Fourth Chapter: The Night

     Darkness is growing and the sun has set. My friends, I invite you to watch and gaze at the billions of stars in the sky. Join me on the last and final chapter of my story, where we will see and witness constellations and stars shining in the nighttime.

     The end has just begun. This quarter, Photoshop is the center of our classes in TLE. I learned how to lay out a page- how to manipulate layers, inserting photos, adding text, and the likes. It’s amazing how the digital world works!

     But as my last chapter is being wrote, my heart is filled with different feelings. One of which is pressure. I felt a little bit pressured because of the standards that people around me have set. I was scared of not meeting their expectations. I feared being called a failure. This feeling was both positive and negative. It became a negative thing because I cared and focused too much on what other people told me, and I forgot to focus on myself. But I also took it as a challenge- a way of improving myself.

     In the middle of the way, I realized that we have less time than we think. It saddens us that in one way or another, we will part ways. In less than a month, we will walk different paths, enter different strands, and take different careers. Some of us may still be intact in the future, but one thing is for sure- we will be one step closer to achieving our dreams. And though we will meet new people, I hope we will not lose the friendship we created.

     The end is nearing, and let’s take a look at the stars- to gaze at the memories we made this school year. I see one bright one- when we attended the recollection last February. MBabies,  remember the time we joined the Speech Choir Competition? It’s up in there too! And the making of the NDEP Corner! Even the times we played Chinese garter- it’s shining so bright! Don’t forget the Christmas Program and the numerous campings we attended. Oh, those late night talks and jammings brought back so many memories! I can see the time when we went to Plaza Burgos to watch the Teachers and Students’ Got Talent, and the times the trainees had their Team Building Activities. Oh, all the great memories we all shared.

     This time, I am no longer afraid of the dark. This chapter taught me to make the most out of the time we have, because we may not be aware of when it will end. Cherish every moment. Put your heart out. Live like no other. Veni. Vidi. Vici.

     I don’t want this story to be rewritten because I don’t think my journey with the people around me couldn’t get any better than this. I am not ready for the day to end, but I guess this is the time for us to have a short rest- because a new day is ahead of us.

Hope and Future

Someday, I want to become a teacher.

I wish to be an engineer like my father.

I’ve always wanted to be a chef.

My goal is to turn into a lawyer.

Politics sounds nice- I might be the President one day.

     These are some of the common dreams of the youth. I oftentimes hear these sentences uttered by little kids. We all have different dreams in life. Some of us would like to pursue writing, or maybe even sports. Some even want to create and establish their own businesses.

     “Be a very determined and passionate dreamer. Dream big, bigger than the stars. And when you have set an aim, go for it. Catch it like it meant the most to you,” they once said to me.

     At a very young age, I have always wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to be able to save the lives of people. I wanted to make sure that everyone had good health. I always told everyone around me that I should be brave and be a hero who will save lives in the field of medicine.

     But then, as years went by, I started to change my mind. I then wished to become an accountant. My sister and my godmother gave me the idea to take up accountancy. I was eager to learn how to balance. I also wished to learn how to write financial statements.

      Now, I have an idea on what my future will be. I hope to become a statistician. I want to be knowledgeable when it comes to the population, or arranging data. I’d like to deal with numbers,  organizing and interpreting them.

     Whatever dream we have for our future, we must ask ourselves: Will it spark joy? If it is something that we will do in the long run, we must always consider our joy, because that is one of all of us’ dreams- to be happy.

The Festivity

     Mark your calendars, because it’s going to be the 117th High School Day!

     Yes, folks. The first and second days of March marked my last High School Day experience as a Junior High School student. But unfortunately, I was not able to be physically present and join the celebration. Nevertheless, I still felt the spirit of it with the help of my friends.

     Early February, you can already feel the preparation for the said event. The canvassing is just around the corner. The list of names of candidates starts to pile up. Whispers of tunes remixed into one can be heard. Dancers start to sway gracefully to a brand new choreography. Students of the same grade level begin to compile either in the gymnasium or athletic field. As the first day of March is fast approaching, the tension is a little bit rising. Songs are getting louder and students create formations. Some officers start to train, and the Royal Court is known. Here it is, here it goes.

     It’s Friday afternoon, and the gym is filling up. Officers are outside and getting ready. Princes and Princesses are dolled up, entering the gymnasium. Fellow students are amazed with the beauty they showcase. And on the same afternoon, they were crowned.

     The following morning, a parade of all students was conducted. Girls and Boys of all grade levels come together to show everyone their costumes and props. In the afternoon, the Arrival of Honors was conducted. And after which, the highlight of the day, the field demonstration. As students started dancing, cheers were heard here and there. This yeas year, there is a twist! Teachers also performed! The day ended with the victory in Grade 8’s hands.

    I hope that in the next High School Day Celebrations to have more more activities. I wish that there will be more things that require involvement of students. And though I am in another place, the festivity is still with me.