Eat, Sleep, Write.

I've Moved!

2009-12-31T13:44:00.003-05:00

www.jsiochi.tumblr.com

Senior Year

2009-09-20T23:50:00.003-04:00

Here's to a good fall semester.

Russell & Summer

2009-06-14T19:23:00.018-04:00

Despite my inclination for colder temperatures, there's something about the summer season that gets me excited like no other season can. The beach, more free time, a relaxed and quiet campus, shorts & flip flops weather, getting tanned, weekend trips and family vacations- summer definitely has its perks. Winter, you're beat.

I finally got to watching UP last night with some friends. Great movie! Aside from the cute factor of it all, there was definitely something more to be taken from that movie:

Life's an adventure.

Never forget that. It pains me to see some people who choose to waste their life by being stagnant. Get up. Do something fun, something that's good for you. Go for a run, a drive to anywhere, call an old friend and make plans. What better time of the year to do all of this. Take advantage of the summer sun and those feel-good hormones it exudes.

Live life.

It really is nothing short of amazing, but only if you let it be. Though moments will come when all we want is a break, some old Carl moments, make sure to dust yourself off and get back up as soon as possible. Because aside from it being amazing, life is also short. In the end, hopefully we can all look back and be satisfied with all that we've done.

So go ahead, find that Russell in you.

As for me, I like to think I've [somewhat] found him. Summer's been awesome so far. Took a trip to SF & Atlantic City with some good friends, finishing up my last co-op ever, looking forward to my 22nd birthday in NYC (the partying part more so the getting older part =P), july & august classes, family vacation to Maine (definitely won't be like Hawaii last year haha), etc etc. Still so much more I'd like to accomplish. So summer, please slow down just a little bit. As my last pre-graduate summer ever, I'd like to take advantage of it as much as I can.

PS, can someone please help me un-clutter my desk =(. That task's an adventure on its own, dang.

Dispensable

2009-05-06T21:40:00.012-04:00

It's a tough job market out there. Layoff after layoff, it's all over the news. If there's only one thing I've learned so far this last co-op session, it's that in the real world, we're dispensable. Skills acquired through an expensive college degree can only take you so far; nothing is ever certain when you exit the padded walls of academia. Even the most personable, well-liked person can fall, as what I saw happen today.

A co-worker last year gave me some advice, something along the lines of:

"Never get comfortable with your job. You're replaceable."

As a new co-op in the company last year, I thought it was a little odd that she was telling me this. I thought to myself, how bitter must this woman be? Shouldn't she be encouraging co-ops? Little did I know. Those words could have prepared me for such an eye-opening return this time around, had I let them. Countless layoffs in the company these past couple of months. I guess as an aspiring young professional, it's good to be experiencing this nice and early, with my student status keeping me safe. God knows that if I weren't a co-op, the ax could be falling on me any second. I guess this is just another way this co-op program really prepares us for post-graduate life, as unfortunate the situation really is.

Live & Learn

2009-05-03T20:47:00.018-04:00

Summer sessions are here! Warm & sunny days, outdoor activities, can't wait to soak in some vitamin D. As always, as another semester ends, I of course want to take a moment to reflect. Lesson of the semester this time?

Everything will fall into place in the end.

It all happens for a reason. One way or another, you can look back to all the events in your life and connect the dots. The decisions you've made- whether good or bad, and all of life's unexpected twists and turns. Everything will connect. Though not all the connections are positive ones, I'm overall content with how everything has turned out so far.

This past school year has been chaotic. It's been difficult and demanding, yet it's turned out to be one of the most memorable years for me. I surprised myself, really. A change for the better I like to think. In the process of just doing the things I love, everything seemed to just piece itself together.

"Most of you probably know that I’m not the most serious guy out there. I’m not the best at planning huge events, I’m not all about collaborations and making Barkada bigger and stronger..."

I had said this in my speech for Barkada presidency last year. I was honest, whole-hearted with everything I said. I was also pretty damn scared. Because I learned beforehand that love for something (or someone) is not enough, and I needed more than that to lead the group. I took a chance. Consequently, I ended up with a co-president, and though there were some concerns in the beginning, it ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made- for both Barkada and myself. And as I look back thinking how scared I was, thinking that I don't want to focus on being the best student group, holding the most events, it puts a smile on my face knowing that we won organization of the year. What a feeling, to work tirelessly for something out of genuine love for what you do, and to be rewarded in the end. It all fell into place.

And now I think back and understand. I thought relentlessly, why did Boston Properties have to cut their civil engineer co-op position? That was my number 1 choice for this semester, and I was willing to take on the long hours- often 7am to 7pm on some weekdays- just to work there. I realize now, that if I had gotten the job, it would have taken its toll on my responsibilities on campus. Maybe it was for the better that I return to a co-op job that is so flexible, a place where they know me and trust in my work ethics. It definitely made this past semester easier when it came to my extracurricular life.

There are a few other examples I have that can demonstrate this newfound belief. Ask me sometime, let's chat. One summer and two semesters to go of this college career; it's creeping me out that more and more people are asking what I'll be doing post-graduation. Lots of options right now. This past year has made me realize even more how much of a people person I am. I want to work with people, for people, whether that's managing or coordinating. Whether or not I'll be able to link that with my civil engineering major is still a question, though I'm willing to let things ride out. No matter how long it'll take, I can trust that it'll be okay in the end. I'll stick with faith on this one.

Heyyy '09

2008-12-30T02:48:00.007-05:00

I wish for too many things for 2009. '08 has been a blur of events, moments, memories. All in all, I can't lie in saying that I wish I could have done better. I could have taken advantage of my co-op more, been a better friend, a better son/brother, a better leader, gotten better grades. All the truth, yet I realize I can't take anything back, and with the coming of the new year, I'll be given another chance. I need to find that strength to really change. To be great, instead of just good, at the things I feel I can really excel at. To be more selfless, smart working, driven.

Something I've learned this year: never get comfortable. There's always something to improve, something to work on, something more to accomplish.

Work.

Mediocrity at its best

2008-12-20T00:53:00.002-05:00

Good, but not good enough.

Hello Fall

2008-09-10T01:28:00.004-04:00

Canada, Hawaii, Miami... (plus co-op and classes), summer of 2008. Had a blast on my trips. Going to miss it all. It really is a good life when you got family and friends around you, good food and good drinks, crazy nights and long sunny days. I feel grateful to have been able to experience it all with the people I love most, and to have met some new people along the way. What a blessing.

And now, back to classes again. 5 of them, to be exact. But! Amongst a number of civil engineering courses is my writing class, which I'm probably most excited for.

Cheers to a good semester :).

No U-Turns Allowed

2008-08-13T00:50:00.013-04:00

I'm a little tired of working at something that I can't even say I really enjoy. Going into my fourth year of civil engineering can't be any more of an eye opener to what I've gotten myself into. I'm not doing horrible, don't get me wrong. In fact, a B average is something others would celebrate over.

But I have high expectations.

At least I thought i did, because now I find myself saying it's okay. The occasional C is fine. B's are standard. And A's? in my engineering classes? Unreal for me.

To be honest, I wish I could rewind and start all over. To what major? I couldn't even tell you anymore. But after getting one of the lowest test grades in class after studying for a crazy amount of hours, at least I'd be able to tell myself that I'm doing something I enjoy doing, learning something I enjoy learning. That would be all I need to make myself feel better. Not the case right now, unfortunately. Two more years of this curriculum. I pray to God that something will be of genuine interest to me, something that I can say I truly enjoy learning about. It frustrates me to think that I'll be spending another $40,000 on uncertainty. But hey, at least I can be sure that I'll get a job after graduation right? My investment in uncertainty will hopefully pay off in the end, and that's really all I can count on now. There's no turning back.

Give Up, Grow Up.

2008-06-01T02:27:00.004-04:00

I can't help but think about just how many things I've given up so far just to be able to shape my future. You grow up being taught to believe that you can be anything you want to be when you grow up, but you have to work for it. What they don't warn you about are the sacrifices you have to make in order to get where you want to be. Walking home today, my eyes caught things that reminded me of what used to make me happy. It got me thinking about all the things I've had to do in order to get to where I am, right here, right now. Quitting tennis because of other priorities, replacing the violin with studio art just to get a head start with architecture... yet I never ended up majoring in arch anyway, not continuing spanish because with my major and minor, there's no room for it. Take me back to a time when I was blissfully content and you might take me back to my early high school years, when things were simple. We did what made us happy. The future was untouchable. It existed, but you'd never think about it.

But then you grow up.

Your world unfolds before your eyes. You start to have options, choices that make or break you. All of a sudden it's not so easy anymore, starting to realize that your life does have limits, you just can't do it all, and you have to make decisions that will ultimately play a role in your future. Dust collects on the things that made up your past- the things you grew up with. I wish I had known all of this in the beginning, because maybe I could have planned things out better. But then again, I guess that's the best part about this so called life, that everyday can bring something new, even if it means giving up something else to replace it with. So my advice? Choose wisely, and hope for the best.

Another End, Another Beginning

2008-04-27T02:05:00.006-04:00

Four months managed to pass by in what seems like a blink of an eye. As you can probably imagine- be it that my last post was last December- so much has happened this spring semester of middler year.

Four months at tetra tech. More and more friends turning 21 (almost there =T). Kinematix taking giant strides, culminating to our best performance ever at the first Prelude East Coast. Barkada taking on huge tasks and continuing to show what the student group is all about. And I guess the most significant events these past four months must include the end of my KDT e-board involvement, and the beginning of my co-presidency of Barkada.

It's bitter sweet really, finally being able to take a step back from KDT and let the group do its thing. Ever since my freshman year when the group was just starting to form, I've always made a huge effort to contribute to its growth. Being VP and President the following years has taught me so much. I can only hope that the work I've put into the team was enough. KDT has been one of the reasons why I love being in Boston. It feels weird finally letting it go. Running a dance team was something I never thought I'd ever do. I've always felt like this group just fell into my lap, but I took it as an opportunity to make something big out of my college life here. What I'm excited for now is to finally be able to just take a step back. To go to practice without having to make a schedule. To learn dances and be yelled at. Yes, I want to be told I'm doing something wrong haha. I've been helping to lead this team for the past couple of years- it's good to know that I can finally just sit back. I have all the faith in the world that the new e-board will be able to take KDT even further. Not a doubt in my mind. We can only go up from here.

And then there's Barkada. I've been given this once in a lifetime opportunity to be a co-president of a group that has greatly impacted my life here at NU. I'm blessed really to be given this chance. And to think, I was once doubtful if I could handle such a responsibility. In the end, it was really about heart. Follow it, always. Words can't express well enough just how much heart I have for Barkada. As a freshman, Barkada gave me something to look forward to. A family away from home. People I can rely on and trust. A chance to further explore my Filipino culture. I was moved. My hope is to be able to move others next year. Change their lives? Maybe. Affect it for the better? Definitely.

Big things come this September. We'll see what junior year has in store for me. For now, hello summer '08. Finishing my coop (end of june), classes july and august. Forever Boston, but never forgetting Jersey. Frequent visits are a must. Summahhh... bring on the sun =].

merry christmas/happy new year

2007-12-22T01:53:00.000-05:00

So this past year has been interesting huh. Went on my first co-op (realized public work is not my calling), learned how to move on without looking back, had some falling outs as well as some falling ins (for lack of a better term). Didn't quite reach my academic goals, but I like to believe that I tried my hardest- and that's all I can really expect out of myself.

...but is it really?

I've actually learned a lot this past year, but if i had to choose the most important, it's that hard work and dedication is never enough. Hard work does not and will not guarantee success. And Faith? Faith will only help as much as you'll let it.

It sucks, because I've always believed in the notion that if I tried hard enough, if I put everything I've got into something, it would be enough to get what I want.

But I've learned that it takes so much more.

It takes patience. It takes a tough heart. It takes the ability to accept the bruises that come with falling over and over again. And damnit, sometimes it really just takes the knowledge and skill (that at times I don't have).

I've learned this year that I can't rely on my hard-working personality anymore. It's taken me far- truth- but I'm gunna need more than a trait to get me where I want to be. With this in mind, I can now focus on what I could improve on when I fail, instead of asking myself why my hard work did not pay off... because quite frankly, just working hard won't get you far anymore.

...working smart will.

I'm thinking 2008's gunna be a good year. It has the number 8 in it, which is my favorite number.

yup. things are looking up.

Oh and, working at Tetra Tech Rizzo in Framingham as a site/civil group intern this January to June. Gotta love co-op.

by the way

2007-11-25T01:16:00.000-05:00

two months.

it's been a while huh? the end of september up until now has been chaos- in a good way. Kamayan (filipino culture showcase) being held at NU this time around really made this fall semester so much more complicated and difficult. but all of it- everything- has proved to be worthwhile. and i guess same goes with kinematix, if anyone is wondering. it really is a daunting task trying to build a strong team that's filled with such young talent. we started from scratch. it's gunna take some time, but i think we're well on our way.

A week and 1/2 of classes left, followed by 3 finals. school work this semester, as predicted, has been extremely challenging. i'm glad though that i've managed to keep up with most of my classes. and what do you know, yet again, the class i'm doing the best in is the one that's not engineering related (organizational behavior, a requirement for my business minor). maybe it's a sign, i really should fight for that mba after this. my goals right now when it comes to post-undergrad plans are up in the air. but i guess i have time to straighten things out. we'll see.

so this turned out to be a pretty boring entry eh. just an update, if not for those of you reading, for myself. the chornicles of...my life? i don't know. i'm tired. you're probably bored by now.

good night.

"Emo" ..dang.

2007-09-21T01:45:00.000-04:00

So dry. And not just my rough skin haha- both outside and inside I guess. I need some guidance. A touch of wisdom that can tell me exactly why in my heart I can feel so much, love so strongly, yet my courage falls short almost all the time.

Although, you'd think that a heart this big wouldn't let it fall.

So I don't get it.

Story of my life.

3rd Year in 3 days

2007-08-29T01:41:00.000-04:00

"I tried school, it wasn't for me..."

I was talking to a new co-worker of mine today, and once again, in the process of trying to strike a conversation, I asked a question that has become increasingly uncomfortable to ask while at work.

"So do you go to school around here?"

It seems like such a simple question to ask, yet such simplicity can sometimes trigger complex responses. In the end, I'm left standing there in thought. The reality is, I'm lucky, and most of you reading this are lucky as well. How fortunate are we to be able to go to school, to live the way we live. Such extravagant lives really, but is it all necessary? I struggle with this myself at times. Is that 5th pair of dunks really worth it? Do I really need another pair of jeans? We all have our flaws. I think a common one is the inability to live a more simple life. Atleast appreciation can be a step in the right direction, yeah?

40k, and then some, per year to go to school. That's a whole lotta loans to pay off when I graduate, but hey... there's no smarter investment than a college education. There are so many people who would love the oppurtunity to get an education like many of us are getting. Don't waste it. Embrace it. See your potential, and in the long run, do well and make it all worthwhile.

Back to school on Saturday.

Another Day of Retail

2007-08-25T19:47:00.002-04:00

It was just another normal day at work when I was greeted by an old teacher from middle school. She was my Spanish teacher back in the day, and a good one while at it. In fact, she was the one that instilled in me such a strong appreciation for language that I took Spanish all the way until senior year of high school.

A subtle yet strong impact.

It was a familiar voice actually, "Hello Jaime, how are you?" passed through my ears as I was running to get a shirt hanger from behind the register. I looked up and saw her and thought to myself... do I know you? It took me a few seconds to realize who she was. An "Hola Senora!" came out and we chatted for a bit as she caught herself up on my current academic status.

This probably isn't uncommon, being greeted by an old teacher, but what got me thinking was how after all these years, she still managed to remember who I am. I, on the other hand, needed to pull a double take to recall who she was. Should it not be the other way around? I mean, year after year, a teacher gets new students in the classroom. Countless names to be familiarized with, and yet many manage to remember the names of so many students even after they're long gone from their class. Teachers have always made me see the potential in doing something that you love doing as a job. Because let's face it, a teacher's salary isn't the best, yet it's nice to see that there's more to a career than a hot ride and a big house. There's love. Interest. Passion. A genuine liking for what you do.

In this world we live in, it probably gets harder and harder to find someone who's doing a job that they actually love doing- not just because of the salary. It makes me appreciate the values that (I'm hoping most) teacher's have, and their will to do something they love regardless of how much they make. Furthermore, they manage to affect the lives of so many people- those who take their classes- and in the end, six years later, will probably even remember you before you can remember them as you're running around the sales floor hoping to survive another hour of retail.

Pretty amazing if you ask me.