THE FINALE

            People make two major choices in this world: holding on and letting go.  Soon, we will be leaving the portals of our school. Our high school days are numbered. In a matter of months, we will arrive to another higher stage of education: College life.

            GRADUATION. The word we’ve always wanted to come. At the same time, the word we’ve always dreaded to hear. The fourth quarter is almost ending especially for us who belong to the Special Classes. Although we are somewhat short of lessons because of the limited time, I had learned enough things I can apply in my everyday life.  I have discovered that it is never too late to accomplish the things we’ve always wanted to do as long as we’re determined to.

            Some problems also aroused within this period. I had to miss some classes in order to complete  my entry for the Kabayan Search for Ten Outstanding Public School Students which was held last February 5 – 7 at Pasay City. I didn’t make it but I am happy I was one of the Luzon finalists. I had to make up with my missed quizzes plus I had to borrow notes from my trusted classmates. However, I had a hard time understanding certain lessons―I got a low score in our long test in Advanced Chemistry about Organic Compounds.

            So… is this goodbye? Temporarily, maybe. Of course, we all have to let go. But as we close the doors of high school, let’s not just leave a mark: let’s make this legacy lasting and worth cherishing. And remember that anytime, we can always visit the place where we spent most of our lives developing our potentials and molding ourselves into better individuals.

THE VICTOR

Life is unpredictable. You can’t really assure that you can somehow predict what awaits you. Some people love to rewind the past in order to see how much they have accomplished. Some just want to enjoy what’s currently at their own feet. And some are very much willing to take risks in all cases. You can’t blame the universe if you’re not satisfied with what is happening right now. I, myself, shape my future. I have my own desires, my own dreams as my stepping-stone to attain ultimate victory.  

My life has been a series of struggles and comfort—a labyrinth where there are so many twists and turns you can hardly find the exit. But I believe that we can’t just taste sweet success without doing our part, without contributing the essential “ingredients.”

            I am a student full of so many dreams and ambitions. And now that my high school life is about to end, I have to set my goals and priorities. Even though my chosen course-to-be, which is Education, is sometimes overlooked or ignored because of the other high profile professions, I still wanted to pursue it. I want prove to everyone that I can lift my family from too much sufferings if I strive harder. We will no longer live in my mother’s family house. We will have our own mode of transportation. We will not experience shortage of food supply again. And someday, I will also build my own family. We will build a nice and peaceful home.

If you dream, you should work for it—it will not merely come to you; you have to prove that it’s worth coming to you.

            I can and I will fulfill all of my dreams. These serve as my inspiration to continuously aim higher.

            Someday, I will be the victor.

            

CHANGE: IT STARTS WITH ME

                Change is not just an inward process. It also projects outward, influencing everything that stands on its way. I can make people change. I can make things change.

                However, before doing those heroic-slash-spiritual acts, I also have to take a pause and think of myself. Am I good enough? Do I have the guts in me? Do I have the necessary characteristics, the “changing” traits in order to “heal” the people around me? Am I influencing enough?

                Okay, I cannot start anything if I’ll fill my life with so many questions. I have to move. I have to act. I have to start within me.

                I believe that I am not perfect. I am just a typical girl who commits mistakes, has flaws, and regrets things afterwards. I am also a typical girl who can lessen those mistakes, hide my flaws, and take extra-careful decisions so that I have nothing to regret in the end. I am aware of my potentials. I am aware that I can enhance these potentials to develop a better identity.

                Change for the better or change for the worse? I’d go for the first one, definitely.

                

RELIVING HISTORY

                Ilocos Sur is one of the provinces the Philippines is proud of because of its life-inspiring past and unique traditions. It is full of various people breathing in different cultures and drinking several ways of living. These are some of the reasons why the Kannawidan Festival was established.

                This year’s Kannawidan Ylocos Festival was attended by Sen. Cynthia Villar as she served as the Guest of Honor and Speaker. The Opening Ceremony was held at the Quirino Stadium last January 30. It’s the 7^th year of the said celebration and everybody are very much excited to participate. The following is the schedule for other activities:

January 29 - Wednesday

5:00 PM - Concelebrated Mass and Procession (St. Paul Cathedral)
7:00 PM - Dancing Fountain and Fireworks Display (Plaza Salcedo)
7:30 PM - Siglat Ilocandia Talent Search
                 Salisal ti Banda -Vhong Navarro and Bangs Garcia (Quirino Stadium)


January 30 - Thursday
9:00 AM - Opening Ritual, Trade and Food Fair (Quirino Stadium)
10:00 AM - Choir/Rondalla Contest (Quirino Stadium)
4:00 PM - Marching Band/Contemporary Dance (Quirino Stadium)
6:30 PM - Dinner and Fashion Show (Capitol Quadrangle)
8:00 PM - Saniata ti Ylocos Talent Portion (Quirino Stadium)
10:00 PM - Kapuso Night - Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda, Jonalyn Viray and Gladys Guevarra Band,  Raging Divas, Pretty Triszia, Winnie Girls, Joey de Leon Look-a-Like

January 31 - Friday
7:30 AM - 1st Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson Invitational Shootfest Opening (Caniao Firing Range, Bantay, Ilocos Sur)
8:00 AM - Motorcade for Rodeo
9:00 AM - Salip Saririt/Salip ti Panagaramid ti Daniw (ISCC Auditorium)
                  Dragon Boat Exhibition, Kite Surfing, Frisbee, Surfing (Sabang, Cabugao)
9:30 AM - Delphic Games, Most Innovative Product, Best Dressed Booth, Most Improved OTOP (Quirino Stadium)
                    Traditional Ethnic/Folk Dance (Quirino Stadium)
1:00 PM - Dance Drama/Traditional Dance (Quirino Stadium)
7:00 PM - Rabii Dagiti Ubbing a Saniata - Ryan Boyce and Karen Reyes of PBB Teens (Quirino Stadium)
                   Gawad Titong Singson Awards
8:00 PM - Barn Dance Party (Quirino Stadium)

February 1 - Saturday
8:00 AM - Delphic Games, Crafts Demo, Most Innovative Product (Quirino Stadium)
8:30 AM - Quiz Bee (ISCC)
1:00 PM - Best Practices of School Awards (Quirino Stadium)
8:30 PM - Father J. Burgos Awards (Quirino Stadium)
9:00 PM Saniata ti Ylocos (Quirino Stadium)

February 2 - Sunday
4:30 AM - Fun Run (Capitol)
8:00 AM - 1st Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson Invitational Shootfest Awarding (Caniao Firing Range, Bantay, Ilocos Sur)
                    Sun Soaked Ilocos Sur - Kiteboarding Challenge (Puro, Magsingal)
                    Sun Soaked Ilocos Sur - Dragonboat Racing, Frisbee Challenge (CBR, Pug-os, Cabugao)
                    Sun Soaked Ilocos Sur - Surfing Challenge (Sabang, Cabugao)
                    Livelihood Training (Quirino Stadium)
                    Vintage Cars and Bicycle Parade (Quirino Stadium)
9:00 AM - Amazing Traditional Race (Quirino Stadium)
1:30 PM - Agri, Aqua, PINAKA and Delphic Awarding (Quirino Stadium)
4:00 PM - 1st Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson Motorcycle Show and Motorcycle Racing Competition (Bayubay/Pangada Road)
8:00 PM - Saniata ti Ylocos Coronation Night (Quirino Stadium)
11:00 PM - Liwliwa dagiti Artista - True Faith and Draybers Band featuring the first The Voice of the Philippines, Mitoy Yonting (Quirino Stadium)

February 3 - Monday (Quirino Stadium)
1:00 PM - Siglat Barangay and LGU Awarding
8:00 PM - Zarzuela Ilocana
9:00 PM - BAMBOO LIVE in Concert
10:00 PM - Bingo

February 9 - Sunday (Quirino Stadium)
8:00 AM - Horce Racing

                Kannawidan is a good way to preserve the province’s culture as it continuously relives the magical history and colorful traditions. Citizens from all corners of Ilocos Sur are gathered together to celebrate this legacy hand-in-hand.

                

NEW YEAR, NEW ME

                I have always been an ordinary girl—not special, really—yet I have always been trying my best to cope with the society.

                New year means new opportunities, new scenarios, new challenges, new life.

                I may have so many shortcomings last year but I’ll try to fill up the spaces I missed as much as I could. In another 365 days, I’ll have to prove myself that I am worthy to live a decent life for the next years. I’ve grown. I’ve developed. And I will continue growing and developing until I reach the final stage.

                Here’s a quick list of the things I plan on doing this year:

1.       Treasure the last three months with classmates and schoomates.

2.       Do my best in class.

3.       Be more optimistic. Ignore negative thoughts.

4.       Study well (especially in college).

5.       Be a more responsible daughter– do household chores!

As to some other personal changes, those that comes from within, I cannot assure if I can live by that. It depends to the current atmosphere and other influential factors. But of course, I will choose the path to personality development.

                I am happy with who, what, and where I am now. I just hope that this year, whatever journey I may take, I’ll end up happier. New me? Well, slightly, maybe.

BRIDGE TO THE END

The school year is almost ending. We’re now past the third quarter, which means we have to begin the end—the end that will soon close our high school life. But before that, I’d like to cherish every single moment right now. I want to relive the past.

            This quarter might be the bridge to the last one but it was still full of new things worthy to take in. I have learned to differentiate an idiom to another and identify them hidden in sentences. I discovered all the things to be considered when it comes to production plus the ways of employers and employees in solving disputes. I realized how exponents and logarithms have been keeping oru lives from frantic calculations. HTML tags remind me that life isn’t always simple but behind that, there’s always beauty in it. I’ve been also loaded with science concepts that can perhaps be useful in the future. The stories we discussed and movies we watched have taught me several lessons in coping life’s problems.

            The topics must have been as interesting as ever. But no matter how much I want to miss none of the discussions, I cannot excuse myself from other obligations. I am currently the Editor in chief of The Dove so I had to help finish our first issue. Aside from that, I also attended some seminars scheduled close each date. As far as I’ve known, I’ve been out of the classroom for two straight weeks. That’s a lot to miss.

            Despite the fact that my absence threatens my possible exam results and grades, I didn’t let my studies fall off. I tried every way to catch up: borrowing my classmates’ notebooks, talking to teachers, having make-up quizzes and activities. Because I have joined a regional contest and national seminar, my grades will probably retain even if I am supposed to get a lower grade. Almost all of us will, I guess. But retaining is not enough. I need my grades to increase even just a point. I just hope the exam results are high enough for that thing to happen.

            So now, hello FOURTH QUARTER! I don’t know if I should be happy or not. We still have more than two months to spend time together. We are so attached it will be hard to let go. Letting go, it’s the hardest part. I think I would just brace myself and see what happens next. 

WORLD ENEMY: CLIMATE CHANGE

We cannot deny the fact that the world is experiencing serious problems on natural forces due to numerous activities altering the weather conditions. In our country, we have been facing disastrous phenomena that destroy millions of properties and steal the lives of citizens. And this happens because of our own doings.
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of weather around the average conditions. (Source: Wikipedia)
Climate change is usually linked to global warming, which is the abnormal rise of temperature in the earth’s surface. There are times when we’re experiencing extremely hot weather and drought. This greatly affects our biosphere, making the soil unhealthy for plants and causing several illnesses to both humans and animals. In the contrast, we are suddenly hit by strong typhoons, tornados, tsunamis, and other dreadful calamities that leave us in great misery.
We are the ones who are greatly affected by the continuous threats of nature; hence, we should be the ones who will make ways to prevent it. We should stop the human activities which have been contributing to the deflation of our ozone layer. The Earth is our only home—don’t wait for the time it will be completely ruined and unable to support life efficiently. The only way we can lessen or prevent the effects climate change totally is to finally realize our mistakes and start doing things to stop or undo them. Altogether, we can bring back the beauty of Mother Earth.