Blogpost#5: Contrary To Popular Belief

I am not at all a clingy person. I am, in fact, so not clingy that people think I don’t care at all. Yes, I have friends who, may I mention, I really enjoy spending time with but I just couldn't help but see everyone as an individual who needs time and space for themselves, because that’s what I want- some alone time.

But even though I like being alone, I don’t fancy being lonely. Which is why every other night after school, I'd call up my best friend so we can go home together. I figured that having company makes commuting less stressful! We had to do it her way though; we had to take the bus, which was fine with me since she's already doing me a favor, and besides, I like buses now.

Nope. Not really. Not anymore. I’m going to be very straight and honest- I hate buses. Well, not the buses themselves, I mean, buses are cool, but how reckless bus drivers drive when given the chance? Like, seriously, bruhh slow the fuck down, will ya?!

Unless you live under a rock, I'd expect that you've heard about the bus that fell off the Skyway in Manila last year. Although, to be honest, I've only found out about this recently, hah. 

According to an article by Dennis Carcamo of Philstar.com, 18 people died and 16 were hurt in the accident. HPG case investigator Isidra Dumlao said that the surface of the Skyway was wet as it was raining when it happened. 

"Based on the account of witnesses, the bus was speeding when it apparently lost control, swerved and hit the wall of the Skyway, flipped-up and crashed on the van," Dumlao said.

Just imagine how bad of a time it was for the families of those who were affected? I can't even. But no, I'm not putting the blame on the driver or on anyone because I'm pretty sure nobody would have wanted this to happen. It was an accident. But think about it; the road was wet, and the bus was speeding. The road was wet. The bus was speeding. Who the fuck does speeding on a rainy day in the freaking Skyway? All these wouldn't have happened if the driver thought about it hard enough. What a shame.

In an article entitled "More road accidents recorded in early 2014 -Police" in Inquirer.net, news-writer Nestor Corrales said that realy 3000 road accidents have been recorded from January to February this year. The Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group also stated that 217 accidents involving buses has been recorded since January 2014.

“Kung ‘di naman nasa kondisyon ‘yung driver, puyat, medyo galit, doon magkakaroon ng problema sa pagda-drive,” said HPG Superintendent Elizabeth Velasquez. 

Stuff like this happen all the time. Actually, based on statistics from the PNP-HPG, one of the leading causes of death in the Philippines are road accidents. Besides over-speeding due to adrenalin rush and the drivers just being the kaskaseros that they are, there are also other events that cause road accidents. Some of them are dunk-driving, mechanical malfunctions, lost brakes, and overtaking. 

Whatever the reason is, no driver should be excused when it comes to following all the traffic rules. You might enjoy breaking the rules but every driver should always have a sense of responsibility because losing a life is not fun at all.

Blogpost #4: Choose kind.

I remember writing on my previous post that dissatisfaction is determined by many things. Well, I hate commuting for a whole bunch of reasons but after an hour or two of staring at my computer screen, I realized that one of the main reasons are the people around me.

In my three years of being a regular commuter, I have encountered and experienced different sorts of discomfort and anomalies inside and outside the train. Be it someone shouting at another person for blocking the doors; or someone complaining because it's so masikip. I've seen and heard it all; and it annoys me that these people exist. Sometimes I just want to shout and tell them to go take the cab or stop complaining because nobody forced them to take the train and that they should have expected things like this to happen. But that's like dumb-shaming, and I'm against any type of shaming. Plus, I don't want to put myself in crap mood. Like being squished in a space full of strangers isn't stressful enough.

So, what makes commuters act all cranky and rude on a daily basis?

According to this article entitled, "10 Things Your Commute Does To Your Body", author Carolyn Kylstra stated that commuting during rush hour can result in temporary spikes in stress levels that jack up your blood pressure, even if it's normally stable.

"A study of 4,297 Texans found that the farther the participants lived from where they worked- the longer their commutes- the higher their blood pressure was.", said Kylstra.

Obviously, long commutes do not only give you time to appreciate the beauty of life but mostly give you time to realize a lot of things such as how your life sucks at the moment. Or the fact that you could have been pursuing your dreams of being a successful ballerina but instead, you're tip-toed inside a train, trying not to lose your balance (and temper). It gives you time to think and over-think things. The longer the commute, the more chances of bumping into cranky, rude, and annoying people.

Another article I came across is one entitled, "It's Official: Commuting To Work Makes You Miserable", where author Matt Chorley stated that, well, commuting to work makes you miserable! The title says it all, but Chorley also said that commuters have lower life satisfaction and lower levels of happiness, and are most likely to suffer from higher levels of anxiety. Which, I guess, explains all the crankiness and stuff.

"In general, all commuters are less satisfied with life, have a lower sense that their daily activities are worthwhile, are less happy, and have higher anxiety than those who don't commute.", said Chorley. 

I had this hate towards my fellow commuters when I started this blogpost, but now I realized that I couldn't really blame them. Commuting really is the problem, and not the people. Commuting is the perpetrator here, and the commuters are the victims, so there really is no reason for me to hate on these people. Ha, now I actually hate myself for not realizing this earlier. 

Enough with the hating. I guess this all goes to show that these things, sometimes, couldn't be avoided. And the only way to at least lessen the stress of being packed like sardines is to just calm down, and be kind. Because you're not the only victim here. There are 260,000 other people sharing the same feelings and discomforts as you. 

Might as well try to make the most out of your trip; it's easier, and it's for the best. Who knows, that guy you just bumped into might end up being the one you'd be spending the rest of your life with. Again, smoking could lead to lung cancer, but not all smokers get the disease. There are a lot of nice people in the world, what better way to find them than being one, right? Stop focusing on the negatives and try to see things in a different way.

So yeah. You're not the only victim here so might as well just shut up and let people deal with their shit the way they want it, because you never know what they're going through.

Let me end this blog post by leaving you with an excerpt from this book entitled, "Wonder" by R.J. Palacio.

Blogpost #3: Relationship Goals

Mom woke me up at 3 in the morning today so that she could Skype with my dad- which of course, pissed me off since I went to bed at around 2 AM because I had to finish some school work and have to wake up 5 AM. I hate it when my sleep gets interrupted.

But helping my mom was the least I could do to make her happy. Skype-ing with my dad is considered a privilege since we only get to see him and be with him for 2 months every year. I wonder how my parents keep their relationship healthy despite the fact that the time that they are together is much, much shorter compared to the time that they are apart when studies show that even the smallest things such as long commutes could lead to divorce. This will forever be a mystery. 

In an article entitled, "Your Commute Can Improve Your Relationship", author Robert S. Wyer stated that couples who travel in the same direction are more positive about each other than those who don't. Which makes sense because a relationship is also a partnership; and you wouldn't be partners if you're not after the same thing, right?

"People who commuted in the same direction as their husbands or wives were happier with their relationships than people who didn't. We think that's because moving in a similar direction symbolizes the pursuit of similar goals.", said Wyer. 

Science taught us that opposites attract. They do; but not always. When it comes to relationships and goals, opposites repel. I mean, would you expect me to support victim-blaming when I'm against victim-blaming? No. Don't. Go fuck yourself. Literally.

In the same article, Wyer stated that marital dissatisfaction is determined by many things that are far more important. You could be in the exact situation but that doesn't mean that that's the only reason for your falling marriage. Smoking can cause lung cancer, but that doesn't mean that all smokers get the disease. 

Enough about break-ups because there is actually a way to save your relationship. According to this article, "Could A Shorter Commute Save Your Relationship?", author Dharmesh Shah said that it possibly could! 

"Long commutes are stressful, especially when heavy traffic and frequent delays are involved. It's hard for anyone to walk in the door happy when they've done everything but play bumper cars on the freeway for an hour.", said Shah.

Okay, so he didn't exactly say that short commutes could save relationships but it's obviously what he's trying to imply. When your commute is shorter, it gives you less time for travel and more for family. And time is the glue that holds relationships together. Long commutes take away time- that is lost forever, for our loved ones.

So if you were, for example, asked to choose between a job that's farther but pays higher and a job that's nearer but pays lower, think hard about the trade-off between money and time for your family. You might find it hard to let the opportunity go, but you will always regret the time with your loved ones that slipped away. 

If you don't have a choice, though, and a long commute is your only option, better do what you can to make the rest of the time at home count.

Blogpost #2: I like buses now.

Hello. I have once again just arrived from a very stressful commute and so I thought I should take this opportunity to rant about what's been happening with my life.

It's been a week now since my heart was thrown and torn into tiny bits in front of my face. I'm not planning on telling you the whole story but as I was on my way home today, I realized that having your heart broken and getting jostled on a train are pretty much the same thing.

Most of us, (most because some people think 2 is always better than 1) believe that our hearts should be dedicated to that one person and that one person only. There's a limit to the number of people you should be with in a committed relationship and that is 1; same goes with the number of passengers the MRT 3 could acquire- only 560,000 per day. It is your choice, though, if you want to force yourself into being the 560,001st passenger but remember that there's a big, big chance of you getting hurt.

I used to have this anger towards taking the bus but now that I have finally had the time to sort things out, I have come to realize that taking the bus is a lot more convenient than taking the MRT- that is if you're not on a rush, of course. The problem with those who take the train is that they only care about how fast it can take them to their destination despite all the discomfort they know they might encounter; and then they complain. Sometimes you gotta learn to take things slowly in order to lessen the hassle. Take the bus!

In this article entitled, 4 Ways Cities Benefit from Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), author Robin King said that new research shows that bus systems have a wide range of benefits for quality of life in cities.

"In terms of quality of life, travel time savings is perhaps the most important benefit of BRT systems: it allows passengers more time to live, not commute.", said King.

I totally, a hundred percent, agree with what King stated. Commuting should not, in any way, take our lives away from us but rather be a time for us to enjoy it.

Another article I came across is one entitled Taking the Bus (vs) Compared to Driving a Car - It's effects on Pollution, Global Warming, and our Health, where the author said that by taking the bus, you can actually relieve your mental stress.

"Between your commuting time from destination A to B, your mood and mental health have possibly improved and you probably formulated a better answer to your problems.", said the author.

It's obvious that being seated on a bus instead of being elbowed in a train full of strangers allows you to relax. And when you're relaxed, your blood pressure lowers and it also gives you time to think and appreciate the beautiful things in life and brightens up your mood.

Here are a few activities you can do while on a bus:

1. Listen to your favorite soundtrack- scientific study shows that music releases dopamine in your brain which alleviates your stress!

2. Read a book - by doing this, not only is your physical form being transported but also is your brain to a place where it loves to go.

3. Take a nap - according to Dr. Daniel G. Amen, a renowned Neuroscientist, people who sleep less are more prone to obesity. Taking short naps helps you recover required sleep time you lack the night before.

Besides the opportunity of having a productive commute, you also get the privilege to breathe. You get to inhale and exhale and do all of the above without worrying about that guy on the train grinding his crotch up your butt.

We all have our desires, but sometimes you just gotta learn to wait in order to get what you truly deserve. And you deserve a fun commute. Go get it. Take the bus.

Blogpost #1: Public transportation sucks at being public transportation.

It's 8PM and I have just arrived from school. I am at rage right now so please excuse my choice of words. 

First off, please allow me to introduce myself a bit. I am a 3rd year college student who, for some reason, has to wake up at 5 in the morning EVERY MORNING in order to catch the train and not be late for her 7:30 AM class. And just like every other Filipino, I have no choice but to take public transportation. 

Going to school was never an issue for me. Falling in line for, say, 15 minutes is not bad at all. Although having to wake up at 5AM makes me want to puke on whoever invented morning classes, it's nothing compared to how I feel whenever it's time to go home. My schedule for this term is basically very shitty. Why? My classes end at 5:30 PM. 

Sure, I could hang out at a friend's house or at our school's parking lot for a couple hours just to kill time and wait for the rush hour to end just like I always did back then but, shit, what if I actually have to go meet someone? It's a constant battle between breaking a promise and killing myself. And to be honest, I'd choose the latter. 

I've been taking the MRT to and from school for almost 3 years now so having to deal with all sorts of smells and whatnot is not at all new to me. But today's different. I've always hated it; but what just happened makes me want to pull my fucking hair out.

So, I was supposed to go to the mall with my mom today after school. We had a deal in which I agreed to meet her at home at around 6:30PM and we'll go from there. I thought I was lucky enough that my coach dismissed us early and I was able to leave school at exactly 5:30 but little did I know, a long-ass line to the MRT station was waiting for me. 

Long story short, I had to wait in line for roughly 2 hours under this bipolar weather; had to deal with all these annoying people (no offense); acquired blisters on my feet; and disappointed my mother. Public transportation-1, Chelsea-0. 

Anyway, according to an article entitled "Your Commute is Killing You" by Anne Lowry, long commutes could lead to lack of sleep, obesity, and even divorce.

“Commuting is a migraine-inducing life-suck—a mundane task about as pleasurable as assembling flat-pack furniture or getting your license renewed, and you have to do it every day. If you are commuting, you are not spending quality time with your loved ones. You are not exercising, doing challenging work, having sex, petting your dog, or playing with your kids (or your Wii). You are not doing any of the things that make human beings happy. Instead, you are getting nauseous on a bus, jostled on a train, or cut off in traffic.” Said, Lowry.

The quotation above implies that public transportation is a bitch; a home-wrecker even. And the fact that it could possibly be the main reason for the downfall of my relationships bothers me. Just imagine how much quality time we're wasting on these long rides (or in my case, lines) we could instead be spending with our families. It's depressing. 

According to a research by Thomas James Christian of Brown University, it is not the total length of workday that really matters, it is commuting. It is commuting that makes us lonely. It is commuting that causes the stress. It is commuting that makes us eat less healthy. It is commuting that slowly drags us to the darkest pits of hell. But then again, it is also commuting that takes me to school, and 80% of Filipinos to work so I guess that leads us to a conclusion that public transportation basically sucks at being public transportation.

"Longer commutes are also associated with an increased likelihood of non-grocery food purchases and substitution into lower intensity exercise activities." Said, Thomas James Christian.

My life was in fact less stressful in high school despite the fact that I had to stay in school for 11 hours. Back then, I didn't have to take 3 rides, or catch the train; it was a one-way trip. Also, I get to eat home-made breakfast and dinner at home with my family.

In the same article mentioned above, Lowry stated that people with long commutes are fatter. Of course, this doesn't apply to everyone but you get the point. Long commutes cause eating disorders. Besides the constant breaking of promises, I have also noticed a big change in my eating habits. As an athlete, it is obviously required for us to stay as fit as possible thus, having a proper diet. Due to my everyday commute, eating on time and even having the appetite to eat has become a challenge. Refraining myself from eating too much is even a problem sometimes. 

This all goes to show that if I die now, it'll probably be because I took the train.