seniors, signing off...

Enter High School - the department of transit passes, late slips and the sunflower-filled CSF's office. It opened us to new ideas, new friends, and new fears.

As a freshman I did the only thing I knew how to-go with the flow. 1-O days - My first year ranks as one of my not-so-best maybe because it gave me a hard time to adjust to a school that I never wanted to go to. Gen. Science was the best; someone would bring chips, another would bring drinks, and everyone would be happy. I never thought I would hit it off with my true-blue-scholastican classmates, yet a lot of them eventually turned out to be close friends. Sewing class also had its moments; no 1-O student could ever forget Ms. Ponce's "Very good girls! You will receive a star from me" and her hair that seems to be a wig. The Eco play which is my very first performance on stage. Ms. Magbanua's "pleing and stretch" on our ballet class. And the subiaco pool for our swimming.

Sophomore year was one I did enjoy. Room 207 to us was home for the year. With a lot of "third-eye-sighted" people being a part of our class, our classroom became somewhat of a haven for ghosts [ghosts were said to be by the aisle, by the window... the best one would probably the one sitting on the ceiling fan]. The Afro Asian play..not so good but I'm still part of the dance group.Despite of the piano in that room which we always play. I found my barkada. a bunch of issues clouded the year. Our class wasn't as bonded as we would like it to be, and I learned the hard way that subjects like Biology were classes you actually had to study for. One thing that kulasa will surely not forget is Sir Tol's different models of Nike shoes during our kickball, volleyball and basketball sessions.

3-ehL was a year of rediscovery. There I rekindled old friendships and made new ones *well, some..*; and I intend to keep them all. It was the year of issues and choreographed movements [shake's fest! Sniff sniff!] - I can remember most of them up until today. My kinky hair during our erotic dance in that play. The computer lab with Ms. Cunan. I got a very low grade for an elective class that time for not doing all the hands-on ex. Sir Tik's "pulutong humanay na!"

Senior year is about to officially end; our reign as St. Scho's Senioritas is about to be over as well. I will always remember Mrs. Bucad's mother-type personality and teddy bear hug. the "hear! hear!" and windows of oportunity during debate class. yes, even our award-laden bulletin board [hehe…]. I will never forget Mel's bopek voice, Pau's curly hair, Mara's slow sense of humor, kate's sneeze, April's laugh, Erikas bouncy hair, Shea's super-chinita eyes, Mara's dance moves, Patchoi's conceitedness, Allane's eyebrows, tiff's big boobs. Hehehe..., Minai's voice, kae's mood swings and Ann's boyish actions. I will miss being Betsy's Lab. partner, and Dorm C pipol! All those sleepless retreat nights, and the way that Mel freaked me out on our first night in tagaytay. Senior year is also the year of college applications: I don't deal well with rejection and I'm glad I didn't take the upcat. Anyway, entrance tests are usually multiple choice ones-have fun with them. I did, and it didn't got me my first choice at my first school choice.
It has been a hectic year; tough yet fulfilling, a memorable one, for sure.
Congratulations, Seniors. Though a few people weren't able to, I'm glad a lot made it. I haven't shed my tears yet, but expect the rivers to come gushing down later.

To the batches next in line, good luck. What you have ahead of you is one of the most memorable years you will ever face. Take out your piggy banks; expect seemingly-endless payments and miscellaneous fund-collecting. Prepare midnight snacks and energy drinks; expect one long, sleepless year. Invest in a scanner or find an accessible photo shop; expect Ropers to be very slow grad pic recopiers. Join your parents in grocery shopping and buy your baon there; expect quick breaks and lunch-less days. Finally, buy notebooks and USE them - expect the worst; slacking off is deemed to be fatal. If you dream to March in March, do all you can to attain that dream; it's a lot harder than it seems. Enter your senior year and arm yourselves with persistence and cheatmates; just don't get caught...hehe.

We are not your superiors, we are simply the peers who have gone through what you are about to face. We have survived, and so will you. Thank you, St. Scho, for the best years of my life.

This has been St. Scho's High School Seniors '04, now signing off.