Alumnite: Beats & Bites — A Night That Somehow Worked (And Slayed!)

Alumnite: Beats & Bites — A Night That Somehow Worked (And Slayed!)

We weren’t sure how it would all come together—but it did. And honestly? What. A. Night!

Last Friday, May 16, 2025, UPAAS took over The Upper Room for Alumnite: Beats & Bites, and kahit medyo cramped at first (may ibang guests pa kasi), by the end of the night, we had filled the whole place—literally and emotionally. In fact, we were so ready to welcome everyone, Wendy accidentally introduced herself to a table of locals—thinking they were UP alumni. 😂 Instant icebreaker!

We had 48 total attendees from all over the UP universe: different batches, campuses, industries, and lengths of stay in SG. Some came early, some humabol, pero all brought that barkada spirit with them.

The chaos was real—but so was the fun

Registration was handled by Socials leads Rilet and Eunice, while I tried my best to usher and chat with new faces (Membership mode on). Conversations sparked instantly—about courses, campuses, favorite profs, or which MRT line they lived on now. Almost every convo started with “Anong batch mo?” or “Tagasan ka dito?”

We were supposed to follow a program, but… well. John (our host/human program flow) made it work. People grabbed food, claimed their tables, and before long, may kumakanta na sa mic.

Bite into the beat. Vibe into the night.

After UPAAS president Janelle’s opening remarks, Chalysta kicked things off with a strong opener—and from there, the mic never cooled down.

ICYMI: Janelle later posted the full speech she meant to give—her “soft, melodious voice” (her words 😅) didn’t quite survive the buzz of the crowd. But the message landed anyway: UPAAS is here to serve, to celebrate, and to create spaces where we can just enjoy each other’s company. Food, drinks, kantahan, and good people? Check, check, check, and check.

Kai performed original songs and mashups, Janelle returned with I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and Monti and Richard lit up the room with YMCA. Togie followed with Bikining Itim, and Richie lent vocals to one of the most unforgettable numbers of the night. Tricia, Eden, and Eric M jammed with Somewhere Only We Know, Lorybeth nailed Total Eclipse of the Heart, Eya and Raquel brought us Top of the World, and Wendy and Eunice owned Pink Pony Club. I jumped in for a mashup of Narda x With or Without You—with John on vocals (who, by the way, never left the mic—living on stage hosting, singing, harmonizing, or cueing the next number), and Gio on the keyboard, holding it all together behind the scenes.

And then came a moment that made everyone cheer—Ms. Minnie, one of UPAAS’ past presidents, joined John on the floor and danced to Dancing Queen. ✨ Now that’s a legacy moment.

We had games lined up, pero the vibe was just too good to pause. People kept donating for song requests instead—yes, real donations for our UPAAS Scholarship Fund.

In one night, we raised $773, thanks to Hermrei, Niña, Kris, Toni, Elle P, JP, Marjun, Kat, Les, Eric M, Eya, Christie, Togie, and Richard—plus a few generous souls who chose to stay anonymous. Grabe kayo.

Rookie of the Year, MVPs, and Newbies

Eya, first-timer pero perform agad—Rookie of the Year, hands down. Lorybeth? MVP. One moment someone was waving their drink in the air, the next, a whole table was swaying and clapping mid-chorus. No big speeches—just shared joy, music, and that familiar UP energy.

And would you believe—10 signed up as new members just for this event! Four of them—Eden, Sarah, Paul, and Bryan—registered on the spot, and six others—Eya, Eugene, Les, Richard, Hermrei, and Corina—joined just days (or even hours) before. They were attending their very first UPAAS event. One said, “I didn’t know UPAAS existed until today!”

Big thanks to Kris, UPAA’s Envoy to Singapore, who was also present and helped encourage new alumni to sign up. He even gave a short acknowledgement and thanked everyone for being there.

No closing remarks. Just good vibes ‘til midnight.

Around 9:15 PM, we took a group photo. Some stood up for hugs and quick goodbyes, but most stayed—elbows on tables, drinks in hand, still deep in conversation. At one point, Richard even bought everyone at our table a round of beers (salamat!). And shoutout din to all the surprise (forced? lol) drink sponsors—never ako nauhaw buong gabi. 😂

Small confession: we forgot to send the feedback form at the end. Kasi naman, ang daming tsismis (lol). As someone who (unofficially?) reminds everyone of tasks, medyo it fell on me—but you know what? No regrets. Worth it for the night we had.

The top mentions in the survey? “The barkada spirit,” “the catch-up and free-for-all singing,” and “meeting old and new friends.” 🙌 Suggestions included better sound, bringing back the games, more just-for-fun nights—and one even asked if we could try open-air venues next time for a more breathable setup. Noted lahat.

We’ll definitely use these insights for future events. But in the meantime, that energy? Unstoppable.

And as people headed out, almost everyone took the time to say thank you—telling us what a great event it was, how much fun they had, and how they’re looking forward to the next one. That’s the kind of feedback that sticks.

Huge thanks to the Mancom behind the magic:

  • Rilet – our tireless lead and print fairy
  • Eunice – assistant lead + comms + poster design queen
  • Janelle, Rilet, John, Ejae – venue, food, setup, coordination (ang dami!)
  • John – emcee, tech support, music guy, performer, photographer—lahat na
  • Wendy – crowd-bringer, song request starter, and mastermind behind the donation surge
  • Gil (me) – lowkey PM-ing through InfoBoard updates, reminders, and vibe checks
  • And to everyone who pitched in with reminders, logistics, and the kind of quiet support that makes events like this feel seamless

And honestly, this night reflected what we’re all about this year—Making Connections. Sharing Passion. Rendering Service.

This night worked because everyone showed up and played their part. Parang orchestra—each person, note, and beat making the music come alive. Saludo sa ating lahat. Truly a combined effort.

Till the next tambayan, mga Isko at Iska.

If you were there, thanks for vibing with us. If you weren’t—tara next time?

Bite into the beat. Vibe into the night.

Alumnite slay. Tuloy ang saya!