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Iya Villania's safety net

as an actress, host and singer, she is currently pursuing a college degree.

The Us Girls host is taking up AB Psychology at the De La Salle University (otherwise known as DLSU), located along Taft Avenue, Manila. DLSU operates on a trimestral academic calendar, which means it has three semesters in a regular schoolyear as opposed to the usual two. Ergo, it takes less time to complete a four-year degree in DLSU compared to other universities.

Apparently, this setup works well for Iya, because she has become quite adept at balancing her studies with her career. She even made it to the Dean's List last semester. “I was so happy when I found out that I made the cut,” she says. “The news made me feel like all the sacrifices I made—like spending less time with Drew [Arellano, my boyfriend] or staying up late to study—were worth it.”

That semester, Iya signed up for the maximum number of units, which made her achievement all the more noteworthy. However, this semester she opted for a lighter load instead. “I signed up for 12 units' worth of classes, meaning I have four classes this semester,” she says.

So how do her classmates and teachers treat her, knowing that she's a celebrity? Does she get any special treatment? “There are the odd few who ask for my autograph and to have a picture taken with me,” she laughs. “But for the most part, everyone treats me like a regular student, which is fine.”

Iya recognizes the importance of education and is thrilled that a lot of celebrities, including her ASAP '07 co-host Rica Peralejo, are going back to school. Come June, Rica will pursue a BFA in Creative Writing at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.

“I'm so proud of her,” she says. “It's good to strike whilst the iron is hot, showbiz-wise, but you should always have a safety net, because you never know. For me, that safety net is school.”