Graduation is the never the end – it is just the beginning.
We hear those words every year when thousands of students leap frog from what have been their home for 4, 5 or 6 years, into their next home or into the frying pan, figuratively speaking. And whenever we hear those words, it means that 3 things are bound to follows: expenses, changes, tears! Yes, tears. I am mushy also. Hehehe!
It was March 29, 2003, or exactly five years since we left the portals of my High School Alma Mater, San Sebastian College – Recoletos de Cavite, the burning fervor of our batch still remains anew. I reminisce about the experiences I had during high school. We can never forget our outrageous kalokohan; our late night “sobrang lasing” drinking sessions; the kantahan blues in the classroom and in Emperor; our panliligaw and the late night telebabad; speech choirs, plays, projects, newspapers, diorama and skits; you find us from basketball courts to the billiard halls and computer shops; from the favorite tambayan to just simply spending the day at our friends’ house; Mang Diego, Fina’s, Gina’s, Jama Com, McDo, Pop’s, Hai Hans, and the other places; we can never forget as these were memories to last a lifetime. And we said good bye to those days five years ago.
How I miss the carefree life of a high school student. I always remember how I run from our house to the school whenever I hear the school bell ringing, with SG Mauro “Angel” Bilangel at the street waving at me, signaling for me to hurry up. I am always late for the flag ceremony, but my classmates are always amazed at how I can get into the campus without being punished by the Prefect of Discipline. Sometimes, they are even shocked that I manage to enter school without IDs, wearing a printed shirt, or wearing black socks without getting caught. Sabi ko,
diskarte lang yan!
I never studied during my high school days. The class lessons were never my interest, to say the least. I read and study what others do not study. I am inquisitive even during my younger days. Class lessons never tickle my curiosity – being mediocre in their substance. I want some greater form of learning. That is probably the reason why I have never actually acquired a study habit, unlike my classmates in the First Section, who I can proudly say got better grades than me. They studied throughout the night, sleeping at past 10 or 11 PM, researching for our assignments, seriously pondering math problems and science experiments, finishing the notebook, and all those stuffs. I never did those, except when I am on the brink of getting a low grade would I be forced to do those. I wonder why I always remain in the First Section, managing to be within the upper half of our class, doing nothing except
tambay, inom, laro, daldal, ligaw, kain, tulog – in short,
bugoy-bugoy lang! Alam ko medyo nagyayabang na ako, but ask my classmates during high school, if I ever had a complete assignment, they would say a big
NO! Hehehe! Pasaway kaya ako nung high school, as if ngayon hindi ano? Hehehe!
I miss also the Student Council Days. Those were the days! SC 2003 could be ranked among the best, if not being the best. Although I know other batches would claim that title, I bet no one could break our records and match the intensity and dedication we gave to the student body. When I say we, I mean the officers. Ako ang President, Jody Lunasin, our class valedictorian was the Vice-President (but I think that title should belong to Rene Pilapil, go Pañero!), Ochie Manesca is the very beautiful and hardworking Secretary, Konsehal Mark Mupas is the Treasurer and the owner and driver of the Official SC Transport, ang pinsan kong si Ryan Paul Bagnas is the innovative and ingenious Auditor, Pareng G-jay Mateo is the P.R.O. like his brothers, ang negosyanteng si Camille Manalansan and si Pareng Teejay Torres ang mga Peace Officers, and the Representatives: si Wilfred Morabe of 3rd Year, si Cherry Kerr Aguilar of 2nd Year at ang ninuno naming si Robert Dizon, 1st Year. Very hardworking group this is. The majority of the officers come from my partido, the ONE! Walang ibig sabihin, hindi siya acronym. We just wanted to simplify things, simplify our platforms, simplify our vision; we wanted a unified student body. That is why our projects were not only innovative; they were revolutionary during our time. It is the reason why until now, students still remembers us. We not only became leaders, we became their servants. We were not only their representatives, we became their soldiers, and we fought for their cause. We were not only their student council officers; we became their brothers, mentors and friends. If we could still do today one thing, we would still serve them to the best of our capabilities. That is why; the SC Family deserves mention in this blog. They have not only been my friends, we became a family in the council. We cared for, stood for and loved one another.
Towards the end of high school, we were met with skepticism. Are we going on to college? Are we ready to leave the comfort zones we have built among ourselves? Are we ready to leave the place we called home? Are we ready to part with each other? These are just some of the questions we asked ourselves. Most of this propped up during and after the retreat – when we realized that we are not getting any younger; that life as we knew it is drastically going to change. We were sad to leave our friends, we were afraid of the new things up ahead, and we were doubtful whether or not we are to succeed. That is why during the days leading to our graduation, we were filled with confusing emotions. We wanted to move on and take on with our chosen careers, but we wanted our friends to come with us and still be part of that dream. We wished for time to stop, or even just slower its pace, but we were powerless. We just, waited!
Fast forward. I am now a law student and I graduated AB Political Science last year. In 2007, more than 50% of my 213 batchmates of SSC-R de Cavite High School Class of 2003 finished their chosen course on time. About 5% are already abroad, studying, living and finding their luck there. This year, around 10-15% is graduating, with another 10-15% next year. All in all, after 5 years, 85% have obtained their degrees. The remaining 15% are still in the process of finishing their studies, who are going to join us eventually before Class 2003 celebrate its 10th Year Anniversary. I know that my compatriots shall be successful. That is our trait.
I still remember the message I wrote in our High School yearbook as Student Council President. I said there these lines:
“My friends, let us hold hands and discover the world and see for ourselves what magnificent treasure it holds – adventures that is there for the taking and dreams that are ours to pursue.”
In the end, we shall remain to be friends. We may grow old and nimble, our minds may already be senile but we shall forever keep in our hearts, that once in our lives; we were united during the 4 years we stayed at that campus in the City of Cavite, and that together, we shaped our dreams and shared our destiny with one another.
To my batchmates, congratulations sa inyong lahat! Happy 5th Anniversary sa atin!
Ang inyong kaibigan,
KULOT
