College Years

Aal Izz Well

Just like everyone else in Pisay, I started as an innocent little girl who studies every night and tries her best to cope with the academic pressures of the brand new and harder lessons we had to learn. Not only were we taught Chemistry, Biology, or Physics, we were also taught how to be good people, showing courtesy to teachers, observing proper conduct outside of school, learning to make friends, and living independently away from our parents. I cried every night during my first three weeks in the dormitory, yet I got used to the system and finished the school year with a good impression on teachers, good grades, and new friends.

Second year high school is one of the most significant years in my Pisay life because this was when I found friends to keep forever. In the same year however, most of the innocent freshmen dropped their do-gooder images. People started sneaking beer in the campus by transferring them in C2 bottles. Some also tried smoking inside the shower cubicles. Many didn't care about the 7 a.m.-7 p.m. dorm curfew, and some started to swear.

"Putang ina," my friend said loudly and with emphasis.

And the door opened. Arianne was running late that afternoon because she was about to be left by her carpool going to Sorsogon. She droped inside our dormitory and forgot that she was in front of the dorm manager's room. So the door opened, revealing an angered Ma'am Glaiza. We froze on the spot. Number one, she violated the no dorm hopping rule, and two, our dorm manager heard her say those two words. She went on about how Arianne is such a beautiful girl yet words like that come out of her mouth, blah blah blah. She also tried to publicly shame her in front of us and other dormers watching from our door, waiting for their gate passes to be signed.

So she asked with disdain, "Kayo ba, ganito na rin? Nakakapasalita na rin ba kayo nang ganito?"

My perfect freshman image may have been permanently marred in their eyes; I didn't give a damn. I did feel remorse for my friend who most probably would receive