Last Academic Day in High School – One of the first lasts

I stayed up until 2 am yesterday finishing the last few assessments of the year and here I am staying up again writing this late blog post about our last academic day in Xavier School.

And as I submitted the last few assessments one by one yesterday, I couldn’t believe that I had finally reached the finish line. That was it. No more high school tests or assessments for the rest of my life.

CLASS PICTURE DURING OUR LAST FILIPINO CLASS

Listening to our teachers give their “last lectures” and final words was really very heart-warming. I mean, you really see a different side of them. These same teachers are unique individuals with their own unique stories. And getting to hear their stories really made our bond even stronger. Suddenly, I didn’t want to leave their class just yet.

Group pic after our last CLE class

Then as I heard the last batch of graduation speeches from my classmates, all the feels starting coming out of me. All these graduation speeches have really been making me sentimental. It’s been so awe-inspiring and heart warming hearing all my classmates recall all their different experiences throughout their Xavier journey.

When you want to graduate already but at the same time, you don’t

After I took my last SATs, I thought I’d finally be able to go back to blogging regularly. Yet, from the day my SATs ended, so many things have happened that I’ve been unable to fully cherish every single moment.

A few of the many photos during my last school fair as a Xavier student…..

Suddenly, a string of events blows past me. Just last weekend, we had our last school fair and variety show as Xavier students. It was a sentimental moment for us as we look at each other and how far we’ve gone since we entered high school yet in a few months, we’ll be leaving the place that has become our second home.

Everyone is thinking of the future, and what awaits us. All the seniors are excited to graduate and move on to college. Every single class suddenly seems so different. Even our teachers notice it and starting to teach in a different way. Or maybe, it’s also me seeing things from a different perspective now that there’s only 3 more weeks of classes.

It’s like I want to graduate already but at the same time I don’t.

EDSOR 2014 – A peace camp like no other

*My Edsor article taken from the Philippine Daily Inquirer http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/149291/a-peace-camp-like-no-other

The EDSOR participants going through a Wu-Shu Session

What happens when you combine red, blue, green and yellow? You get one of the biggest inter-school events of the year where students coming from the EDSA-Ortigas Consortium of Schools, namely Xavier School, Immaculate Conception Academy, La Salle Greenhills, and the Saint Pedro Poveda College, gather in Edsor—a two-day peace camp for grade school and high school student leaders.

Opening Program

 Held last January 16 & 17 at Xavier School, this year’s Edsor was one like no other. This was evident right from the get-go as participants were greeted by Xavier’s amazing Lion and Dragon Dancers, followed by band performances by equally talented Xavier performers.

My Prometheus Cup Adventure and A little bit of Hide and Seek :)

As I sit here, a week after Prometheus Cup, I can’t help but look back and poignantly remember how I excited I was as we flew to Singapore, yet in a blink of an eye, it’s already one week since Prometheus Cup ended and here I am back to the everyday grind of school work, projects, review classes and what not. I miss the experience so much that I guess it’s just right that I take a walk down memory lane and relive the wonderful adventure I had in Prometheus Cup!

Just right before we flew to Singapore 😀

It’s these trips abroad that make high school such an adventure. It’s not everyday you get a chance to be able to represent your school in international competitions. Yet, the excitement, pressure and anxiety can be so overwhelming that you get out of character at some points in time.

They say that your true character is tested when you’re in your hardest moments. For us Xaverian, Prometheus Cup was a character building experience that really humbled a lot of us and taught us the importance of teamwork, patience, hard work, and most importantly, appreciation and gratefulness.

In A Blink Of An Eye, We’re Half-way Through

It’s been an incredibly tiring week like no other, zapping the every ounce of energy I had. But in a blink of an eye, it’s already sem-break — one semester over, one semester to go. The sem-break couldn’t have been timelier.

The 2nd quarter just like the 1st quarter of my Senior Year has been simply amazing. At first, I thought that my first quarter couldn’t be matched. With my trips to Singapore and Thailand and numerous other conferences and tournaments and memorable experiences, I was resigned to the fact that my 2nd quarter wouldn’t be as surreal as my first quarter. But to my surprise, my 2nd quarter was just as magical and in some aspects even more so.

When you have your grad-picture taking, you know graduation is coming soon….

From studying and taking the SAT subject tests (particularly my US history experience :)), participating in the SM Immersion, going through the Fully Alive Retreat, generating a lot of discussion and attention with my Inquirer Article, the launch of Project Jeep by Green Team, and the countless of invaluable memories in between, the 2nd quarter has managed to to surprise me in almost every possible way. All these experiences of mine weren’t just fun and memorable, they were also full of numerous life lessons and realizations that will surely help me in the final two quarters of my Senior Year!

SM Immersion Day 3 – Working Can Be Fun!

Day 3 – Working can be fun!

Day 3 of the SM immersion was really memorable for me because I got to try a lot of new things and at the same time have fun while doing it. During the first two days I was stationed in the cashier area as a bagger so during the third day I was stationed inside the supermarket.

To start things off, I was stationed in the meat area where I got to learn about the different cuts of the meat and what customers usually buy. Furthermore, I was able to try breading the pork meat to make Tonkatsu. It was also literally COOL visiting the storage or cold room where I got to see whole pigs hanged ready to be sliced up.

The best part though was meeting Kuya Jess and hearing talk about how he’s been on the job for almost two years already. He talked about how it’s sometimes boring but he has no choice since he needs to earn money. It was quite surprising though how he was just 21. I was truly amazed by how positive and enthusiastic he still was. He plans on going back to college one day to finish his degree and hopefully get  a better job.

My First Debate Tournament – A Humbling Learning Experience

Yesterday marked the first time I ever joined a debate tournament. Prior to yesterday, I didn’t really know what to expect from an actual debate tournament. Sure, I’ve been training with the team for a few weeks now but competing in an actual debate tournament was an entirely different experience.

My First Debate Tournament, Idea Lite in St. Paul College, Pasig!

As I entered the convening hall, I was surprised to see how many participants there were coming from several different schools. I couldn’t believe that this was supposedly just a minor tournament yet there were so many participants already. Everyone was either reading their books, writing down their notes or talking with their teammates.

I have to admit, I was a bit culture shocked at the start. I was really happy when the room assignments and the motion for the first round was announced. I honestly just wanted to start my first debate and get the first time jitters out.

My first debate which was THBT prisoners should be allowed to vote, went pretty well. The thrill and excitement I felt during this debate was just so amazing.

However, me and my partner were screwed over during the second round where the adjudicator, in my honest opinion was very very biased. We ended up with zero points during that round which significantly destroyed our chances of breaking.

I felt really bad after that round and didn’t even want to do the last round anymore. I couldn’t believe how we were given a zero for that debate when I we were able to present sound arguments and kill the points of the other side. The worse thing is that when we asked the adjudicator for comments after the round, all the things she said that we didn’t do were things that we did do. (by the way, the motion for this round was THBT the US should use military force in Syria)

I was really annoyed and at the same time, devastated. It really hurt deep inside for I’m a very competitive person and I really wanted to break during my first tournament. She didn’t even give us 1 point.

There was still one more round for preliminaries and I honestly didn’t want to go through it anymore because of what happened in the second round but I still did for pride. The final round’s motion was THW stop the funding of all space exploration programs. During this round, I was able to deliver my best speech and ended up with first but it didn’t really matter anymore since we got a zero during the second round.

Countless of Lessons Learned

At the end of the day, even if we didn’t break to the next rounds, I really learned a lot from this first debate tournament of mine. Things won’t always go our way but in everything we go through, there is always something to learn.

There are somethings we just can’t control. There will be times when we give our best yet it’s not enough. There will be people who are biased but we shouldn’t allow this to make or break us. Looking at it form the picture, it really is up to us what we make out of the different challenges and shortcomings we have in life.

Humbling Experience

To be fair though, thinking about it now, one day after the tournament, I could have done so much better. I am obviously still a beginner and I still have so much to learn.

It was such a humbling experience that right now, I feel really motivated to do better during my next tournament. There are so many talented debaters out there and if I want to be just as good or even better, I have to put in the work. Right now, I still have a long way to go but like they say, you have to start somewhere.

Mix of Emotions

After going through my first debate tournament, I can honestly say that debate is something I really enjoy. The mix of emotions you get during the entire duration of the debate tournament is simply amazing. One moment, you feel so scared, the next, you feel so confident. One moment, you feel so happy, the next you feel so devastated. Yet in the end, no matter the result, you always learn something after every debate! 

The thrill you get before and after every round is priceless. After everything that happened during my first debate tournament, I’m really glad that I joined the debate team.

Overall, the experience was one like no other and I can’t wait for the next tournament I join! This is definitely just the start of greater things to come!

With my partner in crime! We may not have gotten the results we wanted, but we definitely learned a lot! It was really fun teaming up with you Jason! 😀

-DOitChoco

Having Fun, Overshooting and Why Things Eventually Work Out For the Better!

It’s finally the end of another week of Senior Year. This week was honestly one of the toughest weeks I had to go through.

Several times during this week, I felt really down and unsure if what I was doing was worth it. It was really tough and stressful trying to assiduously catch up with all the lessons and also give ample time to my extra-curricular activities.

I got so caught up in my endless to do list, my college application, my school responsibilities and extra-curricular activities that I forgot the most important thing. The thing that matters most this Senior Year of mine. I forgot that Senior Year should be fun!

I was starting to become obsessed with trying to do so much that I was losing sight of my goals and my values. Everything was happening so fast that I was changing along with it. I was getting engulfed by all the requirements, deadlines, responsibilities and things that I had to do. I’m glad that the week is over and I have this chance to slow down a bit and go back to being ME.

One of the better things that happened to me this week though was my making it to the Xavier debate team that will be going to Thailand to compete in the ASWDC (Asian Schools World Debating Championship). I wasn’t initially part of the team since I was only able to attend one tryout day since I had to go to Singapore. I really wanted to be part of the team though and luckily one of the members backed out and a slot for me was opened.

I’m really excited for this event especially since it will be my first international competition where I’ll be representing my school. I may not be that good a debater yet but I will make sure that I use this month before the competition to diligently prepare myself so that I can make the most out of this experience!

The start of the week may have been a bit shaky but things really do work out for the better. Just yesterday, I finally got to meet my CAMP (College Admissions Mentors for Peers) mentor. I’m really lucky to have a guy who studied in Yale and was also a former Xaverian, as my mentor. In the 2 hours we spent chatting, I learned so much about the study abroad process and why I should give it a shot.

I wholeheartedly appreciate and support what the CAMP organization is doing!

Daily Prompt 180 degrees : Why I now ♥ SCHOOL

I was never really an advocate of waking up at 6 am each and everyday just to make it on time to school. Yes, you read that right, SCHOOL, a place where you sit around for more than 8 hours listening to boring lectures while staring at the clock, and waiting for the bell to ring. I always just saw school as a routine that I had to go through just because my parents said I needed it to be successful in life.

Wake up, prepare, head to school, sit through all the boring classes, wait for the bell, go home. It was honestly getting really mundane and torpid that was until last year when I finally learned how to really just enjoy the ride and make the most out of the hours I spent in the classroom. I learned how to just enjoy  learning and what I was doing.

Our mindset truly does make a difference. The moment I learned how to think positive and look at school as something fun, I actually started to look forward to going to school. To be honest though, my classmates and friends really played a big part in changing my mindset and giving me something to look forward to. The atmosphere when you’re with jocular, gregarious and cordial classmates is just truly phenomenal and awe-inspiring. It’s like a virus that spreads to each and every person, and everyone just starts to enjoy, have fun and forget all the reasons why one despises school.

To be honest, I actually miss going to school already and having fun with my crazy and vibrant classmates and friends. These people and all the indescribable experiences I’ve had with them truly gave me a reason to go to school.  Being part of 3A, a class that may not be the brightest or the most intelligent, but a class that was definitely the most zealous, fervent and fun to be with it really  taught me how to look beyond the grades and realize that school has so much more to offer. It truly is about the blooming friendships, the vibrant atmosphere, and off-course the phantasmagorical moments and experiences that are made possible only when unique and special people get together in the place we call SCHOOL.

The class that taught me how to simply enjoy school! I wouldn’t have had it any other way! Definitely Thankful that I got to be part of such a class!

It’s funny how when I’m finally enjoying school and making the most out of the experience, I only have one more year left before I graduate. Putting it that way, I actually feel really sad that my stay in Xavier will be over before I know it, but looking it from a different perspective, I’m actually really lucky that I still have one more year to enjoy and make the most out of.

Class field trip and bonding session in Corregidor – Just one of many memorable experiences with such an amazing class!

My Junior Year was really a fun-filled and surreal year that truly made me take a 180 degree turn for the better. Being part of H3A really taught me how to simply enjoy the little things and make the most out of each and every day. Looking back, I wouldn’t have had it any other way! I am truly thankful that I got to be part of such an A-WESOME class!

Looking forward, I hope that my Senior Year will be just as good or even better! With my new mindset, I know that anything is possible! The sky truly is the limit and I plan to make the most out of the one last year I have left in Xavier School!

-DOitChoco

Ascend Rosehill Fair – A Journey to the Bundoks (Mountains)

March 1, 2013 – Ascend Rosehill Fair

This fair was something I was looking forward to ever since the start of last week because as you know I’ve become an ardent fan of fairs. Aside from this, it would also be my first time to go to Rosehill, a school that prior to last year, I never knew existed. True to its name, you have to really trek and traverse a hill in order to get to RoseHILL.

To add to all that, this was also the first ever fair of Rosehill so it was something that really enticed me to attend. My mom also made me realize that I should make the most out of these fairs and opportunities for when I go to college and when I grow older, I may not have time to attend these fairs anymore or there won’t be as many fairs anymore to attend to.

To be quite honest with you, the journey itself to this novel and unchartered school was a memorable experience altogether. Even if our total time on the road was even longer than the time we spent in the fair, it was all worth it. I’m really thankful that I have crazy and jocular friends who really keep the mood very lively and vibrant.

Finding the place was really a challenge and we even got loss several times but just like in life, you will get lost, but the sense of accomplishment you feel when you reach your destination is very satisfying. Like they say, life is about the journey, not the destination. After two long hours, several stops and after inquiring about the place several times, we finally found our destination.

As we stepped inside, we were a bit culture shocked by the type of booths and how the fair wasn’t as jam packed as our school fair, but then again, it was the first ever fair of Rosehill. Because of the very draining ride, I was honestly a bit tired already especially since the previous day I only got 6 hours of sleep reviewing for our chem exam. I didn’t have much energy left and after seeing how the fair didn’t really have booths, I knew that I needed to find a way to make the most out of my time there.

When I saw that they had this sort of bungee/trampoline jumping thing, I just knew that this was something I had to try especially since it was something new and looked really fun. At first though, I was bit scared and thinking whether or not it was worth it, but I realized that I wouldn’t know unless I tried and besides, even 5 year old kids were doing it, so why not. Turns out that trying out this bungee jumping thing made the Rosehill Fair a memorable one and one I will never ever forget.

Who would’ve thought that even after seeing several people try it before me, I’d still end up not following the instructions and making a fool out of myself? Well, I guess I was overly excited especially since prior to finally trying it out, I was caught by one of the catchers and I ended up getting water ballooned and soaked up. Once that happened, I regained my zeal and vibrance and I was really game to do anything already and make the most out of the fair. Then, one of the most embarrassing moments in my life happened. I ended up jumping up and down while the mechanism wasn’t turned on yet which led to my falling and tumbling out of the trampoline. It was a really hilarious and crazy moment that my friends really got a good laugh at. To add to that, my friend was able to take a video of it so this is something that I won’t ever forget for the rest of my life.

During fairs, one is truly able to just forget about everything else, have a good time, laugh your heart out and just do things that you’ve never done before. From the throwing of water balloons and sponges, to the bungee jumping experience, to the laugh trip with friends, traveling to the mountains to attend this fair was definitely worth it!

From that embarrassing and crazy experience of mine, I truly learned that sometimes you have to listen more carefully, pay attention to detail in order to avoid doing stupid things or embarrassing yourself. But then again, sometimes experience is truly the best teacher. Like my sister said when my parents were starting to berate me for doing something “risky” like that, “How would we know, we’ve been really sheltered for so long.” Then my mom followed with up by saying, “Yes, I’m not saying it’s bad that you’ve been going out and trying new things, all I’m saying sometimes you have to be careful.” I guess they’re both right and I’m actually really glad that my parents and siblings care. At least now I know that you shouldn’t jump first when the mechanism isn’t turned on yet.

Looking back though, I wouldn’t have it any other way for following off the trampoline was what made the day a day that I will forever remember. The video of me bungee jumping and then falling of the trampoline is something I will definitely show to my children in the future and hopefully they will not commit the same mistake as me and hopefully they learn to be patient and follow instructions, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt if they want to experience it for themselves (actually, it might hurt a bit physically, especially in the stomach when you rematch what happens and started laughing your heart out).

March has just begun, but it has definitely already been a month like no other!

-DOitChoco