FINALLY!!! College Admissions Results!! The end of a journey…the start of a new one!

I’m still overwhelmed right now from graduation and then college results but I just have to write this note of thanks to everyone who has helped me in this journey! 

After a few rejections and wait-lists to some of my top choices for university, I wasn’t expecting anything anymore. Yet, just like how I tore my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) last May, life surprises you when you least expect it. I’m glad I ended up making it to UPenn, UC Berkeley, UMich, and UCLA. 

Thank you to my friends, classmates, parents, family, relatives, teachers, mentors, coaches and everyone who has helped me become who I am today.

When I was a high school freshman, I just wanted to go to La Salle since they are on a trimester system and I could quickly graduate. But I’ve come to realize our plan at 14, isn’t always our plan at 18 or 22 or 30. There are so many factors in life that all we can do is to cherish every moment

At the start of last year, I wasn’t even sure whether I would apply abroad but I decided to give it a shot. At the beginning, I was still skeptical about it but after I tore my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), I was really confused and unsure what would become of my senior year.

Yet I decided to trust the Man above and still make the most out of my senior year……and now that it’s all over, funny how things didn’t turn out how I expected it to be……because it turned out to be so much more than just a school year!

Who would’ve thought that as tiring as it was, this past school year would turn out to become the most memorable, amazing and surreal year in my life! I will miss Xavier but glad I was able to end my stay in Xavier with a bang!

So last but not the least, thank you God for everything that has happened, all the blessings I’ve received and of course all the family, friends, classmates, schoolmates, mentors, teachers and relatives who’ve made me who I am today. I questioned you when I tore my ACL yet you did have a plan! I may not have seen it then but it’s a bit clearer now.

To end I’d like to quote our graduation song “Thank you, Xavier” written by Lorenzo Arceo, “All the memories made, tomorrow’s already yesterday. Our roads will cross again, and we’ll be even better.” “Wherever we may go, whoever we may be, I’ll just let you know. I’ll let my light shine. I’ll be someone greater.”

Thank you again everyone for everything and all the shared experiences we’ve had. This one is for you guys  Wouldn’t have made it if it weren’t for all of you!!

This has been my dad’s dream school for me 🙂 super glad that I made it!!

 

UC BERKELEY!!! SILICON VALLEY BABY!!!

 

BRUINS!!! John Wooden is the man!! HAHAHAHA

 

WOLVERINES!!!

“Don’t Count The Days, Make The Days Count” – How I Spent My Pre-Grad Week

1 year left, 4 months, 2 months, 3 weeks, 2 weeks and then 1 week and then finally 1 day and then, here it is today, the day of graduation.

They told us not to count the days but to make the days count. And this past week, I tried to just forget about everything else and try to spend each moment with the people who have made this past school year, actually, my entire high school life a surreal and memorable one.

This past week was filled with different outings, hang-outs, reunions and events that can actually in a way sum up what high school has been about for me. Even the 3 day graduation practices we had were moments I got to spend with my friends talking about past high school memories and at the same time, future plans for not only this summer but for college as well.

Basketball – First time in a long time

Right after graduation practice ended, a few friends and I decided to hit the court and play some ball. I honestly wasn’t even sure why I was playing when I haven’t even gotten surgery for my torn ACL. Yet even if my movement was very limited, I still enjoyed myself so much as I ran the court, shouted taunts, dribbled that ball and took a shot.

Because basketball will always be part of me! Missed this game so much!

Simply put, I was reminded of all the days I spent shooting hoops with my friends and playing those full-court games with them. I was reminded of the beauty of basketball and why I loved this game so much. And maybe the biggest reason why is the shared bond you get to build with the people you play with.

Throwback: “Will you go to the ball with me?

*This article was first posted on the Philippine Daily Inquirer dated February 21, 2014  http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/152132/will-you-go-to-the-ball-with-me

Promenade ball, prom, JS prom, graduation ball, gala night—special occasions that come with different names, yet all ultimately are the same event which has become a perplexing tradition for junior and senior high-school students.

ICA Prom 🙂

It becomes even more complex when you take into account several different factors that have stemmed from these much-talked about occasions.

If you walk past the third year high-school corridor, you’re sure to come across the words “prom,” “promposal,” “promblems” or one of those other prom-related words. And it wouldn’t end there; as months fly by and the date of the prom gets closer and closer, students suddenly have to start thinking about how to “prompose,” and more important, who to ask.

For those who’ve been going to their soirées and school interactions or have been constantly waiting outside their favorite all girls’ or all boys’ school, finding the one can be such a problem, for obvious reasons.

Many students of non-coed schools rely on Facebook in looking for “promspects.” Your family, friends and even relatives suddenly get involved in the process, as “Who are you going to take to prom?” becomes a frequently asked question.

Then you have to face different fears, like the possibility that you guys won’t click and your prom night will be forever ruined, or the possibility that he or she may not like you, or your friend might also want to ask the same person.

And when you finally find that one special promspect, you realized that it’s just the start of a bigger promblem.

A Priceless Night …. just like all those high school memories :)

Today we underwent the National Achievement Test (NAT) administered by DEPED to be taken by all senior graduating high school students.

But for me, this day was more than just about taking a standardized test that is suppose to test everything we’ve learned in the past 4 years. For me, taking the NAT was another reminder and symbol that graduation is getting closer and closer and that high school is about to officially come to an end.

And so as I finished answering the test early, I initially thought of taking a nap then I realized that there was something else I had to do so I went ahead and took out pieces of paper from my notebook binder and started jotting down notes. I wasn’t just jotting down any kind of notes. I was jotting down everything I’ve learned in the past year in every subject. I was trying to recall all the lessons and takeaways I got from every subject. I listed down all the sabaw moments i had in the past year from my different classes and teachers.

Then I realized that it truly has been one hell of a journey indeed filled with so many lessons, insights, realizations, memories, experiences, takeaways that go beyond the classroom. Simply put, it has been a school year like no other.

And then there was the dinner and outing I had with some of my classmates tonight and wow, I will really miss being a high school student.

At Mien San with a few of my super sabaw classmates!

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.

5 Lessons from Best Selling Author Mitch Albom

Last week, Mitch Albom visited Xavier School and we were able to hear him speak about his life story, his books and more importantly, lessons he has learned throughout the years. Not everyone gets the opportunity to hear such an inspiring individual so here’s a few of the takeaways I got from our session with him.

Thankful to have gotten to meet Mitch Albom, one of my all time favorite authors

Lesson 1 

You don’t need to know what you want to end up doing at 15 or 16

Mitch Albom wasn’t always the New York Times best selling author we know him to be. He emphasised in his talk how when he was still a high school student, he never thought he’d write all these books. He was just another ordinary high school student who was into several different activities like sports and music. And he actually wanted to become a record producer and write song.

“Sometimes, the kids here worry about what they’re going to be in life at 15 or 16, but I always tell people what I wanted to do at 15 or 16 wasn’t what I ended up doing. Life is going to change. I wanted to be a musician but it didn’t work out. I went into writing and writing worked out but I didn’t write anything until I was 23 years old.”

Mitch Albom, Inspirational Stories and 6 more days of school

The last few days, I’ve been able to meet some of my biggest idols when it comes to both business, journalism and writing. 

It’s honestly been such a surreal experience getting to meet and talk to the likes of the CEO of Rappler Maria Ressa, the New York Times Best Selling Author Mitch Albom, one of the richest Filipinos in the world Manny V. Pangilinan and a few other inspiring personalities.

 

All of them had such compelling and inspiring stories to tell yet at the same time I realized that just like us they’re also human. They all started out just like us. They were just students who were interested in many different things. They were just individuals passionate about a certain something but what made them become who they are today is that they were willing to go the extra mile, to be different from the rest. I’ve compiled a bunch of notes and anecdotes from the talks I’ve heard in the past few days. Hopefully, I’ll be able to transcribe them soon for never have I been more inspired to follow my passion and try to leave a legacy in this world.

But for now, I got to go back to finishing this week strong. There are only 6 more school days left before Senior year ends. Everything’s happening so fast right now yet I want to take time to remember everything from the Filipino play we had earlier to being able to ask Mitch Albom a question about his works. 

I will truly miss Xavier School but there’s no use in being senti right now for the story isn’t over.

Quotes of the day:

“Death ends a life, not a relationship.” – Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie

“Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do somehing else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn’t. You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted.” 
― Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie

With Mitch Albom, the best selling author of my favorite book, Tuesdays with Morrie

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.

Because the SATs are over…Repost from Inquirer: “Much Ado About Getting In”

*This article was first published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer dated January 16, 2014; now that I’m also done with my last SATs, I guess this deserves to be reposted here in my blog 🙂

Last year’s CAMP Conference where hundreds of students gathered to learn more about the college admissions process abroad

With just a few more months before graduation, anxious of what their future will be like, high school students flocked to the Ateneo campus to check the Ateneo College Entrance Test (Acet) results which were released on Jan. 11. Some of my friends started shouting in joy and celebrating as they saw their names on the list of accepted students; they finally had a college.

At the same time, my other friends sat there thinking about what their future will be like as they wait for the test results of the other schools they applied to. The buildup to the college admissions results means a lot of goose bumps and late nights worrying whether or not one will get into the college he or she wants.

One Year Blogging Anniversary — The Best Is Yet To Be

I know I should be doing some last minute review for my SAT subject tests right now but as I posted my post on taking my last SATs tomorrow just a few minutes ago, I noticed a WordPress notification with a little trophy and as I clicked on it, there it came, “Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com!”

One year of finding the silver lining in every step of the journey

Indeed, time flies. I can’t believe it’s been a year since I started this blog. And reading through some of my posts, I can’t help but feel that I’ve somehow learned how to enjoy life more, to make life count a bit more.

Funny how in some ways, I have gone through a 360 degree change but deep down, I’m still the same David who one year ago started this blog with a purpose. This same purpose I guess is what has enabled me to continue blogging about my experiences, learnings and adventures. 

And no matter how much I’ve changed since the day I started my blog, January 23, 2013, I’m actually still the same curious student of life with a bit more love for writing, but just as perplexed with the obscurities of life as I ever was.