[I]nsanely [K]nowledgeable [W]orkshop with the coolest people on earth!

It’s me again. M.I.A. as always, still pushing to post extremely late posts, sadly. Where have I been all summer if you ask? well, you can blame my lack of functioning creative juices, time and the extremely slow wifi but aside from that, some other things, I will explain in this post and the next few. Also, please forgive me for I have a thing for kinda long posts.

Photo Credit: I Know Write Manila

As cliche as it sounds, I’ve always believed in the line “You only live once” but not in the way people nowadays interpret it. We all only have one life as far as we know and who would spend it on risks and mass destruction? It’s okay to be adventurous and live a little but along side that, why not rather spend it on the good, on happiness. We’re all here to leave a mark even if we fear oblivion. “It is inevitable” according Hazel from ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ *fangirls* but whether someone remembers or not, whatever we do, the memories will be etched in whatever we wish for it to be. Okay, I’m kind of going off topic so let me get straight to the point. My “YOLO” pretty much consists of learning something new everyday, experiencing life and enjoying with people we appreciate and last May 29, 2014, one of my “salute to summer 2014” hurrahs was the I Know Write Manila Summer Blogging Workshop.

Early into one in the afternoon, the rush of traffic on the streets of the city made the feeling of both exuberance and nervousness climb into my veins. I didn’t know what to expect nor did I know what to do but I just couldn’t wait to get there. This was a first for me to experience and the trip on the way to the workshop just got me thinking that this whole thing was a YOLO moment. 

I arrived at BGC way too early than I had expected and each step to Kuppa Roastery and Cafe was getting as nerve-wracking as hell. When I got there, I thought I had been the first and only one there until the waiter had told me that someone was also waiting for the workshop and there I met Yannie, who is one of the funniest, nicest and friendliest people I’ve met! I guess I may have told him that I’ve read his blog but still it was rather a big weight off my shoulders when the conversation started off because I could actually relate and from that, I knew, these people would be my kind of people!

Me and Gabe!
Photo Credit: Gabe :)

More ladies and teens alike started to arrive and I met the rest of I Know Write like Lara, Cidee and Jodie! We headed up to the room where we’d be staying and gosh! I didn't know how to feel. Everyone was pretty much a stranger to me. I mean I’ve read from their blogs, some familiar faces and all but I was like a lost puppy so, I randomly (but rather shamelessly) started introducing myself to a bunch of people like Gabe who did tell me she may or may not have stalked my blog before and I guess, after that, I didn’t feel so alone anymore as we all just started talking about life, our blogs, favourite bands, school or basically anything under the sun! 

Just one of those candids where my chin looks sharp....
Photo credit: I Know Write Manila

By around 2 in afternoon, we had started with the workshop. With each of us introducing ourselves with our names, blog URLs and two facts about ourselves, I may or may not have heard someone squeal during that run but anyway, I said my usual, I DANCE (well, what else can I say). The atmosphere was still slightly shy but we were getting there.

Photo credit: I Know Write Manila

Once those were all finished, It was time for all the blogging 101 to commence! A pretty lady in what looked like a dress (or maybe it was a really big shirt that just really suited her) came out, walked with all her fabulous eminence, ready with her tablet and took a seat on what was the throne for speakers. 
Ms. Marla Miniano is an author and editor-in-chief of Candy Magazine. She talked about writing itself like how it is very flexible with the different genres you can come up with and also about how writers are very versatile - being many different things at once. She gave blogging life tips and shared about her experiences abroad. She also elaborated about inspiration and motivation, indulging ourselves and taking as many opportunities as much as possible because it will really help us to find our style and when this happens, our writings may make a difference and hopefully inspire others as well.

Ms. Marla
Photo credit: I Know Write Manila

If learning a lot from Ms. Marla was only 0.75/3 of what was to happen, I could already imagine the next 2.25/3 to be! Well, the next 0.25/3, much to the joy of my grumbling stomach was pizza time and pizza time is always happy time! With a lot of flavours to choose from Kuppa’s variety, I was more than happy to sit and just ingest all there was while of course, part-taking in fun conversations with the girls whom I just met around me.

Photo credit: I Know Write Manila

As we were eating, I was called for some help, well, it was to borrow my laptop for the next speaker and I, fangiring deep inside, was more than glad to lend it to her while I might have complimented her for her really beautiful Doc Martens.

Me with Ms. Reese and Ms. Marla

After all our food feasting, a young woman who had pink-purple-black ombre coloured hair and odd loud colour combinations for outfits took her spot with her powerpoint ready in front of all of us eager teenagers. She reminded me so much of those Tokidokis and Kimmidolls my sister used to collect and for me, her eccentricity was rather cute, really creative and the epitome of how I depict Japanese (or Asian) pop culture! 

Photo credit: I Know Write Manila

Ms. Reese Lansangan is a musician, fashion designer and graphic artist but most importantly, she is her own person which is what she taught us about - basically, being ourselves, trusting our own tastes and just letting people know who we truly are. She spoke about how branding ourselves is essential in conveying our own identities and personalities and that we don’t need to change who we are when we blog because in the end all that matters is staying true to ourselves. Despite all her quirkiness and weirdness, she lives up to it and inspires me to just be ME!

Photo credit: I Know Write Manila

Next up, a young lady, teenager like you and me, made her way to the front of the room with nothing but her long beautiful mermaid hair and an extremely comfy looking outfit. Nina Pineda, having achieved at her young age, is a entrepreneur, teen blogger, officer of the much loved 1DPH and a good friend I really look up to! I had met her a good 2 years ago at a One Direction event and when I found out she’d be speaking at the workshop, the more I was looking forward to it because it actually has been a while since we’ve seen each other. 

Me and Nina

She had given us a challenge of an unconventional blog post which is this that I am writing but hell, i’m posting it extremely late! She also had actually told us that she wasn’t prepared but everything that I’ve gathered from her stated other wise! Anyways, As she had her own experiences with criticism - good and bad and she taught us everything we needed to know. One of the things that had stuck with me was the fact that those who actually take time to bash on other people, especially anonymously can do so much more productivity with the time they spend actually hating on others. Most teenagers have probably had their own share of receiving hate but it’s rather weird that those who call you “annoying” or “feeler” or “attention seeker” or whatever actually read your blog. Do they do this just to troll or to just even hate on someone without any reason at all. Learning these life lessons from the teenage aspect was something really relatable, well, I am a teenager after all. I also learned that these bad comments we receive actually helps us grow into more mature people. We shouldn’t let anyone affect who we are as a person because in the end, we our ourselves and as Nina said “You do you, I do me” although we should’t forget we aren’t alone and we'll always have each other in our day to day experiences.

Me and Jodie of IKW

From that mini-heart to heart of relatable experiences, it turned somewhat into a Q&A of whatever (how to use photoshop, cameras, about 1D and 5SOS), less formal but really fun and I must say, it was a great and chill way to end the talk. Final remarks and thanks were made by I Know Write’s core team and then after, we all gathered for more yummies for our tummies and a lot of snapshot moments with each other! 

Photo credit: I Know Write Manila

This flash project may take a while to load. :) 

I guess I can say I'm finally part of the army!! No words can explain how amazing the experience has been! It was my first time to experience something like this and I’m really looking forward to more events like this with all these amazing people! I’ve definitely had lots to bring home - memories, lessons, goodies from all the sponsors and a happy happy tummy and certainly, I’d invite you all to join in on the next events! I’d like to thank those who sponsored the event and of course every one from IKR.MNL and not to mention my blogging familia! I’m really glad to have experienced this workshop and met so many beautiful people!

Feed of beautiful people!

Me and Lara of IKW

Me and Joedie!

Me and Kat!

with Kaitlyn and Cess

Me with Clara

Me with Gabe (again) and paper bag with goodies from our sponsors!

Me and Andrea

Me and Angela

Me and Vianne
Photo Credit: Vianne Del Rosario

For more photos and updates for upcoming events, visit I Know Write Manila on Facebook!

Got this dope certificate! Doesn't matter that my name's spelled wrong hehe

Sadly, photo quality in the flash project decreased when I uploaded it. :( 

Song used
// Hello, You Beautiful Thing - Jason Mraz //