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A Secret Garden: Portia Ball 2016

May 4, 2016    |    0 COMMENT(S)



This year marks my 3rd and final Portia Ball as a resident sister. While I'm still not incredibly nostalgic as I still have one semester to go before finally leaving UP, I also cannot help feeling bittersweet. After all, this semester is pivotal for us seniors. Most of my batchmates and friends are graduating already, and are bound to prepare for the Bar. While I'll still be seeing some of them in the library or in the Portia room as they review, it won't be the same. It's kind of like a preface to the end of an era.


With my lovely Block D2016 Portians:
Therese, Kat, Chrissa, and Des


Some of my greatest memories in law school are because of Portia, and I've found the greatest friends in my fellow Portians. It's true what they say that you don't need a sorority (or a fraternity) to survive law school. And I can still attest to that. But there are so many opportunities I would have missed, so many people I would not have gotten the chance to know if I never joined. Becoming a sis has enriched my life in many ways - and made the amount of suffering weigh far less than the joys and triumphs.

(Okay, end drama!!!)

We had LP Divine as our guest speaker; she is currently a partner at CMT Law and is one of our closest alumnae, thanks to our constant interactions with her on Facebook. Aside from her though, we were also graced with the presence of other distinguished alumnae: LP Susan Villanueva, also a partner of CMT Law (and my Intellectual Property professor last semester! One of the most brilliant profs I've had!), LP Jannet Regalado of Pilipinas Shell (who is coincidentally, the mom of one of our new baby sisses to be inducted that night, Anna), and Sis Jude Botor-Jaranilla, officer of the UP Portia Alumnae Association. I discovered early in my residence that one of the best things about our sorority is the alumnae's strong relations with all the sisses - they never made us feel like we're *just* students, or that they're very much our seniors. We truly feel like we're talking to family every time we encounter them. I can honestly say that a real, genuine friendship is there, and it's not out of obligation. Every time I come across a sis, whether on Facebook or in person, in corporate settings or in courts, in the private sector or in the government, I always feel at ease. In a field full of competitive, aggressive, often unkind people, it is so comforting to know that there are people who have your back no matter what.


The resident Portians and alumnae sisters


Fun moment of the night: when I introduced Louie to our LPs - separately - they had the exact same reaction! "Ohhh, I've read about you!" - referring to the Inquirer article I wrote about him for his birthday a year ago. Then they proceeded to tell us how much they liked it, how kilig they were, how they shared it to other people, etc, etc. Nakakatawa na nakakakilig! A part of me wanted the floor to swallow me up for putting my affections out there for all the world to see - and refer to, every chance they get! But then again, what is love if it's not worth writing about? Ha ha hahaha. Haba na naman ng hair ni Louie that night, in fairness :)))

We held our 83rd ball at the Hanging Gardens Events Place in Fairview. The place was breath-taking, especially thanks to the beautiful plants and flowers that adorned its walls! Very much in line with this year's theme for Portia Week, "Bloom." There's always something particularly resplendent about being surrounded with nature. I suppose, it's because nature, much like art, provides just as much healing as it does enjoyment (as I've written in our Lit Folio's foreword, btw!) - so much so that it makes anyone and anything it is surrounded with feel so alive.




And now for the photo dump! I brought with me my Re but the decent shots were taken from either my phone or Louie's. Some others were grabbed from pictures tagged in Facebook. (I'll be updating this ones the official pictures arrive!):



Caption this: 
(a) Feeling like a Disney Princess, 
(b) Feeling like a Star Magic Artista, 
(c) Feeling like a #kakaibabe, 
(d) All of the above.


With my future bar buddy, Desiree! Love u gurl


With our dates! Me and Louie, Therese and Jio, and Des and Paulo


Our new Lady President, LP Joah! Aka my fellow JaDine / OTWOL fangirl!
LP siya ng Portia, ako LP ng JaDine Portia Chapter :P



D2016 represent!
Therese, Des, Chrissa, Enrico (who came as Kat's date), Kat, Miss Congeniality Celine, and me


Fellow Philippine Law Register editors: Apo and Marin!
Co-incidentally, fellow DECL loves who lost a lot of memories in the FC fire huhuhu
(Technically, Apo is from Journ, but she took a lot of CW and CL electives)


Best EVP and LP! Apo and LP Joydee


The greatest people you will ever meet -- and the worst
:))


Shout-out again to this guy who has been my date for three Portia Balls already! This month, we celebrate 3 years since our first date :) :3 I'm inclined to write something sentimental here but I think that Inquirer article is enough cheese to last a lifetime! Anyway, he knows how much I appreciate him. So grateful I get to bring this super gwapo guy to nights like this!





And as a parting shot, just like last year, the Portia Seniors of 2016. Not complete in this photo though! You can see we're still attempting to call everyone in! Hahaha!


This is us at our most normal: some always ready, some ngarag, but always, always happy.



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By the way, I forgot to share with you guys my "baby" this year for Portia Week. I was tasked to head the Portia Literary Folio, which is a yearly compendium of art, fiction, and poetry from students in and out of the College of Law. It was launched last Thursday, April 29, at the Poetic Sojourn, our version of open-mic and spoken-poetry night.

My main driving force in producing this year's Lit Folio was the idea of reconsructing and rebuilding - in line with what we've lost in the Faculty Center fire last month. We wanted to encourage people that in art, there is healing, and in healing, there is creation. Such is life, and such is art.

I extend my deepest gratitude to all our contributors who contributed and shared their art with us, for us to feature both in print and online. And most of all, I thank my great team, composed of Lesly, Isa, Therese, CJ, Mer, and Justine, without whom the folio would not have been a success. My love to all of you! ♥

Feel free to share the link to the online version of our Folio! (But please give credit where it is due! So that you don't end up violating IP laws :P )


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We also launched our official website, UPPortiaSorority.com, last weekend! FINALLY! I wrote a significant amount of articles there, some of which were also used in the exhibits we've featured in our college. I'm so proud of our Pub Team! Finally!

Know more about us at www.upportiasorority.com :)



Happy 83rd anniversary, sisses! I love Portia! #PortianAndProud ♥



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