How A Not So Ordinary Article Became The No. 1 Read

Hundreds of comments, thousands of shares, top reads for the last 7 days, top 5 reads in the last 30 days, who would’ve imagined that a simple story about a high school student’s experience bagging in a SM supermarket immersion would generate this much attention.

What started out as my friends just thanking me for using their picture quickly escalated in a matter of days into the talk of the down. I was honestly surprised as my parents were telling me how much shares it was generating. At the start, I was also shocked that my article was actually getting comments. Then, on one night, my friend just messaged me to check out the Carlos Celdran post and the rest is history. Suddenly, overnight, my article became the top reads of not only the day but also the week.

(The article is seen here: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/131783/my-stint-as-an-sm-grocery-bagger)

Was the number one read for quite some time!! Really shocking and surreal!

Social media has truly transformed the way we live our lives. In a matter of days, my SM immersion article had gotten so much attention that my friends would talk about comments that I never even heard of. For instance, just the other day, when we were debating about education, my friend found a way to use my SM immersion article as an example.

Family, Faith, Culture and Community – A Reflection on my 2nd Face to Faith VC

Last Thursday, I was able to experience my second Face to Faith Video Conference. I was suppose to blog about it right after but because of the fact that I was really tired when I got home last Thursday and the past Friday, Saturday and Sunday were very hectic days, it’s only now that I get to write about the experience and my reflections.

Before the conference started, I was really excited to start because of the fact that I was really curious about what Indonesians thought about faith and what their high school experience is like.

We started the video conference of by introducing ourselves and talking about the things we like to do. It was really cool how a couple of the Indonesians also enjoyed reading and writing just like me. After a few introductions, the first topic we dwelled upon was the importance of family for us. It was nice to see how similar the role of their families were to us. We were easily able to relate to each other for most of us came from strict familial backgrounds.

They were also very interested in our school activities, most especially activities that involved the community. We were more than proud to talk about all the different committees and clubs Xavier has. It’s amazing how interested they were about our community and service programs. You could see that they really took service and relief operations seriously when they started talking about their service programs. Their desire to involve themselves in programs that make a difference in the community was laudable.

No Better Remedy Than Doing What You Love

The last few weeks and days have been really hectic for me. I’ve honestly been having a hard time balancing everything and there have been moments where I’m not sure anymore what I should do next. With all my extra-curricular activities and with the SAT subject tests fast approaching, I haven’t really been able to blog consistently.

Being that classes were suspended today, it was the perfect opportunity for me to study for the SAT subject tests. The problem is that as I tried to study, nothing seemed to go into my head. I’ve been feeling tired almost everyday and it seems as though every single thing as become a chore to me. I’ve started to forget why I do things in the first place and what truly matters to me.

I wasn’t really planning on blogging today since I told myself that all I would do today was study for the SAT since I haven’t really been able to study for it. Honestly, right now, I’m regretting scheduling my SATs to be taken this October especially since I just realized how hard the topics actually are (I’m taking US history and Math 2). I’m suppose to be studying right now but after several hours of studying, my brain just couldn’t register anything anymore.

The Man Who Never Fails To Inspire

This blog post is something that I’ve decided to write the day the beloved Director and President of Xavier School gave his last general assembly speech, which was on February 21, 2013. I chose to finally complete this post today and dedicate it to him as he ends his run as Director and President of Xavier School.

This man has brought about a myriad number of innovations and moved a profuse amount of lives in the last twelve years. Personally, these last twelve years have been a journey like no other, and it truly is heart breaking how the one man who made it all possible and the one man who made my journey in Xavier school such a surreal experience is leaving right before my culminating year in Xavier, senior year, the year I graduate.

This man and beloved Director of Xavier School is non-other than the revered Father Johnny Go from the Society of Jesus. I really don’t know how to thank such a passionate and fervent man who moved mountains and changed the lives of thousands of people. Honestly, it would be impossible to put into words the impact Father has had in not only Xavier School, but also in the educational development and culture of the Philippines. He pioneered and spear-headed several projects and innovations that ultimately, transformed Xavier into if not the best school in the Philippines, definitely one of the top schools in the country. He revolutionized the way we learned and brought about changes that an ordinary director would not even think of contemplating, but Father Go is no ordinary director.

He was an innovator, a man who was not afraid to take risks if he knew the outcome would be worth it. He has given us students a learning experience like no other that we could have only dreamed of. Trusting us students and giving us the power to take advantage of technology by allowing us to bring MacBooks and iPads to school are just some of the few things that have taken our Xavier learning experience to a whole new level.

It really is mind boggling how just a few years back, I was sitting in the classroom listening and learning from Father Go himself. I was truly fortunate to be part of the select few who have experienced being taught by Father Go for an entire school year. Looking back at those unconventional classes and all the novel activities he made us do, that one year under Father Go was one of the most life-changing and surreal years in my stay in Xavier School. To be honest with you, I wouldn’t even be writing this blogpost or you wouldn’t even be reading this blogpost for I wouldn’t even contemplate on making a blog if it weren’t for those unbelievable sessions with Father Go about the power of words (Father Go is a ardent blogger himself and one of the best at that; His works never fail to inspire. Check out his blog here: http://www.jcgosj.com/?page_id=769).

As he ends his venture here in Xavier School, I can’t help but feel sentimental and at the same time thankful that I was able to learn from such an accomplished man, who emphasized the importance of taking risks, stepping out of your comfort zone and continually learning each and everyday. Father proved to us that each one of us can make a difference in this world as long as we aren’t afraid to step out of our comfort zone and believe in what we are capable of doing.

His parting speech during his last general assembly about how he ended up become director and what he learned during all those years leading Xavier school really moved a lot of people and left everyone in awe. Father Go never fails to inspire people and he truly has changed the lives of thousands and thousands of people. Just with his words, you can’t help but be inspired to make the most out of life.

There were two lessons from Father Go that really struck me. These two lessons are lessons that I will never forget.

The first lesson and quote from Father during that speech that really struck me was, “You have to love what you’re doing.” In life, we will be place into situations and scenarios that we don’t expect but nevertheless, in all these situations we must learn how to adapt and love what we’re doing. When one loves and enjoys what he/she is doing, one is filled with a different zeal and vibrance that enables one to make the most out of the situation.

The second lesson that I learned from Father’s speech was that, “Everyday is a chance to learn something new and grow as a person; We never stop learning until the day we die.” Nobody is perfect and there will always be things that we can learn. The world has so much more to offer and there is still a numerous amount of things that we do not know.

Father Go was thrown into an unknown and foreign situation the day he was assigned to become director, yet he took everything with a positive stride and made the most out of his situation. He learned how to love what he was doing and eventually pass on and instill in a lot of students the same mindset. He made everyday a learning experience and never stopped learning. He stepped out of his comfort zone and made changes that no other director would ever think about.

He is the perfect embodiment of MAGIS, going the extra mile. Even when he could’ve just laid back and go with the norm, he didn’t for he wanted to give us students the best possible education and learning experience so that we could grow into men fully endowed with the passion for justice and the skills for development. Just by looking at Father Go and everything he has done, one can see what a Xaverian is all about, a man for others. A man who moves mountains and goes the extra mile, not for personal glory, but for the betterment of thousands and thousands of young men.

Father Go truly is an inspiration to thousands and thousands of people. Father Go will always be a man I will look up to for he shaped me into who I am today and changed my life in more ways than one. Dedicating this blogpost to him his the least I could do to show my gratitude to Father Go and everything he has done not only for me, but for the whole Xavier Community in his stint as Director and President!

Thank you so much Father Go and I wish you the best in all your future endeavors!

-DOitChoco