Echoes - February 2014

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 1

2 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

02 03

Previous Issue EDITORIAL

26

Last of a Dying Breed

04 10 36

28

The Benefits of Friends with Benefits

38

The Truth Behind The Muscle

40

62

App Stats

Bromances are the best..

50

Josen Guerrero Orion Besabe

Single Girl's Guide to VDAY Kristina Viray

68

4 Relationship Scenarios..

MetalGearSolid

The Sociology of Gossip

70

A Post-Inuman Era: Craft Beer

Martin Consing

Contributors Derek Parreñas Rino Lamarca

CULTURE

Olivia Solomon & Kristina Viray

Orion Besabe

Anonymous

Lyon Leus The Hottie

60

Features

TTLFT

Marte Caronongan

Anonymous

32

24 58

Josen Guerrero

Kristina Viray

30

NEWS Why You're Hardwired..

Rino Lamarca

Maria Clara is Dead (Hopefully)

COMMITTEE NEWS

42

Jude Geron

MetalGearSolid Anonymous

Paolo Tejano Aris Dacanay

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 1

Previous Issue

Editors JUDE BENEDICT GERON Editor-in-Chief OLIVIA SOLOMON Associate Editor

KAMILLE FRANCESCA MANUEL Managing Editor

ALESSANDRA MAE GABORNI Creatives Editor

RAFAEL MARTIN CONSING Features Editor

KRISTINA MARGARITA VIRAY Culture Editor

MARGARITA SAMANTHA GONZALES Literary Editor

MICAELA SOFIA BENEDICT QUE Webmaster

JO BEATRIZ GUERRERO News Editor

LERIZZE ANGELA TAN Digital Content Editor

TIMOTHY JACOB Digital Content Editor

ARTHEL CAROﾃ前NGAN JR. Echoes TV Producer

JOSE RICARDO STO. DOMINGO Echoes TV Director

CARA GABRIELLE LATINAZO Photo Editor

JOSE MARIA GABRIEL AGREGADO Logistics Director

Staff ALFONSO ROCES

FRANCES QUEZON

BRYAN DOMINGO

MIA VITUG

Errata

Our mistakes in the December issue Grammatical errors and incompleted captions, corrected in the online edition of the December issue.

Echoes is the official publication of the UP Economics Society (UP Ecosoc), a non-stock, non-profit, student organization based in the University of the Philippines Diliman School of Economics.

Since the 1st semester of the academic year 2013-2014, Echoes is released four times in a sem and nine times in a year, on the months of February, March, April, June, July, August, September, October, and December.

It draws its funding from a subsidy from UP Ecosoc, sponsorships, subscription revenue, and other small funraisers. For this semester, 33 subscription copies, 3 tambayan copies, 1 archive copy, and a complimentary copy for each of our sponsors, featured members, and featured alumni are produced.

This publication is printed by Yza Copy Systems and Trading, located at Stall 22 at the Shopping Center, UP Diliman, Quezon City. contact us

upecosoc@gmail.com upecosoc.echoes@gmail.com visit for more information

All errors are corrected when posted on issuu.com/echoes. If you spot any errors, do not hesitate to tell us by emailing us at upecosoc.echoes@gmail.com 2 窶｢ FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

upecosoc.org Echoes.PH facebook.com/up.economics.society

No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

From the Editor

One morning, towards the end of 2013, I

Appholster actually, over the course of a semester, make the tambayan less orderly and messier. By itself, it is a good idea, and surely does become necessary at some point. But the danger lies in the mentality it can create in people, perhaps that my trash will be cleaned up anyways by next semester's apps, that everything will be okay after one big-time event, so why bother caring at any other times, or at all? I think that's where our trash woes begin, and may be part of the reason behind the escalating amount of bottles accumulating on tambayan tables every day, thus becoming a sort of accepted practice, coupled with the fact that we still do not have a “proper” tambayan. But then, given how we do treat the space we have, have we even shown that we deserve a tambayan in a better state? I highly doubt it. The solution depends more on us, the members, than we may think.

Now, there have been whispers of what is supposedly currently a lax period among Ecosocers, with dwindling attendance and activity in various internal events and meetings. A GK build was just canceled and this semester's GMTBS definitely could've had more of the M. Is this a new form of the supposed second sem “curse” in Ecosoc, albeit, given the momentum the org's big events have this semester, only internally? What are the causes if so? Commonly cited are seniors on thesis, less apps in the second semester who definitely have required events and tambay hours, perhaps even “rest” from an event heavy first semester, and many other case-to-case reasons like applying for other orgs.

And, in response, we might think that this is how Ecosoc really tends to be like at times, or that it's all up to the internal committees to solve the problem, to provide a boost, and to generally work harder for our large org.

What are its implications on the members, internally? I believe that not having a true communal space that we are proud to go to and to frequent is another roadblock, among many others, that keeps Ecosoc from attaining a sort of internal ideal. A lot of us hang out in an atrium area that is detached from our allotted space, an area we share with many other Econ students. It's not a place to really look forward to head to, like how it was to some people with the old tambayan, and us Ecosocers could easily go elsewhere. The 2 problems are thus not only linked, but are also similar in terms of what solutions lay ahead. Just as a clean and “livable” tambayan cannot be attained by one day cleanups alone, the quest for that ideal level of internal bonding has no easy answer. There are some seemingly trivial factors that can have an impact when ignored.

spotted what I thought was the new frontier of tambayan cleanliness.. or the lack of it: eggshells on a table and the floor it stood on. Sadly, this is not the first time in the short history of the “modern era” Ecosoc tambayan that leftover food was found in it. In fact, during the general clean-up prior to this semester, a rotting sandwich, among other things, was found. But, as easily as they were found, they were picked up, and the problems were solved. You could multiply these cases, and thus more closely represent the true case. But, a few weeks ago, Clean App/Appholster proved to be a “solution” once again. We'd think, anyways, that there are more important issues to be addressed, such as security and the physical state of the tambayan room itself.

Those are problems that need to get solved first before anything else, supposedly.

By the way, the cover doesn't have a label on it.

Yes, I did just tackle two different issues altogether, but I believe the two are linked. I'd first like to assert that Clean App/ ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 3

CommitteE ECHOES NEWS A lovely February Ecosoc! :) When I was in high school, a friend of mine called me "bawang" and that time I didn't know what she meant (Did I smell like garlic?) But then she explained to me, that like garlic which was used in almost every recipe, I was also part of every social group. I got offended at first thinking, hey does that mean I belonged to no barkada or that I was simply FC (feeling close)? But then I realized that being "bawang" was actually a good thing in that I can jive into any group and that I didn't fall to any other stereotype but that of "bawang".

This is one of the few times I let other people's definition of who I was work for me because "bawang" means I can be anyone or anything. Oftentimes, we struggle in finding our place in the world or even in school that we cave in to just fitting in rather than exploring the different versions of ourselves. I guess what I'm trying to say is instead of embracing the labels given to you, embrace yourself. At the end of the day it's not the people you're with who will define you, but rather they will just help you in figuring out the person that you want to be.

The Queen Bee

CARMEL|Task Force

And there are people around me who have been doing that exactly. And so I now take this time to say thanks to all of you. To the ExeCute/Cutiez/ QTPA2Ts/my favorite peeps, you are the greatest support group. It is getting tougher, but since we have each other and our passion, I know we will be alright. (ps wala munang friends sa scavhunt a!) To the Dream Team, this sem's Task Force, whatever happens tomorrow, I am immensely proud of you. You have taken the statement #MakeItReal to a whole new level. Tomorrow night, I ask you to just look around the Sunken Garden and smile because you have made it happen. Grabe, mamimiss ko kayo :( (woah clingy) And lastly, to all Ecosocers, including the super amazing Heroes Apps.

I just can't quite define who we are exactly because we're different and that' what makes us great. Let's draw inspiration from each other just like what I do every time I get to talk with you. That's all! Again, embrace yourself >:D<

I’m going straight to the point. This is my message to everyone, especially to Taskforce 56A, who worked hard, day and night, to make Roots 2014 not just a dream but a reality.

Yes, it is finally real.

Since we won the bid for a UP Fair slot last November, the road to Roots 2014 has begun. From that time, I was overwhelmed by the amount of effort and time, each department of TF is dedicating for this event. At the start, it is difficult to imagine that this event is going to happen.

This is an event met not only with high costs but also with high expectations. But the team did not give up. We worked.

We endured. We sacrificed. This is why I love the team. From contacting bands to marketing corporate sponsors, the team is living up to the standards Ecosoc has built throughout the years. Everytime there will be a reply from a band, everytime there will be a corporate sponsor willing to partner, everytime there will be a new pubmat, everytime we’ll sell Salpicao, everytime we’ll create installations, everytime people will like and share the posts, I cannot hide my excitement but still cannot fully express how proud I am to this team. By the time you read this, we are probably done with our event, but please allow me to tell you things I wanted to say to all of you before.

The Musician

MIKE|Task Force

“You fulfilled my dream. You fulfilled Ecosoc’s dream. You fulfilled the dream of the kids of Pook Ricarte. You fulfilled the dream of seven students.

You never let me down. Your perseverance inspired me to work hard even more. And if you felt that your work exhausted you like never before, if you felt that you needed to pause your life for a while, if you felt like giving up when the odds are not in your favour, remember how this event all started because of your unmatched willingness to serve not yourselves, but others. I know it’s difficult to work with that limited time but you still continue to endure and sacrifice a lot of things just to make it special for scholars, CDC beneficiaries. And now, that the time has come for us to see the fruits of our labor, I just want to say that from the bottom of my lonely heart, I will forever be grateful to have worked with you. I hope you enjoyed this wild ride to Roots 2014, because I do so. Thank you” We, as a team, took a leap of faith. We will, as a team, make a perfect landing.

Let us #MakeItReal 4 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

COMMNEWS

The Heartbreaker

RIEL|Secretariat

Like you, I went through four years of high school and here is what I remember. I remember the ones who perform onstage, the ones who make art exhibits, the ones who are out playing in the fields, the ones who are in the computer lab. I remember high school in blurs of pompoms and skirts and jerseys and swinging bats and DSLRs and thickrimmed glasses and piles of books. I remember the circles of familiar faces in the cafeteria. I remember how barkada A always sat by the field, how barkada B preferred to stay in the classroom during breaks, how barkada C was always the loudest right smack in the middle of the cafeteria. I remember the labels.

Graduation comes. We are all plunged into university.

And here, everything swirls. Classrooms and schedules are never the same. Classmates and teachers come and go.

Semesters are ever so short, and the cycle is rapid. Who you are now maybe not who you are for long. You can be anything here.

You would think the concepts of labels would be eradicated in such a university. But not entirely. You have organizations, colleges, fraternities & sororities, sexuality,

brackets. You have yet more labels to identify yourself with. So, which one are you?

The boy with many organizations? The passer-by with the camera? The classmate with straight uno’s? The bracket A kid? The girl with the girlfriend?

Does it matter, really?

We are many things, all at once. There is so much more to us than these labels. We are what we get up in the morning and fight throughout the day for. We are our convictions and principles. We are our own reasons. We are multi-dimensional. We are not just a single word. We are walking wonders.

And you. You are a universe in your own right. You can be anything, all at once.

The Emo Kid

BRIAN|Finance

I’ve had a lot of different labels thrown at me. Admittedly, there were times that I wanted to have that just one label so I wouldn’t really have to search for my identity. The many different things that I’ve been stereotyped as has many times made me doubt myself and whether what I’m doing with my life really has meaning and significance.

What I’ve learned lately is that you can’t really make anyone happy. I’ve conceded to myself that I can’t be that perfect person I think my peers and my loved ones expect me to be. There will be times people will judge me; there will be times that I will disappoint people who expect much from me.

Over the past few months, perhaps what I’ve learned is that you can’t really please everybody; there will always be people who will stereotype you and seek to pull you down. The best thing is to be yourself, to try to be the best that you can be.

It is better to be yourself than trying to be something that you’re not.

We all try to accomplish and reach our goals and dreams in life. In Ecosoc, I see people immersed in their work and the events that they are a part of. Personally, I always think about my goals, that sometimes they become an obsession for me. I think a large reason why set such a high standard for myself is because I want to prove people wrong, to prove a point that I’m more than what they’ve stereotyped me to be.

One thing that I’ve been trying to inculcate to myself is I don’t always have to be the best, I don’t have to be perfect, I can simply be myself.

What I’d like to say is that we shouldn’t mind the labels; we shouldn’t care about the stereotypes people place on us. We don’t have to achieve perfection; it is quite simply not possible. There will always be weaknesses in all of us, imperfections that will always be there. I know I’m not perfect but I find myself contented with what I have in life. It is in the imperfections that we achieve perfection; it is in the weaknesses that we are who we are.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 5

CommitteE ECHOES NEWS The only things I like labeled are school supplies but if I had the chance, I’d probably have the air around me labeled too because I have a thing for personal space and I hate most things on most days. Half joke (I am nice, I am a friendship beacon). Other than that, I never really saw the necessity of labels for anything else, much more anyone else. I feel particularly iffy about people’s obsession with relationship labels. Now I couldn’t care less about how far two people think they’ve gone down lover’s lane (create your own small streets and asphalt your own highways for all I care) – what gets to me is the premium people put on who plays what in a relationship (or any form of social interaction, for that matter).

I bring this up because of the many odd reactions I received when I said I wanted to make people happy on Valentine’s Day. Some reactions run along the lines of “Akala ko babae ka na?” and “Why? You’re a girl”. I suppose statements like these are, in a way, an extension of the curious (hay nako, gender roles) question (“Who’s the boy and who’s the girl?) I never heard the end of through relationships I had, and they still always leave me wondering why labels matter so much.

I feel like we give in to so many towering preconceived ideas of where to go on a first date or who does what on Valentine’s Day or how soon (or late) to reply to text messages or what flowers to give that we forget to just be happy. We subscribe to all these ideas of should and shouldn’t that we let go of letting things be; we undermine our own capacity to make other people happy as is.

The Outcast Weirdo

INES|External Affairs

I don’t know where this is going but I guess I’ll just use this as a reminder to stop giving so many fucks and just be happy. Make someone happy because you want to; make yourself happy because you should. Labels are for boxes (and my personal space). Happy is for everyone.

And more importantly…

UPFRONT IS THE LARGEST AND MOST RECOGNIZED UNIVERSITY STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS FORUM IN UP DILIMAN SO SEE YOU THERE!!!!!

The first thing that came into my mind was the term "product labelling", a term in our Marketing class that is said to affect how customers perceive a product. The purpose of labels is to give a description to something that people might not have enough information about. That's why all products have labels - nutritional labels, expiration dates, and product descriptions; they're there to make people well-informed and thus more rational in making purchasing decisions. The second thing that came into my mind was the word 'identity'. We label others, and it's not so uncommon that we also label ourselves. We label people depending on their gender/sexual orientation (M, F, L, G, B, T), marital status (S, M, D), eating preference, medical condition, feelings, personality, and etc. He's the vegetarian.

She's the nerd. That dude's an ass. She's a bitch. We identify ourselves and others using these labels and it's almost as if we can't get by without having a description or label for each person.

But we all know there is an exception to this. The third was the word 'relationships'. Wew. I just had to go there. And it's actually not inevitable that I'd be. I'm sure the same word is one of the first ones to pop in your head too. Anyway, let me relate my marketing definition of labels to the 'labels' of ~~'lo0o0o0o0ove'~~ (yes, I just had to spell LOVE that way). BA 170 says that producers must put labels to all of their products so that consumers will 1) be equipped with the information needed to make them purchase these products; and 2) not be misled into buying those that do not deliver what they promise. We need these labels because everything must be clear first and we can't be fooled.

On to love; does this definition of labels hold? Let's discuss. As a 'producer' or provider of love, you must be clear with your intentions. In a relationship, two people, who are both 'consumers and producers' of love, must identify the kind of relationship they have, otherwise there is no meaningful exchange (because you don't know what you're getting in return..). But in reality, people participate in this market without full knowledge of what they're getting into. This rule of 'labels' does not apply in this arena. This is the exception. A couple are together but they're not 'together'. She loves him but denies it. He takes them on dates but tells his parents and friends that he was just out with 'friends'. What might be 'love' for one might just be 'like' to the other. You guys aren't legit yet so you don't want to use that term now. Love is the exception. Yeah I'm sure you're thinking that this is ludicrous, but mind you this happens to almost everyone and it might even happen to you. You're going to wonder what makes love such a strange force and an exception to that word. Moreover, you're going to ask why people don't label their relationships and feelings towards others. That'd be much more convenient, right?

People would be better off, correct? Yes? So-so? Not really? No? I honestly am not pro- or anti-labels*, but to those who do, I want to challenge you this Valentine's Day to do the following: Define your relationship. Let her explain why putting labels is something to be afraid of. Ask him why he can't own up to his actions. Clear out your expectations.

Ask yourselves why you're fine with just 'that'. And everything would be clearer. Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! Happy Valentine's Day Acad. <3 <3 <3

The "Hot" Nerd

MONINA|Academic Affairs

6 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

COMMNEWS Thankfully, the only issues with labels that I’ve ever encountered are losing my notebook because I didn’t label it with my name, and the hassle of creating labels for everyone in CDC, in the CDC gmail. Haha! JK. But you know, sometimes labels are good. For one, clearly, if I labeled my lost notebook, it would have had a bigger chance of being returned to me. In a deeper sense, sometimes it’s really necessary and natural to label things and people. For example, we label other people as our friend when we have a bond of mutual affection with them, or even as a brother/ sister when we’re that close. However, sometimes and most of the time, labels tend to have negative effects. This happens when labels are used to crush people. Sometimes we judge people by calling them names. Back in grade school (when I used to be fatter hehe) my classmates would sometimes tease me and I think that caused a big effect on my self-esteem. </3 Another complication that arises from labels is when the label is one-sided :o L (with friends, in relationships, etc.) Hugot? Nah. Lastly, labels cause other unwanted complications. I have a friend named Marco who had a girl best friend and when people started teasing them and calling them a couple, they somehow drifted apart : -( what happened? I don’t get it.. Labo. With all these being said, we still can’t deny that labels are basically part of our lives. We know to ourselves that we subconsciously label things, people, and everything in our life, even if we don’t want to. For example, we label Jomac as a renaissance man even though we don’t want to. Life would also be boring and weird without labels anyway. We should just be responsible with our words and actions, always!

The Loner

CARLO|Community Development

Anyway hello to the committee I label as BEST!! The success of our events so far (From Sat CDCs to Caravan to the most recent Med + Dental Mission) was because of you guys! I’m sorry for the lack of bonding time for our committee, but rest assured I love CDC super, and I always think about its welfare. <3. Hello exeqts!! Whatta label we have! Stay strong everyone :D And hello to the best org in the world!! Happy Tambay Week guys!! Whatta #MEMA commnews!!

The Douchebag

JUDE|Echoes

It was Grade 3 when I first started wearing glasses.

Reactions of initial shock and/or surprise among my equally young classmates would quickly turn into name calling: Geek! Nerd! A “problem” that surfaced as a result was that, to a great extent, the teasing would become self-fulfilling: I would believe them. It was something I embraced, and somehow my interests aligned to the labels over time. Maybe I am predisposed to be naturally geeky toward a lot of things, and I'm definitely sure being so is not bad nor wrong. The real problem would come with the negative connotations of being a geek: being a weakling, the easy-pickings of bullies, the know-it-all, among others.

I was very prone to verbal bullying back then, as at the time, I knew not how to swear nor to deliberately hurt anyone. Back then, with regard to the latter, I probably couldn't have even had I tried, with my lankiness. Those experiences have had some implications on how I am in the present day, but that's another story altogether.

The point is that, while that may have been a Grade 3 example, I don't think the basis of a lot of people for labels and stereotypes, and to a great extent teasing, backstabbing and bullying, has matured with age. I know for certain that we still do tend to be quick to judge people, whether we admit it or not. It's easy to do; maybe to some of us, there's some satisfaction to be had out of that sort of wit. Based on my experience, the frequency at which we do those has partly to do with how we cannot see the consequences, as they sometimes do not immediately manifest, and even when they do, we do not fully understand the cause then and there, so accountability is hard to come by. As such, I'd be very cautious of people who are excessively quiet in the face of mocking. I'm also glad very few people have seen me mad.

One big shoutout to the entire Echoes team, all volunteers and everyone who performed during Litnight. Needless to say, you all know the parts you did, and you were all wonderful.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 7

CommitteE ECHOES NEWS

The Boy Magnet

When people ask me about my current relationship status, I always tell them that I'm single (obviously) and in a pretty stable relationship with life. There are just too many things that can be done (along with my Liai and acad deliverables) and so many reasons to be happy and enjoy life as a single lady. Yes to women empowerment. No to social constraints of having boyfriends at a certain age to fill that void in your heart, to wait for that beautiful boy who will save you from your old ways. Who needs that when you have an amazing bunch of enthusiastic people who share the same passion and ideas as you? When you have pizza dates not with someone you have to impress but with a group who won’t judge you when all you want to do during commeet sometimes is to eat and share some chichi (Hi Liai, I love you.) Yes it would save you hours browsing Thought Catalog after midnight, but to be single and to have all the time in the world to better yourself is one of life’s greatest treasures.

And with Valentine’s Day coming up, what better way to celebrate it than to spend it with the people who fuel my life with so much energy? Words cannot express how excited I am for Roots, scav hunt and our pending Liai projects for the alumni and members. Having said that, I would like to thank my ever hardworking VCs Eina, Adriel, and Lean for all your ideas – insightful, crazy, and then some. Also to the people who always attend my commeet pakains (you too, Mike): Briana, Seldel, Jus and Jaja (my super HOT ENTM models!!), Lora, Cheska, thank you for making my Tuesday afternoons fun! Keep ‘em pakains coming, birthday celebrants! Special mention as well to Anj and Trisha – if Liai were a play, they are my stage managers. Thank you for handling our online accounts so well with the alumni birthday greetings and Priv Card fan page! To the corprel team, thanks for acknowledging my love letters for you guys! Sometimes think I need a lovelife soon because I actually spend so much time for such personalized letters. Special mention as well to Erwin Mate for attending that one commeet and keeping the Liai fire in you! I am proud of you mars! To my apps and interns, you guys are the coolest Heroes I swear! Thank you for your overflowing activeness! Keep em coming! With all that being said, I am just glad singlehood is treating me right and giving me enough space in my heart for my two loves, Liai and Ecosoc. <3

TELLE|Liaison

Stereotypes. Labels. According to the Encarta Dictionary, a stereotype or a label is defined as to reduce somebody to an oversimplified category and/or to categorize individuals or groups according to an oversimplified standardized image or idea. Having this prejudice towards people, this gives us a pre-emptive judgement on people before knowing them.

Stereotypes and labels close the doors of having new friends, reduces the possibilities of knowing people better and it ends conversations before they happen.

I myself, am guilty of stereotyping and labelling people back in my high school days. I started to label people during my first year in high school. I labelled people as losers, geeks, sporties and teacher’s pets. By stereotyping and labelling people, my interaction with people came at its lowest. I really did not interact with my most of my batch mates. I only stayed and interacted with my clique. After a paradigm shift and a year later, I met my best friend. And yes, he is not in my clique during my first year days. It’s really hard to forgive myself for labelling people before, that’s why I try to interact to all the people I see and meet.

Personally, I really believe that stereotyping is really unhealthy for our society, and to be more specific, especially in our organization. Our organization is very diverse. Our members have different personalities and traits. Does stereotyping them help them to become secure or confident about themselves? I think not. I think it just promotes them to stay in their shadows and never discover their hidden potentials or talents. For me it’s really unfair to stereotype and label people. I think we should stop this unhealthy habit not only in our organization but also to our society. We really should stop doing this by starting on one person at a time.

Okay haha! So Memcom! Congratulations on our successful GMTBS! (I really hope that we ended some labelling and stereotyping with this event haha) I could not ask for a better team! Thank you guys! Next stop: Senior Sendoff, let us give our seniors their best night yet! Go guys! We only have 2 months. Let’s make the most out of it!

PS: Guys, also let’s go to ROOTS! Let us support Task Force by attending! Good luck TF! I know you can #MakeitReal.

The Bully

JOMAC|Membership

8 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

COMMNEWS

I remember our reactions when Jude told us to write about

The Crammer “labels” for commnews. There were lots of oooh’s, LOL’s, naQ’s,

laughter and making parinig. We have varied definitions of the term, hence the varied reactions. At that moment, however, we were all probably thinking of it in the relationship sense. I think most people would. Even Facebook promotes putting labels on relationships by adding that Relationship Status feature on our profiles. With all honesty, I don’t have a very clear stand about labels. Or maybe I just have so many thoughts and I connect the term with so many other things. To get where I’m coming from, let me start with a confession. I am a very OC person. All of the cabinets in my room have specific purposes, and in each of those, there are boxes with even more specific purposes. And yes, they do have labels. One of my cabinets has boxes labelled SCHOOL SUPPLIES, CARDS AND INVITES, BEADS AND THREAD and SMALL STUFF (haha that one contains little random things that I don’t really have a category for). From that, I guess you can say that I am very particular with labels – at least when it comes to material things. When it comes to relationships though, I’m quite the opposite. I’d like to believe it’s because I don’t really care, but I think it’s because part of me is scared. When you put a label on something, you’d have this notion of permanence. But as we know, nothing’s ever permanent. When we’re used to something and it changes, we’d have to go through the hard (and sometimes scary) process of getting used to something new. Let’s say naghiwalay kayo ng “boyfriend/ girlfriend” mo. Diba ang hirap? Kasi akala mo permanent eh. Kaso hindi. Kaya minsan mas okay pang walang label, para pag nawala, relatively mas onti yung impact. Now think of a platonic relationship. Let’s say you call someone your “best friend” but then you find another “best friend” until you have 26 “best friends” already... isn’t that confusing? Sometimes you might even find yourself in one-sided best-friendships. See, parang mas okay pa na equal na lang lahat.

Aside from permanence, labels may also entail possession. One time I brought a stamp with my name on it and my crush asked “Can I stamp myself with this?”

I said “Up to you. Pero pag ginawa mo yan, akin ka na.” LOL HASHTAG LANDEE. When we label something, it’s because it’s ours and we don’t want anyone to steal it. But in a relationship, you don’t really own the other person. You have to give them freedom. Kaya rin siguro takot matali ibang tao eh, kasi feeling nila maraming mawawala sa kanila. But that’s not necessarily true.

Labelling something can be both good and bad. I guess it really depends on how you do it and what you do it for. But in general, I believe that one can live without labels. What matters is that you have clarity and you have a pretty good understanding of what a certain thing is.

ANDEE|Special Events

The Student-Athlete

LANCE|Sports

Throughout my college life, people have asked me some pretty funny questions about being Chinese. Statements such as “You’re Chinese, give me tikoy!” and “May nakikita ka pa ba?” have always circulated whenever I meet someone new in class. It’s really amusing how people can just influence one on who he/she should be just because of labels.

We can’t really avoid the fact that when we see someone, we just tend to judge them based on their looks, their interests and so many more. It is human nature! I, myself, have met so many people in my life, and there will always be that urge to do the same thing as any human being would do. We subconsciously sort people from all walks of life into certain labels wherein in our minds, they belong nowhere but in this group. The Chinese people should just hang out together at the Great Wall of China, the basketball and drink buddies should just well, play basketball and drink and blah, blah, blah! The world is full of labels, and at one point, you just have to ask yourself: why are we so confined within these stupid stereotypes?

Let’s be honest though. Without these, life will definitely be boring! We can’t all be the same because God created us as unique individuals. We have our own likes and dislikes when it comes to food, music, etc. What we must know though is that despite the labels we have to put up with, we must learn to get along with other people as we journey on. Do not define a person based on these stereotypes. Who knows, that person might be your future husband or wife, right?

Heading the Sports Committee has definitely placed me in the label: athlete. And no matter what people say, I actually love it! Being a part of this committee has truly been a blessing because for one, I get to lead a group of amazing and talented individuals, and another would be I get to influence so many people through my love for sports and all things healthy! Call me a hypocrite for ending my commnews with another stereotype, but then like what I said, life will be so dull and colorless without it. It will just be up to you whether these labels will control your judgement and decisions in life. To the entire UP Economics Society, especially my Sports Committee, thank you for inspiring me to do so much more for this organization! Peace out!

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 9

INSIDE ECOSOC

Echoes and the Science of Freedom Litnight, short for Literature Night, is an event organized by Echoes. It is a night of literary and music appreciation, FULL of poetry and musical performances by and for the members and applicants of the up economics society. This semester, Litnight was entitled "The Science of Freedom", with the theme: taking flight "anywhere at all." by Mia Vitug & Jude Geron This year's Litnight was held in the CS Amphitheater on January 30, 2014, Thursday, the eve of Chinese New Year.

It began with the attendees, as some members of Echoes and some of the performers led a trek from the UP Observatory to the venue, while singing "Dirty Paws" by Of Monsters and Men in a take-away show fashion. As they arrived at the venue, pigeons were freed as a form of greeting, in line with the theme of the show. Various Ecosoc Members 10 â&#x20AC;˘ FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

read poetry and performed throughout the night. Highlights included Miguel Andres and Carlo Fernandez's group Contra Classic's performance, a rare sighting of and performance by Christine Barchini, and some spoken word by Olivia Solomon and Zo Canaria. Also, as part of the program, a mix-and-match activity was held to spice up the night. The attendees were each given cards at the beginning of the program and were told later on in the night to find their partner with the same card. They

were asked to share one thing with each other that they had never done before but would want to do or experience. At the end of the program, each pair was given one balloon and let it fly to the sky, as the Ecosoc Star Band led everyone in singing "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers. Overall, the turnout and the event ended with good feedback and good spirits.

NEWS

CDC Christmas Party

Fun Christmas Party

Last December 14, 2013, the Pook Ricarte kids together with their parents and guardians attended the yearly CDC Christmas Party.

The Christmas Party is an event where the children have fun for a day, enjoying the holiday season with Ecosoc members. This year, the Pook Ricarte and Ecosoc community sang, danced, and laughed together at the SE back parking.

This year, the Ecosoc Christmas party was held on December 20, 2013 at the Hilario Residence. It was a night of drinking, eating, and singing on the karaoke.

By Joby Guerrero

By Alfonso Roces

The highlight of the event was a drinking game won by Carlo Fernandez. Most were entertained by it because it was almost won by two members who ended up losing by The children had fun with the different games that were played. vomiting. Aside from them, others also ended up drunk.

They also danced to a variety of songs such as “Whoops Kiri” which entertained the members. After all the fun and games, the kids re- In the end everyone had fun as they enjoy their last night ceived gifts from Santa. These gifts are actually gifts from members together before the Christmas break begins. The Ecosoc who sponsored the wish list of the children. The parents and guard- Christmas Party was truly a wild night to remember. ians also had their share as they received Christmas food packs from Santa.

All in all, both communities had fun while celebrating the season of love and giving.

ACDC Back in Action

By Frances Quezon

In partnership with the Academic Affairs committee, CDC hosted the first ACDC for the semester last January 11, 2014. ACDC is a CDC event wherein instead of playing with the kids, the mems would tutor them in their lessons. The last ACDC was held in the 2nd semester of 2011, but despite the long interval, according to Mike Saulo, this event was far more effective than before. He shares that starting early at 12nn, this time around, there was a clear orientation on what to do as well as a 1 is to 1 ratio of mems and kids. They were grouped according to grade level and the appropriate test booklets were provided by Acad. This allowed more focus on the needs of the kids and at the end of the day, he admits, it helps him realize that these kids have so much potential and are so smart, they just need to be given the right opportunities.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 11

NEWS

Members and Applicants clashed once again

By Mia Vitug The applicants of Ecosoc were able to experience the MBA last January 18, 2014 held in Xavierville 1 Subdivision’s basketball court. It is was event wherein the applicants were able to bond with the members of the organization through a series of friendly competitions.

The Sports committee was the organizer that arranged the program for the participants to enjoy. It included games in volleyball, basketball, dragon’s tail, futsal, Ultimate, and an obstacle course; and the players were good sports. As always, the winning title was bagged by the members of Ecosoc.

ECOSOC BRINGS JOY TO ELDERLY By Mia Vitug

On January 13, 2014, Monday, the Community Development Committee (CDC) organized their first Caravan for the semester. CDC is in charge for arranging outreach programs and events for the socio-civic aims of the organization. This time the committee chose to give their time to the elderly of Luwalhating Maynila in Boys Town compound Parang, Marikina.

The aim of the event was fulfilled as there were smiles and laughter seen in the faces of the elderlies in the program prepared. The games were nostalgic as for one of the games made the lolos and lolas sing Anak. Even if the preparations for the event may be full of effort, the participants of the event are in the win-win situation. It gave happiness to the elderlies even if it was just for a day and fulfillment was felt by the attendees of the event through making other people smile.

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NEWS

A FUN BONDING TIME

by Alfonso Roces

In order to get the members and apps to know each other and develop a closer bond, the Members Bonding activity, organized by Memcom, was held on the 25th of January in La Mesa Ecopark.

To start off the event, members creatively introduced other members to the rest of the group. This was followed by a fun game of charades. As lunchtime approached, everyone gathered to eat with their hands as they eat their boodle lunch. Afterwards, an amazing race was held. Mini games in this race included looking for clues in a forest.

To end the day, members had to play a game of trust; people had to close their eyes and each had to individually count without someone counting at the same time. Truly, this was a memorable and unforgettable experience that really fostered camaraderie and brought the members and apps closer together.

Cleaner (?) Tambayan Thanks to APPHOLSTER

By Frances Quezon January 18, 2014 once again welcomed APPHOLSTER (formerly CleanAPP), an event spearheaded by Seccom to teach the apps the importance of the tambayan. Starting at 2pm, over 20 apps arrived at the tambayan to help clean and organize it. Divided according to GW families, they were given tasks which ranged from scrubbing the chairs to reorganizing the remaining ecobricks.

This time, the committee also included the cleaning and inventory of the storage as part of the tasks. In an interview with current Seccomchair, Riel Cadano, she said that this APPHOLSTER was far more efficient in terms of how much the apps had accomplished in cleaning in the span of 3 hours. Proof of this is the neater storage space and new layout of the tambayan.

Upholding its socio-civic thrust of providing voluntary community Ecosoc Holds Medicalservice to the less privileged, the UP Economics Society through the Community Development Committee conducted a free medical and Dental Mission for UP dental mission, in cooperation with Tau Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity of Campus Residents By Bryan Domingo UST and Achievers’ Council for Excellence of UE, at the Amorsolo Civ-

ic Complex, C.P. Garcia Avenue last February 1. This year’s first health mission, headed by Ms. Klaudine Moreno, served more than 120 beneficiaries that included senior citizens, infants, kids, and mothers from District 4, Brgy. UP Campus. A volunteer from UE’s ACE opened the community service activity by demonstrating how to properly brush the teeth and how important dental care is. It was then immediately followed by the medical and dental checkup proper. The beneficiaries underwent general health examination, such as blood pressure checkup, medical consultations, and dental treatment. They also received free vitamins and medicines, as prescribed by the doctors and dentists, like analgesics, amoxicillin, paracetamol, and other supplements. The medical team was composed of 15 barangay health workers, 8 physicians, and 17 dentists, all coming from volunteer partners. The members and apps of Ecosoc helped in ushering the patients to station areas and distributing the medicines. The whole activity ran from 9 am to 1 pm, an hour earlier than expected. Volunteers, as well as the health workers, were awarded certificates of appreciation after the event.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 13

NEWS CHRISTMAS PARTY Gio and Andres announce their round in SPEV's Christmas drinking game.

• Photo by Cara Latinazo

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ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 15

NEWS LITNIGHT 2014 With a resounding "Hey!", Ecosocers released balloons at the conclusion of Litnight.

• Photo by Cara Latinazo

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ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 17

NEWS MEDICAL MISSION Ecosoc President Carmel Baquilod is "ready for life."

• Photo by Paolo Tejano

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ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 19

NEWS

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NEWS

NEWS

16

people have died in North Sumatra, Indonesia as Mount Sinabung erupted and spewed plumes of ash.

BY

NUMBERS

BY JOBY GUERRERO

39 People were injured in two explosions that happened in Maguindanao. The exchange of gunfire is between Moro rebels, Bangsomoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and the government.

the age of Tado, a comedian when his bus heading to Bontoc, Mountain Province fell into a ravine causing his death. 14 people have died due to the accident.

12 1,720,000,000 the amount in Philippine Peso of that made Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. win the bidding for the development of the common ticketing system for Metro Manilaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s railways. This is the first Private-Public Partnership Contract signed in the country.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ 21

NEWS

12,000,000

amount in US Dollars that investors have withdrawn from the Emerging Markets stock funds. Investors are pulling out their investments from the developing countries for the fastest rate since 2011.

170

government officials were fired through a YouTube video. Alberto Weretilneck, governor of Rio Negro province in Argentina expressed the reason for the employment layoffs through the video.

10

lives have already been taken during the street demonstrations caused by the political unrest in Bangkok, Thailand. The country is now under a state of emergency.

16.9 22 â&#x20AC;˘ FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

degrees Celsius is the lowest temperature that has been recorded in Metro Manila so far. In Baguio city, the lowest temperature reached 6 degrees. The cold season was brought

NEWS

UP Economics Society

NEWS

120

people were aided during this semestral Medical and Dental Mission. The medical team was composed of 15 barangay health workers, 8 physicians, and 17 dentists.

BY

NUMBERS

BY JOBY GUERRERO

80,740

19

the amount in Philippine Peso the Ecosoc choir have collected during Caroling

performers are going to be part of this year’s Roots. Roots is this semester’s TF event that will fund Ecosoc’s scholars.

3

Ecosoc scholars were able to bond with members last GMTBS.

3

the number of hours the applicants took in cleaning the Tambayan last Appholster. Of course cleaning the Tambayan should not just be a one day event, so pick up your trash, guys!

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 23

F E ATURES

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ECHOES ECHOES | FEBRUARY | SEPTEMBER 2014 2013 • • 25 25

ECHOES

LAST OF A DYING BREED

BY RINO LAMARCA

MOMOL, HOHOL, COCOL, FUBUS, ONE-NIGHT-STANDS, TWITTER, SNAPCHAT, ASK.FM, THE DILIMAN FILES, AND CRUSH CONFESSIONS – WHEN DID IT BECOME SO COMPLICATED? WHEN DID WOMEN BECOME CONQUESTS? THEY ARE A SPECIAL KIND WE HAVE TO RESPECT AND CHERISH.

Econ is one big dump too; The Iso-Motion, Gossip G, lib-one-cubicle-action, Mem’s Logbook, The Viper. And apparently we have a Python?! (Python reticulatus, found in Southeast Asia, is not venomous, hence, all hiss no sting. It is an ambush predator that targets vulnerable prey then kills by constricting and suffocating it. Wikipedia). Colored shorts, 10k sneakers only Cesca can recognize, Titan haircuts, Royce chocolates. Don’t get me wrong, these things can impress your appcrush, the real one at that, not the guardian you wrote down in your sigsheet because you were too much of a pussy back then.

But c’mon, who is going to beat Lance at this? He created the game. He made it what it is. Now we’re all stuck inside it trying to reach his level. Lance has bought the most expensive flowers, has given all the best chocolates and thought of all the most creative surprises you can possibly think of.

He practically has the whole Cotton On catalogue, Prada loafers, and a P300 haircut to boot. What you gonna do?

Fortunately, you don’t have to go all Lance Lim for her to notice you. Smile at her. Say hi and wave! Ask and make sure she has a safe way home, especially when it’s late. If her ride will take long offer to stay with her in the tambayan or in the front benches. Help her with her heavy and useless Econ books. Offer her your seat or get the one across the room. When you see her walking behind you,hold that lounge door open. I know it’s heavy, she knows it, too. So if she sees that you can hold it open, there’s a chance she’ll also notice your gains from all the hours you logged in at the gym.

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FEATURES Walk on the dangerous side of the oval.

She is way more precious than you are, protect her. Especially when crossing the road, stay on the side where the traffic is coming from. When with others, introduce her. Don’t let her feel awkward and out of place. Include her in the conversation. I know there is no chance that you will have an umbrella when she doesn’t. But in case, hold it up for her. You shouldn’t care if you get pneumonia, as long as she is safe and dry. If she looks down, sit beside her. Offer comfort. Smile! Say that no matter what it is, everything will be okay.

Then move on. If you’re very lucky she’ll ask you to stay. Remember, ladies first.

Our language has been the dirtiest it has ever been. We have an insult and cuss word for everything. Guys can talk as much shit as we want to our guy friends, but never curse at a girl.

Never raise your voice. No matter how much she deserves it, no matter how angry you are. We also sometimes forget and treat them as one of the bros. We’ll just find out the next day that we crossed the line with one of our jokes. No matter how much of a bro she is, no matter how much of think of her as part of the barkada, we still have to remember that they are girls. Women are the more sensitive gender. We cannot talk to them the same way we talk to each other. Not one girl deserves any kind of demeaning language. Treat them with respect.

Make them laugh. There is nothing more beautiful than a girl who smiles. Who cares if you have to be the butt of the joke? Do it. I promise, it is worth it. Just imagine Cam Cruz’s smile, Loice’s boisterous laugh or Anikka Go’s shy grin. It will make your day for shuuurrrr.

Bring her to church. Bring her to service or invite her for a quick prayer. Go to mass with her family on Sundays.

Look at GJ and Ria. Ria was a tough nut to crack until GJ brought in the choir boy moves. Anon never misses a first Friday mass with Claud. Even Hilario has been a regular at the UP chapel.

Don’t be afraid to show your spiritual side, most find it as a plus. Hit two birds with onestone, improve your relationship with God. He might just fix you up with another one.

Sadly, since so few do it, any sign or hint of kindness and effort is considered as a “move.” Gentlemanly is mistaken for malandi. Well, I cannot blame the girls. There are really boys out there that will hit on anything that moves. The problem is that there are actually guys who only become courteous to possible prospects. Chivalry is not just for your lover. There shouldn’t be an on and off switch.

Treat all your girl friends the same. Be nice to everyone, not just to the hotter ones. Even if you don’t have plans for her, still apply effort. Even the little, moody, and annoying ones, treat them the way you would treat your bratty younger sister.

BUT don’t overdo it. There is a fine line between being nice and being creepy. If she rejects you today, give it a few weeks to offer again. If she still doesn’t let you, maybe she really doesn’tneed your help. If they don’t want anything to do with you, respect that.

Not everyone likes getting attention. If they just smile and refuse to respond, take the hint. Shut up and walk away.

Not everyone is used to it. Not all women need it. So don’t get discouraged if they shrug off your seat or your offer to carry their books. *ehem* Cara. Some women just don’t need help. Accept that fact. But ladies it wouldn’t hurt accepting once in a while, just to decrease the awkwardness!

We already have enough trouble getting up the courage to approach and talk to you. And we never know what to do after you reject us. Do we just stand there, head stooped down, and wait for you to leave? Or do we force you and try again?

Be unique. Be different. Be yourself. If you’re going for the best girl there is, she has probably heard all the lines and seen all the moves. This is college, change it up. Don’t try too hard to be patapon if you’re not. If you don’t smoke or drink, don’t force yourself to. If you’re not as outgoing, don’t force yourself to be loud. Be genuine. Be kind. She will notice you. Do your own right reasons, and for who you really are. thing. The right girl will find you, for the for the right reasons, and for who you really are.

The most important thing is

to make them happy, to make her happy.

Cheer her up when she’s down. Wish her luck in her exams. Encourage her.

Surprise her. Be there beside her. Make lambing. Tell her she’s beautiful. Tell her she’s sexy. Kiss her. Hug her. Hold her hand. Say good morning! Say good night. Remind her to pray. Wish her the sweetest dreams. Bring her food.

Play her the piano. Do whatever it takes to make her happy. Don’t give up. If she seems down or angry, ask her what’s wrong. Fix it. Don’t stop trying.

Say sorry. Whatever it is, just apologize. If there is the slightest chance you did something wrong, even just a 0.000000000000000000001% possibility that you hurt her, Apologize. They’ll make sure you do, anyway, so might as well do it beforehand. Why prolong it?

As if they will ever admit that they’re wrong. ASA. Be the man. Be the better person. Swallow your pride and say sorry.

If she cares for you as much as you do for her, if she loves you as much as you do, she’ll do the same.

Give her the benefit of the doubt. Give her a chance to explain. Look at the positive side of everything, of everyday, of every argument, of her every mistake. Exhaust all options before concluding and settling for the worse one. Trust her. Give her a chance.

Be sincere. With everything that you do, make sure you do it for the right reasons. Don’t put effort in hope for rewards. Make her happy don’t expect for something in return. She is supposed to be reason enough to do everything.

You shouldn’t care what it takes, as long as she is happy. Make them your queens, your princesses. If she is as important as you say she is, if you love her as much as you say you do, prove it.

Make her the happiest girl in the world.

And that is what will make you happy.

She will be difficult. She will be demanding. There will be fights and sacrifices. There will be times when nothing will seem to be going right, times when nothing you do will be enough. Is she worth it?

Do everything to make her happy. That is chivalry.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 27

ECHOES

MARIA CLARA IS DEAD (HOPEFULLY)

By Kristina Viray

Screw expectations.

Society expects women to be sweet, soft, innocent, accepting, obedient, prim, and proper. On the other hand, men are given leeway simply because they are men. It is a shame that double standards still exist today.

Growing up, children are exposed to films which showcase princesses waiting for their respective princes to sweep them off their feet. The girls are always powerless damsels in distress who can’t rescue themselves. At such a young age, men are put on a pedestal. They are given power which they keep until they grow up. With the power that men have, it is not unusual for them to feel like predators hunting for prey when going after girls who meet their so-called standards.

Older generations shrugged it off, think-

ing that men are biologically wired to go after multiple women. However, if women were to do the same thing, it would be an atrocity. The key and lock analogy has been given to explain society’s reaction to the aforementioned situation. A key, symbolizing a man, which can unlock multiple doors is valuable; on the contrary, a lock, symbolizing a woman, which can be opened by several keys is useless.

In reality, both men and women are doors which can open and close when they please.

Not one is more precious than the other.

Today, more women are condemning the patriarchal culture that has thrived in the Philippines. That is a good thing. It is important that there are equal opportunities for both sexes, not just in the academe or the professional field but also in the dating game.

Although there is progress in the current generation, certain attributes are still associated with men: aggressive, forward, flirtatious, competitive, independent, strong, and confident, among others. They are accepted, if not encouraged, to “act manly”. Their conquests are celebrated and shared -- the higher the number, the better. Society is not as enthusiastic about women displaying the said characteristics. Many are called immoral sluts or whores for engaging in acts women were once told not to be a part of. Contrary to the antiquated belief, women are capable of being strong persons who can make smart choices. They should not even be considered as threats; rather, they should be seen as equals who want to explore the world and its accompanying possibilities as much as the next guy.

A woman being aggressive and forward is usually frowned upon, because people are so used to the idea of the woman being wooed and looking pretty while the man does all the work trying to win her heart. What people do not understand is that being aggressive and forward is not bad per se.

It means that the person knows what she/he wants and is not afraid to go after it. Doing so shows confidence and belief in one’s capabilities. If anything, it is admirable for someone to go against ideals so deeply ingrained in Philippine society, especially if it is for the improvement of the person.

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FEATURES

Another taboo is women openly flirting with strangers. What many fail to realize is that flirting is not necessarily bad on its own. In fact, a little of it would not hurt and can be fun. A man who flirts can get comments like, “Lakas!” while a woman who flirts can automatically be labeled “malandi.” That should not be the case. As long as boundaries are not overstepped and relationships are respected, both men and women should be able to flirt to their heart’s, head’s or ego’s content. A few notches above flirting is hooking up. A few years back, only men would have been said to have “game.” Now, even women can play in the field. Although it is not for everyone, a woman who chooses to hook up with someone is not necessarily less of a person than someone who would rather stay at home. Anyone’s value should not be based on her/his ability to score (or not).

In some instances, women choose not to dabble on that lifestyle too much.

When that is the case, there is a tendency for women to be called “tease” or “paasa”. Friendly gestures, shyness or sartorial choices are misinterpreted to be something else. It is not surprising to come across men who think women just string them along, only to be greatly disappointed. Sometimes men make advances simply because women are “asking for it.” Newsflash: They are not.

They are expressing their individuality. The same thing does not happen to men frequently, because they are thought to be free individuals who would rather not be attached. Their defense is that their default demeanor is carefree and playful. It should be accepted that there are women who are the same. Even if women wear whatever they damn please or act friendly, they are capable of enjoying the freedom of singlehood as well. Despite being swarmed with guy friends, they may really not be looking for anything more than platonic or non-relationships.

Over-analysis and generalization of situations should be avoided, since the ideals that once prevailed in society may no longer apply today.

The old image of the Filipino woman is slowly being eradicated, because the image itself is a form of subordination to both men and society as a whole. Women are no longer the weak dependents. More women are empowered to break societal norms and do what they feel comfortable with. They realize that just because something is what people have been accustomed to for years, does not mean that it is what should be maintained forever. They are breaking barriers, and that is commendable.

There will always be conservative people who will berate modern practices, but it boils down to personal beliefs and choices.

Women should make choices based on what can make them happy and what can make them better people. That is what is important. They should take the same chances given to men, because why the hell not? Life should not be a waiting game for anybody, even for women.

,,

Anyone’s value should not be based on her/ his ability to score (or not)

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 29

ECHOES

THE BENEFITS OF FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS

BY ANONYMOUS

PEOPLE WOULD NOT ADMIT TO HAVING A FRIEND (OR FRIENDS) WITH BENEFITS. IN AN IDEALLY CONSERVATIVE FILIPINO CULTURE, IT IS CONSIDERED TABOO TO HAVE SUCH A RELATIONSHIP. WE KNOW IT HAPPENS, THOUGH. WE’VE ALL GAWKED AT HOW HOT MILA KUNIS IS OR HOW INCREDIBLY SCULPTED JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE’S ABS ARE. THAT REALLY ISN’T A SIGHT THAT WE EASILY FORGET.

If you think about it, it’s a pretty solid deal. You get to sleep with someone without the hassle of maintaining a relationship. None of the bullshit about spending on dates, getting all dressed up for someone etc. All you have to worry about is scheduling and, well, protection. “Proteksyon bago umaksyon.”

Let’s face it, we need an outlet for our sexual urges and sometimes doing it alone just doesn’t cut it. You take what you can get and in this case, that’s friendship and desire. That’s definitely a lot more love than you can get alone.

Aside from that, you develop this unique bond with your FWB. You get to have inside jokes with your friend about that time he/she did this or that time you did that. You have those looks that can mean “G?” or even signals like how Mila stretches in the movie then boom, go time. You can even tell your FWB about your prior experience and laugh about how horrible some of them were. And since you’re friends, you don’t have to tolerate stuff that doesn’t feel good. In this aspect, the openness (pardon the pun) that comes with this relationship is actually pretty liberating.

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FEATURES

Additionally, your FWB becomes not only someone you can open up to about your experience, but someone who can teach you about how to do what you’re supposed to do. Porn won’t tell you if what you’re doing is right and you won’t even ask someone you’re dating about your performance because you’d love to believe you’re doing everything right. Newsflash: Your date won’t always tell you the truth. Ever heard of faking orgasms? Yeah.

Sounds like a great arrangement doesn’t it? It sure does!!!

…Until someone loses.

Losing in this sense involves being emotionally attached to your FWB. This is the biggest no-no if you’re even considering going into this kind of relationship. It starts with little things; subtly frowning at stories about people they’re dating, responding with a cryptic “ayt” when they respond they can’t do it that night because they have a date. It then escalates to looking for them more and flashing back to all you’ve done and reassessing if there was something there that could have been more than just sleeping together.

This is when you know you’ve lost. It doesn’t stop there though. With this losing comes the awkwardness you feel whenever your FWB is around because you know it’s not platonic anymore. Before long, you’ll just detach yourself from the person because you know nothing more meaningful is ever going to happen between the two of you. After that, it’s awkward glances in the halls, a faint glimmer in their eyes that is a reminder of what was.

You might think, hey that’s just one negative point for a lot of positive points, why does it matter so much? Well I’ll tell you why. Because it ruins the very foundation of the relationship: the friendship. Once you fall for the person, it’s not friendly love anymore; it’s a lot more than that. You start yearning for a companionship that you will never have because the very label is what you can ever be: a friend.

Doesn’t seem so simple now, no? Well, it’s only complicated when you let it become so. Here are a few things that you should remember so you don’t end up losing:

IRON OUT THE RULES. Talk to your partner and make sure you’re both on the same page. Nothing like a formal signing of a contract or anything, just make sure that you’re getting what you need from one another and that no one expects more than what the other can give.

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE AND KNOW YOUR PLACE. None of that getting jealous, getting extra clingy. After all, it’s that lack of commitment and feelings that you wanted. You should be willing to withhold that from your partner as well.

DRAW A LINE. Define the signs you should look for that would indicate that it’s time to stop the whole FWB dynamic.

The development of feelings is a pretty obvious one but try to think of other scenarios that could lead to potential problems in the future.

So there you go. A kind of rundown of stuff about having Friends with Benefits. Aren’t you glad someone finally wrote about this?

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 31

ECHOES

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE MUSCLE

BY ANONYMOUS

HO HO HO Happy holidays, indeed

What do you get when you put one Chinese Chairperson, three VCs, Friday commeets and

a 36-inch pizza together? That’s right! You get the Sports Committee! At the start of his term, Lance Timothy Lim, the Sports Committee Chairperson, gave us a glimpse of what could be a promising year for the lifeless committee. He talked about increasing fitness awareness, applicant and member participation in sporting activities, and most importantly, he promised us about motivating his members to greater heights. What has happened to this committee then, a committee that was built on promoting an active lifestyle for the student body?

Over the years, the Sports Committee has always been in charge of promoting the physical well-being of the members of the UP Economics Society. Attached to that, the committee is very well known for having less active members and apparently, a “patapon” atmosphere. Funny isn’t it? We are always in search of a group of influential people, looking to promote the one thing that we may 32 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

FEATURES

be subtly lacking in our lives, and yet, they fail (and fail miserably) in doing this for us. Truth be told, maybe there is no point in keeping this committee after all.

Let’s start with the basics. For one, commeets are held every Tuesday lunch time with the knowledge of the members of course. The Sports Committee followed this rule, and what did they get? Around three members attending, and nope, these were not even the Vice Chairpersons! When Lance landed with the position, he wanted to motivate his members into being the most active members of this organization. Maybe it was his timid nature or the fact that he doesn’t even talk that much that has brought the demise of the attendance of his members.

What an embarrassment! Looking for a solution to this, he decided to move his commeets to Friday afternoons. The result?

Around ten to fifteen people come… because of the pizza that one usually sees when passing by.

Events such as MBA, Sports Cup and workshops are all handled by the Sports Committee. They are in-charge of making sure that applicants and members alike attend these events, and that everything will go on as smooth as possible. As a matter of fact, I actually commend the committee for innovating new ways to pull the whole organization back into their own vision. They came up with some events that captured the interest of the members, but looking into detail, it’s highly important to take note who were the ones actually involved in planning them. A source told me that it was always the same set of people who would help in making these events, and not surprisingly, around more than half of the committee would just be busy with their own lives. Talk about unity and camaraderie.

And oh, did you know that they already had a workshop? It was the one that was in partnership with the School of Economics Student Council, and do you know the number of members who attended? Four.

Now, we can’t really determine why the trend has always been this way for the Sports Committee. It was created on the basis that sports always had a way into the lives of the members.

What is actually the truth? Was it just made to fill in another committee for the organization, or maybe it was the fallback committee of the most inactive members of the UP Economics Society? The reality now is that we can’t be serious about the plans of this committee solely because its members are not even in line with it. They are heading into a serious black hole where a twenty to thirty-member team will spiral down to just one or two. It is shameful, and the numbers just don’t lie. In the UP Economics Society Constitution, it is stated that our mission is that to “mould our members into citizens who not only strive for societal advancement but also inspire others to do the same.” What then is the use of the members of this committee if they can’t even simply follow (or at least attend to) the demands of promoting a “physical and mental well-being a member is capable of unleashing,” as taken from the GPOA of its passive chairperson. Sadly, nothing will happen if we are led by these kinds of people – people who are too relaxed that they only care less about the welfare of this committee.

What then is the next move of our dear Sports Chairperson?

How will he carry on the load and lead his committee to greater heights? You must know that complacency should not be the case just because you have executed a number of events, whether that event was a success or not. Your first term draws to a close, and we are still looking for that drive from your committee for us to say you have done a good job. Time is ticking, and you will only have one more term to prove to us that the Sports Committee is of equal importance with the rest of the committees of this organization. Like what you said, “motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going.”

Show us that motivation.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 33

ECHOES

The Anthropology Behind the Friendzone (No Gurlz Alawd)

by Derek Parreñas Sidenote: Damn, it feels wonderful to write about the sorts of things I wrote about in

Echoes when I was a freshman. I don’t know about you, but those researched sort or Ecosoc-centric type articles really were so tedious to write… Not that this article isn’t researched—it still has some semblance of research, I guess. I conduct research with what is given me every day of my life. I would say it’s in the same level as the stuff evolutionary biologist venerable-great-leader-of-atheistnation Richard Dawkins puts out, namely pseudoscience. Or—I know—go ask an anthropologist about it. I’m relying on pop-culture history and a load of Monster energy drink for this one. First one, not really made up, I think and the second is false. Or vice-versa.

(Oooh, mystery. Just kidding.)

Also—I’m not sure but—this may as well make butt-hurt feminists out there. Better safe than sorry, but if you’re butt-hurt, that’s too bad. Although I really don’t think it is offensive, but then again, in this day and age, anything could be considered offensive.

W

hen I was little (like around twelve—okay, not so little), I listened to this song called Pare Ko by the Eraserheads. It was one of their famous songs, and I actually knew the lyrics to the song, even if it was in Filipino. All my other friends knew the lyrics. Especially when you’re still a rebellious pubescent kid who wants to shout tangina with a reason. I never really understood what the song meant at that time; I thought it was about some guy falling in love with his guy-friend. Years of my life went by, and lo and behold, I was in college. And that’s when I understood what the song meant.

I don’t really know how such a term or concept evaded me for the longest time. My naïve mind probably thought that even if guys and girls were friends, you just press some button then, poof, they become lovers! But apparently, they created a television show about it. They created memes about it. This was some sort of problem man has had for ages—in contemporary history— and it evaded me. How that happened, I really don’t know. It was probably watching too much Discovery Channel shows about homicide. But that’s not important! So somewhere from high school to college, I magically morphed into a Bruno and I found out what the friendzone was.

34 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

Hold up, let’s take that image of Bruno for a second (Don’t worry, I spoke to him about referencing him in this article). What are Bruno’s qualities? He’s sweet, sensitive, a bit soft (especially around the edges), and a die-hard romantic. He’s always there to comfort you, and he’ll always be by your side. Those are amazing qualities. He’ll be there even if it’s tough. He’s like the hero girls deserve, but not the hero they need right now. A dependable man.

Do you think not being Lance Lim or that dude-whose-body-ismade-of-hamburgers should belong in this description? Maybe you do, but I don’t. There are guys that are waaaaay out of shape than Bruno, but get as much action as James Bond.

Let’s juxtapose Bruno with someone who gets a lot of action—James Bond (I don’t know anyone in Ecosoc who does). Or let’s make it more true to life, and since I watched Rush recently, James Hunt, the one-time Formula 1 champion and playboy extraordinaire. Here is a guy who apparently slept—in real life— with the nurse (who he just met in the hospital), some other driv-

FEATURES er’s wife, and even the flight stewardess (Watching all this made me think about how sad it was that these women were reduced to their sexual capacities—and also they’re the very same people putting prostitutes out of work). In the movie, James Hunt said something along the lines of “I have a theory why women like racing drivers... It's not because they respect what we do, driving round and round in circles. Mostly they think that's pathetic and they're probably right.” He even admits that what he does is pathetic yet girls are drawn to him. He goes on to realize in the same monologue that it may as well be the racecar driver’s closeness to death that draws women to him, the same closeness to death that makes him truly feel the blood pumping through his veins. Now compared to his rival—or Bruno—, James Hunt’s qualities are very different. He’s assertive, he’s reckless, he never hesitates, he’s wild. He’s not at all very dependable, really, and all the characters in the movie (including his friends) say that about him. But he’s got charm and good-looks, so who needs dependability, when the man’s plan is to sow his seed?

-tems were complementary, if they were—God forbid—siblings, and other things).

So do you think you know what I’m getting at with everything I said? Nope. It has absolutely nothing to do with the greatest hunter or whatever. Every man was a hunter and they all picked wives (or sexual partners, if love really is a modern concept), one after the other. A man’s worth back then was how much food he could bring back to the tribe, and if they couldn’t bring back any food or if they couldn’t hunt, well I doubt any woman would want to eat nothing. Still not the main point.

With hunting as the dominant occupation of men back in the Paleolithic Age (Because really, what other job could they do to get food? Paint on walls?), the level of risk in hunting, and the 1,990,000 years of that culture of men on the hunt, it has been ingrained in women to look for that James Hunt, the assertive, reckless, never-hesitating, wild, and most of all, unreliable man. All those qualities were found in hunters. Being assertive led to being steps ahead of the prey. Being reckless led to the Now let’s move back in time, way back, before anyone knew unpredictable tactics the prey would not foresee. Never hesitatanything about sowing seeds and agriculture. I’m talking about ing led to a decisive kill. Being wild was, well, because culture the Paleolithic period or Old Stone Age, when we (or our ances- wasn’t tweaked as much as it is today. And being unreliable? No tors) lived in caves, you know, like cavemen. This is also the one really wants to be unreliable. But in an occupation with a lot longest period in humanity’s history, ranging from what archae- of risk, you could never tell when you were going to become a ologists would debate as 2 million years ago until 40,000-10,000 meal for Fluffy. Being unreliable was a symptom of the hunt. The years ago. When you really think about it, that length of time is women knew that there were huge chances of the men not comlonger than the Madonna’s entire career, and Madonna has been ing back from the hunt, and they eventually got accustomed to around since forever (the 80s, for those that don’t know). That was it, ingrained in the collective mindset and genetics of humanity. literally billions of generations of tiny families, especially since Hence, they look for that “closeness to death” that makes their back then, if you reached thirty, you’re practically ancient. When hearts race. That is what this anthropological model (ignoring you compare that to written history’s 10,000-5,000 years (since all other things, like of course, looks, or genetics, or love) about there is the Neolithic Period), you realize that what we know is Paleolithic hunters tells us. nothing. Now in that time period, humans could only forage and If you’re the opposite of the hunter, hence, very reliable, you hunt for the only important scarce resource back then, food. Back in the day, people hunted Mastodons and whatnot for food, sort make women’s hearts beat steady and women tend to effeminize you. They see you as one of them, more so if you’re not built of like Ice Age or the greatest historically-accurate documentary like a caveman, like my buddy Luigi here. There’s nothing wrong that is 10,000 BC. Recalling all sorts of semi-serious pop-culture with you, really. You’re just friendzone-able, according to cultural, stuff regarding the Old Stone Age (except The Flintstones be- social, and biological constructs determined hundreds of thoucause I didn’t bother watching that), mega-fauna or as they say sands of years ago. But fret not, there’s a reason why you exist, in zooarchaeology, big-ass mothafuckin’ mammals, existed. Oh friendzoned or not. In a shorter span of time (maybe not enough you know, the ancestors of seals, dogs, cats, pigs, hamsters, and to completely eradicate our Old Stone Age collective culture), other cute modern animals, except they’re huge and they look beer was made, and people said “Hey, let’s just plant this stuff like they’ve just heard Miley Cyrus’s latest songs and are out to in the ground and collect animals.” Surpluses were had, empires kill her. Or any human prancing out and about from the cave. were built, genocide was committed, and refined culture came You know what I’m getting at right? Hunting and foraging was about. Men didn’t have to be simply hunters anymore, money dangerous business, because aside from the fact that whatever was created, religions were established, phallic monuments they were hunting could actually kill the hunters, they were also were created, and pederasty flourished in Greece. Clothing developed, famines made fatness sexy, absolutist regimes became being hunted as well. passé, and people began to have enough time to create a conFor some reason, hunting was usually given as a duty to cept known as love. Agricultural revolutions were made, fatness men, and whatever that reason was, you feminists out there can became a problem, gyms were established, more phallic monugo ahead and explain that for us (please remember to exclude ments began springing up, and feminism came about. Eugenics any biological differences between men and women and remem- didn’t go as planned, morality has changed, your parents got ber to include domestic violence). Remembering all sorts of de- married, the Eraserheads formed, Friends was created, Facebook pictions of caveman culture, whoever youth felled the beast or was made, and you’re reading this. You may not be aware of it, but was the best hunter could take first pick at a wife, picking usually you’re sitting on top of billions of carcasses, just so that you can the most fertile of the women. Now, in my book, or maybe their read this thing. You’re sitting on top of hunters, emperors, warbook—culture, because books didn’t exist yet, silly—that was a riors, artists, public officials, prophets, architects, philosophers, good combination, wide hips indicating fertility plus whoever tailors, aristocrats, revolutionaries, poets, scientists, body-builders, engineers, feminists, racists, religious figures, mothers and was the most valuable hunter would produce children who had fathers, musicians, actors, and Harvard-graduates (or not graduthe best genes in the tribe (but of course there are so many other ates). They all found someone and, well, they weren’t all hunters, complications in genetics, such as if the couple’s immune sys- now were they?

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 35

ECHOES

WHY YOU’RE HARDWIRED TO STEREOTYPE

BY JOSEN GUERRERO

IT’S ABOUT AS FUNDAMENTAL TO ALL OF US HUMAN BEINGS AS THE VERY ACT OF EXPERIENCING REALITY. The conscious mind is one that is fueled

by perception. Every waking second is a flow of information from the external world into the inner environment of your mind. In here, it’s processed and analyzed in various ways.

But how does all this become of use for the active survival of your body? What your mind must do is to form ideas, find patterns, make connections, make distinctions…discriminate.

All the natural tendencies, inclinations, dispositions, and conditions that you have can ultimately be traced back to evolution. This is where they all began. Clearly, the distinctive feature that allowed the earliest considerable Homo sapiens to thrive was their highly developed brains. Otherwise, they’d simply have been fragile and exposed creatures.

Naturally from among the early humans, it was those who were born with thehealthier and more sophisticated brains that survived more - and so reproduced more. Thus, the average human gradually becamemore and more critical and analytical – naturally inclined to find patterns, make inferences, and draw conclusions from anything and everything around.

So everything that we humans gradually developed was for the better, in general. Accordingly, the increasingly analytical brain applied itself to social interactions and relations as well.

During the primitive era, it wasn’t only important for you to simply “appreciate the differencesbetween everyone,” you had to find patterns and make sorts of associations. You had to be good at identifying the common characteristics between well-off groups and the ill-fated.

This way you were better off. And guess what? It still is.

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However, with everyone busy in search of food and protecting themselves from predators, you didn’t exactly have all the time in the world to get to know everyone. Thus, you had to be good at, for example, quickly identifying whether someone was hostile or friendly - making do with what you knew. Hence, the psychological inclination causing what is known as “stereotyping” developed. It wasn’t always perfect, but it was the most logical thing to do back then.

You may, however, be probably wondering how it could be relevant bringing up a subject such as “stereotyping” in your 21st century context. Isn’t that just so “early 20th century and before?” Haven’t we learned to push past any instinctive disdain for entire races and consider their rights as human beings? It may certainly be said that discriminating and stereotyping at a widespread, political, and drastic level is beyond most of the world at this present day of ours. However, what this article is keen to expound on is a much less harsh and much more subtle form of stereotyping on other people. You may commonly know it by the term “labeling.” Again, this is not something wrong or disadvantageous in itself.As humans, we have to find patterns, make distinctions, and categorize things in order to thrive. That is why we have evolved with this inclination. much like labeling in academic or work related contexts per se. It takes the form of simple words (usually nouns) that carry connotations with them describing the character or disposition of the person.

Labeling in the social relations context is These can range from dismissible to extremely positive or negative implications. You’re probably familiar with “conyo” for example. When people from other colleges in UP

say that most of the people from the School of Economics are “conyo”,they don’t just mean that most of the people are from the upper half of the wealth classes. They also mean that most of the peoplelove to flaunt their wealth through high-end brands, are extremely sheltered, and are not too fluent in Filipino. Now they obviously have some basis in making these judgments, and these may be rational approximations to make based on their interactions. But when they forget that these are just approximations, and that’s when they become wrong.

When someone is conclusively labeled without enough specific basis, that person becomes oversimplified.

And it is precisely when oversimplification happens that labeling becomes bad.

Again, it’s important to remember that this originates from a time when the cost of potential inaccuracies from snap judgments was outweighed by the benefits of security and health. Overall, it was better for you to have such mental inclinations back then. By now, you may probably be wondering what these mental inclinations are, specifically. Since we’re dealing with the mind here, shouldn’t psychologists have done some studies on this by now? The answer to that question is “yes”; they have legitimate terms both for what causes the faulty oversimplification to happen and what causes it to persist.

Apart from the social context that we grow up in and all the interactions/ influences we receive from other people, psychologists have determined that our tendency to oversimplify (hence, stereotype) is something innate.

Say hello to the “illusory correlation” belief bias, also known as thinking “correlation always equals causation.” If you saw two of your orgmates get into a bit of a fight and then noticed their always separate times of hanging at the tambayan, this would be responsible for you jumping to the conclusion that they’re avoiding each other – instead of maybe different class hours. This line of thought can directly lead to oversimplification. It’s a defect in our constant efforts to find patterns and make sense of the world around. Good economists are familiar with avoiding this misconception when handling their work with statistics. If you want to avoid making mistakes in social relations, you’ll have to have to strive for a similar mentality.

Next, say hello to the “fundamental attribution error” social bias, also known as the “correspondence bias.”

This basically states that we all naturally have the tendency to place much greater emphasis on our understanding of people’s characteristics as opposed to other external factors when trying to explain their behavior. It’s quite similar to illusory correlation, only more specific. If two of your friends were very “compatible” with each other and you saw them walking together, this would be responsible for you concluding that they’re doing that because they like each other. This would make you look past other possibilities like them coming from the same class. Again, this can cause you to oversimplify their behavior.

None of those ideas, however, is likely to give you an epiphany. In all likelihood, you’ve probably thought or heard of

FEATURES

similar versions in the past. You’ve also probably once tried to fix them, but that didn’t really have a lasting effect. Apparently, that isn’t too surprising as it turns out that you’re also psychologically structured to persist in undertaking these things. We all have what are called “schema.” These are basically the frameworks and lenses that our minds use to view and understand the world with. Accordingly, you try to fit everything you come across within your framework and are unsettled by things that don’t easily fit. Not only do you prefer a simpler explanation for everything, you could be moved to oversimplify sometimes just to keep peace in mind.

For instance, you may believe that only people whom you are smarter than would grow feelings for and like you.

When instance where someone clearly smarter than you begins showing all the signs of liking you, however, you’d naturally try to figure out every other logical explanation for that person’s behavior toward you other than that one which doesn’t fit with your schema. You can also couple this with what’s called the “confirmation bias,” which basically describes our tendency to select and focus on only the things which prove our align to our beliefs/schema. You have in all likelihood, done this in many different aspects in your life by now. It allows you to feel good by focusing your attention on what fits your schema – like focusing on the positive stories of crystal meth if ever you get into that stuff.

At the bottom line, although we really are evolutionarily hardwired to stereotype or label, it does not imply you must simply let it be. Far from the situations of our cave-dwelling ancestors, you now have the time, safety, and security to really get to know people more. It isn’t of urgent necessity anymore to make snap judgments or sweeping statements. Although you’re stuck with them, it doesn’t mean you can’t constantly make up for it. It’s certainly granted that struggling to overcome psychological tendencies to help improve and make progress in your and other people’s lives. However, one must always take the proper first step. In this context, such would be your awareness and acceptance of such defects.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 37

ECHOES

APP STATS

Let us get to know the APPvengers more with these interesting and not-so-interesting tidbits about their lives!

What year level are you in?

1st – 23 2nd – 2

What was your block when you were a freshie?

E1 – 7 E2 – 4 E4 – 2 E5 – 3 E6 – 3 E7 – 3 E9 – 1 Blockless – 1 Transferee – 1

How are old are you now?

16 - 8 17 - 11 18 - 5 19 - 1

Upon answering the UPCAT application form, what was the first course you chose?

BAA – 8 BA – 1 BE – 8 Econ – 6 Chem Engg – 1 Biology - 1

What is your gender/ sexuality?

Straight Male – 11 Straight Female/Girlaloo - 13 Homosexual – 1

In a relationship?

Single – 11 “Single and forever alone” - 1 “Happily single since forever” - 1 Taken - 9 “Taken for granted kaya maghahan ap na ng bago” - 1 “In a messed up relationship” - 1 With God (Writer’s note: not the

member, I THINK) - 1 38 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

How far have you gone?

1st base - 4 2nd base - 2 3rd base - 2 Handshake – 1 HHWW – 3 Hug – 9 “Gentlemen don’t kiss and tell” – 1 “etc etc” – 1 “Quite far, very malayo” – 1 (Note: Same guy who answered in a relationship with God) “Secret ;D” – 1

What is one superpower you would like to have for a day?

Flight – 1 Hyperspeed – 3 Invisibility – 4 Make you fall in love – 1 Mind-reading – 3 Seeing people naked – 1 Super Strength – 1 Telekinesis/Telepathy – 3 Teleportation – 3 Time manipulation – 3 “Unlimited kain ng di tataba” – 1 Unprecedented pheromones – 1

Who is your favorite superhero?

Aquaman – 1 Batman – 3 Captain America – 1 Finn the Human – 1 Flash – 1 Loki – 1 Black Widow – 1 Iron Man – 3 Mom and Dad – 1 PalaMan – 1 Power Puff Girls – 2 (Editor’s note: Maybe they consider PPG as a package?)

Quiksilver – 1 Security Guard – 1 Spawn – 1 Spiderman – 3 Thor – 1 Wonder Woman – 1

FEATURES Who is the most attractive person in your app batch?

Who is the least approachable member in Ecosoc

Benjie Gana – 2 Bianca Kit –4 Jay Cervantes – 1 Juancho – 1 Mayumi – 1 “Me” – 2 Ryan Alba – 6 Thea Morales – 1 Ynna Rubia – 2 None - 5

Ars – 1 Cha – 1 Ines – 1 Josh Madarang – 1 Marte – 1 Porn – 2 Raffy – 1 Sam Gonzales – 3 Stef Go – 1 Telle – 1 None/scared to answer truthfully - 12

Who is the most approachable member in Ecosoc?

Who is the most attractive member in Ecosoc?

Ayi Dave – 1 Botan Belen – 1 Cara Latinazo – 2 Carlo Fernandez – 1 Jomac Conty – 7 (Writer’s note: KASINUNGALINGAN) Klaud Moreno – 1 Kyla Rivera – 2 Lance Lim – 4 Lyon Leus – 2 Monina Sanchez – 1 Paolo Anonuevo – 1 “Chinito” – 1 Xian Lim – 1 (Writer’s note: I’m guessing XP Damian?)

Ars – 1 “Ate” Carmel – 7 Jamby – 1 Jomac – 1 Josh Madarang – 1 Jude – 1 Kyanne Famadico – 1 Lyon – 2 Mark Bue – 1 Marte – 1 Migs Dela Cruz – 4 Mix – 1 Poncho – 1 (Writer’s note: KASINUNGALINGAN) Voz/Boz - 1

Any Ecosoc event/s you have attended before this semester?

Grand Battle Royale – 2 LARP – 1 LIV – 2 Foodgasm – 1 Career Talk – 1 NYC – 3 Symposiums – 1 None – 14

NOTE: 25 of the 36 apps this semester answered this survey

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 39

ECHOES

Bromances Are the Best (Non-Romantic) Relationships

by Orion Besabe

Before we begin, I’d like to make it clear that everything in context refers to bromances.

So if there is something quite peculiar or maybe something you’d disagree on, feel free to. My relationship with bros may be different from yours, but I’m pretty sure they share some similarities.

The main purpose of this article is to shed light on what a bromance is, at least in my opinion.

There are more women than there are men in the world, and that is a fact. Yet some-

how, it seems as though I live in a world which has more guys than there is women. It could’ve been due to the fact that I studied in an exclusive all boys’ school where women were limited to only cafeteria salesladies, a lady chapel caretaker, and the notorious lady guard. By then, as early as grade school, I was already sharing my life with men, or in this case other boys. You play, eat, and talk with them, in short my interaction was very limited and girls seemed non-existent. But, as every guy will agree, girls will and definitely be thrown into the mix (somehow, someway, Ever since I could remember, the presence of dudes has consistently shaped and defined me as a person. Unfortunately for some of us who don’t have a significant other to run to in times of need and affection, there’ll be those friendships where we can find comfort in. Our bromances.

Let me start by saying I am grateful and will forever be to my bromantic friendships. There’s no argument needed, these are THE friends and as the name suggests, your bros, your brothers.

When out with our guy friends, we don’t feel the need to impress, that is usually reserved for the ladies. As such we act like total fools around each other. Last slice of pizza—it will always be mine! Bad words, curses, and teases are thrown at each other as naturally as we breathe. You might see me acting a fool with Jomac or Derek, and some other guys. That is be40 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

cause of my unique and individual mode of self-expression. Whether I am hugging them or teasing them occasionally—rather often, it is only because I know that they are fine with it.

It is true that we feel most comfortable with our bros. We no longer have to worry about looking suave or grand, we can afford to be our silliest with our bros.

As previously mentioned I can be at my most outrageous and they wouldn’t really give a shit, because they know who I am exactly and accept me. Kenneth Ralph, from the moment we were introduced and laid eyes on each other, I knew our foundation would be built on solid gags and laughter. I ask you, has there ever been

laughter. I ask you, has there ever been a day or moment we shared which didn’t end up with us just kidding around? But hey, they’re absolutely magical and I appreciate them. It is also in this strange behavior guys have with each other where they can feel at ease with each other and develop a closer friendship, for friendships aren’t always a thing of immaculate beauty but something pure, brute, and uncompromisingly truthful with nothing to hide. Of course, all our relationships with everyone MUST be based on truth, no less.

FEATURES Conversations with Rino usually end up in either disagreements or agreements on a matter which isn’t really too important but somehow become too much big of a deal to overlook. Conversations which we take for granted yet interestingly become the foundation of a lasting relationship. And PauBau, how often did we share moments of fun and laughter just talking about cars and clothes? Not to forget all the more important heart-to-hearts.

How many times have you asked that bro of yours for a drink after the girl of your dreams has regretfully or painfully rejected your approaches? Or who was that person who convinced you in the first place to go for it when you well knew she was just an absolute goddess? Who was he, that gave you the confidence and wanted nothing but the best for his bro even if it meant his own suffering through jealousy? But really, it was all in the spirit of giving and care for your bro. This may sound strange and undesirable, but dude, how is it that after all this time your closest friends seem to be dudes as well? As much as you may like your so called “bestfriend” to be a girl, it just cannot happen.

A friendship between a man and a woman will always be filled with both glory and bitterness (especially if one of you finds the other attractive, but if both of you do— well that’s a different topic, just consider yourself lucky). That is not to say that a man and a woman cannot be just friends, it is just close to impossible. But with your bros, it is just faultless. Aside from you guys sharing the same interests and talking about all the other foolishness only guys get, bromances are the perfect avenue for lasting friendships. To argue, that cause for bitterness is already out of the equation—attraction. Now don’t go philosophizing and ask what if you’re bisexual; again that is not the case I’m writing on.

Granted that both of you are completely hetero, you will never have that risk of actually falling in love with your bro. It is in this boundary that your friendship is explicitly stated and you know your relationship cannot progress further. Odd isn’t it, that you’ve somehow become so close and yet feel it is already enough while removing the possibility of complications

usually reserved with women. That said, truthfulness and respect will play a huge part in the bromance. Again, this is limited to your bros being completely hetero, any deviation from this is another story.

Many would argue that they’ve hit the jackpot if their best friend is a woman.

I disagree completely. As much as we’d enjoy the company of women and that they always be on our side, bros will and always be the best of friends. We bros don’t really have the time to think about this other guy as our possible friend, similar to the context of choosing our match.

For instance, when looking for a girlfriend, we take it upon ourselves to choose that which will give us incredulous amounts of love, argue us much as you can that sometimes love just happens but really, love at first sight still will develop! And we guys always choose, as we maintain an ideal.

But it’s not the same for our guy friends.

They just sort of happen, not in a romantic way but due to a shared belief and certain similar happenings in a guy’s life which somehow transcend in every guy. Lance Lim, to single you out. I love you, bro! How often do you get a friend who shares common experiences and life thoughts? Having had the opportunity to know my man better, made our bromance all the more

“

Women always argue, “all guys are the same”—in such a bad context. But maybe it also explains why men get along so fine. worth it. As an example, I am able to open up to Lance. No questions asked. Trust and compassion, our friendship is certainly one to cherish. How I remember that one time after the Lantern Parade, when we just talked (fuck all of you, before any of you gets excited, we just talked) about anything and everything. Tears may have been shed (along with bursts of heartfelt emotions and desires) to let the other know what is going on in his head. Anyway, the point is you dirty minded reader is I’m able to share feelings, thoughts, and ideals to Lance—my bro. There’s just no substitute.

Women always argue, “all guys are the same”—in such a bad context. But maybe it also explains why men get along so fine. We often think the same way, with common interests and the same habits.

By having some form of shared personality, we get to be in unison with our male friends.

Attraction, as I see it, always seems to be the culprit of failed friendships between men and women. I am yet to fully understand the proceedings between men and women, and I certainly don’t wish to. I am completely fine with having my best friend being a dude. Those who may have female best friends, I truly envy you. Although I am pretty sure that you have that ulterior motive to marry her. In any case, it is still worth having a bromance. The joy and simplicity of a relationship that is sure to last a lifetime, always count me in.

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TAGGED

WORDS BY SAMANTHA GONZALES PHOTOS BY CARA LATINAZO AND BIANCA KIT

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ECHOES

Six words, six truths. It’s time to get to know this guy beyond the labels.

It seemed fairly easy at first, to ask Zo Canaria three words associated with him that are to be proved false, and three to describe him accurately, but it took him about thirty minutes and a bunch of conversations about supercool Rogue Magazine covers to actually pin them down. Why was it so hard for him to describe himself in clever titles is understandable, especially for someone with a personality that escapes oneliners. But it had to be done because, hey, I know how short the attention span of the average reader is.

WRONG: BITCH

Time and again, he says, he’s been known as that straightforward bitch. While it is true that he is one of those people who 44 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

will not be afraid to call you out on those un-cuffed trousers or faulty strategies, it’s all with the intent of improving what he sees. It’s constructive criticism delivered in witty packages.

He believes that he doesn’t say things to bring people down, but to see change happen. Sometimes it’s hard to hear the truth when it comes from other people, but Zo isn’t afraid to tell you all of it. And he’s probably not going to stop even if you call him a bitch.

NERD

Springing from his high school years at De Lasalle Araneta University, he’s apparently been called a “nerd” because of his previous look (thick glasses, giant polos, and stereotypically skinny), and well, he did get into UP. Funnily enough, this isn’t true – he simply is one of those people who worry about grades

FEATURES

CORRECTAMUNDO: LOUD

See, I did my research! Perhaps the most obvious, or at least top-of-mind description most people attribute to Zo is his loudness. And it’s true. He is loud and energetic. And while there is a side of him that yearns for solitude, there is also a side that loves interacting with people. In a room full of Ecosocers (or just plain old people), you’re sure to hear his infectious laugh or funny side comments – that is, if he’s not hosting or performing. But maybe it goes beyond just being loud and actually extends to enjoying life and the people in it.

LOVER

Whether it’s romantic or platonic or passionate, Zo goes on to admit that he is in love. It’s the love that goes beyond the

(close enough to be “GC”) and complain about grades but secretly out his attention elsewhere. Whatever works, works, I guess. Well, we’ve all been there. Today, he walks around with his horn-rimmed glasses, shaved head, and stylish ensembles.

No trace of nerd here.

EXTROVERT

Alright, hang on, hang on, don’t dismiss this part as invalid.

We’ll get to the other side later. You read that correctly. There is a side of Zo unseen. It’s his need for solitude and reflection.

When the mingling is done, he makes it a point to allocate alone time – to think, to question, to philosophize. He is quiet and meditative and serene as much as he is known to be loud and open. He is quiet when he gets into private talks and intimate life talks with his friends. It’s something that “the public” may not be quite aware of, but then again, there are many things we aren’t aware of but are still true.

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FEATURES

attraction and stays during the ugly times – when it’s not all roses and honey. It’s the love that grows as he grows, and matures because he chooses to mature. He is a lover, of a person, of people, of life, of his work. He is a lover, and when he loves he commits all that he is to the thing that he loves. He pushes for greatness because he wants the things he loves to be great. He says, again and again that he is the type of person who, whatever it is that he does, needs to do everything he can in the best way possible. And what is that but love?

AFRAID

When you give all of yourself to something, or become open about yourself to a lot of people, or become intimate and close with a chosen few, or dare to tell the truth, being afraid cannot be avoided. Zo acknowledges fear to be a part of his life. He is afraid, of course, of putting himself out there, of committing himself to people and things, and work, and deals with this fear all the time. He knows it’s there inside him. He knows it’s there everyday. And yet, despite it, we see a seemingly fearless Zo ready to take the world on – beyond the words flung at him, beyond the fear that lingers, beyond the labels.

Zo lives with his parents and a sibling called Leemwell. His home is in Caloocan. He has six Google accounts synced on his various devices, including Yen Cruz’s on his desktop at home. And his favorite Rogue Magazine cover (and/or editorial) is the one with Anne Curtis in Paris. But, we could’ve talked about all those details without actually getting to know him. We needed to talk about the silly stuff to get into the real things. And even if we’ve conveniently picked six words to publish about Zo Canaria, there’s just so much more about him we don’t know. But then again, you can ask him yourself if you’re wrong or right about him, I’m sure.

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The Sociology of Gossip

BY MARTIN CONSING

Gossip is the world’s second oldest profession. It’s as ubiquitous as air. Every day of your life here in

UP, you hear gossip in some form, whether it’s about a someone in your circle of friends, rumors on the upcoming USC elections, or celebrity news. Yet despite its ever-presence, it’s so common to find people with a disdain for gossip. An Ecosocer had once quipped to me, “If people don’t talk about you in Ecosoc, that’s actually a good thing.

Otherwise, you’re screwed.” Prior to my time in Echoes, there was once a column dedicated purely for gossip. When I asked former EIC Derek Parreñas what happened, he said, “People were getting hurt, so we discontinued it.”

So here’s the main question: Are we better off without gossip?

Idle talk at work is discouraged almost universally. From commeets to genmeets to GAs, gossip is perceived as unprofessional and unproductive—yet it persists. Why? According to the psychologists DiFonzo and Bordia in their book “Rumor Psychology”, gossip in the workplace performs five specific functions in the workplace:

3. Breaks existing bonds by ostracizing individuals within an organization.

4. Enhances one's social status/power/prestige within the organization.

5. Inform individuals as to what is considered socially acceptable behavior within the organization..

In “Toward a Model of Gossip and Power in the Workplace,” managing 1. Helps individuals learn social in- experts Kurkland and Pelled attempted formation about other individuals in to categorize the potential of gossip the organization (often without even as a tool for exerting and accumulahaving to meet the other individual). ting power. To them workplace gos2. Builds social networks of individu- sip can be very serious depending als by bonding co-workers together upon the amount of power that the and affiliating people with each other. gossiper has over the recipient, 50 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

which will in turn affect how the gossip is interpreted. There are four types of power that are influenced by gossip:

Coercive: when a gossiper tells negative information about a person, their recipient might believe that the gossiper will also spread negative information about them. This causes the gossipers coercive power to increase.

Reward: when a gossiper tells positive information about a person, their recipient might believe that the gossiper will also spread positive information about them. This causes the gossipers reward power to increase.

FEATURES Expert: when a gossiper seems to have very detailed knowledge of either the organization's values or about others in the work environment, their expert power becomes enhanced.

ally comments on how appropriate a behavior was, and the mere act of repeating it signifies its importance.In this sense, gossip is effective regardless of whether it is positive or negative. Some theorists have proposed that gossip is Referent: this power can either be actually a pro-social behavior intended reduced OR enhanced to a point. When to allow an individual to correct their people view gossiping as a petty activity socially prohibitive behavior without done to waste time, a gossipers refer- direct confrontation of the individual. ent power can decrease along with their By gossiping about an individual’s acts, reputation. When a recipient is thought other individuals can subtly indicate that of as being invited into a social cir- said acts are inappropriate and allow cle by being a recipient, the gossip- the individual to correct their behavior. ers referent power can increase, but Informal networks through which only to a high point where then the recipient begins to resent the gossiper. communication occurs in an organization are sometimes called the grapeBecause of gossip’s nature in the vine. In a study done by communication workplace as a tool of power, it inevita- researchers Harcourt, Richerson, and bly becomes a tool of conflict between Wattier, it was found that middle individuals of power. Management pro- managers in several different organifessionals Turner and Weed theorized zations believed that gathering inforin their work “Conflict Organizations” mation via gossip was a much betthat among the three main types of ter way of learning information than responders to workplace conflict are through formal communication with attackers who cannot keep their feel- their subordinates. It is here that the ings to themselves and express their primary characteristic and source of feelings by attacking whatever they power for gossip is revealed: anonycan. Attackers are further divided mity. Under the aegis of anonyminto up-front attackers and behind- ity, the fear of repercussions for the the-back attackers (gossipers). Turn- dissemination of an ugly, preferer and Weed note that the latter "are ably unknown truth is mitigated. difficult to handle because the target I’ve been talking about gossip as person is not sure of the source of any criticism, nor even always sure that it exists in the white-collar workplace, there is criticism." Thus, gossip be- a setting that’s only been around since comes a guerilla style tactic of waging the twentieth century, but gossip itself war in the workplace, whether the inten- has been attributed to the formation tion is to undermine, sabotage, or other- of civilization itself. According to wise act as a detriment towards an British anthropologist Robin Dunbar, gossip originated to help bond individual. the groups that were constantly growIt is possible however, that there may ing in size. To survive, individuals be illegal, unethical, or disobedient need alliances; but as these alliances behavior happening at the workplace grew larger, it was difficult, if not and this may be a case where report- impossible, to physically connect with ing the behavior may be viewed as everyone. gossip. It is then left up to the authorConversation and language was able ity in charge to fully investigate the matter and not simply look past to bridge this gap. Gossip became a the report and assume it to be work- social interaction that helped the group place gossip. Thus, gossip gives infor- gain information about other individumation about social norms and als without personally speaking to them. guidelines for behavior. Gossip usu- . It enabled people to keep up with

what was going on in their social net work. It also creates a bond between the teller and the hearer, as they share information of mutual interest and spend time together. It also helps the hearer learn about another individual’s behavior and helps them have a more effective approach to their relationship. Dunbar found that 65% of conversations consist of social topics. People love talking to people about other people. Ecosoc is a prime example of this. With over two hundred members, it’s almost impossible to maintain ties with everyone directly, and so it evolved from, “Bro, how are you?” to “Have you heard about _____ lately?”

So now we come back to the original question: are we better off without gossip?

The simple answer is no because, despite our disdain for gossip, we rely on it every day of our lives. As for the question of “doesn’t it harm others?” The truth doesn’t lie in the act of gossip itself, but on the foundation of that certain piece of gossip—most pieces of gossip are based on a certain truth. A man wouldn’t be blackmailed if there were nothing with which to blackmail him, for example. Thus, we might hate gossip in the same way we might hate someone who knows all our sins.

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ECHOES

I STILL WANNA BE FRIENDS: A LETTER TO MY EX

BY ANONYMOUS

HELLO THERE, HOW ARE YOU? I AM FINE.

Before anything else, I just want you to know one thing: I miss you. I let myself miss you. I want to miss you. Because otherwise, I would hate you.

I want to hate you. But I can’t.

Do you wanna know why? Because we are still friends.

I can’t hate my friends.

After everything you’ve done to me, I really wish I hated you. But I really can’t.

I remember those nights where we would stand side by side. I would tell you my fears and I would tell you my dreams.

You would nod your head, comfort me, and reassure me. You would lie to me to make me feel important. I loved you.

I used to think of every mistake I’ve made and every suffering I’ve endured lead up to that point. And I wouldn’t have changed a thing because it led to you. You were the only star in my sky and the only dream in my mind.

But fuck you, dude.

You broke my heart and right after you said, “I still want to be friends.”

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,,

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After everything you’ve done to me, I really wish I hated you. But I really can’t.

I hate that phrase. Like what the fuck, dude?

In my opinion, that’s the worst break up phrase ever. Worse than “I still love you” and “it’s not you, it’s me”, and you wanna know why? ‘Cause it makes me anticipate seeing you whenever we hang out with our friends. We obviously can’t be friends anymore. Friends don’t momol banat (LOL jk seryoso).

Well, the worst part about it is that you’re gonna make someone feel special and loved and great and shit then you’re gonna tear them apart but not even give them the dignity to hate you because you still “want to be friends?” It’s like you’re gonna build me up all over again.

I see you all the time. And it hurts. We talk and laugh with our friends as if nothing had ever happened. And it hurts. And I’m there when you tell our friends about your new boy. And it hurts.

I try.

I really do.

I try to be friends. I try to make the same jokes we used to have and laugh the same way we used to and drink the way we used to and even kwento the same way we did. And I try really hard to be happy around you, but I just can’t sometimes.

You say a word or smile or maybe even look at me in a different way and it all comes flooding back.

It’s pretty hard to move on when I see you every day. Your face is a reminder of all the happiness you gave me but also one of how you took it away.

“I still wanna be friends.”

You suck big time. Obviously, I’d say “Yeah I still wanna be friends, too. You’re a great friend,” but shit, man…

I really miss you, friend. Because I can’t hate you.

I remember the time I met your parents. We were at Omakase after your graduation and I remember you telling me to wear nice clothes because your parents would judge me and over dinner, you made me out to be such a good guy in front of your parents and they loved me! It felt amazing being accepted by your parents. But now, when I see them in the mall or around town, I feel their gaze.

I remember playing video games with your brother while you were getting ready to go out to our next date. And I remember the nights when I would take you home after you had a wild night with your friends (#kalat). And I remember when you spent nights on my shoulder, crying because you failed a test or because your friend was being an ass.

And I loved those moments. All the sucky ones too! I especially loved the really hassle moments because they showed me that you needed me as much as I needed you. That I was something to you.

But now it sucks.

We’re still friends. But we no longer have moments like that. And seeing your face every single day is just a constant reminder of what I no longer have; of what we no longer have.

And I hate it. Because at times, you were the only person who cared. You were the only person who kept me sane. You were the only person who kept me alive. And I felt very alive when I was with you.

Anyway, I’m rambling. I really should stop writing this letter that I’m probably never going to send to you and get started on my 10 page essay that’s due tomorrow. I’ll be seeing you around our next ‘kada hangout? I’ll be looking forward to it.

(Not really).

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ECHOES

RELATIONSHIP LABELS 101

by Lyon Leus

WE EXIST IN A WORLD FILLED WITH LABELS. PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS – WE ALL ASSOCIATE THEM WITH SOME SORT OF LABEL THAT HELPS US DISTINGUISH ONE ENTITY FROM ANOTHER. HOWEVER, IN THE MODERN WORLD OF RELATIONSHIPS WHERE LINES ARE OFTEN BLURRED, NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS TO BE. WHAT DO THESE RELATIONSHIP LABELS REALLY MEAN? READ THROUGH THIS ARTICLE AND LET ME EXPLAIN SOME OF THE MORE COMMON RELATIONSHIP LABELS – AND YOU’LL FINALLY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT PEOPLE SAY AND WHAT PEOPLE MEAN.

FRIENDS

There are three possible meanings to this. Two people could have a mutual but unspoken attraction to each other, could be on the friendzone, or just friends. Talking about the third one would be boring as hell, right? So let’s discuss the first two, the second of which we’ll get to in the next item.

I’m sure a lot of you often see two people sitting together and enjoying each other’s company; although in some occasions, there is a twosome that is just inseparable, like two peas in a pod. Don’t even bother asking these people if there’s anything between them, because you’re just gonna get slapped in the face with denial.

Give pairs like this time and space. You’ll never know. One minute you might see them denying any form of attraction between them and the next, you see them making out behind the bushes. They’ll come around. Eventually.

FRIENDS (FRIENDZONED)

This is the other non-boring meaning to being friends. And the more painful one. Being friends with the person you love hurts. The longing stares and the pangs of pain whenever your friend tells you about his/her crush or relationship are just some of the painful things a person in the friendzone experiences.

Then again, the friendzone only exists because you let it. Therefore, get some balls, muster up some courage and profess your love to him/her face-to-face! The result will be uncertain, but hey, at least you got it off your chest, right? It’s better to take a risk and have a chance at happiness than to live in the world of “what ifs."

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HANGING OUT

This is code for “We’re a thing, but we hate labels.” People who say this want to keep their relationship on the downlow. Of course, couples who “hang out” have the subtlety of a hand grenade – you know those people who always sit next to each other in class? If you peek under their table, you’ll see their fingers intertwined with one another. Yup, they’re definitely a thing.

So the next time you see them, don’t bother teasing them. Just enjoy the view of two people happily in love with one another. It’s not as romantic as John Cusack bringing a boom box to Ione Skye’s house and professing his love for her, but what matters is that they’re into each other!

DATING

Ah, the only other “D” word that matters. Couples who are dating have intense mutual feelings towards each other – and they’re proud of it. You’ll see these twosomes in public, giving each other loving stares, hands linked together for the whole world to see. These pairs are in cloud nine whenever they’re together, and when they’re apart, they long to be with each other again.

Of course, they’re not officially together – at least not yet. Then again, who would bother trying to come between them? There’s nothing much anyone can say or do to bring these couples down, so just be patient – it won’t be long before the anticipated change in relationship status happens.

TAKING A BREAK

When couples fight a lot, eventually, one of them gets tired and offers to take a break. That could mean one of two things: one, they might really just need a break or two, a person (or maybe both of them?) is looking for an easy way out of the relationship.

It’s often the second one. A lot of people shy away from confrontation, so they try to break up with their partners as gently as possible. Sometimes, their partners don’t even know they just got dumped! ‘Taking a break’ is often more viable because you put yourself in a limbo where you can safely get back together with your partner or pursue other people. If your relationship with your current partner doesn’t work out, you can just say that you were enlightened during your break! It’s a douche move, but a common one.

Those are just a few of the more common relationship labels – there’s still a lot out there like FUBUs, friends with benefits, flirtationships and many more! Given your new-found knowledge about relationship labels, I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard for you to interpret the rest.

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ECHOES

NEVER BEEN KISSED, AND I DON'T MIND

BY ANONYMOUS

I AM EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD, AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN KISSED.

To add to the list of things I’ve never done, neither have I ever had a boyfriend, a fling, nor anything so much as an “MU” (a.k.a. “mutual understanding”). And no, I’m not a lesbian nor have I ever had a phase, which is surprising to many when they become knowledgeable of my private Catholic all-girls’ high school roots.

“What! Are you serious?!” is the usual response when I reveal about my virgin lip status. I suppose it comes off as shocking to most as I don’t fit the perceived aloof recluse image of someone who has never had a significant other. In fact, my stereotype at home and in school is the confident, spirited social butterfly.

So why not?

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,, When I have my first kiss, it won’t be because he finds me super hot in that little red dress I wore at a party. It will happen because it means something more than a onenight make-out session.

It’s not as if there has never been the opportunity. I have broken an x number of hearts (I am embarrassed to explicitly say how many), and there have been several occasions when a boy has tried to kiss me, to no avail.

I don’t have impossibly high standards, and I don’t need someone to majestically sweep me off my feet. It’s just that I haven’t found someone who complements me in all the ways that count. In my opinion, love isn’t about finding someone better, but finding the guy who’ll make me better.

When I have my first kiss, it won’t be because he finds me super hot in that little red dress I wore at a party. It will happen because it means something more than a one-night make-out session. It will be the beginning of something beautiful and worthwhile (and not something that will last just a couple of months). Needless to say, those are pretty big shoes to fill, and I’m in no hurry.

Believe it or not, I’m not a rarity. I belong to a minority of girls who, like me, are not so willing to lock lips with anyone and treat it like it’s not a big deal. The rest of the population thrives in the kind of culture that immediately associates being single as lonely, and it frustrates me.

You are in charge of your own happiness. A man should complement you, not define your life’s existence. I believe the fastest way to not be single is to be happy that you are. How can you share your glass of love, when it is empty to begin with? There is nothing more attractive than an independent, confident young lady who is happy with the way she is.

Valentines’ Day—or Single Awareness Day, for some—is right around the corner. Sometimes, I must admit that I catch myself wondering how/when/if I’ll ever find my special someone. Maybe I’ve never been kissed because my heart has been broken before, and it gets harder to fall with each time I love. Maybe I’m too distracted with school or the timing has always been wrong.

Maybe this time I’ll have someone to watch a sappy rom-com with as we cuddle on the couch in my living room.

Or maybe I’ll spend it alone in my bedroom playing Taylor Swift on repeat. Either way, my relationship status won’t define who I am. It never will, but I know love will eventually happen. One day, the universe and I will finally get it right.

And the wait will be totally worth it.

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CULTURE

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Things to Look Forward To

by Kristina Viray & Olivia Solomon pasta. And while you’re at it, KFC did a pretty good job with their Cheezy Bacon Fest bucket of fries.

EVENTS UP Fair

FOOD Caliburger A taste of Caliburger might stave off your craving for In-N-Out. There have been claims that the tweaks made to the former’s recipes make it better than the latter. Be the judge of the West Coast burgers war. Watch out for Caliburger’s opening on February 17 in Century Mall in Makati to get a taste of a Cali Double.

Sorry, Animal Fries are off the menu.

Buffet 101

From February 11 to 15, the University of the Philippines Diliman will be the stage for talented local acts, ranging from bands like Callalily, Moonstar 88, Mayonnaise and Parokya ni Edgar to solo artists like Yeng Constantino and Gloc 9. Make sure to clear February 13 to support Roots, UP Ecosoc’s event together with the UP Underground Music Community. Headlining will be Up Dharma Down, Urbandub, Spongecola, Itchyworms and Silent Sanctuary, to name a few. Be there early to catch our very own Adriel Arguelles open the show.

ASL: Strangers Falling In Love Theater lovers will like DITO: Bahay ng Sining’s new production, ASL. It’s a series of three short plays, Ferris Wheel, Sweet Hunk O’ Trash, and Eclipse. Romance canons will go off while watching ASL because of the excellent acting and direction that is brought to life in DITO’s very intimate theatre. The play runs from Feb. 7 to 8, 15 at 8pm at DITO: Bahay ng Sining in Marikina. Tickets cost P100 (which is really super worth it!).They will be having a special Valentine’s day show worth P300 per ticket which is inclusive of dinner and photo privileges to make your date memorable.

Febfest 2014: Hostess Club Manila If you want a break from all the cheesy nonsense, head over to the Metro Tent Convention Center on February 13 and 20 for an indoor rock roncert. The first day features Mogwai with Warpaint while the second day has The National with Youth Lagoon. This is proof that indie rock is gaining ground along with other musical genres.

When you are a college student, sometimes eating in a non-hotel buffet The 5th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition can already be considered an indulgence.

A branch of Buffet 101 recently opened in Missed the New Year’s Celebration? Fret not. The fireworks on the 15th and 22nd Eastwood City and is under soft opening. of February in SM Mall of Asia Seaside Boulevard are even better. Pyrotechnic teams Take advantage of the soft opening dis- from around the world will be competing. Reserve a table with a good view and squeal count until February 28. Drag your friends like a child. It’s not everyday that you witness world-class pyromusical performances. or your significant other, because who doesn’t love discounted food?

All Things Bacon and Cheese Bacon and cheese is the ultimate OTP. Bring some love to your kitchen by making your own bacon and cheese creations like omelettes, sandwiches, and 60 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

CULTURE -loween Haunts Scream Park Manila is offering an alternative. Roam the Old Town, Haunted House, Graveyard and zombieRelive your angsty childhood days by attending Avril Lavigne’s concert on Febru- filled streets with your partner. No one ary 17 in the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Sing along with her catchy songs about noncha- will mind if you hug each other all the lance and love. It is also an opportunity to soak in her seemingly ever-youthful self. No way to the exit in this location. Do wait for special performances by local artists and one’s stopping you from showing up with raccoon eyes and a neck tie. even the zombies themselves. If you will not be free on Valentine’s Day, you can Ai Weiwei and Elmer Borlongan at Ayala Museum also try February 15 and 22.

Avril Lavigne Live in Manila

Socially-relevant contemporary exhibits will be brought to you by Ayala Museum to celebrate National Arts Month. Ai Weiwei, a Chinese multimedia artist and political activist, will have her art installation in the museum to raise awareness about the safety of children’s milk in China. She specializes in works that challenge the Chinese government. Her exhit opens on February 19 and will run until March 6. Meanwhile, homegrown talent Elmer Borlongan will showcase artworks which focus on the issues in the country and the Filipinos’ attitudes towards them, such as struggle, poverty and resilience. Catch his artworks in the museum from February 18 to April 6.

7107 International Music Festival Despite disappointment because of too much hype, 7107 International Music Festival is still an event worth going to, especially if you are a fan of any of the headliners.

Get away from the city and head to Global Gateway Logistics City in Clark, Pampanga.

Expect to see Kaskade, Alvaro and Natives on February 22. For February 23, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kendrick Lamar, Empire of the Sun and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus will steal the show. There will be other international acts, but watch out for several local artists to celebrate the local music scene.

VALENTINE'S DAY

Flowers and Chocolates

Ballet Philippines’ The Art of Dance The Art of Dance will premiere on February 14 in the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium (RCBC Plaza) to culminate the 44th season of Ballet Philippines. Celebrating both classic and contemporary dance are two shows, Day and Night. Day is suitable for all audiences while Night deals with a more mature theme. Do not expect a show with a plot. Each show is meant to convey messages without stories, to further deepen the appreciation for the art. Other show dates are February 15 to 16 and 21 to 23.

The queen of all clichés, flowers and RECOMMENDATIONS chocolates will surely be abundant on the day of hearts. For a unique spin, try giving a FruiQuet for a visually appealing gift For your book shelf that surely will not go to waste. Try chocoBring out your inner romantic by late-covered potato chips if you want your chocolate surprise to be different as well. reading some of these romance novels.

Isabelo’s Garden

Art Fair Philippines 2014 Art lovers can rejoice, because this year’s Art Fair Philippines is better than before. Enjoy a smorgasbord of works by some of the best artists in and out of the country like BenCab, Ronald Ventura, Jose Santos III, Rodel Tapaya, Pio Abad, Marina Cruz, Louie Cordero, Geraldine and Mark Justiniani. You don’t even have to act all haughty and pretend to be an art snob, because it will still be held at the Link car park between the Makati Shangri-la Hotel and the Landmark Department Store in Makati from February 20 to 23.

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay Easy by Tammara Webber Isabelo’s Garden is one really ro- Slammed by Coleen Hoover mantic place to spend Valentine’s dinner How They Met by David Levithan with your special someone. It has a very Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram rustic and romantic feel to the place and My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick there are special tables for special din- Golden by Jessi Kirby ners such as the one you’ll be having on Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell Valentine’s Day. Dinner is by reservation Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park only so you can visit their website to order some Pork Cracklings, Ali di Pollo with For your screen Bleu Cheese Coleslaw, Cream Mushroom Pasta with Truffle Oil, Dark Chocolate Realize that there are different kinds Mud Pie, Homemade Yoghurt Sherbet (a of love with these movies. must-try!), and Key Lime Pie. Stuck in Love Hachiko If you’re sick of the same routine The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants every Valentine’s Day, be glad that Hal- Celeste & Jesse Forever

My Bloody Valentines

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 61

ECHOES

Single Girl’s Guide to Valentine’s Day

by Kristina Viray

Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark holiday. It is a commercialized and overrated day filled with roses, chocolates, reserva-

tions, and headaches; you don’t have to feel sorry for yourself if you have to spend it by your lonesome. In fact, being single on Valentine’s Day can be more of a blessing than a curse. Be proud of your freedom. Here are a few things you can do to celebrate singlehood.

SET THE VIBE Start your day by playing tunes perfect for the occasion. Songs full of melancholy should be

avoided. After all, mornings should not be spent thinking about missed chances and regrets. Choose songs which make you feel empowered. From the typical girl-power anthems like I Don’t Need a Man by Pussycat Dolls, It’s Alright, It’s Okay by Ashley Tisdale, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) by Beyoncé, and Best Damn Thing by Avril Lavigne to songs from other genres like Break Your Little Heart by All Time Low, I Don’t Wanna Be In Love by Good Charlotte, You Don’t Know Me by Birds Escape, Honestly and Whatever by Hot Chelle Rae, and Pursuit of Happiness (Steve Aoki Remix) by Kid Cudi, each one is sure to make you feel better about the rest of the day.

“

After all, mornings should not be spent thinking about missed chances and regrets.

RELAX It is the perfect time for some rest and relaxation. Sometimes there is nothing better than start-

ing the day with a little bit of yoga (Bikram, Antigravity, Ashtanga or whatever, it doesn’t matter), pilates, Barre3 or Plana Forma. Get the blood flowing and release endorphins while achieving a state of zen. Treat your nails to some pampering afterwards. Have your worries scrubbed away and your digits painted your favorite color just to look more polished. Opt for gel lacquer when you can, because it lasts longer than the usual polish (and that silly crush!). Go all out and pamper your body, too. Allot at least an hour and a half for exfoliation, massage and/or body wrap afterwards. Claim an entire premier suite just because you can. You have so much time to hog the facilities. You don’t have to wait for anyone else to finish, either.

Rush wouldn’t be in your vocabulary. You can make Valentine’s Day all about you.

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PREP YOURSELF Arm yourself with the best clothes and accessories. You may be single, but at least you look good.

Wear ultra-flattering pieces which are suitable for your shape.

Do not hide under layers of clothing, because you deserve to exude confidence even if you don’t have a partner. Try adding an additional step to your routine, like putting on a swipe of lip gloss or a pat of blush or bronzer just to give yourself an extra oomph. If you have time, ask for a makeover at your favorite beauty counter. You can even squeeze in a wax or a blowout.

You can always tell them you’re preparing for a date with someone special (aka yourself). If you’re feeling extra daring, book a salon appointment. Be bold or be demure. Get a haircut and/or a new color. While you’re at it, shop for a few pieces that will flatter your new ‘do. Go for a look you’ve been dying to try, because what do you have to lose?

“

If there is one thing that you can always count on to make you feel better whatever the circumstance, it is good food. have anyone to impress with your amazing breath after dinner. Consume whatever you please. Come payment time, be happy about not having to argue with someone about footing the bill, going Dutch or attempting that awful wallet reach.

For dessert, get different kinds of premium chocolate to spoil yourself silly.

As luck would have it, Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday. Go ahead; do wine tasting with a platter of cheese or stay on the dance floor until sunrise. Savor the taste of having so many options. If going out is not your thing, you can always have a movie or tv show marathon. To improve the experience, bring home gourmet popcorn and freshly-squeezed lemonade. It may not have the same quality as the one on the silver screen, but staying in is an opportunity to get away from couples who can’t take their hands off each other. Another option is to hoard new books and lose yourself in a different world. Think of yourself as the damsel, the hero or both. The options for the night are limitless.

“

You may be single, but at least you look good.

INDULGE With no other person to spend on, you have more money at your disposal. If there is

one thing that you can always count on to make you feel better whatever the circumstance, it is good food. Don’t worry; calories consumed on certain occasions, including Valentine’s Day, don’t count. Get a 12-course meal and enjoy every plate. Eat something with garlic, pesto, arugula or onions. It’s not like you

There is no need to follow this guide to a t. Do what makes you feel like a million bucks. Treat your-

self, because you deserve it. Appreciate yourself. Be your own cheerleader. You don’t need February 14 to celebrate yourself.

What matters is that you love yourself, because it is always better to love yourself before anyone else does.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 63

ECHOES

FINDING POEMS TO LOVE IT

by Olivia Solomon YOUR HANDS ARE BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE THEY CAN FLIP THROUGH PAGES OF BOOKS AND HOLD PENS AND WRITE DOWN icky things that make ants scream because of their honey-suckled sweet-

ness. Your eyes are beautiful because you are able to read really beautiful icky things that some really cool people have written. These are for that girl, that guy, and for yourself. Once in a while, it’s good to remind ourselves that we deserve the nicest icky things that could possibly be written. From here on, I will refer to him/her/you as It.

IN PARIS WITH YOU BY JAMES FENTON Don’t talk to me of love. Let’s talk of Paris.

I’m in Paris with the slightest thing you do.

It’s not the champagne that makes It irresistible tonight. It takes you to where romance turns into Romance. You don’t even need to go anywhere because you can map out Paris from the fairy lights in Its eyes and the beautiful architecture of Its body.

BROWN PENNY BY W.B. YEATS

Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny, I am looped in the loops of her hair.

You wish for love and you take your chances knowing that the Wishing Well that you’re wishing to drinks your precious penny wishes.

You wish for love so much that you are ready with a bucket of pennies because you are sure you want It, you just don’t know when. So when you feel that It is love, It is the most beautiful thing that’s happened to you. You’re looped on the infinite ways that It takes your breath away.

ANNE HATHAWAY BY CAROL ANNE DUFFY My lover's words were shooting stars which fell to earth as kisses on these lips; my body now a softer rhyme to his, now echo, assonance; his touch a verb dancing in the centre of a noun.

It writes the sweetest things for you, on you. You are all commas and icky things stringing themselves in between.

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SONNET XVII BY PABLO NERUDA I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where, I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I don’t know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.

You together in the simplest sense there is. You found love in It.

IF EVERYTHING HAPPENS THAT CAN’T BE UNDONE BY E.E. CUMMINGS we're anything brighter than even the sun (we're everything greater than books might mean) we're everyanything more than believe (with a spin leap alive we're alive) we're wonderful one times one It teaches you to defy limits in an exponential pace. You defy Laws of Math because you and It are one and maybe there is no meaning behind this. Maybe It is all about doing things that you’ve never thought you could do. It makes you alive.

FROM LIKE CRAZY

I thought I understood it That I could grasp it But I didn’t Not really I knew the smudgeness of it The pink-slippered-all-containered-semi-precious eagerness of it I didn’t realize it would sometimes be more than whole The wholeness was a rather luxurious idea Because it’s the halves that halve you in half Didn’t know Don’t know about the in between bits The gore-y bits of you And gore-y bits of me

It wants you to know the kind of love that the Japanese have. They believe that the more imperfect someone is, the more perfect that someone becomes. The art of being broken is beauty. It wants to remind you about the bits of It that you don’t like. They are what make It whole.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 65

ECHOES

LOVE, SEX, AND MAGIC WITH YOUR CHINESE ZODIAC

By Madam Arting AKA Person With No Chinese Blood AKA I Have No Idea What These All Mean Predictions, Compatibility and Other Worthless Stuff You’ll Want to Know About Your Animal Sign

PREDICTIONS

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COMPATABILITY

The good: Your keen senses help you understand your environment quickly, adjusting your lifestyle to suit your long-term needs These little critters love em big… Watch out Oxen!

The bad: You’re a rat…. loved by no one outside the Indian peninsula

The good: You are born leaders. You love bossing around your constituents coz you have the freaking horns to do so!

The bad: Your strong will might be a turn off for potential lovers. No one wants to be dominated!! (Unless you’re into that sort of action) The good: Fierce x3. Honor x3. Your innate desire for independence makes you a well-respected individual.

The bad: Underneath all the machismo lies a creature with a soft heart. Beware of opening up to certain individuals whose only wish might be to turn your hide into their carpet The good: Affectionate and good-natured, Rabbits are the sociable type. The bad: Your happy-go-lucky attitude gets you bouncing your way to mischief, mayhem, and everything disastrous in between. You make sure that you are the only victim of your inadequacies.

Irresistible force needs an immovable object, only a Dragon can contain and reciprocate your intense wants and desires!

The only animal this Tiger is willing to ruffle its fur with is a Sheep!

The only match to this baby-making rodent is the mighty Horse!!

The good: Enthusiastic perfectionists brimming with self-confidence, Drag- The complementary companion for this ons are goal-oriented and love attrac- champion of competition: the meek and ting attention. The bad: Much like your very gentle Rat! being, your ability to empathize does not exist

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CULTURE The good: Your charming demeanor helps you slither in and out of people’s relationships The bad: That’s all you’ll ever do… slither in and out of people’s lives </3

You aim sky-high – Dragons!

The good: Hardworking, independent, and sometimes selfish, Horses love putting themselves first. No “I” in “team” but there is in “win”! The bad: Those chompers are a sight to see! These horses have big mouths, be cautious with what you tell them as you might find yourself on the sorry end of the rumor mill.

Well-endowed Horses crave for the loving aura only Dogs possess!

The good: The shy type, these cultured mammals still prefer to be in the presence of others.

Sheep appreciate and desire the security given to them. The bad: Naturally pessimistic, these sheep are timid and get easily upset. They probably didn’t reach three bags full of wool.

These sociable beings go baa baa for Rabbits!

The good: Intelligent, witty, and the life of the party. Monkeys are easy to communicate with and love the attention given to them.

The bad: Being intelligent comes with a price, beware of Monkeys outsmarting you!

Monkey see, Monkey do…. The perfect match to this Monkey for some Monkey business is a fellow Monkey!

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The good: Outspoken, honest, and extravagant, Roosters love attention and admiration from their peers. These Roosters love to battle it out with Dragons for their share of the spotlight. The bad: Their high standard of excellence is a source of frustration for their coworkers. This cock can’t be easily pleased!!!

The good: Faithful and trustworthy, everyone loves having a Dog person in their circle of friends.

The bad: Beware of the leash leading you around… it might lead to nowhere but disappointment, depression, and doom.

A Tiger’s strong personality makes this Rooster weak!

Who let the Dogs out? Pigs make excellent companions!

The good: Sincere, tolerant, and good-humoured, Pigs always aim to foster harmony in times of Pigs find companionship and solace in social turmoil. Patience is their top trait, but the company of your fellow barn buddies once the boiling point is reached, watch out!

- Roosters! A Rooster’s reputation for honThe bad: Naïve, Pigs are sometimes esty helps Pigs sleep peacefully at night. taken for granted. Who needs Wolves when you’ve got bad friends </3 ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 67

ECHOES

4 RELATIONSHIP SCENARIOS YOU’D WANT TO AVOID (AS SHOWN IN VIDEO GAMES)

by MetalGearSolid

WE SEE VIDEO GAMES MOSTLY AS WAYS TO PASS TIME. HOWEVER, VIDEO GAMES HAVE ONE DIFFERENCE FROM MOST OTHER FORMS OF ENTERTAINMENT: INTERACTIVITY. GAMES ALLOW PLAYERS TO INTERACT WITH CHARACTERS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO PEOPLE IN THE REAL WORLD. THE PLAYER IS OFTEN PUT IN SCENARIOS WITH CHARACTERS THAT MIRROR REAL LIFE RELATIONSHIPS, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD. TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE FOLLOWING RELATIONSHIP SCENARIOS, AND SEE IF ANY OF THEM APPLY TO YOU IN THIS MONTH OF LOVE. THE OVERPROTECTIVE PARENTS: THE BIG DADDIES FROM BIOSHOCK Bioshock is a first-person shooter game developed

by Irrational Games. A significant element of the gameplay involves upgrading your character by using ADAM (a mutagen that grants you superpowers, abilities, and upgrades). This can be done by harvesting the stuff from the Little Sisters. The problem is that the Little Sisters are guarded by “Big Daddies.” These guys are overprotective to the extreme. If you so much try to get close to the Little Sisters, they will come at you with drills, rivet guns, and proximity mines. They are the personification of hell grafted into an old-timey diving suit.

REAL-LIFE SCENARIO: You’ve had a few dates with the person you like. Things have been going well. You played your cards right, and now he/she plans to introduce you to his/her parents. However, once you do meet them, you are grilled to kingdom come. The dad asks you constantly about your background, achievements, education, etc. The mom criticizes the way you dress and carry yourself. It’s all pretty awkward.

HOW TO DEAL WITH IT: Just keep it cool.

Answer their questions honestly and respectfully. As long as you don’t mess up, they’ll probably start warming up to you.

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THE CONSTANT DAMSEL IN DISTRESS: ASHLEY GRAHAM FROM RESIDENT EVIL 4 Resident Evil 4 is a third-person survival horror game by Capcom. Its protagonist is Leon Kennedy, a badass secret service agent tasked with rescuing the US President’s incredibly incompetent daughter (Ashley) from a cult of infected/zombie Spaniards. Gameplay involves a lot of shooting, solving puzzles, and making sure Ashley doesn’t die. Oftentimes, she just stands idly while zombies attack her from all directions, while screaming, “Leon! Help!” She often falls into the most obvious traps set up for her. She sometimes runs into your line of fire. Not only is she completely incapable of defending herself, she’s also incapable of keeping her mouth shut.

REAL-LIFE SCENARIO: Your partner’s problems never seem to end. She can’t seem to get her grades up. She constantly makes poor decisions. She always relies on you to fetch her here, pick her up there, etc. When she runs into any sort of difficulty, she immediately relies on you for help. You want to help out, but you need to tell her that she has to be able to fight her own battles.

HOW TO DEAL WITH IT: Try to help her out, but don’t always be the one to take the fall for her. Tell her that she needs to be able to take on life by herself. Tell her that you admire her for being independent. Once she knows that, she might start changing for the better.

THE NAGGER: NAVI FROM THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: OCARINA OF TIME Ocarina of Time is an action-adventure in which the player controls the hero, Link. Link sets off on a quest to stop the evil Ganondorf from obtaining the Triforce, a near-omnipotent relic. Link’s partner in the quest is the useful yet annoying Navi. Navi is Link’s fairy companion, who helps him throughout the journey. In gameplay terms, she gives tips on how to defeat enemies, alerts the player to his surroundings, and signals when danger is close. Unfortunately, the player has to put up with her constant nagging. Navi has been listed as one of the most annoying characters ever. Also, her line “Hey, Listen!” is known as one of the most repeated video game quotes.

While she isn’t as much of a liability as Ashley (she can’t be killed), she can be almost as irritating.

REAL-LIFE SCENARIO: Your partner just can’t seem to find anything right with you. She thinks you’re either too clingy or too insensitive for her. She finds fault in the smallest things you do. She hates how you do your hair. She thinks you don’t care about her. She thinks you’re too much of a pushover. She thinks you don’t listen to her. Yada yada yada. She thinks there’s something wrong with you... and she will let you know it.

HOW TO DEAL WITH IT: If there is a constant nagger in your life, the first thing you could do is listen to what she is saying. She might be right; there may be something you can improve on. If you really think that the nagging is unwarranted, make it clear that she shouldn’t be running your life. That sort of relationship isn’t healthy.

THE ONE SIDED RELATIONSHIP: MARIO AND PRINCESS PEACH FROM SUPER MARIO BROS. We all know Mario. He’s the lovable plumber from the side-scrolling adventure game Super Mario Bros. He spends his time constantly trying to rescue Princess Peach from the clutches of Bowser. But I don’t think that’s really the case. A popular theory is that Peach is in a relationship with her “captor”. Come to think of it, you can easily see why Peach would prefer Bowser. He owns several castles, while Mario is a lowly plumber on shrooms. It’s easy to think that Peach got tired of Mario and moved on to someone better (Bowser). Mario, on the other hand, just can’t take a hint. He tries several times to rescue her and if he succeeds,she often seems less grateful than one would expect... and then she “disappears” again. In fact, she gets “kidnapped” 12 times throughout the games, mostly by Bowser.

Face it, Mario. She’s with Bowser now, and no amount of power-ups and double jumps will change that.

REAL-LIFE SCENARIO: You like her. Somehow you feel that she likes you too. You aren’t official, but things seem to be going well. You feel like you two could be OTP material. Suddenly, things change. For whatever reason, she starts drifting away from you. You start not to talk as often. She starts making excuses for not being able to hang out with you.

Eventually you see each other less and less. At you first you think it’s just a phase and that things will go back to the way they were. Then suddenly, you see her with someone else altogether. You just can’t seem to accept that, though.

HOW TO DEAL WITH IT: If you’re the Mario in this situation, the best thing you can do is to abandon the chase altogether. Accept the fact that she has someone else now. Respect her relationship. She isn’t the only princess, you know. If you’re Peach, politely tell the guy that you’re no longer in the market. That way he won’t waste his time chasing you.

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ECHOES

A POST-INUMAN ERA: CRAFT BEER

by Jude Geron

The first sip of beer was had after a considerable time spent dealing with culture shock.

Acceptance came with that can, as did my first foray into house parties and, generally speaking, the inuman. Between then and now was a long period of trial and error: what was good, what tasted like the foulness of the earth, and how far I could go ‘til I started reciting some pretentious poetry while engaging in some calisthenics. Many of my peers may not have had to go through culture shock, and may have gotten hammered far beyond what is deemed a humane level, but at whatever amount and frequency of consumption, it’s undeniable that to many, drinking and parties are a highlight of high school and college life.

However, what is also undeniable is how that sort of lifestyle or culture is unsustainable. No matter how fun it tends to be, there surely will come a time where drop-dead drinking will grow old, or even “age-inappropriate,” as a lot of us find ourselves with less time for leisure. Not to mention, after a certain age, our health will slowly begin to drop off. At this point, maybe we will begin to venture in to and acquire the taste for other kinds of alcohol beside shot after shot of vodka and bottle after bottle of beer, such as wine and champagne (especially as we will be free from the bonds of allowance, making our own money instead!).

That doesn’t mean, of course, that we will have our last taste of beer together with our last undergraduate papers; it’s quite the contrary (just look at your dad!). What I do think and suggest is that we then take the chance to experience beer not necessarily in 70 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

CULTURE

Photo from Google a social context anymore, but with a different primary purpose: the beer itself. You may currently think the idea sounds crazy; you may have just gotten around to seeing beer as “passable” for the sake of the buzz just a week ago. But, as I discovered fairly recently, there is more to beer than the local mass-produced ones available at our local convenience stores, or any of the big brands of other countries. There are many smaller breweries around the world making much better concoctions of water, yeast, malt and hops than you’ve experienced, popularly known as craft beers.

The first sip of craft beer was had after a considerable time spent watching my dad bring home a few beers with coolsounding names every week. Acceptance came with that bottle, that there were far better options than the standard inuman fare. Between then and now, I’ve tried around 10 different varieties (only a tenth of how many my dad has had). Neither of us could be called true connoisseurs (to see how one might speak about beer, just visit any popular aggregate beer review site), but we do know that we’ve made great discoveries “traveling the globe” through beer. Curiosity has thus led to a greater deal of appreciation. I’ve discovered that there are tons of beer styles, falling under the two main categories: ales and lagers, which then also vary across regions. Some are brewed as part of a tradition in Trappist monasteries in Belgium, while others emerge as crowd favorites in Germany’s annual Oktoberfest.

You have some great tasting beers at the “usual” 5% ABV, and some that exceed 15% and even 20%! Some names are unpronounceable as they originate from the mother languages of their origins, while others are downright outrageous, such as what my dad recently brought home: “Fuck Art This Is Architecture.” Some variants are said to fit well with meats, while

others are ideally paired with sweets! It seems the beer (and pulutan) possibilities are, in fact, much broader than we would have thought!

These little facts and stories may not matter to you as much as they do personally, being a geek when it comes to that kind of information, but while I will still hold them to be aids towards appreciation, taste is what matters in the end. To those who have learned to easily manage a local pale pilsen, I can safely say that entering the craft beer world is a great experience just waiting to happen. Aside from some bars and restaurants around Manila, specialty stores such as the Global Beer Exchange in Magallanes cater specifically to those who are avid fans of various craft beers as well as those looking to try something different for a change. They serve and sell not only beers around the world, but also emerging local brands such as Katipunan Craft Ales among others, which are starting to make waves and, based on my tasting experience, can definitely compete. Craft beers in general may come with much steeper prices, but the fuller flavors and aromas, in my opinion, more than make up for it.

For many of us, we associate beer with some very specific memories, pleasant and unpleasant. We usually think of them as staples only in reunions and parties, and not for the drink itself. And there isn’t anything wrong with that! But, as I and many others have discovered, there’s much more to it, much more potential for a greater sense of appreciation. It’s much like a lot of other hobbies, when you go beyond scratching the surface. In this case, I’ve not only been able to go past that level.

Essentially, what I’ve found is an excuse to drink more beer, something you too can use!

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ECHOES

YUHP, THEY’RE AVAILABLE!

by The Hottie

Econ is a home full of the hottest boys and girls in the university. The question is, who are ready to love and be loved? Here are a few of the bachelors and bachelorettes of the School! Catch a glimpse of who they are, and they may just be the right one for you. Give love a shot!

(They have been arranged alphabetically for your convenience.) filling her heart with love. Watch out, boys; you might not be able to handle her jejeness, irresistible charm, and good looks. If you think you have the guts to go for this beauty, brains, and body, better make sure you’re ready!

Annika Go Thank goodness psychology did not go as planned, because this shiftee made Econ much more interesting than before. We got ourselves another pretty girl walking around campus with her golden smile, cute looks, and irresistible charm. I wonder who would fight for this keeper.

This pretty girl is the perfect package for everyone out there. Not only is she a bright student leader but she also knows how to shoot some hoops and play the game. With her eyecatching outfits and cute smile, she is someone that will brighten everyone’s day.

JUS NUQUE

Emira Guingon A cheerleader who plays basketball? This freshie has it all. At first, she may seem like a girly girl with her great taste in fashion and bubbly personality; you might want to think again after you see her in a basketball game. Look out, because she might just get that ball. This sporty chick definitely isn’t just a player but can be the champion of your heart.

Pretty, petite and basically perfect.

This ray of sunshine will make your day better with her killer smile, looks, and personality. You can spot her working on some pubmats in the library, jeje dancing along the corridors, or simply having a good and deep conversation with people. Interestingly, this girl wants it tough on the outside yet sweet, sensitive and charming in the inside. Though she may give off a feisty attitude with boys, remember, persistence is key to this beauty.

CELERY HILARIO Finally, this perfect girl-next-door is back in the game. Though she seems happy already, I wonder who will make her even more joyful by 72 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

Ines Pagdanganan

Kristina Viray

CULTURE Known for her Angelina Jolie lips, sophisticated fashion, and crazy personality, this girl can bring you from heaven to hell. She definitely knows her clubs and music as she lives for the night and seeks for adventure.

Thrill is what she’s asking for with a pinch of spontaneity and rebellion. I wonder who can bring out her soft side.

adventure seems to never stop. Believe it or not, this man has a soft side too. He is capable of making big gestures and showing his gentleman side to people he truly cares about. Can someone change his game?

estingly, I heard this guy has brought many controversies to the college, but I have no doubt that he is a very good man. Can anyone guess what or who he’ll work on aside from his abs?

JR YAMBAO

His skinny jeans might make it easier for you to remember his face; however, there might be more to this guy fashionista. Once you get to know him, you will see that he is someone you can converse with about deep and intellectual topics. Believe it or not, he is a sweet and sensitive guy.

Just give him a shot (literally).

Paulo Bautista

GINO GUEVARA This wacky freshie is known for his hilarious jokes and down-to-earth personality. Singing the wrong lyrics is his forte. With Gino, there is no such thing as an awkward silence as he can go on and on and on with his “interesting” yet funny conversations. Aside from his loud personality, this cutie also has a big heart for loving.

He shoots, and he scores! Our MVP will be graduating and is still looking for the perfect one to love. No doubt, he is one of the most genuine and sincere guys in the college. He cares about girls and never will he treat them with disrespect and intend harm.

He is a gentleman ready to open the door for a lucky girl’s heart.

Raffy Arcilla

JM Alcaneses Big boy with a big heart? Let’s see to find out. This tall man may seem like a rebel on the exterior, but is that all he really is? His love for thrill and

Lance Lim You might have caught him running around the oval with his tight jersey and leggings, but is his love really only dedicated for sports? Inter-

Whenever this freshman hottie hunk arrives, you will find girls drooling over his big man arms in an instant.

Amidst his physically-fit physique, he’s a very smart, passionate, and hardworking young man. His gentleman side and fluent English speaking skills can definitely bring out long and meaningful conversations throughout the night.

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 73

ECHOES

#TweetableTweets by @famamfa

@bozdigay #HereAtHotelSogo we TapTapTap your flappy birds

@theroyalspice

MATH 100 EXAM ON MONDAY pic.twitter.com/Dvoa6jyNrL

On Wolf of Wall St: that's it, never watching movies with my parents again

@thetracefactor @stilldelirious ikaw ah finofollow mo hotel sogo....#sketchy

Beach please pic.twitter.com/x1vyItg9yR

#thursdatethirdwheel @tellittotelle

@stilldelirious

MAY HASHTAG PA LAWD DI KO KINAYA, HOTEL SOGO

@celinacrisanto

@tellittotelle

Wolf of wall street tonight!

@jussipgirl

Dad: Sabi ko sa mom mo dati "ah tagalaguna ka, kaya pala ang ganda mo" kilig na kilig siya

@romanoalonzo @ringMABEL tawang tawa ako sa

Mom: ano? Nasa isip ko "style mo bulok"

party snapchat mo hahaha

@MarteteKoMaliit

@ringMABEL @romanoalonzo KUL ko diba? @romanoalonzo @ringMABEL nastress ako haha

@MarteteKoMaliit @celinacrisanto tama na muna pos-

@ringMABEL @romanoalonzo too bad

pic.twitter.com/XagpAXGFSB

LUGI TALAGA AKO SA ABS NI LANCE

#entm

@lancetlim @MarteteKoMaliit Hot mo kaya! @ChickenBaquilod

It's February....which means we're 7 months away from the first of September! #RememberSeptember!!!

ing may concept paper ata tayo for HRIM

@lyonceknowles

Hell hath no fury like Lyonce scorned

74 â&#x20AC;˘ FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

@TheVargasm @ChickenBaquilod excited much!

Hahaha

CULTURE @earlduma

eng 10 pic.twitter.com/NSfc9NGBpq

@adrielARG

@miggyjuix

pag naka-uno ako sa math exam ko magaalay ako ng kambing kay L'hĂ´pital

@miggyjuix

what if sumali nalang ako sa NPA di ko na kailangan ng math yun o

@PORNettto

di na tayo pinapansin ng wards natin, @bozdigay pwede bang ipaampon na lang natin sila...

@Jomicmac

Oh yeah Binondo!! pic.twitter.com/96X3Jx7tIs

Mom: "Narinig mo na ba yung isang song ng Urban Dove? Diba tutugtog din sila doon (#Roots2014)?"

Me: "Ma, Urbandub kasi..."

@themadameq

Brother educating Mom about UFC. Mom: Kailangan ba talaga may nasasaktan?

I love her innocence. HUHUHUHU

@MarteteKoMaliit

Younger sister: I know your technique na (in Flappy Bird)... you just tap the bird Me: ........ isn't that how you play

@Pau13au

meDEA or PAUblicity ? #leggo #all-

day #ballsohard #yolo @andeeaguila

Sir Eric: So in this class youre like Dora but with sexual explorations. And you have your backback.. with like vibrators and condoms. Joke.

@jeeecx

'Pag nananalo talaga yung UP, pati yung kalaban masaya eh. =)))

@daniellegnzls nakakaburat

@MarteteKoMaliit @daniellegnzls alam mo ba kung ano yung burat

@daniellegnzls @MarteteKoMaliit nisearch ko pa sa

@PORNettto

urban dictionary... wew

@ayi_dave

@ERICStodomayer @daniellegnzls @MarteteKoMaliit kapag hindi ka

"Hi! Can I have your phone number for reference?" #ERLandi #dontjudge

coffee made of rat poop r u serious

handang malaman, wag mo gamitin

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ 75

ECHOES

WALL OF SECRETS

Compiled by Olivia Solomon, Marte Caronongan, & Kristina Viray

We should probably start advertising for the different needs of Ecosocers here. *cough LLCoolJ cough* We’ve got a new lay-out for y’all so that’s pretty cool.

ONE Pretty Girl had a fling with another Ecosocer’s younger brother

THREE EyesHalfOpen watered plants, cleaned his room, held conversations and went to school… while he was asleep. He vaguely recalls saying yes to Spam for breakfast.

He realized he was asleep when his driver woke him up when they arrived at his high school.

FIVE OP has a huge crush on Ines but is helping a teen wolf snag her. #martyr

SEVEN Toy Story has been momol-ed on the Ecosoc couches.... she can't say if it's the fixed or the broken couch.

TWO Gaia used to play online simulation games. He engaged in cyber sex with a stranger he met through a game when he was in sixth grade.

FOUR TeenGirl has a thing for bad boys. She thinks she’ll end up being more fucked up than usual one of these days, especially since she’s recently met a new guy who’s so deliciously sinful, he makes the devil proud.

SIX LLCoolJ hasn't had sex in so long and is currently looking for fubus. He claims he is experienced!

EIGHT Einstein really finds Olivia attractive. He hopes she stops seeing herself in a bad way and appreciate the beautiful woman she really is.

NINE

TEN

Honey has always wanted to have a lesbian relationship. She says she’s straight but she has a streak of bi-curiousity. (It’s kind of confusing, we know.)

Meow was born without a hole in her vagina. She says she’s only found out about it recently and apparently, it runs in the family. In case you’re wondering, the current state of her lady parts are a-okay.

ELEVEN

TWELVE

Witwew used to have a crush on his close friend’s current squeeze who is also an Ecosocer. He reckons it would be really awkward if his friend knew about his past feelings for this girl.

Back in high school, two girls who happened to be best friends fought over Casanova and he ended up breaking both their hearts because he was in love with someone else that time.

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

When Mint and her friends were in high school, they used to play a game where they all competed with each other to see who can steal the most stuff from their school’s bookstore. She says they’ve gotten umbrellas, notebooks, and even a Chemistry book.

Jackie Chan has a crush on almost every girl that he's known from ICA, particularly Ecosoc's very own Chinese Triad.

YOU TRUSTED US WITH YOUR SECRETS, WE HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE YOUR SECRETS HERE NEXT TIME. DON'T BE AFRAID TO APPROACH US, YOUR SECRETS ARE SAFE WITH US. 76 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH

ECHOES | FEBRUARY 2014 • 77

78 • FEBRUARY 2014 | ECHOES.PH