Don’t make her laugh when she feels urinating because she will pee on her pants, yes, even until now.
She dreams to be a great swimmer yet she doesn’t know how to swim.
These made Brenda Grifon, the first Thomasian officer in the Philippine Scholar’s Alliance, different from the others. She may look as an ordinary girl but definitely she’s not. A native of San Pedro, Laguna, Dada, is currently a sophomore Journalism student and a member of Becarios de Santo Tomas, the sole Thomasian scholars’ organization.
Dada graduated as Valedictorian in high school at the Immaculate Heart of Mary School. She also admits that they are not materially rich in fact his father is only a tricycle driver while her mother is only a housewife. She is also the youngest and the only daughter among three children of her parents.
She loves rock music and considers herself as a ‘rocker’. She is one of the diehard fans of ‘Dashboard,’ a foreign band. The 18-year-old scholar proves that she is worthy to receive a lot of blessings as she involves herself not only in academic activities but also in religious ones. She serves as lector/commentator in their chapel at Brgy. Landayan in Laguna and also likes worship songs. She also attends a Christian church called Victory.
Atypical Childhood Memories
Dada seems to be different ever since she was a young girl. Why so? She did not play Barbie dolls, Chinese garter or ‘bahay-bahayan’ what she played was ‘jolen,’---a spherical marble, and ‘tex,’---a small card that children toss into the air, which were all boys’ stuff. She defended that it is all because she grew up in an all boys environment.
She was always out of their house and always goes somewhere just to play. What’s more interesting was that she goes home even until midnight which always made her parents mad. She also said that there were times that she will find herself outside because her mother already locked the gate. Same as the other kids, Dada also experienced to be beaten by a hanger or a broom.
Teenager Life
Once we hear that one is a scholar, we will think that he or she is a well-disciplined, composed student who is wise in making decisions. Well, not at all the times. Dada, despite of being a consistent honor student, already knew the cold feeling of being inside the guidance office. She was sent there many times in high school because of being noisy. Luckily, her teachers always saved her.
Just like most teenage girls, she also entered into an immature relationship commonly known as puppy love during her second year in high school. Unfortunately, the lucky guy made her unlucky as the former seems to be not serious. Dada also disclosed that she considered it as ‘tragic’ because she fell in love with a guy who drinks liquor, smokes and is a womanizer. She was also distracted in her studies and has settled for rank 4 in the honor roll at the end of the school year.
Thomasian life
Despite of the homey ambiance of UST, Dada found a hard time in adapting to the new culture she is in. The transition from high school to college seems to be uneasy for her especially in looking for new friends as she had already established a good relationship with her provincial folks. Of course, she also had a difficult time in dealing with professors, at first.
Because Laguna is far from Manila, she is presently living in a dormitory near the campus that made her feel homesick. She said that once you are separated from your parents you need to take care of yourself, cook your food, clean your room; wash your clothes, etc.
Now, the adventurous debater of the Faculty of Arts and Letters enjoys her stay in the University in fact she is now involve in different organizations and even more confident in class discussion that enabled her to maintain her scholarship every semester.
‘Tutor’
As young as she is, Dada is aware about her family’s problem. She said that despite of her older brother is working in Dubai, they still experience financial problems. She admits that their family, though they are happy, is not that close and well-bonded.
Most of the times her allowance is given to her weekly, and she needs to budget it for the entire week, and she cannot heed the fact that sometimes it’s not enough. Not willing to give up, she worked as a tutor to her schoolmates in high school to at least earn money to add in her daily stipend. She did it for three years.
Inspiration
After her first love failed, she tried to prohibit herself to fall in love again not until she met a guy who is five years older than her, who happened to be her schoolmate in high school. Though they are not in a relationship status, she considers the man, who is a researcher in the University of the Philippines – Los Banos, as her inspiration.
She met him in her high school’s alumni homecoming. They both enjoy listening to music and biking. But it is photography that served as their common denominator. They decided not to put a label on their relationship as Dada’s mind is set to finish her studies first.
Craziest Dreams
Dada, besides being an aspiring journalist, wants to be a dancer. Well, if you think that she is good in dancing, think again because she has two left feet. She also wants to be a swimmer because she loves swimming pools but it seems that swimming pools and even beaches don’t love her.
Considering this as the summit of her dreams, Dada wants to become a director. Although she is starting to love journalistic writing, Dada wants to be a broadcast journalist or a script writer in her yearned industry—film.
Secretary – General
In the recently concluded 1st Philippine Scholars’ Summit, Dada was elected as the secretary-general of the first executive board that will attempt to establish a nationwide organization of scholars that will be acknowledge by the Commission on Higher Education. Dada was the only Thomasian to be included in the pioneer leaders of scholars’ organization around the country bonded by the summit organized by the Becarios De Santo Tomas and the Bedan Scholars’ Guild.
She confesses that when she was elected, she was a bit shocked because she had no intentions to be a leader. Despite of some doubts inside her head, she accepted the position to at least contribute to the organization.
When she was asked what she can contribute to the mother organization, she answered positivity which she adapted from Becarios De Santo Tomas. She also promises to be an appreciative member of the executive board especially to the suggestions of her fellow officers.
As of now, the Philippine Scholars’ Alliance is establishing their grounds under the framework of their own constitution. They are also planning to create some local scholars’ organizations and build their identity. Lastly, they want to gather as many scholars as possible so that they will be able to make projects that will benefit a large scale of people with enough manpower.
No wonder Brenda Grifon has already transformed from a simple girl who plays “jolen’ to a Scholar Leader. She already surpassed big challenges and expectations and is trying to be ready for obstacles that may come her way.
As she opens every page of her life, as he finished every chapter in her journey, Dada will always carry her parents’ piece of advice to thank God for every blessing and opportunity she had. She may not be a well-known student but she is starting to make a name for herself. It may be her dream to be a director that pushes her to perform good, but it is her family that make her feats more memorable as it give signs for a promising future that she can give to her parents.
Dada’s life proved the unexpected side of a scholar. A scholar who wets her pants while laughing, a scholar who dreams to be a swimmer or a dancer although the dream is quite impossible, a scholar that was sent many times in the guidance office, a scholar who gave her heart to the wrong a person at the wrong time, and a scholar who never complained to her parents about money but worked as early as high school to help them.
Brenda Grifon is on her way to reach greater heights not just with her eye glasses on but also with her dreams and principles held tight, through the guidance of her family and most especially with the unending grace granted by God.