I got to interview and post the the story on Dr. Gapalon anyway so there's really no big need for me to be posting this -but it'll be such a waste. BUT wait, I could post this for my 5th story. haha
*photo grabbed from his Facebook account*
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Not all geeks wear thick glasses and spend their lives stuck in front of a computer. No; sometimes you'll find a geek jogging or biking, playing frisbee, playing the drums, goofing around in a mascot on top of a van, or maybe even approaching you and asking if you've heard the news that "God loves you."
Geek, from the Urban Dictionary definition number four, is "an outwardly normal person who has taken time to learn technical skills."
Stanley Semilla -Stan, Es or Tan, whatever you want to call him, is a normal 18-yr-old UP student. He wakes up early in the morning, goes to school, sleeps in class, is active in a student organization, he eats, does his school work, goes to Church, listens to music, just like a regular teenager. Just add that he trains in the Computer Science Department's Programming team, and spends the rest of the night until the wee hours of the morning in front of the computer.What's a geek? Stan threw a strange look at me, as if saying "Mafi nakakasakit ka na ah!" but laughed it off anyway. "Somebody who wants to know and learn about computers," was his own definition of a geek. No saying about spending countless hours in front of the computer and programming using different computer languages -which is by the way also true to him.
Are you a geek? And the answer I never heard him say, I read from his reply via e-mail: "yes." He said that by his definition of a geek, he qualifies as one. He does love learning about computers and how they work.
Stan grew up as a pastor's kid in the province of La Union. He first wanted to be a pastor when he was in pre-school, and later on wanted to be a computer programmer when he was in elementary.
When he was seven years old, Stan learned how to play the drums. He said he does not recall exactly why he agreed to learn how to play, but what he said he knows for sure is that he plays for the Lord. Until now, he still plays when he goes back to his hometown, and gets to self-study via Youtube videos.
His first encounter with computer programming was in high school, where they, along with other high school students, simply copy-pasted codes. When he was about to enter UP as a Computer Science student, he felt pressured and did his self-study on programming. And that was it. He was later invited to be part of the department's programming team.
Aside from programming, he also does other stuff when he uses his computer. He is one creative chap who also tinkers with the Photoshop for fun. In the student organization he belongs to, some refer to him as the one-man Photoshop committee. He has been active in his organization that he played one of their mascots the last UP Diliman Lantern Parade.
What is remarkable about him is how he manages to balance his time. It's given he spends hours and hours in front of the computer, although not necessarily programming. But other than that, he also has plenty of time for friends and other activities. There goes the Urban Dictionary definition number four that geeks are "outwardly normal persons."
Right now his new passion is biking. He sometimes bikes the considerable distance from Cubao to UP Diliman. He also goes jogging and plays ultimate frisbee. So much for geeks having a sedentary lifestyle.
Stereotypes are just what they are, stereotypes -based on oversimplification. Stan is but one example of the deviations from the view on the geek. Thick glasses, antisocial behavior, sedentary lifestyle, use of jargon, inability to communicate in spoken English, may not be true for all geeks out there. You just have to observe more and find out that geeks come in different packages. Or who knows, find the geek within you.
Are you a geek? And the answer I never heard him say, I read from his reply via e-mail: "yes." He said that by his definition of a geek, he qualifies as one. He does love learning about computers and how they work.
Stan grew up as a pastor's kid in the province of La Union. He first wanted to be a pastor when he was in pre-school, and later on wanted to be a computer programmer when he was in elementary.
When he was seven years old, Stan learned how to play the drums. He said he does not recall exactly why he agreed to learn how to play, but what he said he knows for sure is that he plays for the Lord. Until now, he still plays when he goes back to his hometown, and gets to self-study via Youtube videos.
His first encounter with computer programming was in high school, where they, along with other high school students, simply copy-pasted codes. When he was about to enter UP as a Computer Science student, he felt pressured and did his self-study on programming. And that was it. He was later invited to be part of the department's programming team.
Aside from programming, he also does other stuff when he uses his computer. He is one creative chap who also tinkers with the Photoshop for fun. In the student organization he belongs to, some refer to him as the one-man Photoshop committee. He has been active in his organization that he played one of their mascots the last UP Diliman Lantern Parade.
What is remarkable about him is how he manages to balance his time. It's given he spends hours and hours in front of the computer, although not necessarily programming. But other than that, he also has plenty of time for friends and other activities. There goes the Urban Dictionary definition number four that geeks are "outwardly normal persons."
Right now his new passion is biking. He sometimes bikes the considerable distance from Cubao to UP Diliman. He also goes jogging and plays ultimate frisbee. So much for geeks having a sedentary lifestyle.
Stereotypes are just what they are, stereotypes -based on oversimplification. Stan is but one example of the deviations from the view on the geek. Thick glasses, antisocial behavior, sedentary lifestyle, use of jargon, inability to communicate in spoken English, may not be true for all geeks out there. You just have to observe more and find out that geeks come in different packages. Or who knows, find the geek within you.
