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Words by Bianca Roque
Art by Joy Cruz
Special thanks to Arick Ang, Kat Feranil, Angela King, Jerome Ng, Jason Ramos, Jeridi Rubis, Keane Ting, and other members of UP JMA
After two years of online classes, we’re sure that many of the older members of the UP community are missing the campus that has become so iconically UP Diliman. With the start of a new school year, we reminisce about the lives we once lived, pre-pandemic.
From the acacia trees lining the academic oval to the variety of food stalls you’d find in Area 2, come and revisit some of our favorite places in the university, all from the comfort of our own homes!
Responses were taken from UP JMA members and have been edited for punctuation and clarity.
1. AS Building/Palma Hall
“AS is the most memorable place for me in UPD because it’s where I’ve spent most of my days as a freshie. Though I’ve only studied on campus for a good sem and a half, I’ve had simple yet fond memories of going to the 4th floor for class, then going back down to the 1st floor to buy coffee and siomai in Antas. Whether it’s (not) reading in the reading hall with friends or just sitting outside classrooms with my coursemates waiting for our prof, AS has really been my safe place in UPD.”
- Kat, BA Philosophy
2. Area 2
“Area 2 is one of my favourite places in UPD! The food is something I really do miss from Endless Summer’s sisig to the sausage place near the entrance of A2. I have had many random lunches and merienda in A2 with the Chinese GW Fam that continued past our app process until the pandemic hit.”
- Arick, Graduate
“I think the most memorable place to me would be both Area 2 and the Law Cafeteria. I have plenty of memories with a lot of friends in different spots in UP, but these two places hold a special place in my heart because that's where I would go to have lunch alone and just find some peace albeit for a little while.”
- BS Business Administration student
“My favorite place in UP Diliman would have to be Area 2. As an athlete, my appetite would make me want to eat more than one serving of a meal, especially during UAAP season. If I ever find my baon insufficient to satisfy my cravings, I find myself going over to A2 with a bunch of my friends. My favorite memory in A2 was when I found out that a sari-sari store sold my favorite snack as a kid, which was Clover Bits. It had been years since the last time I was able to find that snack that there was a week wherein I would buy that from that store and place it on top of the sisig rice I would regularly eat from Endless Summer. Area 2 provided me a space where I felt at home. I would eventually feel the same for the whole campus, but overall A2 is the best place to have a simple meal together with your friends, even if they aren’t from UPD!”
- Keane, Public Administration
3. Academic Oval
“A memorable place for me in UP is the oval! When I was a freshie, I'd walk around the oval everyday with my friends, whether this is after a long exam and we needed to cool off or during our breaks and we just wanted to take in the nature of UP, or to even walk to buy food! There's just something about the oval that heals you and pulls you away from the stress that acads gives you. It's also a plus that you meet almost everyone else while walking around the oval, living their everyday lives.”
- Angi, BS Business Administration
4. School of Economics Library
“The Econ Lib is my favorite place in UP! It's home to my crazy cramming sessions, secret lunches (sorry Econ staff!), peaceful bathroom breaks, laptop charges, hour-long naps, kwentuhan, breakdowns, the in-betweens — you name it. My most memorable experience would be sneaking in three bags of milk tea and Rodic's for my friends renting the study room, while we were trying to make sense of our Econ 101 probset. Or when I was crying my eyes out alone because of a really bad day in sophomore year and no one bothered or found me for hours. Miss Econ Lib so so much!”
- BS Economics student
5. The 6th floor of the College of Business Administration
“The 6th floor of BA is definitely one of my most memorable campus hallmarks. It's an abandoned construction site that spans an entire floor, but it's well-ventilated with a bunch of windows, the biggest of which show a great view of a city with mountains in the distance (probably Rizal area). I've gone there around 10 times with friends to hang out and have some fun, but hundreds of other times alone to take a break before or in between classes. I thought of it as a space I could have to myself whenever I needed silence and stillness, and each solitary 5-minute break I had up there contributed to hours of reflection that I'm still thankful for today.”
- Jerome, Graduate
6. Ang Bahay ng Alumni
“My favorite place in UP would have to be ROC in Bahay ng Alumni! Whenever I had free time in between classes, it was always delightful to study and eat lunch with my friends. It was also fun to shoot We Champion's "Healthy Food in UP Diliman" release – featuring ROC's Fish Florentine!”
- Jeridi, BA Political Science
7. The Sunken Garden
“Throughout the years, I've had many memorable places in the campus, but my favorite and most memorable place would have to be the Sunken Garden. The Sunken Garden is the home of countless memories that are close to my heart. From attending UP Fair nights filled with great music and good vibes, to playing random competitive games during commwars with [Externals and the rest of JMA], one common thing about these memories is that they were both held in the Sunken Garden. These events stand out because they were spent with my friends that turned into family.”
- Jason, BA Communication Research
When we look back at our time on campus, we remember college not just for its countless blue books and cramming sessions, but for the light-hearted experiences we shared with our friends. We’ll always miss the adventures we had during face-to-face classes. UP has left an indelible mark on our lives as students, and we’re sure this is something we will bring with us long after we have graduated.
Though it may take a while, we’ll see you again, UP Diliman!
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