"kulasa seniors"

Five very different people forced to write a philo paper as a group.
That's basically what we are. We belong to three different barkadas, three different clubs, and three different elective classes. Each of us will go to different schools next
year - one will even study abroad.

Right now, you're probably thinking that we have absolutely nothing in common. You're dead wrong. We belong to the same batch, we belong to the same class, but more than that, we belong to the same group of people known for wearing white ruffled blouses and navy blue jumper skirts. We are Scholasticans who belong to Batch 2003-2004. So what?

St. Scho Manila has been existing for close to a hundred years. It has seen a lot of faces, sheltered a lot of students in its classrooms, and probably grilled every student before she (the student) graduated.
Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Calculus, Literature, History, Economics, General Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Panitikan, Wika, Grammar, CLE, Swimming, ball games, self-defense, Automotive, Dance, Computer Education, Music...These are just the general terminologies for what each of us had to go through before we could step at the point where we are right now - seniors getting ready to sign off.

For the past four years, our alarm would at 5:00 or 5:30 in the morning. We would stand up, beg God for another five minutes to sleep, go straight to the bathroom, then wear our uniform. Eat, kiss our parents goodbye and ride the jeepney / school bus or walk to school. We would go inside the classroom when the bell rings, run to our designated tambayans during breaks and after the last class in the afternoon. Everyday for the past four years, we were like this - carefree young women, juggling their academic and social life.

Our batch is really loud.No.That would be an understatement. Our batch is probably one of the most rambunctious St. Scho has ever had. Many of us are maloko, malakas mag-trip, and mahirit. Call it what you want, but we believe that Batch '04 without the noise is not Batch '04 at all. We may have had the most number of latecomers, absentees and offenders but we survived with a smile on our faces.

We had loads of work, especially this year, but we endured them all. As they
say, "tanggap ka lang ng tanggap." Of course we added our own spices to make life worthwhile. We laughed at our mistakes during Dance practical tests, amazed ourselves when some classes got boring, shouted at the top of our lungs during the Air Car race, howled a lot during the cheering competition last November (to make up for the lines we forgot), had a hidden angst against the clinic staff, and a lot more.

We got so comfortable with each other that burping in front of other people isn't an embarrassing thing anymore. Hell, some would even announce that they are going to release their burden anytime soon. We supported each other and been there for each not only during joke times but during trying times as well. Without the smiles and the boisterous laughter, maybe we wouldn't have survived.

We have one sure thing in common even though we are very, very different people. We are St. Scho's HS Batch '04 and we're damn proud of it. Okay, maybe that should have been two sure things.
One week to go before our graduation. One week to be with our friends. One week to patch things up and get ourselves ready. One week to be with batch branded by the administrators as mafia.

Hey, maybe we'll miss being the drop off points of the caterpillars residing near the stones.

-philo paper ng group nmen sa speech..