Now Playing: “First Day High”

The tempo rises as I come to high school. I went to Atheneum Amcan School (now Atheneum Amcan Academy) in Noveleta, Cavite.

They say high school is the happiest years of a person. I disagree. My high school years were memorable, yes, but they weren’t generally happy. There was too much bitterness inside me.

So, let’s start with first year.

In high school, I met my “archenemy”. JM Alamar, the pint-sized irritation. I felt like Mr. Krabs when he deals with Plankton. Since I beat him in the eliminations for the Elocution Contest in first year, he harbored a deep grudge against me. He was a Hall of Famer, meaning that he has been winning the Elocution Contest before I came. Since then, he’s opposed me in everything, mostly in academics.

On a lighter side, I also met my two real best friends, Kevon and Brandon Hartwig. They are two American twins who were born and raised here in the Philippines. As such, they can speak Filipino and know about qwek-qwek. They’re also very smart. They’ve been my wingmen in those four sad years where I could have been a lone wolf. Until now, even when they’ve gone back to their mother land, I still contact them through the Internet.

I had a lot of firsts. First classroom in the third floor. First hot teacher. First time to eat alone. First colored uniform (the uniform was colored blue. Before that, I had to wear white polo’s). Amidst those firsts, I grew up much.

Now Playing: “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been” by Relient K

Second year was the darkest year of my life. The song goes into a B-E chord pattern.

This was the time I had an identity crisis. I started my search for who I am. The idiot that I was, I looked in the wrong places. I not only failed, but my academics got involved in the downfall as well.

Second year was also the first time my poor heart got broken. I’ll elaborate on a new track later.

Second year was so grim, I’d rather forward the song and hit the “Next” button on the MP3.

Now Playing: “Must Have Done Something Right” by Relient K

In every dark time, there is the turning point and the dawn of light and day. For me, that was third year. Third year was the “feel-good” part of the high school playlist.

It was July. I went to class. I passed by the bulletin board. I kept walking, and then stopped. I backtracked to the bulletin board. I saw my name, right below the label that says “Honor Certificate Awardees”. And then I exploded.

That event was the batting momentum I needed for the rest of high school. After that, I maintained my honor standing. I became a medalist at the end of the year.

It was also in third year that I found myself. I found my identity, and from then on, I stayed true to myself. I gained a new ability: reasoning. I got the skill of explaining why I do the things I do. I also learned to find my true friends: the ones who wouldn’t shirk away from me. It feels good to get a chain of merry stuff happen to me. The lilting chords of the song took me away to paradise.

Now Playing: “Alumni Homecoming” by Parokya ni Edgar

Fourth year was the end of the high school playlist. It was good to have ended with a bang-out fashion. I learned more, and our group got tight-knit.

However, there was a bitter part in my fourth year, and like my second year, I’d rather skip this track. But I think a change in topic is fitting.

*to be continued*