I stayed calm after hearing the clock ticking, a sign that my time to rebut has started. Looking at my opponent’s group made me smile because they look messy right now, their last stance was a little off-- "I beg to disagree." I started, where I got everyone's attention.

"Advertising is a widely used platform for marketing. With television and social networking sites being the most extensively used media, commercials have become the best outlet to communicate with potential customers besides print and radio. That's why, through this, not only do companies promote a range of products but also to influence the viewers to purchase skin whitening products that intensely affected our generation about colorism and the excessive use of the items." I said stating my fact. I felt my groupmates proudly smiled at me because the whole time we're debating, they haven't thought about the media and marketing together. "Beauty ideals are widely influenced by media, especially in our generations. With the abundan---" I stopped after hearing someone clearing off their throat.

"Yes, but the biggest influence was because of the Western colonization in our country. Did you even hear what I said, Miss Velgado?" The other team opposed, and cutting me? Wow. The guts she has is on another level.

"I heard you, of course, Miss Joohyun Mantolino. But we're talking about this generation, our generation. Yes, colonial mentality about colorism is there and it will never leave but my point here is that skin whitening products are overly advertised through media. We're pointing out that media dipping in with colorism teds to add and create a whole new perspective about discrimination and colorism. And can you stop cutting me off every time I give off facts? It's clearly my time and you're bulging in." I blurted out fast, even almost holding my breath. My eye then crossed past my friend's sneaky face, that made me smile.

I saw her face turned grim and formed an oval shape that made me mentally laugh. Hah, naisahan ko siya roon. She looks so red right now, probably mad about the way I told her not to cut me off, or probably because my thoughts are right and she's wrong this time. "Anyway," I again said after the crowd calmed down from their laughs, claps and yells because of my statement, "as I was saying before cutting off by my opponent, media had a huge impact on beauty ideals especially with the abundance of skin whitening product commercials that normalizes discrimination based on skin color or colorism, idealizing light skin and privileges them over dark skin leading to distorted perceptions of beauty. For instance, Miss Mantolino over here, is one of the models for newly skin whitening product that was launched two months ago. Have you all watched her commercial? Its theme has subliminal messages or statements that surely discriminate darker skin and show women aspiring for lighter skin is good and depicts dark skin unattractive. By the way, Miss Joohyun, nothing personal, ok?" I again smiled at her. She looks about to go feral now but, still... composed.

I continued throwing my statements again about the correlation of media and colorism before my time ends, and I know for sure that Mantolino is pissed how time right now seems so slow for her but fast for me. I still have overflowing thoughts about the topic, but we had to end it anyway because this class is about to end.

"Before this debate concludes, I just want to let you know, Miss Velgado. That in the beginning of my commercial and before it ends, we surely strike and sway on the consumers to love their skin no matter how dark or light they are. And their skin color doesn’t define them, that they should love their selves no matter what other people say or do." She said and stood, storming out of the room.

Oof, did I go far this time? I remember I clearly said, nothing personal...

"Dude, I think you won this debate." Wendy approached me while I was fixing the things on my bag. And when I say, approached, it means she punched my back, which by the way, hurts a lot. I just winched in pain and yelled, "Aray ko naman!" She just laughed at me and made face while holding the strap of her sling bag waiting for me. The class ended and we decided earlier to eat at a local eatery outside the campus with our friend from other major. Foods at the small eateries are good and cheaper than restaurants and fast-food chains. "Nah, ewan ko lang. I think we tied it up. Joohyun is actually good this time." Oo, I admit na nahirapan ako sa debate namin and I do think she had clear and very wise stances too. It's just that she picked the Spanish colonization kaya't medyo naging off ang mga statements niya noong una but she pulled it all off at the end. There are also times where I'm about to get cornered, pero hindi natutuloy 'yon. Magaling kasi ako.

"Nah, ewan ko lang. I think crush mo lang talaga siya." Panggagaya niya sa akin kaya naman inambahan ko rin 'to ng suntok. "Square na lang tayo," I said while laughing and pulled her to exit the classroom because I felt kind of exhausted and hungry already. I had classes since ten o'clock in the morning and it's past two p.m. now. We clearly need some food in our system. 

"May pupuntahan ka mamaya?" She asked while scrolling on her phone while we're on the elevator. Ang room kasi namin for the last subject was at the fourth floor and to be honest, using the stairs isn't a good idea lalo na't gutom kami at napaka-init. "May pasok ako," Sagot ko habang chinicheck naman ang reminders list na na sa binder ko. Tumango tango na lang 'to bilang pag-sagot,

"Bakit?"

"Joy was asking if you can tutor her daw." Joy... na naman. This is her fifth time asking for me to tutor her this semester. Kailan kaya makikinig sa professors 'yong babae na 'yon? "Calculus?" Kailan kaya niya papasukan lahat ng classes niya.

"Chem, this time. That girl really needs to sort out her priorities. Puro siya attend ng practices, wala na siyang oras mag-aral." She ranted about her girlfriend. "Bakit hindi ikaw ang mag-tutor sa kaniya?" I asked and smirked knowing that nothing will happen if they study together. They'll end up dining out or maybe watch Netflix shows. "It's chem.." She repeated and sighed, "You know I almost dropped out of that class last sem. Sobrang hirap, chong." She laughed and scratched the back of her head kaya't tinawanan ko na lang siya.

"I can spare her an hour later during my shift." I smiled and the elevator door opens revealing the scorching sun. We walked outside the building and passed by the gate, "Kain na tayo, Ate!" I smiled at Ate Dolor, the lady guard who also sell different kinds of kakanin and other meriendas. "Uy, Seulgi! Wendy! Kakatapos lang ng klase niyo? Gusto niyo ba ng kutsinta?" She patted my back and rummaged through her panindas, "Nako, ate. Pass muna ako, ha! 'Di ako kumakain niyan, eh." Sagot ko. "Ano ba ang meron bukas?" I asked, napansin ko namang nagbabalot na si Wendy ng limang kutsinta at nag-padagdag pa ng caramel dahil paborito raw ni Joy 'yon.

"Maja blanca bukas, Seul. Meron ding carbonara. Oorder ka ba?" Pag-ngiti nito, tinaas taas pa ang kilay, "'Yon, ate! Isang carbonara at maja. Daanan ko rito pag-pasok." Sagot ko. Inantay ko na lang si Wendy na matapos sa pagbabalot ng kutsinta niya. Nag-abot lang siya ng fifty pesos kay Ate Dolor at nag-paalam na kami sa kaniya. "Ang dami naman niyang kutsinta  na 'yan," Hila-hila na ako ngayon ni Wendy habang hawak niya ang isang plastic ng puto sa kanang kamay nito. Patawid na kami ng kalsada kaya't kailangan niya akong hilain dahil kung hindi, mag-aantay kami ng limang oras sa kabilang kalsada bago maka-tawid, "Eh, favorite nga ni Joy 'to. Tsaka, kakain din ako, 'no!"

Magkaka-hilera ang mga kainan dito sa isang street pag-labas ng university, there are different foods and specialties of each eatery. There are lutong bahay dishes that most of the students choose, there are also silogs, barbeques, street Chinese foods, and more. But we entered the eatery that caters sizzling sisig, our favorite. "Ate tatlong regular po, tsaka isang iced tea, 'yong pitcher na po." Wendy ordered through the counter, and I went to look for a table. Once I settled on our spot, I took my phone out and started messaging my groupmates to send in their research parts to me. Hindi pa naman deadline and it's still early but as much as possible, I want to finish it agad para hindi na kami mahirapan sa susunod.

"Gusto mo bang manuod ng cheer dance tryouts bukas?" Tanong ni Wendy pagkababa ng bag niya sa isang upuan para mareserve 'to kay Joy. Nagsalin din siya ng tubig sa mga baso namin, "Ngayon lang ang tryouts? Akala ko ba n’ong prelims pa tapos ang tryouts?" Usually kasi, ang tryouts, sa kahit na anong sport for varsity dito sa university ay ginagawa every first two weeks ng semester pero we're almost at finals, kaya't nakakapag-taka talaga na magkakaroon ng tryout ngayon.

"Dalawa raw umalis eh, tapos may isang na-injure. So, need talaga nila ng new members. Malapit na ang UAAP, eh." Sagot nito at nag-kibit balikat.

"Sali ka ulit?" Pang-aasar ko, "Para kasama mo jowa mo palagi!"

"As if papayagan ako no'n. Did you forget that she didn't talk to me for two weeks after niyang malaman na nag-audition ako?" Pagmamaktol niya after crossing her hands on