Pisay Kid!!!

everyone is either

a graduate

a senior

We don’t sleep. We miss classes. We have conflicts. We lose money. We travel great distances. We miss the chance to see our families. We spend weekends away from home. And we get really, really exhausted. 

But once it’s done, it’s fulfilling, and it makes itself seem like it’s worth all the tired eyes, lost sleep, spent money, strained nerves, and some tears. 

It has almost been four years since I took the NCE (National Competitive Examination), the entrance exam that determines a student’s admission to PSHS (Philippine Science High School). And until now, I can somehow still remember the face of the proctor, the smell of the examination sheets, the sound of the electric fan above, and can almost still feel the Mongol 2 pencil in my hands. And the two months of hell waiting for the results was utterly worth it, because in January 2010, I found out I passed.

Earlier that day, during the flag ceremony, my classmate told me that we both passed. I didn’t believe it and managed to shake it off my mind for the rest of the day. Later, after our class was dismissed, I went to my father’s office and told him about what my classmate told me earlier. He opened the PSHS website and typed my name. With trembling hands and eyes glued on the screen, I waited for the result. And there it was- a single name that I’ve been waiting for two months to appear in their website, embedded in that page which determined my near future. And during that moment, I swear, I was the happiest kid in the world. It may sound cliché, but this is true- there was nothing else in the world I could have asked for.

It was not my childhood dream. And, in fact, I only knew about the specialized school when I was in 6th grade. I didn’t study, so I was very nervous and in those two months of waiting for the results, I even thought to myself that I could never pass that exam.

Now, I have already stayed for three years in PSHS, and there have been lots of times when I wanted to give up what with all the projects and the exams. It’s the place where I learned to sleep at 4am just to study and make take home long quizzes. There have even been many times when I didn’t sleep just to make a project. And although PSHS has taken all the sleep out of me, I think of all these challenges as stepping stones towards my goals.

I once thought that the scholars from this high school are all geeks and that I can never fit in. But, it turns out that they are the warmest and most kindhearted people I’ve ever met. I learned a lot of things, not only stuff that are related to academics, but also values that are worth sharing with everyone. I learned to become independent and even how to travel on my own.

This is a post I made in FB for my BBCS but I thought of sharing it here also hehehe. Photo credits to whoever owns it :)

In a couple of weeks, you’ll be seniors already, and I know how excited and scared that can make you feel. So I prepared some tips for you guys hehehe.

//But first!! Before you fill up for college entrance exam forms, give the courses you will be writing down much thought. Look up online the curriculum of the course and the possible job opportunities you’ll be having after graduation to help you decide. Ask yourself questions like ”Can you imagine yourself in that field? Do you think you really want to be doing that job for the rest of your life?” Really think about it kasi mahirap magshift ha :)))

Okay the tips.

1. Manage your time well! I know that this advice has been going around since forever, but I strongly recommend that you apply it this year; because apparently, they were lying when they said that 2nd year is the hardest year you’ll ever go through. In your last year in Pisay, not only will your subjects be (very very) difficult, you will also get bombarded with a lot - and I mean a LOT - of requirements. You’ll have English papers, STR submissions, Filipino reports/presentations, quizzes, readings, etc. to devote your time to every week, not to mention the College entrance exams you’ll be preparing for. And as if those aren’t enough to keep your hands full, your teachers will give you group and class projects like plays, dioramas and magazines that will require a whole lot of time and effort.

Learn to prioritize. When listing down things to do, weigh each one according to what needs to be done first based on their due date, difficulty of work, resources needed and weight of requirement.

Maximize your breaks. Use your free periods to finish homeworks due the next day (and not the day itself), or study for the quizzes and lessons you’ll be having.

Lay low from the social networking sites a bit. Yes, you can take Twitter/Facebook breaks once in a while, but don’t let that 10 mins turn into an hour of browsing through the internet.

2. Avoid cramming!! Even though that project/requirement deadline is ages away, it’s always better if you start on it early, so as not to include it in the (I’m sure) long list of things to do during it’s submission week. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to skim through ‘Don Quixote’, barely review for your Bio and Filipino long tests, cram-write your yearbook write-up and finish your Physics DC motor all in one night, would you? The satisfaction of crossing out a task from next week’s to-do list is greater than that of barely finishing a project in time for submission.

But if you just can’t help but cram, then try your best to submit everything on time, especially for STR requirements. Although some teachers can be considerate when it comes to deadlines, most teachers give point deductions for late papers, while others *ehem* *ehem* won’t even accept your submissions. (And tbh, you need to train yourself with that because college professors are ruthless). That late deduction may just be the points you needed to get yourself a <insert your desired grade> in that subject.

3. Read-up, participate in class and take down notes. Although some topics will be familiar, a lot of the lessons you will learn in fourth year will be new ones. With that and the difficulty of lessons, it would be really helpful if you read up on your topics in advance and give yourself an idea of what the lesson will be. It will give you the advantage of being able to make sense of the gibberish that your teacher will be talking about, and an edge during class discussion/recitation, especially in Econ. For incoming sir Vlad students, your recit points will take up 25% for your grade (no joke!!), making it very crucial for you to read up and participate in class. Also, don’t forget to take down notes, either during class discussion or when reading the book. You would want to jolt down all the important (and maybe not so important) facts that you’ll surely be needing when you review for your LT/perio. As they say, the faintest ink is better than the strongest memory.

4. Do not develop seniorities. We’ve all heard about this sick habit that is endemic only to seniors. With your graduation less than a year away, a lot of students tend to slack of and not care about their grades anymore, since they know they’re already graduating. This would probably be the worst thing that can happen to you during your last year. You should never feel complacent when it comes to your grades, most especially this year, just because you think there is not a chance that you will not graduate (or for some people, not get high honors). Always strive for excellence! Besides, you can never be too sure, and honestly, slacking off isn’t even worth the risk.

4. Get the right company Surround yourself with people who will be a good influence to you. Hang out with people who will make you want to study more or finish that requirement you have, instead of marathon-ing HIMYM. Also, get yourself a friend who’ll be willing to answer probsets and review for those upcoming exams with you. But don’t forget to also bond over things that non-academic – like food, the latest fashion trends, or your love for Ian Somerhalder :>. It is also important to be around people who’ll stick with you even in your crankiest and most stressful days. They’ll be the ones who’ll keep you sane in times when you’re on the verge of throwing fits or breaking down. You’ll need friends who will bear through listening to all that you have to say, from your kilig kwentos to the frustration you have over that Physics LT.

5. Make every moment count :) Since you’re already seniors, every event you’ll be having will be your last one (well as a Pisay student). So make the most out of your last year and don’t you dare miss out on a single Pisay event! Don’t sulk in the corner thinking how sad it is that this will be your last fair/retreat/ect. Instead, get involved in clubs, participate in events, make new friends, have fun and make memories that you’d want to remember for the rest of your life. I personally made a bucket list of the things I wanted to do before I graduated. IDK, something cool to look get excited about, I guess :)) One of them was to ring the school bell, with permission of course hahaha‪#‎perksofbeinganHRO‬

And if you still haven’t yet, in your last year, learned to love your batchmates, make an effort to. After all, they’re the same people with whom you spent the best years of your life so far. They were the same ones who saw you through your physical (and emotional) transformation; the same ones who were there from the very first time you failed a Math quiz, to that time you were spiritually renewed in the retreat. Together you went through all the Math quizzes, PE bleeptests, YMSAT projects, English plays, Humm week events and all the drama that high school has to offer. You may have had your differences (well, there are like 240 of you), but you do have one great thing in common – Pisay has changed you in ways you didn’t expect.

So learn to appreciate those crazy bunch of nerds you call batchmates, and together, make every single moment ‘till your graduation day count

Day 1 out of 365: June 27, 2014

Home Leave Pass

This is kind of a repetition to one of my previous post. However, this is the full story behind that (for those who didn’t know this special and rare event in my Pisay life).

A Home Leave Pass is always given to us by our dormitory managers before we leave the campus every Friday. It was the ticket so that we could go home. It has a PURPOSE section in which majority opted to put “TGH” or “to go home” most of the time. My friends and I felt to do something different, we thought that there is nothing wrong to be unique for a moment. There is nothing wrong in trying, right? So we tried putting something crazy and kind of witty(?) in that section.

Purpose: To go home and spent time with my family as we eat, sleep, go to th mall, and watch TV together.

Well, that was just my answer. My friends had written something else like answering the purpose section like a beauty queen (using the famous “that is all, thank you” saying in every Q-and-A of almost every candidate in a beauty pageant) and another answering it mala-nobela. We answered that way to somewhat prove that we are not simply lazy of filling up the Home Leave Pass, we also dared to show that aside from being “unique”.

However, the dormitory manager/s didn’t like what we have done, despite all our efforts and such. He scolded us for a few minutes and telling us that it is a waste of time for the security guards to read those things (in which I surely doubt the guards read those) and to give the guards an agony for something non-sense. We defended ourselves as we told him our reasons for doing this kind of thing(see paragraph above). When it was all cleared, he told us never to do that again. I don’t clearly remember if we were asked to repeat the Home Leave Pass but in the end, we went home without any offense or violation.

Nagsimula na ang English Speaking sa Pisay last Monday. And kinareer nga naman namin lalo na ng mga JUNiORS.

“Hey, what’s our next subject?”

“Are you going to the canteen?”

“I’m so hungry. Do you have some food?”

“You’re so airy.” (lol)

and others. Halos araw araw maririnig to. Naging habit na namin ang pagsasalita ng English.

One time nga, nung lumabas kami nina Marie, Vincent, Kayslein, Eman at Francis sa Pisay..

Pedicab Driver: Sasakay kayo?

Vincent: No, we’re just going to walk.

Kahit sa mga tindera, panay ang pag-English namin. Siyempre, nakikiuso na rin sina Sir Tony, Ma'am Eunice at Sir Bambi.

Wan kurnito, wan magnom. wan shupaw.

Excitement - I can’t wait to be in the superior eldest, therefore respected, batch.

Eagerness - I can’t wait for school to be over! It’s about time I lived in the real world (though I’ll have to finish college first).

Pride - We made it this far!

Again excitement - We’ll be graduating soon!

Dread - We’ll be graduating soon.

Some friends drift apart after high school, but I don’t want to have some friends. I want to have real friends. And I don’t want our friendship to go away as we go away to our respective universities ourselves. I want it to last.

Right now, I just want to get lost in another school year of fun and distract myself from the possibility that I won’t see some of my batchmates for a long time.

it has been almost 24 hours since i got home yet i can still feel the party vibes woooh ~(o_o)~ (i couldnt find an emoticon that has eyebags so im stuck with this one huhu)

THESE ARE THE THINGS, FEELINGS AND HAPPENINGS THAT I WANT TO REMEMBER 4EVR AND EVRRRR <3

the one-hour wait for Lalas and Japheth at the terminal + the 478297348274-hour ride from Iriga to Anayan, Pili

I forgot to eat lunch that day huhu so I went to a local carinderia in Anayan to buy something for my unhappy tummy. BEST TORTANG TALONG EVER!!!!!!!!!!

the sudden arrival of the Goa-bound jeepney. I’m sorry for leaving you on that plate, tortang talong. Someday, I’ll come back for you and your delicious tortang talong friends :(

that feeling when the tricycle we rode on finally passed the orange, pisay-kalokalike city hall building thingy :)))))

that feeling when the tricycle we rode on finally entered the gates of Pisay!!!!! <3

and that feeling when I got reunited the ppl I have been close with during my stay. huhu nakakamiss silang ihug :(

I’m flattered kasi may mga pumansin pa rin sakin pagdating ko dun hahahaha

that awkward moment when my ex-crush and I wore clothes of the same freakin color. hot pink doesnt suit him btw (jk hahahahaha)

SHET SERYOSO GUSTO KO IHUG ANG MGA TAO DUN NGAYON #clingy

my anak Juchele gave me a loom band. ehehe naflatter ako di ako humingi neto eh :))

Ma'am Minette to Mac: IF YOU DON’T BRING MY CUVETTE TOMORROW, IPAPA-MA'AM ELSE KO KAYO.

the feeling when we finally entered Craigville, (which i fondly call Calditzland) AND THE BATCH WAS THERE HUHU FEELS~ (ok only 1/3 attended but still :D)

PARTY AT LORENZO HALL. There were actual party lights!!!! :)))))

screaming “THIS IS MY JAM!!! GUYS, THIS IS MY JAM!!!!” while dancing like a whore whose rent bills are due the next day

ICE ICE BABY

bikini tops + silag shirts HAHAHAHA

VIDEOKE!!!! RAK!!!!!!!

senti talk + “girl” talk + “sawi” talk + chismax sessions ALL NIGHT :))

I wanted to know what drunk Tiki is like so I joined their inuman session. I drank one too many glasses of Red Horse :O

From “hati tayong tatlo sa isang bote” to “hayop ka plaza akin lang yang bote na yan” to “pare parefill nga nito”. It took about 5 refills before the alcohol took its toll on me ._.

They say my crazy bar went on full when I finished my last glass. But I wasn’t the staggering + puking kind of drunk. Na-amplify lang ang pagkabaliw at hyper ko :))

I’m thankful my friends were still there to take care of me when the liquor had it’s effect. Sandi promised that she would be my bantay if I ever get drunk and she lived up to that promise lol even tho she was a little tipsy that time. And I remembered Law, Jownas, Plaza and Mac were there too. Hihi <3

Card games + foosball + billiards :))))

3am. Jownas, Law and I abused the videoke in the Lorenzo Hall. I badly wanted to sing at the top of my lungs but the people were asleep already huhu so I was stuck with the mellow songs </3

le contents of my party bucketlist~

☑ sleep in the pool

☑ watch the sunrise with the best ppl I know <3

I borrowed Nats’ laptop to copy a Photoshop installer. When he saw that my flashdrive was a few MBs short, he let me borrow his SD card thingy and he said I could return it on August. Ang bait nya :O

Calditzland is located in an isolated place so we ended up walking at least half a kilometer before we could hitch a trike

My confrontation with Ma'am Minette (this is a different story. i’ll blog abt this l8r)

tambay in Sir Jerry’s airconditioned office <3 I immediately hugged him bc the day before, he meant to talk with me over the phone but I hung up (I thought he was Ma'am Minette but he really just wanted to say hi to me lol)

the rented jeepney ride home when we were all borlogs HAHAHA

Nats and I shared a weird moment. I woke up with my head resting on his head (this is the part where y'all gasp and tease me)

Day 6 out of 365: July 2, 2014 Day 7 out of 365, Photo Number 1: July 3, 2014

Whiteboard’s Content

This is legit. As of now, I haven’t erased the last thing I wrote in my whiteboard before I graduated. This is actually written before I received my report card and knew my General Weighted Average(GWA). So it is currently July and I wrote this on March which means my whiteboard’s untouched for about 3-4 months.

So what is this?

This is what I call my “GWA Expected Range Calculation”, I don’t really have my grade in each quizzes, LTs, exam, recitation, and etc. to completely solve for my grade but I just based it on how my teacher graded me and what my grade was on the 1st Quarter. I did this since 3rd Year, and the gap of my range never failed me(except during the 2nd Quarter of 4th Year) for I always ended up having a GWA on the certain range.

How do you do this exactly?

Since what’s written there is my expected GWA for the 4th Quarter, so I based it on my grade during the 3rd Quarter on each subject. I then tried to reflect to myself whether I did better, the same, or worse during my 4th Quarter than my 3rd Quarter performance. So, I have this HPA (Highest Possible Average) and LPA (Lowest Possible Average) for each subject. If I did greater on the certain subject during the 4th Quarter, my HPA is mostly one step higher(the term “higher” in Pisay terms is 1.00 as the highest and 5.00 as the lowest) than my 3rd Quarter Grade and then the LPA is my 3rd Quarter Grade. If I did worse on the certain subject during the 4th Quarter, my HPA is my 3rd Quarter Grade and the LPA is mostly one step lower than my 3rd Quarter Grade. After finishing every subject HPA and LPA, I calculate my HPGWA and LPGWA (Highest and Lowest Possible GWA). To calculate the HPGWA, use only HPA as your “grade” in each subject and then do the math for calculating GWA (Grade x No. Of units, blah blah blah). Same as HPGWA, use only LPA as your “grade” in each subject to calculate the LPGWA. After getting your HPGWA and LPGWA, your real/actual GWA will surely probably fall in the middle of the two. You can probably stop here if you only want to calculate for the range unless you really wanted to know what your actual GWA could actually be. To know the highest probability of what your GWA is, “H%” portion(High Percentage) is needed. “H%” is used on what you think the teacher will grade you, you cold reflect to the teacher’s way of grading and how close you are with this teacher how you think your tests results shows. You’ll choose your grade in the range of the LPA to HPA in each subject in which you’d think will most likely be written on your report card, do the math to calculate your H%GWA. Ta-da! There you have it!

Tips and notes on doing this (for those who wanted to try): 1. Know yourself and your teacher well. Learn how to reflect properly. 2. Do this after the quarter’s examination ends. Somewhere between that and the scholarship meeting. If there are requirements that needed after the perio and are still counted for the quarter, do the requirements! Requirements (such as notebook submission, projects, mga pahabol para hindi ma-zero, additional works, and etc.) can affect your grade, remember? 3. In case your teacher is friendly, you can also ask your actual grade on his/her subject if it’s already available and if it’s already okay to dicuss about it. This will surely help you on calculating/knowing your GWA way before you see your report card.

Just so you know, the absolute value of the difference of my actual 4th Quarter GWA and the H%GWA is 0.04. So I think this really helps.

4 asdfklfjasl years for this. All worth it! Goodbye, high school life. :-)

(joke may clearance pa but yayuhhhh)

This will be a bullet read more for my pisay graduation experience yayyyy huhu happy happy me

woke up at 4 ahhh so not used to that 

stuff stuff bath stuff stuff yay i love my shoes and the toga 

arrived at school ten minutes before seven and then my mother made ayos ayos me (hashtag conyo)

lined up for the vanity family picture!

gave away my thingos for friends na :-)

picture with K, Kristine & mom and HANNAH YU AHHHHHH

ahhh naka-ilang taas baba rin ako sa gym ha tired feet

natarayan pa ako ni Jethro Mr. Sungit =)) init init na nga eh

topaz pictures!!! TOPAZ 5EVS & our parents gahh haha

sat down by the pool while waiting for others to line up!

hehe fanned ourselves (w/ David, Dots & Bianx) with our togas

the big mirror helped us all in fixing our toga caps, thank you

credits to Isa Padua for that as well hihi

march march din

ehehe I sang Lupang Hinirang with shoes off, sorry

woooo I really love Kristine’s speech. “Ang Pisay ay parang chemical reaction. Ang buhay ay parang chemical reaction. At tayo ang reactants.” (can i have a copy of your speech kristine hehe)

Sec. Abayan’s speech was entertaining. =)) Hooray for Pisay graduates who are serving the country! And grabe, engineer-lawyer-military in one, siya na.

WE ARE GRADUATES YAY TASSEL LEFT TO RIGHT

up we go on that stage

Standing ovation for Rodesto yiiiii that went on for more than five whole minutes, I think. @-) Congratulations to Tita Pinky! :( Ikaw na may diploma na nakaframe pa, Rodd AHAHAH #yoloswag

yay hi bowing partners Tanya & Migs

Kian’s masking tape medal =))

Geo’s two Lola’s awwww I love you Geo forever you are adorable

lined up with my parents :) nag-away pa kung sino magsasabit ng medal ha =))

YAY medals with our names on it :)

grad song :-( huhu hugs with jo mikai pauline and k!

go lyon yay smiles for you, you didn’t cry as well!

I DID NOT CRY surprise surprise

PSHS HYMN ENDING WITH “THEE-YIIIIEE” as usual with our batch huhu i will miss that so much

toga cap throwing after DOST hymn feels so awesome wooohoooooo!!!!!!!!! COLLEGE GIRLS & BOYS IN DA HOUSE

recession & then sampa picture in that tiny room ahuhuhu sampa forever forever <3

gave out my thingos for people na! and took pictures din!

texted with people on the way to Lido’s, Commonwealth for lunch

ahahahahahahahaha i am so happy seriously i did it we did it we are infinite, 2013 :)

1. As early as possible, have topic proposals. You can submit them as early as December, I think.

2. Choose group mates wisely. No one wants to do the research plan by himself/herself.

3. Cramming is not advisable. In electronic submissions, submit at most 10 minutes before the deadline.

4. Be ready for the oral defense. Awards are chosen not just because of the poster but also the way you explained your topic.

5. If your teacher is Sir Alcarez: he doesn’t pay much attention to the things you write in your notecards. He takes a video of the oral defense. If you were absent, you have to do it (and answer the questions afterwards) alone.

If your teacher is Ma'am Bick: She pays attention to detail and she is very objective. Be prepared to answer her questions!

6. For the Lab Journal, put all the important details. Include pictures. They will be proof that you have done something.

You still have a year to go before you get your first experience in receiving a Palanca, but I heard you needed a letter, so here it is in my most humble thought to give you one.

I see that you need to hear the word “Congratulations” for surviving Freshman Year. Don’t think you’ve gained enough knowledge already; there’s more to come and much more to go.

Hardcore subjects can be so exhausting, with the many units it burdens you with. You’ll know what it’s like to be stressed, with so many requirements piling up behind your back as the days, weeks, months go on. You’ll have Advanced Algebra, Geometry, Biology, English, Filipino – El Fili (in Sophomore Year? Yeah.), then your Electives: CAD, EnSci, Arts, TechSkills. What else? Music, PE, Health, ValEd, Physics, Chemistry. Why bother to count how many you’re taking? Just do it, and go with the flow. Don’t think about the way you could have done better when you’re not in a science high school named after your country. This is your struggle, but there are people willing to help as long as you let them.

Join clubs. Apply. Get accepted. Try to paint. Dance. Act. Don’t say there’s no time – for goodness sake, you have all the time in the world. It’s up to your what to do with it. Grow in your studies, especially in science and math, but also grow in your other aspects. Use your talents as you have somehow hoped that your were a prodigy in your younger years, because they might fade by the time you would want to use them. Spread it, as if it can be laid out on a table, and plan your journey in life with it. Those are your tools to survive the world that never seems to rest.

Sing with the national anthem and school hymn with all your heart, even though your voice does not agree with the tune. Try to reach that high note of the DOST Hymn. Squeal when you need to when you finish expurgating yourself in the middle of the heart after the PSHS Hymn, but respect the song. Enchant yourself whenever the flag waves at you and believe that you are a work-in-progress of your country. Until such a time comes you are ready to serve back the taxpayers who funded your education, learn as much as you can.  The world needs you, so give it your best shot.

And then, you will fall in love. And this time, for real. You will watch the Juniors and Seniors ask their dates during Prom Season. You will be told to get ready because it’s your turn next year. You’ll probably get excited or just shrug it off. But in the meantime, relax. Because you won’t find love in the premiere science high school of you country. You will find desperate moments of trying to understand your subjects, stress in finishing every requirement, frustration in pleasing your parents for your achievements you’ve been trying to keep up since elementary, and sadness for thinking that you were not giving your very best. Don’t find love. Instead, let love find you. And when it does, let it fill your heart.

OBTAINING THE SEAL OF TRUE EXCELLENCE:

a test of heart that involves breaking the paradigm

It is June 2, 2008—a bright, sunny morning, with birds chirping, leaves rustling in the breeze…

and then there are the 8 lines of lost looking kids standing to the right of the flagpole area–fresh meat that’s ready to be put on the chopping block, according to all those observing their every move.

They pass the first test, enduring 30 minutes of glaring sunlight, technical difficulties and mundane welcome speeches. Heck, they even hurdle the second, successfully navigating unfamiliar territory to reach their first class on time without any guidance.

But the third… it was the reality check, and this test was not as simple as the first two. In fact, it would be more taxing to grasp than the 2 NCE screenings they all had to take combined. Because this test was different. It was a test of heart.

What was the first question?

“Sino rito ang nag-graduate as valedictorian sa elementary?” A handful stand.

“Salutatorian?” More follow suit.

“Honorable mention?” By this time, the whole class was standing.

So where was the challenge in that?

Knowing that you were in the same room as others who were at par with, or perhaps even better than you could throw you off your game entirely. Realizing that what you had gotten yourself into was indeed, the real deal, could make you crumble under pressure.

But that was not enough, for it was the teacher’s next words that held the real challenge.

“I’m sure you are now aware of how much importance Philippine Science gives to excellence. You’re already on your way to proving your worth, and this institution will rear you towards true excellence. True excellence–this is what you will discover in your four years here, should you be strong enough to fight until the end,” she said.

The room was silent as her words permeated the air, each student seemingly absorbing their magnitude. Some thought that this challenge was a no-brainer—get high grades and you’re all set, for life just repeats itself, and if it was done in Grade School, it could be done here. Some were already starting to give in to the pressure, doubting their decision and wondering if there was still a way out.

“This institution weeds out those who are unwilling to pursue excellence. Only those who are ready to give it their all will remain,” were the teacher’s final words.

And then the bell rang.

***

It is March 2, 2012; an entire 45 months have passed since fate had brought them to their very first flag ceremony.

Where are they now?

They are trudging through the hallways of the 3rd Floor, weighed down by their 1500-page Physics books. They are sitting in the gazebos with a bottle of Rugby, trying to fix their ancient school shoes that had thinning soles and were obviously beyond repair. They are in the comfort room, examining the dark rings under their eyes. They are holding papers with many red Xs and unthinkable scores (think 3/40) encircled at the top margin. They are in the cafeteria, downing some odd-tasting concoction labeled “energy drink”, trying to shake off the fatigue from all the sleepless nights.

At first glance, they are in bad shape. 

For where had their first year selves gone? Where is the 12-year old who cried over his first failing Math test on inequalities, vowed to himself that he would perfect the next exam and made do on that promise? Where is the little boy, not even 5 feet tall, who had so much discipline to finish all schoolwork at home, read lessons in advance, and managed to sleep at 9:30 sharp nightly? Where was the young girl whose eyes twinkled in wonder whenever a new topic would be introduced, eager to discover and learn?

Have they been replaced by people who have lost their thirst for knowledge and who are seemingly content with barely passing? Have they exchanged their younger selves’ discipline for convenience (read: mediocrity)?

Where have all the talks and lectures gone? Did they go in one ear and out the other? With each year that passes, they are reminded even more of the task at hand, and yet at the end of 4 years, it is like they’ve lost track of the challenge completely. Does this mean that they are proof of an irony—the irony that as the institution continues to push them towards a goal, the more they stray from it?

We now go back to what the first year teacher mentioned. True excellence–what could she have meant? Did she mean academic excellence, wherein one’s proof of worth could be a pristine report card, with nothing lower than a 1.0? Did she mean that there was nothing below E in all the aspects of conduct and morals? Did she mean never losing, whether in a football game or a quiz bee? All of these definitions for “excellence” are not on point, as many of us have been disillusioned by our Asian upbringing and longtime paradigm. All of these stand for perfection. This is not excellence.

These students have surpassed 4 years’ worth of challenges, and they have hurdled many difficulties that typical high school students would not be able to conquer. They have pulled several all-nighters. They have dealt with substandard grades and then they had to endure actually being called substandard. (“Akala ko ba Pisay ka? Ba’t di ka matalino?”) They were told that the curriculum was made easy for them, and had it been any more difficult, more of them would be failing. They were scolded for being less than perfect.

All of this should’ve been enough to push them off the edge. But they are still hanging on, some by a thread, but still hanging on nonetheless. Society’s flawed definition of excellence took its toll on them, and yet they did not crumble. They are still standing; some damaged, but not beyond repair.

This is TRUE EXCELLENCE—going past adversity and looking at it as an opportunity to grow. Taking crushing blows that would’ve meant the end but still finishing the fight. Being confronted by painstaking challenges and not choosing to give up.

“Striving for perfection is demoralizing. Striving for excellence motivates you.”

Hello! :) Sorry if I’m only able to answer you now :( (and if I made a separate post my iPad won’t copy paste my answer into the answer box eh :( )

1. Manage your time well. Time management is really, really, REALLY important as 4th year will be the year wherein your subjects are not only difficult but also submissions-heavy. You will have STR submissions every now and then, group and class projects in almost every subject(I am not kidding!), you will have to read in advance for Econ, tapos study for CETs pa, while trying to make your last year in Pisay memorable, and many, many more. 

2. Read in advance. I always read ahead of class and take notes as well so I get a headstart and have more free time. This will be a lifesaver when you’re to-do list starts on lengthening since you’re already done reading that specific chapter (i.e. Econ, Physics conceptual notes) or when you and your friends decided to have a spontaneous nightout hehehe or kung hindi nagtuturo teacher mo. 

3. Utilize your breaks and weekends wisely. Do all of your homework and read in advance even if it looks like wala na namang madadagdag na requirements that week. You’ll be surprised at how much this helps and how much free time it gives you to do extracurriculars, hang out with your friends, or do more requirements. 

4. Get study buddies! The people you are with will really influence your study habits. Sched study dates and make the library a tambayan. 

5. Do your papers (STR requirements, especially) ahead of time. Avoid cramming!!!

6. Recite in Econ. When Sir Vlad says that recitation is a crucial part of your grade, he really means it. 

7.Utilize your resources well! Visit the library, look for nice upperclassmen who are willing to lend their notes, consult with your teacher++ 

8. Don’t let “senioritis” get to you. Yes you’re graduating, in good academic standing, and might think that 4th year would be a breeze and there’s no way of failing/losing your high honors standing. Wrong! Anything is possible so you still have to work hard. 

9. But don’t forget to squeeze in some fun and enjoy your last year in Pisay! Even if majority of your batchmates will be going to UP, you’ll still miss them, Pisay, and everything in between incredibly! (take it from me huhuhuhu)

10. Love your batchmates. Love the crazies you’ve been with for the past three years, the only group of people in the world who knows how difficult your last exam was, and the only ones who will understand your science-related jokes and banats and never-ending rants on twitter. They are the people who you can truly count on (aside from making kopya your last Math HW haha kidding do it yourself!) as they are the ones who have been riding the same roller coaster with you for three years now. #cheese