Finally a High School Graduate (Repost from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Finally, a high-school graduate

Right before graduation!

High school flew by so quickly. I couldn’t believe I was sitting there, ready to graduate. We were finally at the finish line, about to walk up that stage to get our diploma.

It’s amazing how much all of us have changed over the past few years. Going through all our photos, I realized much has happened since we entered high school. Some of us have gotten fatter, while others have gotten thinner. Some of us have gotten into relationships, while others have explored various activities, ranging from academics to athletics and extracurricular activities.

High school was about growing up and discovering ourselves, trying new things and exploring our interests. It was also about getting acquainted with the opposite sex, hanging out with friends and learning how to socialize. It was about finding a group to be part of, or in local terms, a barkada. But more importantly, high school was about learning how to care not only about ourselves, but also about the people around us.

As I went through the Facebook timeline of my different batchmates right before graduation, I couldn’t help but feel sentimental as I remembered the different experiences we had had in Xavier School.

Honestly, it was only this past year that I really learned how to fully appreciate my Xavier education, which has given me a plethora of unique experiences like the One2One Program (where we got to use laptops in class), the SM Immersion Program (where we got to experience being an SM employee), the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Entrepreneurship Project (where we partnered with GK social enterprises) and a myriad of other programs and activities.

But now the challenge is using all these to try and make a bigger impact on society as we move to the next chapter of our lives. We may not know how exactly we can make a difference in such a complicate d world, but I firmly believe that our generation will find a way.

Our generation is known as the one that has been given the gift of being able to share every single moment in our life. We have gone through our high school years documenting every memory and sharing them with the world with the different social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And it’s exciting to guess what this connectedness and advancements in technology will do for us in the future, as we enter the next chapter of our lives.

Separate ways

Nothing will ever be the same. I will honestly miss seeing the faces of each one of my classmates from section A. I will miss the A-men and H4A, the class that taught me that school isn’t all about the grades; it’s also about learning how to have fun in life. They taught me how to value every member of the class, and how to simply enjoy the moment.

Although we may be going to different universities in the Philippines and abroad, we will always carry with us the values and skills that we learned in Xavier School—from cramming assessments, going on service programs and class retreats, and reflecting upon all these experiences.

As I look back at the past year, I couldn’t have asked for more. It’s perfectly fitting that I end my senior year by thanking everyone who has made a difference in my life over the past 18 years, and more specifically this year.

Thank you to my family for their never-ending support, and for being there with me every step of the way. Thank you so much to all my teachers who taught me lessons both in and out of the classroom. Thank you to my coaches and mentors for challenging me and for bringing out the best in me. Thank you, Xavier School, for teaching me how to make the most of my talents, and to always strive for excellence.

At the start of this school year, after I tore my anterior cruciate ligament, I wasn’t sure how exactly the year would turn out. But I told myself that I would make the most of my last year in Xavier School by joining as many activities as I could and by giving my best shot both in academics and extra-curricular activities.

Yet, throughout the year, I realized that senior year was more than just about the test scores, college applications, achievements or the clubs and committees I joined.

Senior year was extremely memorable because I chose to spend more time with the people I care about. It was about choosing to make new friends and cherish old ones. It was about choosing to stay that extra hour in school so I could spend more time with my friends. It was about turning every single day in class into a shared experience. And finally, it was about turning every single experience into a memorable one.

So, thank you to all my friends, who have made this senior year of mine the perfect encapsulation of what a journey it has been. May we never forget the little wonders, small hours and shared experiences we spent with each other because 10, 20 years from now, when we cross paths once again, we will be looking back at high school as some of the best years in our life.

Class picture 🙂

 

Read more: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/155231/finally-a-high-school-graduate#ixzz2xGcZizuQ
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Ready, Set, Go! Thailand, Here I Come!

It’s been a few days since I last blogged and even if there are several topics that I want to blog about, I haven’t been able to find the time due to my super hectic schedule. The previous weekend of mine was eaten up by the Philippine Model Congress event I attended and during the last few days, I’ve also been really busy preparing to leave for Thailand for the 1^st ever Asian World Schools Debating Championship.

Right now, I feel really languid and ambivalent. I’m honestly not sure anymore of what I’m doing and whether or not I’m making the right choices. Everything is starting to pile up and I’ve been bombarded with a to-do list that never seems to end.

I’m blogging right now to just clear my head and try to regain the zeal and passion I had at the start of the school year. I’m honestly feeling really drained right now but I can’t give in for there is still a long journey ahead of me. Things haven’t been going my way and I’ve been feeling really sleepy and tired during class time. I’ve also been really grumpy and easily irritated the past few days.

On the bright side though, I’m really excited for today as I leave for Thailand. This is my first time to go to Thailand. Throughout the years, I ‘ve heard how wonderful Bangkok is and how cheap and good the food is. Aside from that, I’m also excited to meet the other delegates and participants of the tournament. From what I heard from my coach, the schools participating in this tournament come from 14 different countries so it will without a doubt be a very diverse and unique experience.

Going to this tournament is also a chance for me to sit back a little and get away from all the other things I’ve been worrying about. I have my ticket with me and there’s no looking back. I can’t think about all the lessons and assessments I’ll be missing because of this trip. What I should focus on is doing my best in every round of the tournament.

The least I can do right now is make the most out of this experience. Not everyone gets the chance to represent his school in an international competition like this. This is also my first time to go abroad without my parents so it’s a novel and at the same time very exciting experience for me!

I’m really thankful to God for this opportunity and I will definitely make every day in Thailand count! And off-course, you can be part of my journey for I will make sure that I blog about the experience and all the lessons that I will surely learn in this experience like no other!

As  I end this post, I’m glad that I was able to slow down a bit and reflect upon what has transpired the past few days before I leave for Thailand. Blogging truly is a beautiful way to set your mind and emotions free from everything that has happened. I feel a lot better now and reassured that I made the right choice to be part of the team going to the first ever Asian World Schools Debating Championship! My mind is now clear of distractions and I’m good and ready to go!

-DOitChoco

I’m BACK! SUMMER’S just getting STARTED!

It’s been a really long time, 3 weeks to be exact, since I last opened wordpress and blogged. The past 3 weeks have been an adventure like no other. Each and everyday was full of lasting memories and unimaginable firsts. I really made it a point to make the most out of each and everyday of our trip in Europe and Hong Kong to the point of exhaustion, but looking back, it was more than worth it.

Although it would be impossible to capture and relive every single moment, I will try my best to right about the highlights of the trip and more importantly, what I realized and learned from these events. To be honest, everything happend so quickly and looking back, I sort of miss Europe and its peculiar atmosphere. But then again, I’m glad to be BACK! I’m glad not only to be back in my home sweet home but I’m also glad to be back to BLOGGING!

I actually arrived last friday night and right then and there I wanted to return to blogging but unfortunately, aside from the fact that I’m still kinda getting used to the atmosphere here, I’ve also been really busy. I’m not complaining though for I’d rather be busy than bored trying to kill time. I really want to make the most out of this summer with the mentality that this will be the BEST summer break ever!

What better way to resume summer my summer here than by going to one of my most anticipated events during the summer, Intervillage Basketball Tournament!! It was really fun and diverting to get back to playing the game I loved and at the same time catching up with friends who I only see during this time of the year! It’s crazy how fast and how much we’ve grown since our childhood days yet we still come back here every summer to play the game we love.

Aside from Intervillage, just this weekend, I resumed my SAT review with an unparalleled drive and purpose. I’ve come to realize that nothing comes easy and if I want to make it to a good school abroad, I’d have to step up my game and give it everything I’ve got. If others were able to do it, why can’t I? Right now, I’m really enthusiastic about my review and shockingly, I’ve somehow found a way to enjoy answering those mind-boggling worksheets on vocab and grammar.

I know this is just the start, but I hope that I’m able to keep this same zeal and impassioned drive throughout the summer! From here on out, the mountain will only be getting steeper, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to climb!

Tomorrow will definitely be another wire-to-wire day for Chemistry Camp and Basketball Practice starts tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to making the most out of this summer and with these two new mountains waiting for me, SUMMER has definitely just BEGUN!

I wouldn’t want to be late for my chemistry camp which starts at 7:30 am so I’m signing off, but I promise that I’ll be updating this blog more frequently as I try to slow down this bullet train called SUMMER! Got to make everyday count for SUMMER doesn’t last forever!

“Live everyday like your last.”

-DOitChoco

Exploring the World, Learning New Cultures and Making Lasting Memories

It has become a yearly routine of my family to go abroad during vacations, usually during summer break. These trips abroad have a lot of meaning and bring about a lot of memorable experiences.

My dad always stressed how these trips abroad should be a learning experience of us kids and really broaden our world. He plans trips to different places and always makes it a point that we visit the marked and known spots in each country we visit. Aside from this, he also encourages to try out something new in every trip and really immerse ourselves in the country’s culture. From taking us to Hockey games, Basketball games, Baseball games (based on the country’s national sport) to brining us to shows like Broadway, Cirque Du Soliel and other prestigious cultural events, he really makes it a point to give us the best possible experience.

Sadly, the previous me, believe it or not, hated going abroad and despised being taken to cultural events and going to tourist spots.  Two years ago, I turned down his offer to watch a Broadway show. And just last year, I actually turned down the offer of my father to go to Universal Studious with him and my siblings.

I obviously regret turning down my father’s offers and wasting those opportunities that do not come very often. I can’t go back to the past though, so all I can do is learn from my mistakes and make the most out of the future trips we have. Right now, I am ready to take up every offer of my dad, make the most out of the trip and create experiences and memories that will last forever.

I am truly lucky that I am blessed with a well to do family and we have the means to afford going on trips like these. Not everyone has this opportunity and I am really thankful to God that I am able to venture to new lands and explore places on the other side of the globe.

Oops looks like it’s boarding time, I got to get going for I wouldn’t want to miss the plane ride to a vast land that I’ve heard numerous stories about from history class but never been to before, Europe! Don’t worry, now that I have this blog, I will definitely blog about every surreal moment that I experience in this eurotrip!

-DOitChoco