Our College Takeaway

Episode 13 - And I Could Still See It All

As I got off the train, I quickly covered my mouth as I felt myself yawning. I woke up at 4:00 a.m. once again and still trying to fix my sleeping schedule. At least I could give myself some sleep this afternoon because I only got classes until 11:30. Maybe I should treat myself to a book again. I’m done reading the one I recently got.

I’ve got a lot of savings this passing week because I never actually spent that much. I’ve got a couple of one thousand bills in my wallet that I’m not really fond of spending. Even so, I’m still thinking that I could buy something for me to cope with stress, and by stress, I mean stress.

Twenty-six out of fifty in the Filipino summative exams, that’s got to be the biggest embarrassment of my life. I mean, I did review my lessons, but our teacher asked us a different set of questions that she said were not in the PowerPoint presentation she provided. Like, how are we supposed to remember her discussion in the following week, word for word?

I’ve learned my lesson to not just set my hopes up because I got a copy of her presentation, taking notes really helps. But I also think that our teacher intentionally did not type those details in the presentation, because for the the reason that the additional details were wrong and that she is a lazy presenter—I mean that. Her class is boring and there’s really nothing to gain from it but stress.

What is even the significance of the subject, anyway?

As punishment for my low score so that I could still gain some extra points to pass the quiz, I was tasked to search for an article tackling the concept of why the subject is important. It offended me for some reason, because I do really hate the subject that much and the fact that she gave it to me as an assignment really pisses me off. I have until next week to complete my article.

When I got inside the university, it felt like a new environment than the ones that I’d been to for the last weeks. Being here feels different this time, and I sense something good coming. Maybe it was just the empty school atmosphere. It’s Saturday today, so the students in the other departments are either off or dwelling on their National Service Training Program.

I got my classes at 8:30, and I arrived there at 7:45. There was still some time to look around, and so I went to walk past the COSA of the Culminated Office of Students’ Affairs. I’ve never been to this side of the university before. It’s just passed our department, and it’s next to the oval. There’s a fence surrounded by trees covering the oval from the gate.

The sun shone directly at me and so, I noticed something breaching my eyes—it was the sunlight’s reflection on the bulletin board. I covered my eyes for it to not be impaired, but upon covering it, I noticed a huge banner at the back of the glass case covering the board itself. It was new, I can sense it. There’s no announcement like this plastered on the CoEd’s bulletin.

I went to see it, and it surprised me that there’s going to be a huge event in the next five days! Four different universities were part of the event—including the SEAC, and there were contests where a student is free to audition. With gleaming eyes, I read the title of the event.

“Alay sa First Year,” it says. I took a deep breath and I stood there reading the whole banner.

There are contests where an ordinary student is free of auditioning or sending entries. Those that are already closed for the audition are the Debate, Team Dance, and the Singing Competition. Those that are free for sending their entries are the Short Story Contest, and Painting. There will be a tryout in sports also.

It would be held in Saint Francis Xavier’s Academy... an excellent choice, indeed. Not gonna lie, I’ve read about this school online, and they said that it’s an all-boy’s school. Not to mention, the facilities and buildings there were as fine looking as what we have here at this university.