They did the impossible and signalled what could be a breakthrough year for the Residents. Read on and be ready for some heart-warming story of how the tried and true spirit of the Upsilon cannot be broken and instead be forever bridged thru time and generations to come.

This is the lesson of the successful “FIRST DAY HI!: a free breakfast treat for freshmen” held last June 20, 2006.

LOS BANOS, LAGUNA. It would otherwise been a normal Tuesday. The sun spread its rays along the foothills of Makiling as the fresh vibe of nervous energy and first day dread was sweeping the morning campus dew as freshies started to congregate inside the campus. It was the first day of classes and the fresh scholars of dear old UP are up in numbers as they carefully tread the grassy and asphalt pavements of the main campus corridor to start their new life in UP. Like clockwork, the intolerable noise of jeeps once again roar, breaking the early morning stupor the upperclassmen are known for. Its just six in the morning but the campus looked like it had a big day ahead. Heads were popping in from different direction, alighting from jeepneys, cars even bicycles.. Many were just walking, looking about. Eyes wary but betrayed by the erupting smile of freshness. After-all they are the new kids on the block..

I was so amused at the sight. It was pure nostalgia from the time i enrolled to the time i joined our fraternity and participated in the Need Help Program to help freshmen in their registration. But nothing compares to the first day of classes. I remember making the same early morning stake-out several years then and while the faces may change, the whole extravaganza is reapeated year after year.

It is for this insane reality that when the Residents approached me to ask help for their planned “Almusalan Project”, i knew i had to be involved. It took some tweaking and a major leap of faith on the part of the Residents but in the end, everything went well and they achieved by leaps and bounds what they initially wanted. Truly something that should inspire us, even for just a day. But i’m digressing, let me go back to my story.

It was fifteen past six in the morning. I drove past the Student Union and saw about over a hundred students (mostly upperclassmen) prepping up their food stations within the ampitheater. Uh-oh! It seems the Residents are up to a big, bad fight. Based on information we have, over 60 organizations, frats and sororities will also provide a free breakfast treat to freshmen. Having decided to pull-out of the Student Union site in favor of the more comfortable and sanitary premises of the nearest Mc Donalds outlet just a few steps away from the UPLB front gate, i was also a bit nervous.. After-all, we reserved 400 breakfast meals with the hopes of cornering at least 30-40% of the freshmen on their first day. To add to my nervous tick, i counted about 50 “freshmen-looking” studes gathered loosely in front of the Student Union.. Driving past the Auditorium towards the main academic triangle of th campus, the tick turned into goosebumps as more and more students were walking in the direction of the Student Union. Hey, guys, wrong way! McDo is the other way around…

Darn! This can be a massacre. What would the Residents feel. Another failure is bad for their group pride and a major booboo for their presence and recruitment program. I may have to intervene after-all.. Bad option, if you ask me..

After a hurried parking. I went to check the Resident’s set-up. It was all ready, when i got there. The registration table was ready, good for two lines. The fraternity banners were hung along the glass walls. And the residents were all wearing various designs of our seal shirt offering a fresh sight of variety, color, and defining the fresh and lively image of the fraternity. But were missing out on the guests… Where are th freshies???

I settled down and watched them handle the situation. The senior brods started making instructions to the residents. I gave a few pointers to help them out. In no time, freshmen started coming and we were slowly filling up the joint. Highschool buddies and classmates, mag-kababayans, friends, newly introduced blockmates, dorm-mates and the different assortment of freshmen started trooping towards McDo and First Day Hi! was in full pace. We managed to keep the arivals at proper paces enabling the McDo staff to service the freshmen adequately and without the long queue’s of a busy outlet. Realizing that were filling up the place and they will leave soon after they are done with breakfast and the initial kwentuhan, we asked leading resident-figures of the fraternity like Jose Barboza and Chip Vega of batch 2004 and Prof Christian Narito of batch 2005 to deliver inspirational and guiding messages to the freshmen. Not to be missed out was the fraternity’s special advocacy for freshmen not to join organizations, fraternities and sororities in their freshman year. A policy the Residents adopted last year and strictly adhered to.

Extendeding to up to nine in the morning, First Day Hi! was a unanimous success. Serving over 350 freshmen, we were also able to send breakfast to the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of the Chancellor and selected faculty. Even the friendly UPLB Police Force got to taste McDo that day.

I decided to go back to my place and get some sleep. By noon, as agreed, we’ll all go to the Student Union tambayan to assess our performance. Whoa, the response was tremendous. Success!!! If earlier, i was afraid of the over 60 organizations who did the same thing at the SU ampitheter, the aprehensions was of no effect now. The fraternity’s First Day Hi! created more buzz and impact that students were openly referring to it in the classrooms. Upperclassmen, known to be keen and opinionated denizens of the university, were even saying that the Upsilonians made another scoop. Clearly, the objectives of creating a freshman database out of the attendees, bridging the Upsilon with the freshmen and creating a positive image for the frat by conducting an activity where we can pursue our Anti Freshman Recruitment Policy was met by this project.

To the brods from Eastwood, Ortigas, Makati, Port Area (and our beloved sis, you know who you are) and Los Banos, maraming salamat for your quick and unconditional support to the Residents. (a full accounting of fund collected and spent will be released to the Board for transparency)

To the Residents, again, the impossible was made possible! Let this be your guide as you plan to conquer the more expansive skies.

And to me, i am just gald to have been part of this wild project.

Kasi ang Upsilon, Love ko ‘to!

val93