Political Science 14/28: Philippine Government (blah blah, I forgot the course title)

Pol Sci 14 TFV2. Tuesdays and Fridays, 11:30am-1:00pm, PH 224.
Pol Sci 14/28 TFX. Tuesdays and Fridays, 1:00-2:30pm, PH 224.

This class is one of the worst (if not the worst) classes a CMC student has to take in the second term of his first year at UP. He gets to read a 6-inch pile of worthless (yes, they are absolutely worthless) readings for him to say he’s quite ready for the examination. Cramming, of course, is not really an option. How the bloody hell can someone read a half-a-foot pile of stupid, gibberish shit in one night? Preparing for the exams, which are undoubtedly difficult, requires the art of extensive cramming. If you have to read say, 6 inches of readings to prepare yourself for the exam ahead, you have to divide it into two or three nights of studying. And come examination day, you’re quite sure you won’t get a zero for a grade. But don’t be mistaken. Although you’ve spent three sleepless nights cramming, trying to get everything that passes your eyes into your brain, you’re not really sure to pass the exam. A zero and a 5.0 are pretty different. Yes, they imply the same thing, of course. A horrible remark called FAILED. Getting a zero feels worse than getting a 5.0, however. At least, if you get a 5.0, you can say something like you studied for the exam, but it wasn’t enough. On the other hand, getting a zero leaves you no room to talk about the exam. Talk about something else. Maybe another night at Eastwood or something.

The examinations, given by the beloved Bennagen, are the living proof of hell. Identification, modified true of false, fill in the blanks (you really have to MEMORIZE all those shit she requires you), what else can you ask for? She thinks it wise not to give the exam in a multiple-choice type. I dunno why. Maybe because you can always worm your way out of it without even flicking a single page of the readings. She wants you to spend money, time, and an awful lot of brain cells to pass her class.

You can neither pass nor fail, though. You can always drop. But it would require more money, 20 pesos for dropping, and another 900 pesos for enrolling in the class again in the coming semester. Oh, I almost forgot, more money for getting more and more readings photocopied. Aside from that, it would require more time since you’re going to retake it. The time you’d be spending in Pol Sci 28 would be time spent more wisely in other classes.

Just for the record, I dropped Pol Sci 14 and passed Pol Sci 28 with a whopping 2.25 under Rye. Rye didn’t give us any exams, so it was truly a blessing. The only requirement was attendance and talking shit in front of the class twice. Don’t follow the path I took for god’s sakes. Taking political stuff into your system for one whole academic year is repugnant.

I’ve learned my lesson. Now, it’s time you learn yours.