Once upon a time, in another lifetime, I was the kind of girl who was sugary sweet and almost always nice. The kind of girl almost everyone got along with, the classmate who could rarely ever say “no”, the student practically all teachers liked, the obedient daughter her parents were proud of, the sister her brothers adored.
At 17, I recall perennially being on a multi-tasking mode. In school, I took leadership roles in Kathalan, the drama club, and in Accion Juvenil, the club for those aspiring to join the Teresian Association of women lay apostolates (for which I started undergoing formation the year before). I also took part in the glee club, Marian Core, and Headstart (weekly outreach program). After school, I would rush to my gymnastics training two hours, for three times a week. Saturday afternoons were spent on more gymnastics training and jazz dancing lessons; or going to the Tala Leprosarium to give psycho-spiritual seminars as part of SHARE’s (Service for Human and Religious Experience, a peer-counseling organization led by La Salle Greenhills) projects. Weekend nights I was either taking advanced acting lessons at Rep Phil or rehearsing for a musical wherein I was part of the cast.
Although it may have seemed that my education then took a backseat to my extracurricular activities, I did take joy in learning what I could from whatever lessons teachers could bestow upon me -- albeit inadvertently tuning out in the mathematics and sciences. The languages had always fascinated me and thus, excelling in them came naturally. Gifted with superb memory, mastering the social sciences was child’s play. It was at this age that I also discovered a knack for the culinary arts, which I relished.
I do, however, recall having been called often to appear before the high school principal: to show my sprained ankle as proof of an absence or not being able to write due to the new blisters in my palms or sprained wrist; to be ordered to reschedule dance or drama rehearsals so as not to coincide with my math classes; or to be asked to let go of one of my extracurricular activities in school, in the hope of helping me have more time to study for subjects my grades have dropped down.
Ah, yes, I had lots of fun when I was 17, and still I couldn’t wait to get out of high school. There was a whole new world for me to yet conquer. Despite the surprise of all my classmates that I did not apply for courses in English or MassComm, I actually knew with utmost certainty that Behavioral Science was the undergrad degree I would pursue. And though I knew my parents wanted me to study at the Ateneo, I personally envisioned myself taking up college in UP, where fellow students would be of various backgrounds and experiences and consequently add flavor and color to my college life.
Young, idealistic, energetic, and full of optimism about the future. Ahh...to be young again! Although more than 20 years have passed, I still have some of that idealism and energy -- and certainly most of that optimism still intact.
At 17, I recall perennially being on a multi-tasking mode. In school, I took leadership roles in Kathalan, the drama club, and in Accion Juvenil, the club for those aspiring to join the Teresian Association of women lay apostolates (for which I started undergoing formation the year before). I also took part in the glee club, Marian Core, and Headstart (weekly outreach program). After school, I would rush to my gymnastics training two hours, for three times a week. Saturday afternoons were spent on more gymnastics training and jazz dancing lessons; or going to the Tala Leprosarium to give psycho-spiritual seminars as part of SHARE’s (Service for Human and Religious Experience, a peer-counseling organization led by La Salle Greenhills) projects. Weekend nights I was either taking advanced acting lessons at Rep Phil or rehearsing for a musical wherein I was part of the cast.
Although it may have seemed that my education then took a backseat to my extracurricular activities, I did take joy in learning what I could from whatever lessons teachers could bestow upon me -- albeit inadvertently tuning out in the mathematics and sciences. The languages had always fascinated me and thus, excelling in them came naturally. Gifted with superb memory, mastering the social sciences was child’s play. It was at this age that I also discovered a knack for the culinary arts, which I relished.
I do, however, recall having been called often to appear before the high school principal: to show my sprained ankle as proof of an absence or not being able to write due to the new blisters in my palms or sprained wrist; to be ordered to reschedule dance or drama rehearsals so as not to coincide with my math classes; or to be asked to let go of one of my extracurricular activities in school, in the hope of helping me have more time to study for subjects my grades have dropped down.
Ah, yes, I had lots of fun when I was 17, and still I couldn’t wait to get out of high school. There was a whole new world for me to yet conquer. Despite the surprise of all my classmates that I did not apply for courses in English or MassComm, I actually knew with utmost certainty that Behavioral Science was the undergrad degree I would pursue. And though I knew my parents wanted me to study at the Ateneo, I personally envisioned myself taking up college in UP, where fellow students would be of various backgrounds and experiences and consequently add flavor and color to my college life.
Young, idealistic, energetic, and full of optimism about the future. Ahh...to be young again! Although more than 20 years have passed, I still have some of that idealism and energy -- and certainly most of that optimism still intact.
And yes, if I could go back in time, I’d do it all again.
