The curse was broken. Schedules were followed smoothly and the sun was blazing over 21 faculties and colleges. Amongst the ambushes of young tigers and tigresses, a cluster of compassionate, resilient and scholarly tigers hailing from St. Martin De Porres Building is having a luau party to embrace the new breed of felines.

          Hawaii was brought to UST by the waves of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences – hula dancers in stilts, grass skirts, florals, tie-dyed shirts, surf boards, flower crowns, leis, gigantic bubbles, bongos and priceless genuine happiness in everyone’s faces. Every heart followed the beating of the drum – felt the moments so close to becoming an official Thomasian.

          On the morning of July 11, 7 blocks of CRS Freshies were toured around the big square that is UST. In every station they were in, they exuded the positive and perky personas of the people in CRS. Competitive in nature, CRS campus tour facilitators even made up a chant for the freshies. It was such a warm embrace for the neophytes. So much love, indeed.

          The Thomasian Welcome Walk 2014 exceeded our expectations by miles. UST Freshies disregarded the anticipated horrors of a delayed and raining ceremonial welcome. It was a total bash that appealed to everyone’s emotions. There was excitement and anxiety of the newly-blessed 13,000 freshmen as well as the pride and overwhelming happiness of the student council officers of the various departments for the successful and bar-raising preparations they had this year.

          For us freshmen, the Grand Thomasian Welcome Walk was not just a tradition we must all trail. It was more than just celebrating the start of a new chapter of a scholastic adventure. It was more like the wondrous mark that prepared us little tiger cubs to keep UST in its glistening pedestal. Passing through the Arch of Centuries is not just about upholding the tradition – but pouncing at the privilege to be a cut above the rest.

          As for us CRS freshies, let’s just say that we are officially the new breed of cubs – tropical tiger therapists in the making – paving our way to face our future patients, paw by paw.