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

Positivity Everywhere, Anywhere – There’s Always Something To Be Thankful For!

Sunday is one of my favorite days because of the fact that it is known as the “rest” day. A chance to relax, spend time with your family and simply get away from the everyday routine of either working or studying.

To be honest, I’ve really been stressed out the past few days trying to keep up with everything that I have to do. There’s so much things in my mind and the fact that almost every conversation I’ve had with my parents always redirects to college doesn’t help.

It’s amazing though how I was able to end up reading this interesting article about positivity just a few hours ago. It was an article about happiness, positive thinking and releasing stress. It talked about the importance of always staying positive and looking at the bright side. It stresses the importance of seeing the positivity in everything and being thankful for these things.

Positivity is the key to success!

Positive people tend to not only be happier and more successful, but also more liked. Positivity is contagious and a positive outlook in life can be developed.

A routine that they suggest to be a happier and more positive person is writing 3 positive things at the end of every day. It doesn’t matter how bad your day was, I’m sure there were at least 3 positive things that happened on that day that you were thankful for.

Back to the Senior Year Grind – Living in the Present

It’s been a week since I last blogged. The past week, which I spent in a management program/seminar in Singapore was such a jam-packed week that I never really had time to just sit down and blog about all the awe-inspiring and novel experiences I had.

Right now, I’m back to the daily grind and these first two days back to school have been really tough and challenging in all aspects. During the one week I was gone, I missed out on so much things here in school. Aside from the fact that I missed out on a lot of lectures and I’m in the process of catching up right now, I also missed quite a few big events and opportunities.

First of all, I wasn’t able to attend the ECA fair and promote my committee, the Green team. I also wasn’t able to try-out for a debate tournament in Thailand. I also missed several college talks that I think are very important right now, especially since I’m a bit confused as to what the best path is for me. I honestly got quite depressed when I found out that I missed all these things because I went to Singapore.

Riding a horse — just one of the unique and novel experiences i had in SIngapore

However, as I looked back at all the novel and unique experiences I had in Singapore, I can’t help but be glad that I did go to Singapore even if I missed out on all those things. Attending the management program in Singapore, learning invaluable lessons and skills and meeting people from all over the world with such diverse stories are unparalleled experiences that mitigate all the regrets I have of skipping one week of school and missing quite a few important events.

 Everything in life has a cost. Everything in life has a positive and negative side. Sometimes, we have to weigh the consequences and look at things from a cost-benefit point of view. We can’t have everything and there will be times that we make the wrong choice. Right now, with the way things turned out, and with everything I missed out on, I’m not entirely sure if I made the right choice of going to Singapore—– only time can tell. 

Right now, I can’t worry about the past and what I missed for there’s not going back. The best thing I can do is live in the present.

I honestly miss working and spending time with these friends I met during the one week I spent in Singapore 😥

I’m honestly still feel nostalgic. All the surreal experiences I had during the Singapore Management Program last week are still sinking in. I’ll probably write about all my takeaways from my experience last week in the upcoming days, but as of now, I have to get back to form.

Senior year has only just begun. This is only the 3rd week of Senior year so I can’t lose my focus. Every single day counts. I’ve been feeling a bit stressed out with everything the past two days but I now have a renewed zeal. It’s quite amazing what sitting down, reflecting about life, looking at the bigger picture and writing about all these realizations can do. I feel a lot better right now and I’m ready for the next few days, weeks and months of Senior Year!

-DOitChoco

First Senior Sunday – The Importance of Rest

It’s the first Sunday of Senior Year. What are Sundays for? REST! I wasn’t really planning on writing a blog post today but this day just wouldn’t feel right if I did not write about today, the first Sunday of Senior Year.

In the Changi Singapore Airport

Today was actually a bit hectic. Going through the checking in process, boarding the plane, getting out of the plane and all the other things that one goes through when travelling is actually quite draining. However, it was quite a light day for my brain in contrast to the past few days where I’ve been really stuffing my brain with information and working on several different projects.

To be honest, I was really looking forward to this Singapore trip. Although, the next few days will be quite busy since the program of the seminar I’m attending lasts almost the whole day, I’m happy to be able to get out of my daily grind and routine.

Dinner at Wee Nam Kee, one of the best hainanese chicken rice restaurants I’ve ever eaten in! 😀

Throughout the last few months, I’ve realized how important a perfect timed rest or change of routine can be to one’s overall health. I’m sure everyone has experienced those days where you felt so sluggish and tired of the everyday grind. Those days when you wonder what happened to all the enthusiasm and excitement you had when you were still starting out.

This is a common occurrence when people get into a routine and after a while get tired of it. In order to avoid this, one has to constantly change up their environment or vary the different variables every so often or find new sources of motivation to keep pushing on.

Changing up ones environment at certain moments can really help one regain the zeal and fervor he once had. The rejuvenating effects of taking time off and/or changing your routine can really do wonders for anyone’s overall well being.

Having said all that, I’m glad to have this once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in a wealth management seminar and learn more about the real world. The next few days will all be novel experiences for me. Just going through the program schedule, I can already tell that these next few days will without a doubt be memorable in so many ways!

Now time to do some light reading and get some rest for tomorrow will be the start of a whole new adventure! 😀

-DOitChoco

The Gift of Counsel & Taking a Leap of Faith – 4th Day of Senior Year

The past few days have been really jam packed and lightning quick yet these first few days of senior year have been simply amazing. Yesterday was a really bi-polar day that ended with my seeing of my SAT score. I was honestly a bit disappointed with the score I got but yesterday was yesterday and today is today. Everyday is a new start to my surprise, today was actually one of the best days of this year so far.

The day started off with the first mass of this school year. It was a mass of the holy spirit and it really gave me time to reflect. It’s really amazing though how the homily was related to a recent article that I wrote for Inquirer about the recent “Man of Steel” movie. I guess this just shows how movies are able to connect us humans and help us relate with each other.

What I really liked about this mass was that during communion, we were given a strip of paper that had one gift of the Holy Spirit written in it with a short piece of reflection. Here’s the one written on mine:

Today God gives you the Gift of Counsel (Right Judgement)

With the gift of right judgment, we know the difference between right and wrong, and we choose to do what is right. A person with right judgment avoids sin and live out the values taught by Jesus. The gift of truth that allows the person to respond prudently, and happily to believe our Christ the Lord.

This really struck me and made me pause to reflect and think about the past few days, weeks and months. Everything has been happening so quickly and there have been times where I didn’t know what to do. Up to this day, there are still some confusing choices and decisions that I have to make. However, after reading this, I remembered that I should always go back to the values I’ve been taught from the very beginning and whatever I do, I should always choose to do what is right.

After the mass, everyone was excitedly talking about the NBA finals and almost everywhere you went, you could hear people asking, “Bro, what quarter is it? what’s the score? who’s leading?” Basketball has become a renowned sport here in the Philippines and is getting even more famous by the minute. Just like movies, it’s really nice to see how basketball is able to bring us students together. It’s not a surprising sight to see several students huddled up in a group with one laptop projecting the play by play and stats of an NBA game.

Moving on to the classes I had today, I’m really happy to say that my teachers this year are really interesting and are able to summon a different energy from us students. I’ve never seen my classmates more excited for a class than today. I guess the heavens saw that it was last year already in High School and decided to give us teachers who will really be able to help us maximize our Xavier education in this final year of ours.

More often than not, all it takes is a leap of faith to achieve your dreams! Just like Superman, I took a leap of faith and it has been every bit worth it!

Aside from all that, I also received my batch rank today and I just couldn’t help but smile as I saw the number 1. I know that rankings don’t truly show who we are but at the same time, I was just happy to see all my hard work last year pay-off. A lot of people were congratulating me and it honestly felt so fulfilling. The journey isn’t over yet though. I still have one more year and I definitely will strive to do even better this year!

What really made this day so surreal though was the fact that I had my article published in a national newspaper, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, for the first time. When I got out of school, I just had to go to the nearest bookstore and grab a copy. Words just can’t describe how I felt seeing my name and an article I wrote in the newspaper. It has always been a dream of mine for my name to be seen in a newspaper and also for me to be able to write an article for a newspaper. I guess I can now check that off my bucket list! (check out my article at: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/109433/taking-a-leap-of-faith-superman-did-it-so-can-we)

First time to have my work published in a newspaper….definitely going to treasure this for the rest of my life!

I’m thankful to God for everything that happened today. I’m truly blessed to be able to experience all these things. Senior Year has just begun yet it has already been such an incredible ride! I can’t wait for the upcoming days that will hopefully be even better!

To end, I’d like to quote a principle our Economics teacher showed us today from Greg Mankiw, a Harvard Economics Professor, “The cost of something is what you give up to get it.”

It’s actually quite a simple yet very powerful line. Everything in life has a cost whether it’s monetary or not. This senior year will definitely be full of costs and there will be times where I’ll have to decide whether the costs are worth the somethings. These decisions won’t be easy but with the gift of counsel, I can hopefully take a leap of faith and make the right choices as I try to make the most out of every single day of my senior year!

-DOitChoco

My Last Second Day – Maximizing All The Resources in Xavier

Today was my last second day in Xavier (hehehe are the “last” everything getting annoying?). Similar to yesterday, we had a few different orientations again. This time, we were oriented and given talks by our principal, assistant principals and student activity programs head about the different issues and things that we should keep in mind in our final year in Xavier.

They stressed the importance of making the most out of our last year and not wasting it by doing stupid things. They encouraged us to all be more involved in the different clubs and committees. As seniors, it is our responsibility to lead and be role models to the younger batches. Being a “senior” in Xavier hasn’t really sinked in yet. It seemed just like yesterday when I was a freshman looking up to the seniors and thinking that they were so amazing and that I wanted to be just like them.

A few quick years and here I am, a senior myself. This year, I will definitely try my best to step up, inspire my fellow Xaverians and simply leave a mark. Today was another chance to do just that. Just like yesterday, a few of my batch mates and I gave talks again to the lower batches and really tried to empower them to try out new things, take every opportunity, make the most out of high school and create lasting memories.

Something I really learned today is that we students pay so much to study here in Xavier that we should really maximize what the school has to offer and all its resources. We should take our studies seriously. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions and debate with our teachers. We should try out new things and join the different clubs and committees. We should use the different resources like the gym and library. SImply put, we should make the most out of our stay in Xavier.

The power of the internet has definitely changed the way we live but how has it also affected the way we think?

All these things are things that I wished I did earlier. I guess it’s never too late to change. I still have one more year and I really will maximize this last year. Aside from joining a few comms already, today, I actually visited the library and borrowed two books. Imagine that? Who actually still visits the library to actually read and borrow books in this day and age where everybody is so addicted and engulfed in their gadgets and in the internet?

It was only really last year that I discovered a love for reading books. Knowledge is power and instead of buying books, why not save money and borrow from the library? So this is what I’m trying to do this year. I’m going to try my best to read as much as I can and maximize the resources in our library.

The first book that I borrowed is titled, “Is the internet changing the way you think?” and the second book is titled, “In search of history.” From the titles themselves, these two books seem like very interesting books and from reading the first few pages, I’ll definitely be learning a lot more.

Excited to learn more about the transcending events in history!

Reading books about different topics helps you learn about things that you don’t learn inside the classroom. There are thousands and thousands of books in the library and I’m sure you’ll find one that will interest you. Knowledge is power and learning never stops, so the library is one of the best places you can go to in school!

To end this blog post, I want to share with you a quote that our assistant principal shared with us from the “Man of Steel” movie, “One day, you’re going to have to make a choice. You have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be.”

Senior year will definitely be about making choices and will play a vital role in helping all of us decide what kind of men we want to grow up to be as we enter college year from now!

Tomorrow will finally be the start of regular classes and I just can’t wait to meet my teachers for the school year!

-DOitChoco

No Such Thing As A Wasted Moment

I was honestly a bit burned out after all the hardcore marathon review sessions for the SAT

It’s been a week since I last blogged and this past week after taking the SAT was really a chance to start exploring again, preparing for Senior Year and also taking time off to reflect. To be honest, after taking the SAT, I felt really relieved but at the same time a bit burned out after all the marathon review sessions I went through the past month just to put myself in the best position to get a good score. I really needed this week where I had to cut back on studying and I just had to slow down a bit since I was probably reaching max speed already and I wouldn’t have wanted to go overdrive yet at this stage.

The ball that showed me how round the world is…in other words, you can be on top one second, then at the very bottom the next!

Aside from having my energy at a low after the SAT, I also had to face the decision this past week whether or not to go through surgery and have my ACL reconstructed. Previously, although I was really ambivalent about going through the process, I was all set to get the surgery over with however after long talks with a few doctors and also with my parents. However, I ultimately decided not to go through with the surgery for several reasons. First of all, my growth plates were still slightly open according to an X-ray. Second, even if I went through surgery, I probably still wouldn’t be able to return to the court this senior year of mine for it takes 6-8 months of rehab before I can go back to ball sports so the hassle of going through the process was looking more and more tedious. Third, the surgery process is really complicated and there are several risks that I deemed unnecessary since either way, basketball isn’t my future career.  So with all those uncertainties and ambivalence, I think I made the right choice not go through with it for now.

Sometimes, we just need to reflect upon life….

These last few days though, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic as I weighed my options, talked to the doctor, discussed with my parents and in the process, looked back at my basketball journey and everything I went through the past years. I couldn’t help but shed a few tears and think about the what ifs. What if I decided to spend my time on something else? What if I was more open minded and not closed up in my own small world because of basketball? I was actually ranting at my parents how I wasted my teenage years so immersed and engrossed in basketball only to end up tearing my ACL. However, this is life. You can’t have everything and sometimes, things just won’t go your way. Those years I spent playing basketball seemed like such a waste but then I realized I learned so much from the journey. It truly was a humbling experience that taught me a myriad of things about life. Like the saying goes, “It’s not about the destination; it’s about the JOURNEY!”

To honest though, I regret alienating myself from almost everything and everyone during the previous years just to focus on basketball. The past is the past though, and all I can do is learn from my mistakes and look forward. This is what I’ve been doing the past few days, looking ahead and trying to prepare myself for one hell of a ride, SENIOR YEAR.

The past few days, I’ve been contacting friends, working on projects for my Committee and Club and at the same time, reading as much books as I can. Aside from that, I also recently tried out for the Debate Team. A lot of these things I probably would be too busy to do if I was still part of the basketball team. It’s truly amazing how the saying, “When one door closes, another opens.” In my case however, I’ve come to realize that there are so much more doors out there that I can open. Maybe injuring my knee truly was a blessing in disguise from God and everything will work out in the end. Right now, I’m just thankful to God for all the blessings He has given me and hopefully, this is just the start of more amazing things to come!

There will be really high moments and there will be super low moments, but I’ve come to realized that there’s no such a thing as a wasted moment for no matter what happens, there’s always a silver lining behind it. We may not realize it in the moment itself, but as long as we believe and are open to the possibilities, things will eventually work out for the better. 

-DOitChoco

The Last Lecture (Chem Camp 2013) – “This is REAL LIFE!”

It’s been a week now since Chem Camp ended but everything I learned still remains in my heart and soul.

Something that I’d like to share with the rest of the world are a few lessons that I learned from the thought provoking “last lecture” in Chem Camp by our professor, Sir Henson Yu. 

1. Be Curious. Ask Questions. Sometimes, the questions you ask are more important than the answers you find. 

In a world where everything is so easily available and where almost everything is “google-able”, we have become complacent and our imagination has been stunted. Gone are the days where in we would be curious, go out of our way to ask questions, interview people, or even experiment to find out.

Today, everything is handed to us on a silver platter but in order for us to continue progressing and in order to succeed in life, we must go back to the basics. Life itself is a question and it’s up to us to explore it ourselves and find our own answers for that’s what living life is all about!

2. Look for something you will want to tirelessly know more about….be it Chemistry or not.

We only have so little time in this world. We don’t have enough time to master every single thing. This is why we have to follow our hearts and pursue what we love and are passionate about. When you are passionate about something, even the hardest of tasks and what may seem like tedious work to others is FUN for you.

Reaching master level in anything takes time, hard work, dedication, perseverance and most of all heart. Nothing in life is easy and mastering just one thing can take a lifetime. Don’t let this discourage you though from living your dream for anything is possible as long as you give it your all.

3. School is not about getting a good job. It’s a perspective. A world view. 

This statement really hit home for me and really encapsulated what Chem Camp was about. Throughout my high school life, I’ve always questioned as to why I even go to school for I couldn’t see even half the lessons being applicable in real life.

I always asked myself, “How do I apply this in my real life?” I never really found out the answer up until last Friday during the last lecture of Sir Henson.

His response to that question, “This is the REAL LIFE!” Going to school and learning about these things are the real life. It’s more than just about memorizing all those facts; it’s about being cultured, being humane.

If you think education is all about getting a good job, then just go to a vocational school. It’s really a matter of perspective and seeing things from a different perspective.

One of my favorite quotes from Sir Henson that reemphasizes this is: “A pessimist sees a glass half empty, an optimist sees it half full, while a Chemist sees it always full, half in the vapor phase, half in the liquid phase.”

Chem Camp helped me see learning from a different light. I realized that learning can and should be fun. It truly depends on how you approach it for “Life is what you make it.”

4. Using knowledge is power

The more things you know, the more powerful you are. There are so many ways how you can use knowledge and it’s incredible how unique and complex the world is. There are a million things out there that we don’t know and are just waiting to be learned. Obviously, the more you know, the better of you are.

Life is unpredictable. Right now, you may think that what you just learned won’t help you or benefit you whatsoever but a year from now, 5 years from now, or even 10 years from now, you never know, that simple piece of knowledge that you thought was useless could just save your life or better yet, save the life of others.

5. With great power comes great responsibility

This line has been repeated thousands of times for it simply states the truth. We are the youth, the future of the world. The knowledge we gain from school and from our everyday experiences empower us and equip us to be able to make a difference in the world in the near future.

How we use this knowledge, however, is in our hands. We can choose to sit about and do nothing, or we can choose to make the most out of our lives and what we have learned by starting a change, making an impact and quite possibly, leaving an everlasting legacy.

After 3 surreal weeks in Chem Camp, the last lecture of Sir Henson was the icing on the cake.

Thank you again Sir for everything you’ve taught us during the 3 weeks in Chem Camp but most especially, thank you for making a difference in our lives! You’ve definitely left your mark in us Chem Campers!

CHEM CAMP 2013 ❤

-DOitChoco

When The World Falls On Your Knee…..Life Still Goes On!

Life never fails to surprise me! I will never understand the complex and abstruse nature of this world, and how one week can be the time of my life then the following week ends up being one of the worst ever.

After the last day of Chem Camp last week, I honestly felt so accomplished and happy with how things were turning out for me. Then in a blink of an eye, the world goes upside down. Obviously, to begin with, there was no more vibrantly waking up each day knowing that you’d get to see friends who just make life seems so surreal in Chem Camp.

To add to that, I’ve been really having a hard time regaining the focus, edge and passion that I used to have for basketball. I wasn’t even sure anymore if basketball was the thing for me. I hit rock bottom and really had to think and reflect as to what I should do. As I looked back, I remembered my freshman and sophomore year in high school when I was really dedicated and motivated to become the best player I could be. I’d spend countless of hours working on my game, watching game film and even going on a strict diet to build up my body.

A year of sporadic playing time during my Junior Year and a desire to explore life outside of basketball took away from my inner drive. Aside from that, SAT review and Chem Camp was also taking a toll on me.

I needed to get back the spark and a heart to heart talk with my dad and a day of reflecting and recalling everything I’ve done for basketball got me back on track. I regained my exuberance and I was ready to give it my all and leave it all on the court especially since I’m an incoming senior already.

I realized that nothing worth it in life is easy and if I wanted to be an integral part of the team in my last year in Xavier, I’d have to regain the unmatched motor, dedication and zeal I used to have.

The plan was in place and I was really going at every drill in practice with my 110%. Then as we were finishing practice with our usual scrimmage, everything fell apart. One drive to the basket, one hop step, one pop and BOOM, I felt as if the world fell on my knee. It was the first time that I felt such excruciating pain and here I am having a hard time even walking from my room to the bathroom. In a blink of an eye, everything that I had worked for in the last 8 years had disappeared as I lay on the floor shouting in pain.

Everything happened so quickly that I’m not quite sure what to feel right now, but like what my coach said, “Stay positive.” I truly believe in the fact that everything in life happens for a reason. Right now, I ask myself, “Why does this have to happen to me? and why NOW?” Hopefully, weeks or months from now, I understand why.

One things I’ve learned is that life never fails to surprise and leave a lot of us dumb-founded. I may have hit rock-bottom but things could be worse. Looking at things from a different perspective, maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Maybe, I just have to find the silver lining in this.

Like my favorite quote and motto in life states, “Life is what you make it.” This may seem like a setback but it will only be that way if I choose to make it so or I could choose to see this injury as a learning experience and just make the most out of my time off the court.

The uncertainty right now kills especially because of the fact that I can barely move my right knee anymore. I’ll be heading to the doctor later to find out what exactly is the condition of my knee. No matter what happens though, I’ll just have to accept my fate for it’s not like I can change the past; I can only learn from it and move on for LIFE GOES ON!

-DOitChoco

*editors note: David found out that he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) an injury that would sideline him for the rest of the season