EDITORIAL: TRUE BLOODED THOMASIAN by Jonabel Rosena

Image Source: http://www.ust.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/welcome-walk.jpg

The Thomasian Welcome Walk (TWW) is an enormous and marvelous event for the new members of the community of University of Santo Tomas. Last July **, 2014 we had our initiation at the Arch of the Century. About 12,000 freshmen students were welcomed that day with their different gimmicks during the parade. This event is a form of inauguration for freshmen students and a seal that they are now a true blooded Thomasian. As Robert Anton Wilson said, “A true initiation never ends”, many things still awaits and will be unveiled as they enter the University.

Being a Thomasian makes you proud, because studying in a Royal and Pontifical Catholic University is a great opportunity. But sometimes I ask myself if TWW is the only thing that makes you an official Thomasian? As I experience the thrill and excitement as I stay in UST, I think there is so much more in store for us. It’s more than just taking USTET and passing it; it is more than just buying our official uniforms and paying tuition fees; there is much more in stored than just going to class every day or swiping your ID tied with the official UST lanyard. As stated in the Tomasinoweb Blog, “Thomasian Welcome Walk is just the appetizer in a buffet.”

First day of school is the day that makes you count down until the last day of school but the life and being part of the Thomasian community, we count every memory that we will cherish every single day of our stay. There are countless events in UST like UAAP, Paskuhan, USTv, College week celebrations, and various events of the different organizations like TomasinoWeb, Scarlet, Becarios de Santo Tomas, etc. Nonetheless, a true blue Thomasian experience assemblies, recollections, monthly masses, and floods --- with the worst case scenario of being stranded inside the campus. You’re not a Thomasian: if you never experience eating at Mang Tootz, SEx, or Ilars; if you never met and bought the sweet delicacies of Ate Yema; you’re don’t know the best places around UST where you can hang out with your friends and if you’ve never heard of scary and frightening true to life ghost stories.

A true blooded Thomasian embraces the tiger inside him. We freshmen students are still naïve, amazed, and living the life, but we are wonderful in our own ways. We accepted our fate, and the only thing that will really challenge us as freshmen students is if we can survive and not fail.