USTETIKA WINNER in 1999

I was in 4th year college when I joined the USTETIKA Awards for Literature.  I was advised by the Literary Editor of our College Department to submit an entry.  It was a last minute decision to join and passed the entry on the last day of submission.   I went to Varsitarian and turn over my entry for the Poetry Division.  

I received a call from the Varsitarian to attend the awards night, but I never went to the ceremony (I chose to go on a concert that December 1999).  I thought I never won, but my editor friend told me that I won and to get my award at the office of Varsitarian.  And yes I received my bronze medal, a certificate and a cash prize for winning the 3^rd place in Poetry Division in 1999.   

My name was included in the Varsitarian page with all the winners of the Ustetika.  I was the only Science student who received an award during that year.  My works was also featured in the College of Science Journal for their last volume of 2000.

There were few things that I discovered from the experience. 1) I gained my confidence in writing poetry.  I was never included in our College’s paper writers but I always submit poems and all were published.  2) My name was included in the Varsitarian, a rare moment for a student like me who never competes in anything until Ustetika. 3)  It was an avenue later on after a year to be published in an indie publishing.   

I do hope one day when I join a writing competition that I would be able to attend the awarding ceremony. I hope to be able to see the limelight of being a well-known poet and hopefully a novelist.