APRIL 2022 // FEATURES
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covered the two years that the pandemic stole from us.
nd of the Chapter….
I wish that time would stop and freeze for a bit. I wish that the world would stop revolving so that we could savor the last moments that we have together as Senior High School (SHS) students. I wish that I could turn back the clock so that we could have spent more time together, some sort of get-together that we rarely did. With the wish of turning back time, I wish to possess a power that would immune us from COVID-19 thus allowing us to come together physically at school every day, just like what we did in the past… In reality, those wishes would never come true. They will stay as wishes that could have made our SHS years a bit better and brighter. It is just so painful that we had to undergo two years of online classes until the end of our SHS journey. Hear me out, two years of online classes entailed the lack of physical encounters with our friends, the suppression of collaboration opportunities with our classmates, and missing out on opportunities to walk home with friends. Every day, our routine would be to sit in front of our desks at home, open our laptops or PCs, attend classes from 8 in the morning until 3 or 4 in the afternoon, rest for a while, do our assignments afterward, and then sleep. If we wanted to talk with our friends, we have to do it virtually through applications such as Discord, Messenger, and Zoom among others. Just by the sound of it, the last part of our journey was taxing, isn’t it? On the brighter side of things, we thank God for giving us the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company physically in the pilot run of face-to-face classes (which was also the last week of classes before exams) and in the practices for the graduation rites. It felt refreshing and empowering to once again talk in ASJ’s corridors, to have in-person discussions with teachers, and to go home together either by walking or by car. On a personal note, I was amused to see a familiar scene that I loved to see for ages. To see my classmates laughing together, shouting together, and most especially smiling together are pictures worth remembering. Those 3 weeks (when cumulated)
End of the chapter - It is painful deep inside that our time here is over. We are about to journey on separate paths to reach our dreams and ambitions. We are about to embark on a journey where we need to be with different people, different environments, and different challenges. We were used to being in each other’s company but now, it is time to separate and move on. Yes, we may still see each other in our free time but it is different when we are together every day. To be honest, this is not just painful but also scary. Being used to being with my classmates (the same people who I grew up with) for the last 14 years makes it hard to move on. I have this fear inside of me - the fear of adapting to a new situation with new people and new challenges. “Hail, Hail, Hail”..... The master of ceremony congratulates the graduates and their families. The last batch photo was taken. The master of ceremony (after the graduates returned to their seats) announced the start of the recessional. We, the graduates, walked on the center aisle filled with emotions. Joyous and painful it is but it was the last period on the last page of our majestic chapter entitled “ASJ Journey” As one great mentor once said, the only way to go in life is to move forward. Separation is indeed inevitable. Thinking of it, we actually needed to separate and traverse our own paths to grow as fine men and women. Changes and separations are scary but these things are unavoidable. We just need to live with and by it. I do wish that the friendships that we have forged in the last 14 years would stay strong and healthy even if we are already separated by distance and time. A new chapter in our lives shall start in a few months. To my dearest Grade 12 graduates, I do wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Always remember that we can make it through the end, we just need to find a way or make one. It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of your lives. May all of us reach all of our dreams, goals, and ambitions - through hardships to the stars! [R]
LAST PERIOD LANCE CRISOSTOMO PHOTO SOURCE | MARIANNE BUENCONSEJO
