Just thought I'd share with y'all my experience in trying out for the Candy Council of Cool. Spoiler alert: I was a finalist, but I didn't actually make it to the Council (due to a reason that will be explained later on). But fortunately, I'm not too down in the dumps about it.
I had picked up my August issue of Candy Magazine (aka the Philippines' number one teen magazine and the best-est friend a girl could ever have!) during the first week of the month, and I came across this particular advertisement:
After reading it over and over again, I had come to the conclusion that:
a) The Council of Cool combined the top three things I loved doing (writing, interacting with people and trying new things), thus it was the perfect activity for me.
b) Even if I had quite a slim chance of getting a spot, considering the millions of readers Candy Magazine has, I knew I had to give it a shot, or my soul would never be silenced.
So for the next few days, I wrote and re-wrote my whole application essay about ten thousand times. You could ask my whole set of friends, and they would all testify to the fact that I spent most of my free time jotting down portions of my essay on my intermediate pad. (So much for having a social life, LOL.) I felt the constant need to make sure my work was perfect, and could represent who I am as a person, since I didn't have even the faintest idea of when I could get an opportunity to try out for something of this scale again.
After countless revisions and you-can-do-it sessions, I sent in my application to the said e-mail address with a hopeful heart and crossed fingers, just a few days before the deadline. To be honest, I had forgotten about the whole incident, since the only thing in my mind was trying to find out how to make it out of school alive on a daily basis. (I swear, fangirling duties have been neglected, as well.)
Until two Fridays ago. I wasn't feeling my most prime, having come home from one of the most stressful weeks of my life. But, my mood suddenly took a turn for the better when I saw the newest message on my phone: Candy's Features Editor, Ms. Angel Constantino, who was asking if she could interview me either the next Monday or Tuesday! Being the giddy teenager that I am, I texted her back my preferred schedule and tweeted and told everyone I knew that I, Angel Martinez, a speck of dust in the galaxy, was one step closer to getting one of the most coveted positions in the magazine industry. (Let's face it.)
The next few days were spent tirelessly preparing for what I would probably consider as the highlight of the year. I took out all the back issues of Candy that I had, drew inspiration from past COC members and prepared a set of possible interview questions. My mom even helped me in terms of outfit choices and making a great first impression! I needed to be the kind of person they were looking for, the kind that exuded Candy Girl vibes the moment she entered the room, and I was doing anything and everything to accomplish just that.
And then, it was Tuesday. I skipped school that day, and went over to Summit Media's headquarters in Ortigas. There were two parts to the "interview" Ms. Angel mentioned: this actual question and answer portion with the editorial staff of Candy (who just so happen to be my life pegs, so it was no big deal LOL!!), and this writing test where all participants will be sentenced to a room to come up with an essay from the given topics. I'd like to think I did better than expected during the interview: my hands were trembling like crazy, and I could feel my body temperature drop a hundred degrees below zero, but I managed to pull it off without being a totally awkward wreck. I even made some of the staffers laugh at some point after saying that I was an expert in being fanzoned (or unnoticed by the celebrities I devote my life to), although I also did freeze for about ten seconds trying to think of what my favorite segment in Candy was.
For the next leg of my assessment process, I had to choose two out of a wide variety of topics to make an essay about. I ultimately chose to name the celebrity I'd want to interview (plus three interesting things about him/her and the five questions I'd ask, if ever given the chance) and to write an album review on the one and only bae, Sam Smith. I proofread my essay a thousand times and replaced several words with deeper synonyms, and took about an hour trying to make sure everything about it would prove to them that I am a force to be reckoned with in the world of writing. And when I was sure that I had given my 110% and there was nothing I could do to improve on it further (in my opinion, at least), I passed it, hoping to get that congratulatory text message in a few days' time.
And that's the problem. I didn't.
I wasn't able to live up to their expectations that I would be free on any given weekday to attend brainstorming sessions, meetings, photo shoots and the like, where my presence would be very much necessary. Unfortunately, that is beyond my control, since I am aiming to be a part of the Top 20 list and a Merit Card Awardee by the end of the school year, so it is a given fact that my studies will be my top priority for the next few months.
Of course, realizing that I wasn't going to be living the dream I had so vividly planned in my mind was a strange kind of heartbreak. I had come to the conclusion that all the sacrifices I had to make in order to make way for this opportunity, like missing out a day of school and getting stuck in traffic for two and a half hours, were for naught, and that I should just stick to writing for my own enjoyment.
But yeah, here comes the sappy realization part. To be honest, I never really thought that I was a great writer. I mean, I was writing stories way back when I was three and I thought I was at the top of my game then, since most kids my age were playing with building blocks and Barbie dolls whilst I was holding a piece of paper and a pen. But lately, people have been stepping up their game and my so-called creative talent got lost in a sea of fellas trying to stand out, and I had considered myself to be just good. The fact that Candy Magazine handpicked my essay out of the hundreds of applicants who submitted their work served as a kind of validation that I was much more than the adjectives I had restrained myself to. It has answered so many what-ifs and buts filled with doubt and hesitation that found its way in my journey as a writer. This renewed feeling of self-belief matches the exhilaration I got when the Candy staff sent me the text message that fateful Friday that started this whole experience, and that is what truly matters to me. (Not that the Council of Cool doesn't matter, though!)
So that's pretty much it. Hope I was able to satisfy your curiosity and answer some of the questions others might not have even thought of asking. If you have any ideas, comments or suggestions, feel free to leave a message here or on my Twitter and Instagram!
Veni, vidi, vici
Adios
Angel
P.S. For those who are wondering if I'd ever try out for the Council of Cool again, my answer is a big, fat....... YES! See you again in four years' time, Candy!