BUSES AND TRAINS: or studying while on board a Common Carrier

I have always been a commuter. From the time I learned to read during my DSWD Day Care years when I finally abhorred reading in my Civil Law Review Class, I have always been travelling from my Family Home to a place where there is hierarchical structure and chronological pattern of learning or what is known as an educational institution. So yes, I’m used to reading or studying while on board a moving vehicle.
Not only am I lazy, I think I’m the laziest in class, at one point, the only time I do get to study was when I was moving 30-50kph. In school there were always friends you talk to, and at home, well, there is the TV, the bed, the computer and of course, Chismis.

So my study habits have been restricted. Although it did cost me since i was able to finish law school in five years and was kicked-out of my former school, as they say, there is always that silver lining. I honed my reading whole travelling skills. So in the spirit of the “it’s almost tomorrow” bar exams, let me rate and somehow give tips on how to study while a stranger sleeps on you shoulder while you are crossing Mabuhay Rotonda.

(and yes, this will be in order)

The Top 8

Pedicabs
For its almost non-moving pace, and the exposure to the elements not to mention the fact that you only ride them on short distances, it is not very conducive for studying, probably you will be able to finish a doctrine or two, but the window between the time you reach for your codal and the time you will reach your destination is almost non-existent, so I just don’t bother. And really, the cost of riding one pedicab is almost a meal in your favorite carinderia. So, walk, now, it’s actually easy to read while walking than in riding a pedicab with the dirty toes of manong driver showing every few seconds is not really worthy.

Tricycle
Now, although pedicabs and tricycles are relatives within the fourth degree of affinity or consanguinity, they are two different classes. For starters, it’s cheaper, and when I say cheaper, it does not include the special rides. If like me, a tricycle ride takes minutes, then you could actually read while in a tricycle, given that the time is not that short to waste, but not long enough to actually read an entire SCRA, but you could read a few provisions, plus the time you use while waiting for other passengers, you can squeeze about three or four provisions.

MRT
Well, of all the light transits, this one ranks the lowest. The crowd is just not reader friendly, not at all, people squeezing you in dragging you out, coughing on you, it is just not that friendly, but on times, you can actually read something, just hope people will not be pushing too hard. And I hope that that will not be pun, especially for the ladies.

LRT Line 1
I was not able to experience much of LRT 1, but the times I got on this train, it was very… um, discriminating. The people that are used to it, can read, can actually read while on it, in spite of the LRT smell, and in spite of the Martial Law technology. For us who are not used to such a scenario, it is a Caso Fortuito. But I could see that a few but continuous rides can make you used to it. For the small number of times I rode the train I have seen a lot of people studying inside. Well, the many students that take the LRT 1, a fraction will surely harness the power to actually do that.

Jeepneys
Ah, it is very easy to read while riding a Jeepney. Thre will be no distraction as the seats are facing each other, and there are only two things your eyes could do if it doesn’t want to meet other eyes, its either it closes and sleeps or go to the nearest readable, well, anything. How else do you think we know all the jeepney poetry that is “Barya lang po sa Umaga” or “Basta Driver Sweet Lover”? So it is easy to study, there are only a few inconveniences, first, the passing of fare. Especially if you are situated near the driver, it is almost impossible to finish a sentence much more a case digest. Second, remember the other option for the eyes, well, yes, passengers actually sleep, worse, they include you as their pillow, if not their bed. Third, the loud sounds, no one can study while the jeep’s sound system is pounding your brain out.

LRT line 2
The light rail transit a student can depend on. To begin with, it is very spacious, secondly, the air-conditioning works…well, and the floor is not that gross to actually sit on. This is the train I memorized most of codal provisions in my first year in law. Actually, all of the codal provisions.

FX
Cold, sometimes. Comfortable, it depends. Spacious, only in front. But a lot of students do their final study while riding an FX, I would have ranked it lower than two, but my entire college life, I was riding, and hence, I was studying in an FX. Filipino design, japanese maker, what else could you ask for? Well, still a lot. But up until now, you see dozens of students cramming inside an FX. While the other dozen is still sleeping.

Bus
My number 1… well, the passengers do not bother you with their fare, you can actually feel the air-conditioning. It’s fast. And well, although there are the occasional passenger who mistake you for a bed, that does not happen as much in jeepneys. So yes, when I go to the bar exams, I’ll be riding a bus, and guess what I will be doing on my way to La Salle? Yup, I’ll probably be sleeping.










written a few days before the bar exams