My Debate Family

August 28-29, 2012 - Two Days for the Debate Competition

       That's the date we've been preparing for. We started practicing debate a month before, to the request of some others. I'm glad we did. And we reaped our harvest.

Me + Open Team + Freshmen Team

       Ever since we started practicing, we were able to recruit a lot of members. It was really promising! I kept seeing new faces and getting to know them one by one was so fun and interesting. They were awesome individuals, with a lot potential lurking within.

       At first, I had to figure out what I had to do first and how to get it started, especially with the new ones. It proved to be a little shaky start, but we eventually got there. We met up and practiced after classes, ending up late at night. I made a lot decisions, thought about a lot of things and did a lot of research. I was quite alone because Kuya Irvin wasn't there anymore. And it eventually dawned on me that the entire debate team was now MY responsibility. They depended on me, and I suddenly had something big in my hands.

Josh, Tobit and Dareen of the Freshmen Team + Adj Ronna

       So I asked for some help. We managed to have Sir Alquine as our faculty adviser and I got helpful tips from Sir John. I tried to teach them what I knew, and tried to motivate them with some incentives(partially a fail, because I'm weak at some things xD). I adjudicated their rounds, and taught them what they could improve. It was very tiring, but I knew I had to spend so much time them when they were so eager to learn and debate. They had fire in their eyes, they really did.

       As the University Palakasan approached, we were now increasing the frequency of our practices. I had to choose 3 participants to form the Open team, and it was very difficult since a lot did really want to join and had the skills to debate. In the end, I formed a 3-man open team. We recruited two more participants who would complete the freshmen team just a week ago. I paired them during practices, and things looked really good. I was confident that SCS had a solid chance this year.

       Little by little, our bonding also grew. We became so familiar with each other and we were sincerely having fun during debates. It was so fun exchanging jokes and arguments with them. The overnight was awesome and the team spirit was present and strong.

Ron, Armando and Kael of the Open Team

       When the debate competition finally arrived, I was downright nervous. But I had faith in what they could bring to the debate. The other debaters looked capable and intimidating, but we knew we had something to be at par with them. Both teams won the first round, and I was so ready to jump through the roof during that time out of happiness. The first day ended a bit shaky, and yet we hoped to start to anew and fresh the next day.

       The second day was definitely a day of fulfillment. After the elimination round, the top 4 teams were announced. I was still at another classroom cleaning up during the announcements. And when I heard loud voices of cheering and yelling from outside, I knew it was them. Both teams managed to advance to the semi-finals! I was so happy and thanked God that all of their current achievements was enough of a result of the hard work we went through. We didn't advance to the finals, yet we were happy and well-content. The freshmen team ended at Top 3, while the Open team ended at Top 4. Five of them also landed spots in the Top 10 Speakers. Weee! Our adjudicator did so great and she learned a lot, and she's got a lot to teach us!

Clowning around(Prinz, Ron and Ronna)

       Through all this, I have been very grateful. They are now family to me, and they did see me as their 'mother' who was with them all the way. I went with them to the event, despite the fact that I was slightly sick. I grew worse the next day and I had to tell them to go ahead without me, as I would catch up later. And nothing could ever make me happier that day when one of them sent a message to me. I was up early in the morning, still quite in bed, and texting them of their updates. At one point, I received this message,

       "Tulog na balik ma, kami na bahala dari. Goodnight! :) [Go back to sleep, mom. We'll take it from here. Goodnight!]"

Discussion and Random Things

       I couldn't explain how I felt, and I burst out laughing. My heart was ready to pop out of my chest. Another commented that it was a privilege for them to have trained with me, and I considered all those things as the fulfillment of my role. I would give my time, my encouragement and my support for them. I cared for them. And whenever they said that they would look for me, even just for them to see me during their debate rounds, was something that sort of touched me. In a way, I guess. All of them have been blessings to me, and it was a great privilege to have been with them.

       The road to the competition was shaky and uncertain, with a lot of things happening along the way. But I'm glad that it turned out for the better. And I understood that things just somehow started falling into place from the very beginning, and things happened for a reason. I would surely welcome more possibilities in the future, and a stronger debate team. I look forward to a better debate team, and their potential to be very good debaters.

       I know I failed in a lot of ways with them, and I was often unable to stick to my words. I'm quite out of practice, and sometimes I couldn't give a lot of clear explanations. I made a lot of mistakes, and I'm learning from them. I only hoped I was able to teach enough.

       It was you guys(debaters) who made all the difference. You were fluid enough to adapt and catch up, and you made me enormously proud. I'll remember those days always. You were all awesome and intelligent, and really really determined and hardworking!

*Waiting for lunch*

       Respect is so important, and I hope you guys would remember that always. Be intelligent and mature debaters, learn to accept a loss with dignity and grace. Do not stoop to low levels. Remain humble and pray. Learn from your mistakes. Trust your teammates and ultimately have fun. It is the best of what I could teach you all.



Remain a fearless pack, SCS Debaters. ^____^

When days are at Breaking Points

Drowning.

       That's close to what I feel right about now. I'm struggling but I'm barely reaching the surface. I wave my arms, desperately trying to lift myself up. I look around and see nothing but emptiness and darkness, with the light from surface flickering bright from above. Oh how I desperately swim, my arms pointing upward, perhaps holding a shred of hope for someone to pull me up.

       But my efforts are useless, I'm only sinking deeper. I can't breathe, but it seems like I am. The ocean slowly becomes a part of me, finding its way to my lungs, telling me to let go.

       I struggle again, a little stronger this time, my fingers inches away from the blessed surface. I kick my legs and keep my head up, and with one final push I break out. I rose violently, the surface echoing thick waves.

       I can breathe again, my lungs coming back to life. I let the heat of the sun course through, the light from its rays blinding me. It burns me, but I don't care. I just want the sun.

       But just as another ray hits me, I am pulled under the water. I have yet again to struggle with the binds that pull me under. I kick, I fight. I desperately rip the binds apart.

       Then it lets me go, leaving me alone once again deep under the ocean. I want to get out, because I'm worn out. I'm so tired I could barely move my body. The ocean threatens to fill me up again.

       I want so badly to rest my body and lie for hours on sand.
Then I realize, that when I was up the surface, I saw no shore.
I'm now struggling as look around the ocean's darkness. Then I look above once more, focusing on the flicker of light above.

       Here I go again.

Friendships Knows Acceptance

To find a few good friends, you start with a lot of acquaintances.

       As I now belong to a particular all-girl group in my school, life became more interesting and whole lot happier and less lonelier.

       The thing is, we're all so different, yet we love each other like idiots. People around us know how opposite we can be from each other, yet we are rarely seen not hanging out together. It's how we are.

       It's impossible in a friendship not to fight. It happens a lot, and still we deal with everything and accept each and every one of those situations because we would all learn something from it and from each other.

       And sometimes, there are things that we may not approve of what the other wants to do. We are concerned about each other, and so our concern shows we care. We may not like the guy that one girl chooses, but still we support her on what we wants.

        Perhaps the biggest realization that I have to face is that while I can say to them exactly how I don't want them to do this and that, I cannot dictate their lives and what they do. I can't stop them from doing what they want, no matter how the situation goes. This  is their life, and that is also who they are. As friends, we have to learn to accept them for that, because we are different, and we cannot mold them to think and be like us. I also learned to trust them to their decision, and trust them with the consequences they will handle along with what they chose.

       That's what true friends do, to support them and to be there when they need us. It is their happiness, their inspiration, and we should be happy for them too, and try to eliminate any negative feelings we have.

Our differences are what makes us unique, and also ultimately keeps us together.

Respected and Dignified

       It amazes me how some people I've shortly met years ago are now people who are highly respected in their own colleges. They are now people who have the brilliant mind to speak out about what our society needs, and the capacity to initiate a change.

       I don't know if I am mistaken with the type of person I really wish to be, but I too want to be heard. I want to grow into a person to be respected, one who is sure of her beliefs and opinions. Not afraid to face uncertainties, and most of all, not to be afraid to fight, and face rejection. I want to know how to carry myself with dignity and confidence.
     

       I want to be a person whom people cannot belittle.

       I also want to be someone who is independent, so I don't have to be a burden to anyone. It is one of the things I hate the most. I want to learn how to deal with my own problems, and be strong enough to deal with my own pain. I want to aim higher, and see myself fulfill my own dreams.


      And despite all these, I don't want to let my pride win me. I want to remain down-to-earth, and I don't want to lose common sense and practicality. I want to speak, yet know when to be silent. I would always want to remain being me, no matter how I show myself physically.

       I want to be useful, and I want to help people. I want to be the fruit of what I worked for.

 I want to be who I want to be. And carry all these things with quiet dignity.

Dressing Up: What's Your Message?

This is the first draft of an editorial article I will be writing for our school paper. I'll make some changes in the near future. :D
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A lot has been said about various dress codes, uniforms and strict rules in so many universities around the Philippines. It’s interesting how different sides are being tackled, mainly clashes about decency and preparation for the business world versus freedom of expression.

                Equally, MSU-IIT’s dress code has been a hot topic recently among students and faculty within the university. This issue was brought out due to different arguments that have arisen about what kind of clothes should be allowed within the university, as per how the guards interpret the dress code policy. It was then discovered that the current MSU-IIT dress code was written back in 1993. Outdated, no doubt. Even our highly esteemed Chancellor agrees with this. And the entire university is grateful to him for taking immediate action about this matter.

                But going to the topic, how does your manner of dressing speak volumes about you?

                The freedom that we enjoy these days to a large extent makes dressing up a lot more complicated than before. We teenagers not only try to keep up with the latest gadgets, but try to keep up with latest fashion trends as well. And nowadays, people are becoming more daring, fearless and uncaring of what they wear. Like in UP where there is no dress code and the only guiding principle in what to wear is comfort, students can wear clothes as plain as pajamas or barely-there clothes that leaves little to the imagination. While in DLSU, students can wear clothes as fashionable as knee-high boots and trench coats.

Having the freedom to dress promotes individuality and creativity; it is a way for students to speak without making a sound. Fashionistas can stand out with their heels and designer blouses, while students with their bling-blings, caps and oversized shirts speak their inclination for hip-hop. Dressing in comfort is also very appealing to students. Simply put, how students dress is their way of presenting themselves to other people, how they want others to see them.

                On the negative side, they say that too much freedom can be abused. Some people are not responsible with what they wear. Some are not comfortable in seeing others with what they’re wearing, and some are teased and ridiculed for it. Some end up looking cheap, and some end up looking like they’re having a hangover from last night.

                Now this time, let us tackle the issue of why schools have dress codes.

First is that the school is trying to promote decency and proper decorum. Remember that we are entering an institution that will educate us, one that will prepare us for our lives after we graduate. This principle tells us that we are in an institution to learn, that it is not a place to flaunt whatever asset you think you have. And so we should dress accordingly and in decency. Second, wearing appropriate clothes becomes a sort of discipline when we begin working in the future. Big companies require you to do this and look professional and neat.

On the other hand, this dress code will curb whatever individuality and creativity students want to release. They will get lost in the crowd, overshadowed by those who excel in academics.

So, which is which?

Unfortunately, it is difficult to draw a clear line between modesty, freedom of expression and indecency. These are abstract ideas and have a lot of interpretations.  Therefore, as college students, we should remain intelligent enough to know when, what and how to dress appropriately. How and what we wear does matter, both in self-expression and in the professional world.

Our intelligence and performance should go deeper than high heels and shorts.  Change in the society is inevitable, and we have to adapt to survive. For as long as we dress accordingly and intelligently when the situation calls for it, then there doesn’t seem to be much problem.

A Lady's Wait [Poetry]

To you whose existence is unbeknownst to me,

To you whose eyes I am to capture and see,

Our story is in writing,

With our paths yet to cross.

I traverse my own as you do yours,

Living in content as I walk along the course.

Should our glances meet one day,

I would faithfully await.

To you whose heart I shall surrender,

To you whose love I would cherish forever,

I will not ever wish to part,

Nor wish for your hand to let go of mine.

Happy 2nd to CHWARMs.

We're turning 2, and I am absolutely grateful! I love you, my best friends, I so do! :D

Here they are! Excluding the 2 guys at the back. Hee. :D

Sand-writing. Etched in my heart.