleeping.

Although he revealed that his master‘s

situation was due to her heart problems,

which immediately knocked the ―Ikaw na‘

statement out of my mind. He also revealed

that he was a relative of his bosses and he

was given the job on a ―trust‖ basis.

The sleepers aside there are also the cheerful

social people. These are the opposite of the

sleeping drivers and congregate in the

northern part of the car park. Ateneo law

however prohibits the main activity of these

people.

Yes, they gamble and it is the most popular

pastime there is in the car park. There are

also make shift shops here where you can get

cigarettes to coke, like a specialized ―sari-

sari‖ store made to fit the needs of the kuya‘s.

Meeting the people in the parking lot I found

out that you do not need to be afraid of the

people wearing ―sandos‖ with tattoos on their

arms, well maybe a little bit. But personal

drivers are quite the opposite of the people

who would give you the classic Manila tour

that you did NOT ask for. Sad to say playing

the role of Sleeping beauty is their job. I guess

they have to sleep until that fateful moment

when the prince comes and gives them that

long awaited ―kiss‖. (Leonard Paul Floresta)

Photos by Leonard

Floresta

2

A driver waiting for his ward

As I buttoned up my polo, rolled up my

sleeves, zipped up my pants, and tied my

shoes, one thing was in mind: I was going to

have fun tonight. The long awaited party

organized by the UP JMA has finally come in a

very timely fashion. Everyone was glad to have

been done with school and start the

Christmas break. What better way to start off

the break than by partying with friends all

night? But this was not just any other

Christmas break party, or any night of the year

for that matter. Tonight was the much

anticipated Doomsday, or End of the World.

Tonight was Day Zero: The End Of The World

Party.

Entering the Mega Tent in Libis, I first had to

pass the organizers, putting stamps on

people‘s wrists as they collect the tickets that

are worth 250Php, and giving out Axe

products as a major sponsor of the event.

Day Zero

forget everything and enjoy that night. They

told us to party like it was the end of the

world, and so I did.‖ said Paolo, a freshman

student of the Ateneo. When asked about the

big reveal after the countdown, he added

―There actually was this part of me that

wanted to celebrate how it wasn‘t really the

end of the world.‖ Paolo probably spoke for

most of the attendees of the event, as he was

part of the very crowd that rocked the venue.

When the party was over, people were left

with smiles on their faces. Jokes on the

famous movie ―2012‖ and all its false

prophecies were all I could hear as I exited

the venue. This was a night truly everyone will

remember. How can anyone forget the night

where people anticipated the end of the

world? How can anyone forget how he/she

spent this night partying and dancing and

drinking all night long with friends? How can

anyone forget how people took advantage of

this moment to do crazy things? People could

have spent that night worrying, or even

preparing for the end of days. Instead, we

took advantage and lived life to the fullest as

if it were our last. That night brought about

the thought of how awesome it was to be alive

and well, which also means that there is more

time to party! Heck, we survived Day Zero.

(Joseph Tempongko)

Approaching the main area, I feel the chill of

the air-conditioning as I approached the main

area. ―Day Zero‖ reads the first poster you see

upon entering. The place was huge! It was

about as wide as the Matteo field. Deafening

beats and mixes by the guest DJs on stage

filled the whole area through massive,

refrigerator-like speakers. Different kinds of

lights were simultaneously flashing to

complete the familiar party scene. On the

opposite side of the tent, free-flowing Manila

Beer and a mobile bar kept the people wild

and engaged throughout the night. Found

right in the middle of the venue was a

multipurpose stage accessible to anyone who

wanted a better view of the DJs and the LCDs

that were flashing right behind them. The

place was organized and the party was

smooth sailing.

Moving closer to the anticipated tomorrow,

people started dancing and partying like it

was their last. Guys hitting on girls, girls hitting

on guys, everyone was taking advantage of

their ―last few minutes.‖ The anticipation,

pressure, and maybe even fear of the turning

of the clock grew immensely thanks to the

constant ―time-check‖ and ―YOLO reminders‖

by the guest emcee. ―5 MINUTES ‗TILL THE

END OF THE WORLD!‖ screams the emcee,

and everyone starts rushing to the dance

floor, getting every bit of space that is left

open for anyone to squeeze in.

Finally, the countdown to December 21, 2012

began. Everyone in the venue managed count

along. When the huge digital stopwatch on

stage hit zero, the DJs filled the air with

Sebastian Ingrossio & Alesso‘s ―Calling.‖

Confetti popping on cue sent golden pieces of

paper flying everywhere as everyone literally

jumped to the beat of the song. Everyone felt

so ecstatic that they could care less of what

was happening around. Drinks splashing

everywhere, beer bottles rolling from one

corner of the room to another, drunk people

bumping whoever gets in the way of their

―dancing zone,‖ everyone just wanted to have

fun, regardless of anything. ―I just wanted to

Photo Credits:

UP JMA

3

4

Morning classes are over and it is time for

your break. You and your friends are famished

and decide to go to JSEC to feed your growling

tummies. Upon finding a seat, you visit your

favorite food stall and order a scrumptious

meal fit for a king. You take your hot plate and

your ice-cold drink with you to your table after

paying for the food and the deposit. Sitting

together with your friends, you converse and

laugh with them as you chow down your

mouth-watering dish. Every bite you take

sends tingles down your spine as you finish

your meal. Your tummy is now satisfied so you

decide to return your plate, utensils, and cup

in order to reclaim your deposit money. You

are already thinking about your next class

when all of a sudden, a seemingly

meddlesome guy wearing a red shirt asks you,

―Sir/Ma‘am, may twenty pesos po ba kayo?‖

There are those who are prepared for this

question and bring with them a P20 bill for a

smooth transaction. Others really do not have

change for the P50 bill the guy is holding; so

he gives the P30 he owes them in change.

And then there are the guys in between; those

who really have P20 but tell the inquisitive

man otherwise. I, for one, am one of the ―in-

between‖ guys simply because I need change

since I go home using public transportation

every day. My friend Jo Tempongko also does

this because he thinks that using smaller bills

for buying goods saves time and effort for

computing your change. I am sure there are

other reasons why students prefer smaller

bills than the big ones, but I am more curious

about what the guy in red feels for being the

recipient of constant white lies each and every

day.

Kuya Jonald, one of the guys-in-red, has been

serving the students in JSEC for about nine

months now. He is a guy who is probably in

his late 20s, but still has an innocent looking

face. It looks as though he could not hurt a fly.

I asked him why the register is full of P50 bills

and he simply answered that that particular

bill is rarely used. I agree with his statement,

since most of the students in JSEC only

deposit around P10-P30 for the utensils. He

also said that they only ask for P20 bills if

they are running low on change or if the P50

bills are overflowing. Given that, the reason

behind why they prefer smaller bills is not

necessarily for them; it is in fact for the

benefit of the students. He said that having

smaller bills in the register makes the

transaction much easier and much faster for

succeeding people to get their deposit.

When asked about whether students ―hide‖

their P20 bill from them, he smiled and was

reluctant to answer. He simply said that

whenever students tell him they have no

change for the P50 bill, he just returns their

deposit money without wondering if ever they

are truly without change. He understands the

importance of having spare change in your

Hanggang Saan Aabot ang

Twenty Pesos Mo?

JSEC entrance

Photo by Kraig Yap

what is Torpe? I am a self-confessed torpe. I

also have been in the friendzone. But to give

this thing a little more hype, I have come to

seek the help of some of the most torpe guys

that I know. Dane Amador, a Legal

Management Freshman, is one of the self-

proclaimed persons who have all the

knowledge about being torpe. I wanted to find

a torpe girl, who in this case we will call

―torpettes‖, but they are rare beings. Torpe,

according to Dane Amador, is not just being

shy to approach a girl nor is it just being able

to make a move in front of the girl that one

wants. It is more than these things. To let you

readers grab what we want you to know, I,

together with Dane Amador, have come up

with the Torpe-Level Meter. J This meter we

would relate to Friendzonability Meter at the

end of this article.

What is Torpe? Urbandictionary.com defines it

as being too shy to pursue amorous desires.

Dane, my friend, defines it as being physically

and psychologically incapable of bursting out

that bubble of a feeling, a strong desire and

attraction, one has for the person he or she

likes. This in turn, brings about several

consequences and pains that one has to

endure that we will also talk about in this

piece of article. The Friendzone, on the other

There is a much sadder event than being

dumped by the boy or the girl you like. It is so

sad that even the manliest man alive will have

to cry. It is even harder than simply having a

broken heart. A broken heart can be healed

while this is something that no one wants to

get into. Almost every day, a thousand people,

or even a million experience this phenomenon

around the world. An event so sad, that a few

manage to go out to where they land once

they undergo this phenomenon. We cannot

give you statistics, but this is something that

is prominent in every nation; so prominent

that every lover dreads to hear of it.A simple

phrase can be the reason for this event to

happen, a phrase much harder to accept than

a ‗NO‘. ―Can we just be friends?‖ Ladies and

Gentlemen, WELCOME TO THE FRIENDZONE!

Where your heart breaks harder than when

you were dumped and where a ‗NO‘ is

sometimes better than a ‗YES‘; but how is the

chance of being in the friendzone, related to

how TORPE a guy or maybe even a girl is? This

one tough question many have tried to

answer. Let us see what I can give you to shed

some light into this hot issue.

Before anything else, one should learn the

basic meanings of the words we are tackling

in this article. What is the Friendzone and

pockets as a student so he does not mind if

ever they ―hide‖ their P20 bill. After the

interview, I thanked him for his time and

promised him that I would prepare a P20 bill

every time I return my plate to the counter. He

laughed quietly and gave me a nod goodbye.

Considering the numerous students eating at

JSEC, it really is hard to have enough change

for each and every one of them. So if you ever

have extra change in your pockets, do not

hesitate to exchange it for a bigger bill. Saving

a P20 bill in order to use it as a bribe for a

5

bouncer, as payment for a haircut, and as

payment for a jacket is not a good idea; as

shown in the Selecta Cornetto commercials.

Why not use it to help other people instead?

Imagine, if there are no more change in the

JSEC cashier and you give yours, it may save a

fellow student thirty seconds, and it may be all

he/she needs in order for him/her to not be

late for the next class. Maybe someone will

return the favor so that you‘ll also go to class

on time. Indeed, your twenty pesos may go a

long way in JSEC. (Kraig Yap)

The Pains of being a

“Torpe” and The Friendzone

staying in the friendzone forever; but our life

isn‘t a movie. In the real word, what will

matter and what will count would not be how

tall you are, how handsome you are or how

sexy you are; what will matter the most is how

sincere you are, how good you are in the

inside. Some, on the other hand, gets

insecure because the one they like are, let us

say, much intelligent or richer. Let us scrap

the insecurity off and why don‘t we use the

facts given as a challenge; a challenge for us

to study harder if we

think that they are

much intelligent or

maybe a challenge for

us to do well in class

and end up having a

high paying job so that

we will be rich if that is

what is needed to

scrap the insecurity off.

At the end of the day, it

is all a matter of

perspectives. It is a

matter of how we will

look at things; either

optimistically or in a

pessimist‘s eye; but in

the game of love and

working out of the

friendzone, the first

rule is not to be a

pessimist because of these reasons:

1. Nothing will happen if you don‘t make

something happen

This is one thing that the ―torpes‖ should

always bear in mind. The logic is very simple.

If you want something to happen, don‘t wait

for your girl or your guy to make the move. It is

an additional ―pogi-point‖ or ―ganda-point‖ if

you have the guts to initiate something to

happen, like asking your girl out. There is no

room for being shy and that will be explained

further in this article. Confidence is something

that is appreciated by girls or boys. If you like

someone, do something to show them that

you like them and;

hand is a mystical place where people, who

have admitted their desire to have a romantic

relationship with the person they like but have

failed and are demoted to the ―friend‖ level,

are exiled. These two meanings, I guess, will

already be helpful to generate a connection, a

certain feeling of mutual understanding of the

issue, between you, my reader, and me.

My dear readers, I think it is right and

appropriate to start the discussion by telling

you that the ―torpes‖ are the persons who

most of the time end

up broken-hearted.

These people who

don‘t have the guts to

speak out are the ones

who end up crying in

corners, regretting

what they have not

done. Why is this so?

Few of the simple

reasons that will be

given are based solely

either on common

sense or Dane‘s or my

personal experience.

But first, let us see

some of the reasons

why people become

―torpe.‖ (The reasons

are from interviewees

whose names are to be kept confidential)

The most prominent reason why a guy

becomes ―torpe‖ is because he is extremely

shy; but when I say shy, it is not the shallow

type of being shy. It is the type of being shy

fuelled by many other aspects. Insecurity is

one of these aspects. Guys, especially those

who do not look that good are the ones who

have this. But isn‘t it better if we scrap this

insecurity off? Wouldn‘t it be better if we think

that it is not what you look outside that

matters but what you are inside that count?

People get too blinded by the fact that in

televisions, in movies, in radio programs,

those that are described ugly, small, nerdy are

the ones always bullied, dumped and end up

Photo credits:

Google Images

6

A facebook post showing someone friendzoning her

“suitor”

2. Be the first to make a move or others will

do it.

While the ―torpe‖ should always bear in mind

that nothing will happen if s/he does not

make something, it is also important that the

―torpe‖ does the first move. In this world,

where people seem to be always on a race, it

is important that you step on the gas pedal

first and gain a significant lead against your

opponent. This is especially important if a

―torpe‖ likes someone who is liked by almost

everybody. DO THE FIRST MOVE AND BE ON

THE LEAD! Remember;

3. Don‘t be shy or you will cry!

Yes, you will cry. I am speaking in behalf of all

the girls and guys who have cried countless

nights because they didn‘t make something

happen, because they didn‘t do the first

move. As Dane has said in an interview, ―Be

trapped forever in the valley of broken hearts

if you stay shy. I am not generalizing that

being shy is bad but in the battle for having a

girls or guys heart, confidence is one asset

that can save you from having shattered

dreams and litters of tears.‖ And just like in a

wedding, speak now or forever hold your

peace.

Photo credits:

Google Images

7

Failure to apply these three simple things

ends up sending the ―torpe‖ in the dreaded

Friendzone. Actually, we all start in the

Friendzone. Lovers start as friends; until one

starts to like the other. This is where the one

who has a crush on the other feel like there is

something else behind the bars of the

Friendzone, the bars are one‘s ―torpeness.‖

The torpe‘s happiness actually has a

parabolic trend. It starts as an infatuation or

simple admiration, and then it becomes a

crush. A simple ―hi‖ from the ―torpe‘s‖ crush

can already complete his or her day. A smile

from that person that the ―torpe‖ likes can

already lighten up his or her day. Then it

evolves into something more than just a

crush. It evolves into a super-crush. This is

where the ―torpe‖ gets closer and closer out

of the friendzone boundary; but this is also

where the torpeness level of some guys (like

Dane and me) comes to its highest point. This

is where the true challenge begins. The

question now here is that, will you step up to

the challenge or will you just be happy

keeping your crush on her to yourself? I,

ladies and gentlemen, have step up to the

challenge but Dane did not. It is in this part, I

think, that I need to end this article. I wouldn‘t

want to spoil you of what will happen if you

step up to this challenge but there are only

two possibilities. The parabola that represents

the ―torpes‖ happiness level is not

continuous, meaning; there is a hole in it- a

hole which leads out of the boundaries of the

Friendzone. Only those who step up to the

challenge gets the chance of working their

way out of this hole and into the girl‘s heart or

what we should call the ―MTF zone‖ the

MoreThanJustFriend Zone. The two

possibilities are 1.) You end up in the MTF

Zone and 2.) You get exiled forever in the

Friendzone. You, my friend, will decide where

you want to go.

Will you take the challenge or not? To all the

torpe and torpettes reading this article, ―May

the odds be ever in your favor.‖ (Francis Dan

Soltes)

Try to escape the Friendzone

Tigers, elephants and octopi on campus?

Animals glowing at night?If you have not seen

them yet, just go to Ateneo de Manila Loyola

Schools‘ De la Costa field and explore the

wonders of PletBolipata‘s ―imagiNATION‖.

There you can see five pairs of beautifully

crafted metal animals-the tigers, kangaroos,

elephants, giraffes and octopi- carrying people

on colorful bathtubs. These animals are made

from bended wires which allow you to literally

see through them. On every bathtub you can

see different designs and quotations. Each

pair‘s head contains colored cans, color blue

for one of the pair and pink for the other. At

night, the light on these creatures‘ feet light

up the place. Surrounded by grass and trees

with the addition of the metal animals, this

looks like a place where people can feel like

they‘re in the wild.

Ever since ―imagiNATION‖ was built on the De

la Costa field, I have always seen, as I pass by

there, Ateneans hanging out at the place,

sitting on the bathtubs and even going inside

the animals-specifically inside the elephants. I

wondered what makes students stay at the

place. Sure, the animals holding the bathtubs

are interesting, unique and fun to look at but I

cannot grasp the reason why people preferred

to stay at the open space, where it is hot and

exposed to the sun, when the air-conditioned

and computer-filled Rizal library is just a few

steps away. To find the answer to my

question, I interviewed some Ateneans on

their opinions about the place.

The first things that got my attention are the

two people inside the blue elephant. I

wondered how they got inside the elephants

when there is no visible entrance. But as I

came closer to the large creatures, I saw that

at the bottom of the elephants‘ bellies were

holes large enough for a person to enter. I

interviewed John, one of the Ateneans

hanging out inside the elephant, about the

place. He told me that he likes the place

because it is ―chill‖ (relaxing). Just like me,

the first things that catch his attention are the

people in the elephant whenever he passes

by De la Costa field. He usually hangs out

inside the elephant when he stays at the field.

He also said that the place is beautiful and

thinks that it symbolizes nature. It seems that

going inside the elephants is one of the main

attractions there. Apparently, the elephants

are the only animals there that the people can

go inside to but they can still stay at the

bathtubs carried by the animals.

One interesting thing that my friend told me

about the place is that it looks like an optical

illusion. If you look at a certain angle, the

person sitting on the bathtub would look like

he is inside the animal. Accordingly, I found

out that the originality of the exhibit is another

factor that makes Ateneans like the place.

One Atenean told me that he likes the place

because he thinks that the place is both

creative and unique. He also believes that the

purpose of the place is to uplift the Christmas

spirit. Another Atenean told me that he thinks

that the purpose of the exhibit is for design so

Imagination Gone Wild Photo by Tyrone Sy

8

Imagination by Plet Bolipata

that the place would not feel empty. I can see

that the exhibit really livens up the place.

Indeed, there are more people staying at the

De la Costa field these days compared to the

start of the school year.

Let us also not forget that the De la Costa

field is surrounded by grass and trees. The

fresh and cool air from the trees is something

that I would not trade for the cold air from the

air-con. Some Ateneans seem to agree with

me. Simon Guballa, an Atenean student who

passes by there every day told me that he

likes the place because the trees and grass

makes him feel clean. He believes that the

place symbolizes nature. Another Atenean,

Cedric Ng, told me that he usually goes there

to interact with nature and to relax. Relaxation

and connection with nature is something that

the De la Costa field offers the people staying

there.

In these interviews I found that the reasons

why students stay there is to appreciate the

artworks, to interact with nature and to relax

on the bathtubs. Some think that the place

symbolizes nature. However, I noticed how

most students failed to realize the deeper

meaning behind the artworks. Did you know

that there is something more to it than meets

the eye?

Aside from imagiNATION being a hangout

place and a cool exhibit, another interesting

fact I found out about the exhibit is that it is

actually an interpretation of Noah‘s Ark. Plet

Bolipata stated that ―instead of an ark, I used

bathtubs which are also vessels…Instead of

keeping people and animals afloat on water,

they do the opposite and carry water‖.

According to her, she would like her

installation to be a reminder that, even

though we suffer yearly from floods, we do not

need to be afraid for God will keep us safe

just like in the conclusion of the Noah‘s story.

So the next time you stay on one of the

bathtubs, do not just think of nature and

relaxation. Do not just think about how cool it

is to be sitting inside the elephant. Take some

time to think and reflect about the message

that comes with this exhibit. The creator

wanted us to use our creative juices

combined with our hearts-she wanted us to

interpret and imagine. One example would be

how we should imagine ourselves in a tough

situation. Although things seem hopeless, God

and people will always help you carry that

problem and help you find situations to solve

the problem. God and the people around us

will always be there to help us carry our

problems; just like how each pair of animals

help each other carry the tub. There are many

interpretations that this exhibit can show.

Think about it yourself and let your

imagination run wild. (Tyrone Humphrey Sy)

9

recognized as official school grounds such as

the ISO or remote parking lots. In fact, the

said meeting place is not a place one would

want to go to due to its seemingly lifeless aura

and inconvenient location. Notwithstanding

this fact, its members still continue to do what

they do best even if it disgusts others. This so-

called organization also takes advantage of

the limited freedom given to them by the

Ateneo administration by practicing these

rights everyday. The smocket is their holy land

There is an existing underground organization

on campus which has members who meet

almost everyday. According to the Ateneo de

Manila University Undergraduate Student

Handbook, their forte "is not permitted on any

Loyola Schools premises or grounds at any

time, by any person regardless of their status

or business in the University" (86).

Considerably, there are only a small number

of permitted areas which are near

establishments or spots that are not

Undiscovered Sub Society

and the crowd that goes there is not just any

other group of people.

However, there is a catch to this. According to

an article from the Guidon, "In what was once

a university that allowed college students to

smoke cigarettes inside its classrooms, the

current policies of the Ateneo now enforce

strict control over those who wish to have

their nicotine fix. Technically speaking,

smoking is banned in the premises of the

Loyola Schools (LS). Republic Act 9211

forbids the smoking of cigarettes in

educational institutions." Subsequently, a

number of you are probably wondering as to

why the Ateneo still opted to institute a

smoking area despite this Republic Act.

According to Mr. Michael Mallillin of the ADSA

office, "Technically speaking, the smoking

area is not part of the Loyola Schools, to begin

with. It was really meant for the employees of

the other buildings found within its area which

is the Social Developing Complex. Since this

new rule came out, Ateneo saw this as a

window to provide a smoking are for

Ateneans. The administration saw this as a

good compromise instead of making students

go out of campus just to smoke." The Ateneo

is, in fact, an open-minded institution and is

aware of the fact that there are students who

Photos by Elach

Eleazar and Dan

Soltes

10

are addicted to nicotine. The school is not

ignorant when it comes to this and this is the

grounds for the ADSA to cooperate with the

Social Developing Complex to permit student

and faculty smokers to have their nicotine fix

in this area. "The school understands that

college students are already old enough to

discern their own paths and lifestyle," Mr.

Mallillin added. In truth, the Loyola Schools

does not want to prohibit and intervene with

the choices its students make, thus allowing

them to use the said smoking area as well.

This new ruling and compromise gave way to

establishing a designated smoking area for

those who wish to smoke on campus.

The smocket or the smoker's pocket, located

near the north parking lot, is home to every

Atenean smoker. Once you stand near or

enter its vicinity, you will immediately sense

the distinct smell of cigarette smoke. For

some, it may appear to be dull because of the

prominence of the color gray due to the

abundance of gravel and sand from the

parking lot. The lack of greens and shade

from trees and grass also contributes to this

impression (You can imagine how hot it is in

the smocket when the sun is out). If you walk

a little more, you will notice that cigarette

butts and ashes are evidently scattered

around the area as if the only tree in the area

produces such material. Moreover, the

smocket also has an, approximately, 8x8 foot

cemented platform with four cemented

benches which stands as the "center" of the

place. Probably, this is the only normal looking

site which can be seen in the smocket in the

eyes of a passerby. If you come to think of it,

there is really nothing special about the place

because it is merely an empty parcel of land

poised between an Ateneo parking lot and a

government owned building which is also

known as the ISO. As a matter of fact, if the

smocket did not have any people in it, it would

just be a useless, barren wasteland. In effect,

the Ateneans who go there highly contributes

into making the smocket an extraordinary

corner in Ateneo filled with life, people, and

stories.

A lot of people probably wonder what Atenean

“Designated Smoking Area” sign

smokers mean when they say that the

smocket is a really special place and how this

notion of "specialness" has the capacity to

transcend such awful and revolting aura. Well,

aside from being an area filled with smoke, it

actually houses a lot of conversations,

memories, and experiences. In addition, the

kind of people or the Atenean smokers also

contributes to the

place's reputation.

These imprints are

enough reasons to say

that the smocket is

more than just a

smoking area. I

recently asked a friend

about his thoughts on

the smocket and he

told me, "'The smocket

is the only place in the

Ateneo where you get

to mingle with true and

generous people," says

Gab Flores, a Legal

M a n a g e m e n t

freshman. "You can just

ask for a stick or ask

for a light from anyone

and they would not

b o t h e r , t h e y

understand your needs and they know it

themselves. *Laughs*" Furthermore,

according to one of the interviews conducted

by The Guidon, "'Even if [the smocket is] not

really desirable, people still go there and they

do talk, [as Jayeel Cornelio, PhD of the

Sociology and Anthropology Department,

confesses].'" I have tried hanging out there a

few times with some colleagues and students

and it was interesting to see how cliques are

formed—a ‗smocket cliques‘ if you will,' he

says. 'Think about it: ‗Got a lighter?‘ is a good

pick-up line.'" I can personally attest to this

fact since I have experienced so many

instances wherein I forgot to bring my lighter

with me and I just approach random people in

the smocket to borrow one. I would even get a

"sure" or a "you're welcome" in response to my

"thanks." This is how the smocket operates;

it's more like a family in there. To add to what

my friend said, sharing a stick with others is

usually the tipping point of something new. I

have had numerous encounters of friends

asking for cigarettes for their own friends and

these instances open the possibilities of

meeting new people. The simple gesture of

lending a lighter or letting them bum a smoke

serves as good ice-breakers for future

relationships and to

spark connections.

These are the building

blocks of the smocket

and probably the main

reason why it is a

place filled with

i n t e r r e la t e d a n d

connected people.

To further emphasize

this notion, I also

interviewed a non-

smoker who goes to

the smocket regularly

to accompany his

friends who smoke. He

said, "Every time I go

[to the smocket], I

can't help but smile at

people whenever I

o v e r h e a r t h e i r

conversations or see how happy and

contented they look like even if they're just on

break," says Bren Mendiola who associates

his experience with an utmost euphoria. "It's

like they have their own parties in [the

smocket]." In my perspective as a regular

smocket-goer, this is evident. Every time I visit

the smocket, I often observe groups of people

enjoying their own tête-à-tête over some

cigarettes. It is quite riveting to hear these

conversations because these are usually the

fruits of boredom after minutes of time-killing

before the next class or probably caused by

the sheer need to discuss something serious

with the help of nicotine. I mentioned about

the "center" of the smocket earlier which is

composed of the cemented platform with

benches and this area is usually the spot of

the artistic and articulate people – usually

people from the School of Humanities. This is

Photos by Elach

Eleazar and Dan

Soltes

11

The Smocket

the experience to travelling. 'It would be the

same as, [when] you‘re in a different country,

and people are speaking all sorts of

languages. Suddenly you hear a familiar

language that is your own. It is a group of

people talking, a group of people from your

country," according to Pascual. It also cannot

be the nicotine in our system because I have

in t e r v ie w ed n o n -

smokers on this and

they agree with this

notion. It is probably

just because of the

kind of people in there

and their intentions.

We go to the smocket

to smoke, and the

partner of smoking is

deep-thinking and

discussion, and the

thing is, this discussion

has no limits at all.

Unlike going to the

library, it is tainted with

school work. You do

not go to the library to

make noise in the first

place; it is a setting

meant for studying and

research. Going to

cafeterias and food establishments on the

other hand, does not create a suitable

environment for hearty talks; it is noisy,

confined, and it is where EVERYONE goes to.

But the smoket then again is a unique place

because it is one of the few places meant for

something not everyone does. The point of

smoking is to release stress, think, or analyze

about something and if you are confined in a

place filled with people who do and think the

same then you have a place filled with life.

What you can do and think of is not limited on

this terrain. It is not like the cafeteria or the

library where there is already a given notion of

what should be done there because of what

the norms of regular society dictates (For

instance: Library=study; Cafeteria=eat,

Church=pray, etc.). The smocket is, in fact,

that isolated corner in school where a

different world can be found. These are all the

where most of the "action" in the smocket

takes place. You will hear people debating

over absurd, superficial, or intriguing topics

such as the best Harry Potter movie, or the

importance of knowing how or when to let go

in a relationship or when in pursuit to courting

someone special. Sometimes, you will even

hear random diary or planner-worthy quotes

f r o m t h e s e

conversations and it

really feels ecstatic to

create or join in one of

these banters. Once

you enter the center of

the smocket or even

just stay beside it,

you'll immediately get

immersed in this world,

literally and figuratively

(no joke). On the other

hand, the smocket is

not always full of

happy stories (Sorry to

pop you bubble). There

are times when I see

people cursing or

crying after failing an

exam or being dumped

by somebody and

whatnot. We all have

our own ups and downs wherever we go but

what really matters is how we deal with it and

who never leaves our side when it gets tough.

It is very heartwarming whenever I see fellow

smocket people comforting these troubled

souls. This place has truly become a dream

world where people seem to be all on the

same page, understanding each other.

I have said it already, and I do not care if I

sound like a broken record but the smocket is

truly a family. Hanging out in the smocket is

an experience incomparable to any other

place on campus, really. I have tried hanging

out in the library, cafeteria, JSEC, etc. But the

smocket has this different vibe; the people in

there are just different. ―'[The act of smoking

is actually] a social lubricant. It makes people

open up,' says Jake Jereza, a Communications

Technology Management student, who likens

Photos by Elach

Eleazar and Dan

Soltes

12

Way going to the smocket

traits of the smocket and its people which

make it home to us Atenean smokers. Despite

the fact that the plain setting and the

a t m o s p h e r e o f t h e p l a c e i s

unaccommodating, Atenean smokers still take

refuge on this ground and I think it is quite

obvious why.

The smocket, being what it is made to serve,

is literally just a smoking area for Ateneans.

Ideally, it is a place where smokers can de-

stress and satisfy their cravings for nicotine.

But more than this, it is also a sanctuary, a

place where they can create their own worlds

or dimensions and even share it with friends

and other people. It is where they formulate

ideas, probably make arguments for the next

class' graded recitation. It is where they go

13

when the day gets tough and the need to puff

becomes a necessity. It is also one of the few

places on campus where people who have

just met start to converse comfortably with

each other over a cigarette. These people and

these simple gestures and notions turn down

the initial impressions on the smocket and

even on the smokers themselves. These help

accentuate and reveal the true identity of the

smocket and how it serves as a special group

or "org" meeting place and not just some

neglected corner inside Ateneo. So, the next

time you cross from Bellarmine Hall to Xavier

Hall, try walking extremely slowly and fire your

senses up as you get yourself ready to

experience a burst of thought and emotion.

(Ernest Elach Eleazar)