Once A Bedan, Always A Bedan! My SBU-CAS Journey.

*David Attenborough voice*

Chapter 1: The Coin Toss ⛀⋆˚࿔ᝰ.ᐟ

There are two sides to every coin, flip it once and you’ll get one side facing up. In the beginning of a badminton match, the umpire always asks which color or side of the coin both players want. For most tournaments, it’s always been either red or blue. 😉 Guess which color I would always pick… of course the color RED ❤️‍🔥🦁🦁🦁! Now, when I win a coin toss I get the ultimate choice on how to start the match – to serve or to receive, or choose which side of the court I’ll first play in.

The instance of a coin toss at the start of a badminton match relates to how I ended up studying BS Environmental Science. Crazy stuff, right!? I remember all too well the anxiety I felt when my parents gave me the full responsibility to choose which course I’ll pursue. Whatever choice I’ll make would ultimately be my study to focus on for the next four years. After the “coin toss” comes commitment. My parents even told me, “panindigan mo yan ah”, when I decided on taking up BS Envi Sci.

To all of you fellow tree huggers and whale watchers, BS Environmental Science is more complicated than you think. Cheers if your favorite TV channels (when cable television was a thing) were NatGeo, Discovery, and History channel, cuz same! No matter if you studied my course or not, we all live on the same floating rock with all kinds of species and ecosystems. The person you hate the most? Unfortunately, you breathe the same air as them. Your crush? Well, they’re probably volunteering in their local coastal cleanup operation today (how dreamyy!) Lol. The endpoint here is that all the germs, microbes, strands of DNA, moldy bread, and splash of H2O matters! I have spent most of my college journey in San Beda doing environmental research and field work. My classmates and I have been through the shoulder-deep fish ponds of Taal, Batangas sloshing our bare feet in tilapia droppings and soft sandy-clay soil while being acquainted with the sharp scaled tilapia and HUGE bull frogs! We went to Binondo and collected estuary water samples for weeks, and then we'd have lil food trips after (cause we’re still fun-loving college students discovering the world, too!).  As much as it sounds like I’m living out my life like Steve Irwin, studying this course was undoubtedly god-level hard! I haven’t even mentioned the other parts of my college life yet! Spoiler, it’s more complicated 😮‍💨

﹏𓃬_𓃮𓃮﹏𓃮﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏𓃬_𓃮𓃮﹏𓃮﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏𓃬_𓃮𓃮﹏𓃮﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏𓃬_𓃮𓃮﹏𓃮﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏𓃬_𓃮𓃮﹏𓃮

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Lion’s Den

[cue the Indian Yell ✊🏼😤]

Ang sarap maging Bedista! What really inspired me to study in San Beda University was its amazing community and unparalleled culture! I was initially recruited to become part of the Badminton Varsity Team. Choosing what I’ll study and major in was secondary, and that’s the full truth. My life mostly revolved around sports and badminton, and my quick wits and occasional good grades really came as a plus to me all my life. I can’t help it, discipline and resilience through sports taught me life skills I really am thankful for! The things that I’m most proud of during my college journey in San Beda are representing the university in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and achieving my first and only goal going into San Beda: being an NCAA Champion and MVP! 😎❤️‍🔥 It’s a feat that’s sacred, nearly impossible, and can only be attained by the best in the country. 🫡🏆🥇🙏🏼

Honestly, it was a long and winding road to glory. I wouldn’t be who I am without the trust and guidance of my coaches: Coach Ronald U. Magnaye, Coach Rocky Magnaye, and Coach Phil Fransisco. I wouldn’t improve and bring out my best at all times if it wasn’t for my teammates in the Women’s, Men’s, & Juniors’ Badminton Teams! I remember reading a quote on a tshirt that said “it’s not luck that brought me here, it’s hard work”. For all of us student-athletes, it’s always been the only option to go the extra mile or to keep our heads above water… at all times. We are obligated to work for our athletic scholarships. We’re always tired! Sometimes, our emotions get the best of us! And yes, we make mistakes. I have personally battled with developing my mental toughness on and off the court. I wouldn’t be the champion and MVP I am today without overcoming it after all these years.

I am grateful for a loving tribe that shares the same passion for badminton and beyond. Thank you to my mom, daddy coach, and my little brother, Joaquin, for always being there to support and guide me throughout my college journey! I appreciate everything that you guys have done for me, and I hope to give back a million times more soon. ❤️💫

No man is an island inside the campus walls. I have found peace of mind among fellow student-athletes, schoolmates, and mentors. Thank you to Aidjien Rus, Alener Munsing, Rencel Teodoro, Julia Ignacio, Ian Agias, Lharrene Sales, ate Jullie Gimena, ate Coleen Amor, ate Sofia Veloso, ate Charm Salvador, Jake Evangelista, Kent Sta. Ana, Tor Castillo, Beyonce Gonzales, Harry Gueriña, Enrique Bonete, JM Larot, Aly, Dane, Stacey, Basti, Dharlyn, Jaycee, Rhonna, Franz Gian, and to every other student-athlete and schoolmate who has been like a bright light to me during my college life. Thank you to my ECHOES family, especially to Dr. Fedeliz Tuy, for a unique college experience that I’ll definitely cherish forever! You all make up the beautifully crafted vibrant mosaic of who I am today, and I hope I make up yours too!

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Chapter 3: Here's Where the Story Ends – The Sundays ⋆‧°𓏲ּ𝄢

To the coolest bunch, SBU-CAS Class of 2025: I wish nothing but the best for you, my fellow graduates! We all made each other’s college journey bearable at best. It has been a blast getting to meet all of you during the many batches of graduation photoshoots ❤️🎓📸. Congratulations, I’m absolutely so proud of us all! I just want to hug you right now, reader!! It’s been tried and tested how manifestation and perseverance works, and I just know that we’ll all be pretty darn good at where life will lead us in the future BECAUSE WE’RE BEDAN GRADUATES!

College life really does end on a random Monday 🤭. I may not have had the time to recover from leaving my life as a student-athlete (cuz life had bigger plans for me the minute I stepped foot into the post-grad abyss), but like the speed of light this chapter of my life just ended and I’ve just unfolded yet another one. As Forrest Gump said, “life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get”! God really does work in mysterious ways. I’ll always proudly bring with me the Bedan values and teachings that I’ve learned, and make sure to keep the Bedan spirit high and mighty in everything that I do! ⚡️❤️‍🔥🦁🏸👩🏻‍🔬🌱

Isabella Dominique D.C. Pollentes 🎀

☆ BS in Environmental Science

☆ Class of 2025

☆ Dean's Lister Awardee

☆ San Beda Badminton Varsity Team - Team Captain (2023-2025)

☆ NCAA Season 100 Women’s Badminton Division - Most Valuable Player

☆ NCAA Season 100 Women's Badminton Division - Champion

☆ NCAA Season 99 Women's Badminton Division - 1st Runner Up

☆ Philippine University Games 2023 - 1st Runner Up

☆ ECHOES Yearbook Publication - Editor-in-Chief

ECHOES Yearbook Publication - Layout Editor

☆ Pioneer of the Little Red Lion 🦁

See you all around! GSBF FOREVER! ❤️‍🔥