Evolve Magazine for Julia

EVOLVEEVOLVE

TurningTwentyTurningTwenty

Things only herclosest friends know

M A G A Z I N E F O R M I L L E N N I A L S May 16 / 2016

To ParisWith Julia: A Young Mom's Tale

What will a new decade bringto the life of this millennial?

I N T E R E S T I N GF A C T S A B O U TJ U L I A O C A M P O

2020

PLUS

More than 26 years ago, I made a magazine as a gift for my girlfriend on her 20th

birthday. I went to my girlfriend's house without her knowing it, interviewed her

mother, borrowed some old pictures, asked several of our common friends to

write, and commissioned a colleague to do the literally cut-and-paste layout.

That was in a time when the only computer software I could use was Wordstar.

Now fast forward to 2016. I have done it again, this time for the eldest daughter

of my former girlfriend. Yes, she is our daughter Julia. And it is her who is turning

20 this time.

Thanks to the Internet and I was able to do this easily. Thanks to my second

daughter Clio for writing the cover story and coordinating with her the friends of

her Ate Julia. Thanks to my son Dominic and third daughter Annika for their art

works. Thanks to Lei Villena for writing some quick tips for Julia.

And a big thank you to my former girlfriend, Cel Cadahing Ocampo, now my wife

and the mother of our four children, for writing some very important pieces for

this magazine.

The magazine I made 26 years ago still exists, although reading it today makes

my former girlfriend cringe at the shallow writing and "pa-cute style" of its 19-

year-old editor. Yet I feel happy that she still considers it the best gift she ever got.

I hope Julia would also consider this labor of love, and I hope her offspring would

find value in it. God willing, I intend to do a magazine like this for all my children on

their 20th birthday.

Editor's Note

J U N E P O C A M P O

E V O L V E

21

36

48

This is not a publicly circulatedmagazine but a special issue meant to

celebrate the birthday of Julia ColetteCarmela C. Ocampo.

EDITOR

WRITERS

ARTISTS

Junep Ocampo

Dominic C. OcampoAnnika C. Ocampo

Cel Cadahing OcampoClio Marie B.C. Ocampo

Lei VillenaArzwendy dela Cruz

Erica AltoverosKathreen Paygane

Camille Nicdao

baby in a hurry.

That is how I would describe Julia. She

wasn't supposed to come out till July,

yet she came out on May 16. In fact, she

wanted to go out of her mother's

tummy even earlier.

It was May 15, 1996. I was in the

office of Monica Publishing

Corporation, publisher of Abante and

Abante Tonite. I was working as an

editor of an English tabloid called

Philippine Pulse. It was around 2 pm

when the editorial assistant informed

me of a telephone call. It was from Cel.

"Puntahan mo na ako. Manganganak

na ako," Cel said.

THEDAYJULIA CAMEBy Junep Ocampo

A

Julia's firstportrait afterbeing releasedfrom thehospital. 

"Ha? Bakit? Anong nangyari?" I asked.

"Punta ka na muna dito. Para makita

mo."

I put the phone down, went to my

desk, and told my fellow editors that I

needed to leave because Cel was about

to give birth. I did not use the elevator

anymore. Instead, I rushed down three

flights of stairs of the BF Condominium

Building in Intramuros and briskly

walked almost a kilometer to Cel's

office at the Catholic Bishops

Conference of the Philippines.

There was a wave of emotions rushing

inside me, a mix of excitement and fear.

I have been waiting for this day for

years. Now it has finally come.

At the CBCP, I found Cel sitting in the

lobby being comforted by her office

mates. She wasn't worried at all.

"Nakaupo lang ako kanina dun," she

said, pointing to a computer chair by the

corner where she worked, "Tapos

biglang naramdaman ko basa na yung

upuan ko."

Cel's water bag -- or amniotic sac --

had burst, a sign that the baby was

ready to go out.

I went out to get a taxi cab to bring us

to the hospital. When the cab arrived, I

loaded all of Cel's stuff in the

compartment and immediately boarded

the taxi. When I got inside, I suddenly

realized that Cel was not yet in the car.

"Uy baka maiwan mo si Cel!" hollered

Josie Camposano, Cel's close friend, as

she escorted my wife out of the office.

Everybody laughed. They knew I was

already in panic mode.

We got to St. Luke's Medical Center in

no time. Nurses at the

There was a wave ofemotions rushinginside me, a mix ofexcitement andfear. I have beenwaiting for this dayfor years. Now it hasfinally come.

Julia's first birthday cardand a card her Dad gave toher Mom the day Julia was

born. Far left is the cardattached to her crib at St.

Luke's Medical Center.

Emergency Room assisted Cel and

contacted her OB-Gyne, Dr. Elsie Badillo

Pascua. Since Cel's water bag had already

ruptured, she was brought to the Labor

Room and prepared for delivery.

However, Dr. Pascua said it might be

too risky to allow the baby to go out this

early. "Your baby is premature. We will

have to keep her inside Cel's tummy until

she is ready," Dr. Pascua said. "The level

of amniotic fluid is not yet critical. I will

give Cel medication to delay the labor."

Cel stayed at the Labor Room for the

night. I, on the other hand, stayed in the

hospital room. It was one of the longest

nights of my life.

The following morning, I went to the

Labor Room to check on Cel. She was in

high spirits and not worried at all. "I had a

great sleep. The nurses took good care of

me," she said. "And I had TV to keep me

entertained."

There was small television hanging

from the ceiling and Cel said that if she

would still be staying in the same room

that entire day, she could watch the

Ginebra-Purefoods championship game

scheduled that evening.

Cel and I shared a passion for sports.

We both started our careers as

sportswriters. And Cel truly loved

sports -- especially basketball. And her

favorite team was Ginebra.

That same morning, I was able to talk

to Dr. Pascua and I was told that the

level of Cel's amniotic fluid had gone

down considerably.

"Your baby might be in danger of

infection if we continue to keep her

there," she said. "We now have to

induce labor. I hope we can have a

normal delivery."

"Your baby ispremature. We will

have to keep herinside Cel's tummyuntil she is ready,"

Dr. Pascua said.

Since she waspremature, Julia had tobe left at the hospitalfor four days.

Dr. Pascua cautioned me to prepare for

the worst scenario -- a C-section delivery.

Without saying it, she meant that such a

delivery would be more expensive,

something I needed to prepare for.

I went back to our room. When I got

there, one nurse told me that a doctor had

come to visit. It was Dr. Jose Raul Canlas,

whom I call George. He dropped by to see

me. George was a sports medicine

specialist who became close to me during

the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima,

Japan. He worked at St. Luke's.

How did George know that I was in the

hospital? A common friend of ours, Elmira

Gorgonio, told him. Elmira is wife of Luis

Gorgonio, an office mate of Cel's, and she

was the one who introduced us to Cel's

OB-Gyne.

I went to George's clinic. After

exchanging pleasantries, he asked about

Cel's condition. "Is there any way I can

be of help?" he said.

"Well, yes, Doc," I said sheepishly.

"Baka raw kasi ma-Caesarian si Cel.

We're not financially ready for it."

George was quick to an1swer, "I have

a feeling magno-normal delivery yan.

But in case ma-C-section, don't worry.

I'll help you."

That assurance was enough to calm

me. I went out of the hospital to buy a

newspaper. I bought a Philippine Daily

Inquirer. On the front page was this

photo of scaffolding that fell at the Coca

Cola plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, leaving

three people dead.

George was quickto answer, "I havea feeling magno-

normal deliveryyan. But in casema-C-section,

don't worry. I'llhelp you."

I went back to our room and read the

paper. I fell asleep while reading and was

awakened by a nurse. "Nanganak na po si

Ma'am," she said. I checked my clock. It was

almost 1 in the afternoon.

I rushed to the delivery room. There, I

asked the nursed if Dr. Pascua had called

for me. And they said yes, she was looking

for me to show me my baby so I could take

a picture. It was a baby girl, they said.

Then I popped the question that's been

bugging me all along: "Caesarian ba?"

"Normal po," was their answer. I heaved

a sigh of relief.

Several hours passed and Cel was finally

wheeled in into our room. She was half

awake, her eyes barely open. When she

saw me, she reached out for my hand and

wanted to whisper something.

I moved closer to hear her. "Dad," she

said in a soft voice. "Ano yun?" I asked.

"Kaya ba ni Marlou si Patrimonio?" I

chuckled. Apparently, Cel was still in a

dream state and was dreaming of the

Ginebra-Purefoods game. "Kayang-

kaya," I assured her.

Julia was premature, so she was not

brought into our room. Instead, it was

Cel who had to go to the nursery to feed

our baby.

Cel was soon allowed to go home, but

Julia had to stay for several days in the

hospital. We visited her everyday. Cel

had to put on a white gown to enter the

nursery and feed her newborn girl. That

was how Julia's first days went by, until

she got the green light to go home with

us. She went home in a taxi cab.

Cel was soonallowed to gohome, but Juliahad to stay forseveral days inthe hospital. Wevisited hereveryday.

Julia finally goes home from the hospital after four days.At left, her Mom takes her on her first taxi cab ride. 

ToParisWithJulia

B Y C E LC A D A H I N G

O C A M P O

y adventurewith my dear Julia did

not start when she wasborn. As my panganay, Ishared with her a lot of

things that were newto her Dad Junep and

me -- our first try touse a pregnancy test,

our first trip to the Ob-Gyne, and all things

first about pregnancyand motherhood. But

with my Julia, therewas even more.

At five months in my tummy,

Julia was my first travel buddy.

And travel we did in far away

France where I was sent to

represent our office, CBCP-

NASSA or Caritas Philippines in

Secours Catholique’s annual

gathering of volunteers.

M

When the nights were too cold andhomesickness kicked in, or when I got

too tired from traveling aroundFrance, I filled my head with the

thoughts that I was not alone. Neveralone. I had my Julia with me. What ajoy, what a privilege to venture intonew challenges with my firstborn not

beside me, but IN me.

I had to stay in France for more than

a month, from January to February,

just when winter was biting.

It was my first trip to Europe and,

naturally, I was filled with a lot of

apprehensions. It got worse when I

felt a certain degree of

discrimination when I arrived in

France. The discrimination came

from all sides and for various

reasons -- I was Asian, I was a

Filipino, I was a woman, I was young

and, yes, I was even pregnant.

I was the only woman and the

youngest in the group of 20 foreign

delegates from all corners of the

world. When I told them I was

married and pregnant at 25 years

old, not a few French gave me the

look that said, “What happened to

you? You are too young to get

pregnant!”

When the nights were too cold and

homesickness kicked in, or when I

got too tired from traveling around

France to speak about the Basic

Ecclesial Communities of the

Philippine Catholic Church, I filled

my head with the thoughts that I was

not alone. Never alone. I had my Julia

with me. What a joy, what a privilege

to venture into new challenges with

my firstborn not beside me, but IN

me.

I survived the nights by caressing

my growing bump, singing her

lullabies, talking to her about the

presentations I was about to make,

the interviews I had with the local

media, the food, the wine, the cheese

and the two wacky Indians who

became my constant companions. I

shared with her my musings on why

the French were so slow in eating,

with food coming from the kitchen

almost an hour apart. I told her how

funny it was to watch those two

Indians get frustrated constantly

telling me how hungry they were

already.

The first time we want out to shop,

I bought a musical toy for my Julia. It

was a rabbit whose music lulled

When I told them I wasmarried and pregnant at 25years old, not a few Frenchgave me the look that said,“What happened to you? Youare too young to getpregnant!”

The author (center) while about to make a presentation in a school in France.

me to sleep. In the morning, I would

be ready again and would whisper to

my Julia, “On to our mission, anak.”

My pregnancy made my hosts

extra cautious. Two of them, Ingrid

and Claire, became very close to me.

They were like my foster mothers

who dotted on me whenever I had to

make my presentations. They made

sure I rested in between talks or I

was given the right food, or my jacket

was thick and fashionable enough.

We created a bond so meaningful

that they even visited me in Manila

when I gave birth to Julia. Yes, Julia,

you have French Lolas.

In one of my assignments in France,

I went to a place called Poligny in the

region of Jura where I met a group of

nuns whose job was to take care of

the relics of St. Colette, the patron

saint of pregnant women. Those nuns

were so elated to learn that I was

pregnant and made me promise to

name my child Colette if she turns

out to be a girl.

Then in a place called Lons-le-

Saunier, a group of Carmelite nuns

also took care of me. Two of them

were Filipinos who were just too

excited to see me as I was to see

them. They fed me with adobo and

rice. It was a wonderful time for Julia

and me. And before I left the

convent, the Carmelite sisters, just

like the Poligny nuns, made me

promise to name my child Carmelo, if

he turns to be a boy, or Therese, if a

girl. As you know by now, we named

her Carmela instead.

My one month stay in France

definitely made an indelible mark on

my life. Yet it makes me

wonder now if it also created an

impact on the life of the baby within

me whose life was ushered into

something challenging even before

she was born. Is this the reason why

Julia is fond of anything Indian? Is

this the reason behind her love affair

with food? As a young girl, she cried

a river the first time we had to leave

her in school. It happened when she

entered nursery, then again when

she entered Grade 1, and

surprisingly again the first time she

had to stay in Manila for college. Was

it because of the longing we

experienced when we were in

France?

I’m sorry, Julia, if you had to go

through that experience, but I thank

God He allowed me to have you with

me all those time. It was you who

kept me company. It was you who

gave me confidence. It was you who

provided me the right perspective

about the future.

If that trip had impacted your life at

all, I hope it made you strong,

grateful, and positive, as it had made

me. Thank you, Julia, for being my

first travel buddy.

The author'sFrench hosts visither in Manila after

Julia's birth. 

LOVENA LOVEKO SI PIE!By Arzwendy de la Cruz

H OW T H E Y S E E J U L I A

Maliit pa lang kami ay magkaibigan na kami ni Pie. Halos

sabay na nga kaming lumaki niyan. Hindi ko na matandaan

kung ilan taon kami nung nagsimula yung friendship

namin.

Basta ang alam ko, simula nang magkaisip na ako ay siya

na yung lagi kong kasa-kasama. Kasama tumakbo sa

kalsada nang nakapaa. Kahit napapagalitan, go pa rin sya.

Kasama maglaro ng tagu-taguan mula alas nuwebe ng

umaga hanggang alas nuwebe ng gabi. Kasama mag bike

hanggang sa dulo ng Palao, at marami pang iba. Si Pie kasi

yung tipo ng tao na go lang nang go maging masaya ka lang.

Naalala ko nga dati, gustung-gusto ko magkaron ng bag

na de-gulong pero hindi ako mabilhan kasi wala kaming

pera. Sakto namang binilhan sya ng mommy niya ng

bagong bag.

Yung bag niyang de-gulong ibinigay niya sa akin kaya sobra

akong natuwa.

Ganyan siya kabait at mapagbigay.

Siya din yung taong relihiyosa. Akala ko nga magmamadre

siya eh.

One call away din yang si Pie. Isang chat ko lang sa kanya,

reply agad. Kaya nga sobrang thankful ako na kaibigan ko

siya.

Hindi lang pala thankful, blessed pa! Isa syang blessing

para sa akin. Kasi kahit sobrang busy namin sa kanya-kanya

naming buhay, di pa rin yan nakakalimot. Mapa-birthday ko,

Christmas, New Year, etc.

Kaya love na love ko yang si Pie!

DID YOUKNOW

It was Julia herself who chose the nickname Pie.

Her Mom lovingly called her ChikaPie and it was

Julia who shortened it to Pie. 

BEAUTIFUL

BRILLIANT

By Ka th reen Paygane

H OW T H E Y S E E J U L I A

By Cami l l e Nicdao

Julia, as my dorm mate, sleeps with her eyes slightly

opened. Matalino raw pag ganito matulog. Hehehe. And

what I didn’t know before we became dorm mates is that

she snores. Hahaha!

Drake from the Nickelodeon series “Drake and Josh” was

her first celebrity crush.

Wait, this suddenly popped out: Mr. Right was her crush

from TomWeb. :)) Inenglish ko ‘yung surname para hindi

halata. Hahaha!

I would describe Julia in one word -- beautiful. This word

totally describes what kind of individual she is because she

is indeed one of the Almighty’s wonderfully made

masterpieces. She has a pure heart. She does everything

with love and passion. She is a blessing to the people

around her especially to her family and friends. These

things make her beautiful.

I have a lot of memorable experiences with Julia but the

most unforgettable is the laughter-filled night in Avida

When in Makati... I realized I forgot my wallet. I was with

my thesis mates Clarence and Julia and we’re in España

already about to pay the FX when the realization that I

have no money hit me hard. That was the day Julia became

my mom, had all my expenses paid by her for a day. Of

course I will pay her back, but just not yet. Hahaha! Can

this be my payment, Julia? Kidding (but you know, hihi!) I

will pay you with love and with kindness. *wink wink* I will

never forget that day! I was able to go to Makati with

nothing but loads of Cream-O’s and questionnaires in my

bag.

If there’s something about Julia that only her friends know,

I think it will be how "sabaw" she is, especially when

running on zero sleep! We all have our "sabaw" moments and

I think it’s also why we get along. She can be serious one

moment and super hyper the next. Brilliant! Julia told me this

was her favorite word and now, whenever I hear it, I

remember her telling me how Sirius called Hermione the

most brilliant witch of her time. Now that I think about it,

Julia is too! A brilliant young lady who might have her

moments at times but still handles pressure with grace.

Remember DM..... Hahaha! You are the best! That was your

moment gurl! For being your seatmate and friend for the last

three years, I am so thankful to have you in my life. Stay as

you are, change if you must but change for the better! Love

you! HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JULIA!

when we could

hardly breathe because of

Erica trying to get Spongebob from

me while saying, “Pusa, Pusa” with a

high-pitched voice. This is one of the times when

Julia, together with Erica and Aileen as her sidekicks,

tried to get my phone to message someone with it. How

can I forget those genuine laughs and kalokohans with

Pie? :D

A PUZZLEBy E r i ca A l tove ros

H OW T H E Y S E E J U L I A

I don’t know if she already told her parents this

but she already knows how to cut classes by first

year college, first semester. She pretended she

was a first year student just to get a UST passport.

She broke a chair, she did not tell Kathreen and

Aileen, and watched them sit on that broken chair.

She’s a kidnapper -- she always kidnaps my

Spongebob stuffed toy back then.

She is mysterious. She is one of the deepest

people I know, figuratively.

She is more than what the eyes could see and

visualize.

Every time we meet or talk, I always learn new

things about her and that amazes me all the time.

Throughout all the conversations, despite talking

about anything and almost everything, she leaves

something for me to ponder on.

I know I’m still not done assembling my puzzle

pieces of Pie, and I think I don’t want to.

One of the most memorable experiences I had

with her was during our first UAAP championship

together. October 2013, it was a rainy morning,

and the streets were flooded. We left the dorm by

four o’clock in the morning to line up for tickets in

SM MOA Arena. The LRT stations were still

closed so we opted to ride a jeepney to Buendia. It

was one of the rides of our lives that we thought

we were in a Fast and Furious movie. We secured

ourselves on our seats, splashes of raindrops and

flood everywhere, and in a sudden, we saw how

the driver got splashed with water too. lt looked

like he was in need of another bath. The three of

us, Kathreen, Julia, and I, looked at one another

and we all have big smiles all over our faces! The

driver still continued driving as if nothing

happened and as if he was about to overtake

everybody on the racetrack in his last lap.

WHO IS LEI I am working as line producer forone of the most in-demand TVcommercial directors. I am like hissecretary substantiating hiscreative ideas to logistics andadministrative aspects. I have been in the industry for14 years now. Each day at work isa learning process, but fun. Stressis part of any job. But every time Iremind myself how a lot are eagerto be in my position, I shrug off allthe negativities and go back towork with

so much passion. When I graduated in March2001, I gave myself 2-month breakbefore I started job hunting. Threemonths later, I already got boredwaiting for the appropriate job Iwant. And when I say appropriate, itshould be related to the course Itook in college, which is ABCommunication Arts. So I triedcall center. I stayed for 6 months. But I never stopped applying forthe job that I really like.

It's all aboutbalance

Luckily, I got a call from a TVCproduction house (Provill). After theinterview, they already wanted me tostart the next day. My present job hastaught me a lot: patience, resilience,quick thinking, problem-solving. Howdid I prepare to get in this job? I don’tthink I was even prepared. But the kindof attitude I have which I developmainly because of how my parentsraised me, is the key on how I was ableto succeed in this kind of intimidatingjob.

Most millennials I know areenthusiastic and confident. Anadvantage for any aspects in life.Combined with hard work, these canget them on top. Majority of today's generation,however, are impatient. They have tolearn to understand that even in thisalready digital world, not everything isinstant. As an Ate to Julia, my adviceto her is this: Be idealistic and realistic. Be fun and be functional. Life is allabout balance.

Advertising line producer Lei Villena reflectson her career and shares her secrets to Julia

A D V I C E T O J U L I A

LEI'S ADVICE TO JULIA

Lei Villenaand hersiblings withthe babyJulia.

ATE PIEBy Ce l Cadah ing OcamoPho tog raphy by Junep Ocampo

P O E T R Y

You made my life as a mother easier

Because you are such a good Ate.

There’s only a year and a half that

Separates you and Jing, yet you were

Her caring Ate. You stayed close to her

When I needed to do something else.

You held her bottle so I could change her diaper.

You shared her your toys and books

And our affection.

You had the patience to teach her

Numbers and letters, when I almost gave up,

Until we discovered that she’s dyslexic just like me.

You created a path that your siblings treaded on.

They took their studies seriously, because you did. They

loved to read because you showed them how to. They are

at times crazy, because, well, you are, too.

They often danced in the grocery store, in the car,

In the streets, in the airport, in the garage,

In school, in the mall, in the cinema, in the pool,

Because you also did.

But none of them dared to sing in public

With a pail over their head

(For a surround effect, you say).

That was classic Ate Pie

And only you could get away with such an act.

You will always be Jing's, Noy's and Nika’s Ate.

More than our Panganay, you are our partner

In taking care of our family.

You are third in command

And your siblings know that.

I hope you will see

Not the burden of responsibility

But the joy of being a leader in this family.

PULSE

TURNING TWENTYA reflection on adulthood

What is the true age of adulthood? Traditionally, it is 18. This is why girls have their debut at

that age. Eighteen is also the age when one can already vote, or watch for-adults films, or even

buy liquor or cigarettes. But in my opinion, the true age of adulthood is 20. My simple reason is

this: Twenty is the age when you cease to be a teenager. It is when you, like most people, graduate

from college. And, yes, it is the age when you are expected to finally have a job.

By Junep Ocampo

In short, the age 20 is the period in

your existence when you begin to

take charge of your life. And isn't

that what adulthood is all about?

My case was a bit odd. I became a

semi-adult way before I became a

teenager. OK, don't be confused. Let

me explain. I got lost in Luneta

during a family outing when I was 4,

and I managed to go home by myself.

From then on, I thought I could do

anything.

At 10 I was already washing cars

and earning some good money.

At 13, I even changed my religion.

But maybe I am one you would

consider "weird," the odd man out,

the non-conformist.

And I plead guilty.

I began formally working at 17, had

my first out-of-the-country work

assignment at 19, and a managerial

position at 20. Yes, at 20.

At that age, I also made other

major decisions in my life -- I went

back to the Catholic Church, I

courted the love of my life, I quit

college, and I pursued a career in

journalism like there was no

tomorrow.

It was a life-changing period in my

life, a period of many firsts.

It was the year 1990 when I turned

20. And during those days, I already

did the following:

• I stopped asking my parents for

baon. At that time, it meant P30 a

day. I was already earning more than

P2,000 a month from writing.

• I stopped going to school.

Instead, I started paying for my older

sister's college education. She took

up and finished BS Nursing.

• I dabbled in photography. I

bought my first SLR camera and

lenses at 19 and at 20, I was already

shooting sports and portraits in TriX

black-and-white film and developing

the pictures in the dark room by

myself.

• I already knew why the word

deadline has the word "dead" in it.

• I have already experienced

spending the entire night drinking

with friends already aware of how

inconvenient it was to wake up with

a hangover the next morning.

• I was already responsible enough

to make my own mistakes and learn

from them.

For you, Julia, and everyone who

would be turning 20 this year or has

turned 20 recently, I have seven

things to share with you. Think of

these seven things not as seven

deadly sins but as seven things to

hate or to like, as Miley Cyrus said in

her song. They are the seven things

that come with turning 20.

A Dad at 25: The authorwith the young Julia.

1. Freedom

When you turn 20, you're going to

be free. I'm not saying that you are

not free right now. But as you finish

college, you will discover that you

actually have more time in your

hands. And that is freedom.

2. Power

Once you begin to earn your own

money, then you acquire power. I am

very confident that you will put that

power to good use.

3. Possibilities

Turning 20 means a lot of possi-

bilities. It is like opening not just a

new chapter but an entirely new

book in your life. Dream of these

possibilities. Visualize them. Believe

in them. And finally, act on them. As

Robin Williams once said, carpe diem!

Seize the day!

4. Choices

Yet turning 20 also means a myriad

of choices. Imagine yourself entering

a buffet restaurant, with a hundred,

even a thousand choices before you.

That is what turning 20 means. It can

be fun and intimidating at the same

time. My advice for you: Don't

always choose the familiar. Choose

also the ones that you don't know.

One wise man said that we often

meet our destiny on the road we

chose to avoid it.

5. Success/Failure

As you turn 20, you are setting

yourself up for success and for

failure. I say "and" because success

and failure are two sides of the same

coin and you cannot experience one

without experiencing the other in

some form or another. Just

remember: Only those who are not

afraid to fail would succeed. So if you

want to succeed, you must fail often.

6. Responsibility

Turning 20 means more responsi-

bilities. I know this is no longer an

issue with you as you are already

laden with so many responsibilities in

school and in your extra-curricular

involvements. Just remember that

your foremost responsibility is to

God, then to your country, then to

your family, and finally to yourself.

Never forget yourself. Take care of

your health.

7. Journey to Self-Discovery

And finally, turning 20 is the start

of your journey towards self-

discovery. You will know yourself

better as you begin to work, as you

start to broaden your horizon, as you

go and explore the world on your

own.

Let me close this short essay with a

quote from Taylor Swift. In her song

"22" she said, "We're happy, free,

confused, and lonely at the same

time. It's miserable and magical. Oh,

yeah." Indeed, when you enter this

new decade in your life, you will be

happy, free, confused and lonely -- all

at the same time. But Taylor Swift is

right, it will be miserable yet it will be

magical. Happy 20th birthday, Julia!

20Things YouDon't KnowAbout Julia

By Clio C. Ocampo

If you’re planning on living with my Ate

Pie, here are some things you must know:

1. SHE CAN BE MESSY.

No matter how many times I fix her

things, she ends up pilling everything her

way. But, she almost always knows where

her things are. She would usually find a

way to navigate though her mess.

2. SHE BUYS A LOT OF THINGS.

She likes to buy things that eventually

end up finding their home with the pile.

Her whiteboard in our dorm has a pile of

papers. I guess she just so many things

going on her mind all at the same time.

3. SHE BUYS ME STUFF.

My Ate Pie loves surprises. One morning,

I woke up with a magazine with my

favorite athlete on my table.

4. SHE LENDS ME HER CLOTHES.

She is generous with her clothes and

that's great for me.

5. SHE LEAVES THE DORM

WITHOUT FIXING HER BED.

But she usually fixes it when she

comes back.

6. SHE LOSES KEYS.

My Ate Pie has lost about five keys this

school year. She is now using our dorm’s

spare key which she has borrowed as a

temporary replacement for the last one

she lost.

7. SHE IS SUPER FRIENDLY.

Despite her lost keys, other tenants in

the dorm have become her friends

already.

8. SHE LIKES TO SELL STUFF.

In our dorm, she puts food products in

the ref with a sign "For Sale". Anyone

who wants to buy can just get one and

leave the money there.

9. SHE GIVES ME DISCOUNTS.

As her sister, she gives me a one-peso

discount on her merchandise.

10. SHE EATS BREAD FOR BREAKFAST

And not just any bread. Pan de regla is

her daily breakfast.

11. SHE ALWAYS THINKS OF ME.

Knowing that I usually do not eat

breakfast before classes, she leaves a

piece or two of bread for me.

12. SHE DREAMS OF OWNING A

DUCATI.

She just learned how to drive a car. But

her dream ride is not a car but one of

those red Ducatis.

13. SHE IS AFRAID OF HEIGHTS.

She hates cliff diving. And yes, she is

afraid of frogs and cockroaches, too.

14. HER ORIGINAL DREAM WAS TO

BE AN ARTISTA.

She loves to sing and she sings well. And

once upon a time, she dreamed of

becoming a movie star.

15. SHE PLAYS BASKETBALL.

We all got to learn swimming during

summer. But one summer, Ate Pie

enrolled herself to a basketball class. I

think she was the only girl in that class.

16. SHE LOVE GAME OF THRONES.

She has watched all the episodes of

Game of Thrones. And she adores Jon

Snow.

17. SHE SLEEPS LATE.

She prefers to work at night. But,

Ate is always considerate of my need

for sleep. She lets me turn the light off

even when she still has to work.

18. SHE TALKS A LOT.

She is a great company. She keeps

me awake during our late-night

academic adventures in Mcdo.

19. SHE IS DEVOTED.

My Ate Pie is the most devoted and

caring person I've known.

20. SHE IS UNDER-APPRECIATED.

Ate Pie has always been there to

watch over me, guide me, and take

care of me. I would like to send my

apologies to her for the times I cannot,

at the very least, appreciate

everything she has done for me.

But this time, on her 20th birthday, I

would like to send my sincerest

gratitude for all the love she has given

me. I love you, Ate!

One year from now, you’ll have to

leave me by myself in the dorm. I hope

I don’t forget to eat. But, I also hope

that you would go to where your heart

truly is. In that place, I pray that you

would give the same intensity of love

that you gave us your siblings.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Calligraphy by Dominic C. Ocampo