Summer after third year, the school asked us incoming 4th year students if we would like to attend summer classes as part of our training for the NSAT - National Secondary Assessment Test. We found it to be a good thing to do, so most of us attend morning classes divided into different subjects, all devoted to NSAT. Even before the classes started, the first quarter of the school year was all about NSAT. We even practiced in shading the small circles so we won't get it wrong come test time.
NSAT day, students were arranged alphabetically, and unfortunately, a few of us had to use a different room, sharing with other "excess" students from other schools. We were told to be very careful in shading, and to avoid making erasures as much as possible because it might cause our paper to be void. There was a break sometime in the day, and I ate a pack of Chiz Curls. To my horror, I found traces of orange crumbs in my paper, and no matter how I scratch it using my fingernails, I just couldn't take it off. I was so afraid I might not enter college, but when results were given, I was thankful I passed it. There was a big pressure on me because my brother got 99% in the Abstract Reasoning part of the test during his time, and I was happy to know I got 99%, too, but not enough to get a medal from it because a classmate got 100%. :(
It being our last year, we also took time to check out universities where we could enroll the next school year. Most of us tried University of the Philippines, but one big mistake I made was that I chose quota courses from UP Diliman and Manila. Cutting the story short, I didn't pass UPCAT (UP College Assessment Test), but when I received my letter from the university, my world collapsed a bit when I found out I was only 2 points shy of the passing grade. If I didn't take quota courses from Diliman and / or Manila, I would certainly get to study at UP. Drats, I should've chosen the Baguio campus or Zamboanga perhaps!
I also would have wanted to try UST because that was where my father studied college, but because I failed the UPCAT, I became afraid to try my luck. My barkada Liza and I, as well as the other clique tried luck with PUP Sta. Mesa, and it was quite late when they handed the results. I was very lucky to have passed their entrance exam with a good grade of 91.8% (general average). Only two of us in the class passed the exam - Roselle and I. I was very happy that I passed it, but I was sad, too, because my barkada Liza didn't pass. What got me confused was that Liza was more intelligent that I am, yet....
Some memories from High School:
- I started having problems with my own barkada, and mid school year, I was closer to the other clique. It was also a time I developed a close friendship with Roselle, a new student. She was a very quiet person, but we really got along well.
- Our class was very much into extra curricular activities, and our competitive side has sparked some problems here and there. During the Math and Science week, the adviser of 2nd year high school was so angry at us because we continuously criticized her students. We were supposed to be hailed overall champions - for winning 1st place in all categories except for one, the song writing / singing contest because the 2nd year adviser was one of the judges and she didn't give us a high mark. We placed 2nd on that category, and I was sad because I was the one who interpreted the song.
- Foundation Day, and it was an annual thing for students to perform a dance number, and the high school students took on the Broadway theme. We decided to go for "Miss Saigon," and even if it was difficult for all of us to come together and be united, I was very impressed at how each of us - especially the boys exerted their efforts in making things okay. Actually, two days before the performance, there was a technical rehearsal, and teachers were angry at us because we still haven't finished the routine. The closing part of the song wasn't thought about yet, and the teachers were dismayed that we were supposed to be the model students being the oldest bunch in the whole school. Well, the ending part was only thought about on the actual performance day, and we were all ecstatic that a simple instruction was executed well even if it wasn't practiced.
- I ran for the PRO position at the Student Council and I was up against a very well known student. I easily admitted defeat on that one - she wasn't just pretty (so many male students had a crush on her), she was also part of the volleyball varsity. Luck was on my side, I guess, because I won in the elections. :)
- We were optimistic about having a JS Prom, and we were already done with the Day 1 of practice, when the principal called it off. He didn't want any JS Prom, so all of us were devastated. High School isn't complete without it, and we felt as if we were so incomplete because we weren't able to experience it at all! What saddened me the most was that one of the most popular students in 3rd Year has personally asked me if I could be his partner for the prom (so touching). Well, sorry.... :(
I finished 7th in the class. Not really that impressive, but I was happy otherwise. It was so unfortunate that I didn't have any picture on the graduation day itself (the picture above was taken a month before the graduation). I couldn't understand why my parents didn't ask the school photographer to take pictures me, but it was okay. My mom bought a dress for me, and it was just so funny and amusing that she and I were wearing the same dress, only that mine was olive green, hers was Christmas red. Cute eh?
Something not cute to cap off this post. In elementary graduation, I was sad that I walked home alone... well, four years after, I still walked home alone after the High School graduation because a friend of mine told there will be a party at her place, and she canceled it the last minute. Pfft!
*** Jenn ***
