monster's tale

actuali..this is the essay i passed for the admu admission...hmm...m not really good in writing essays...hehe

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A Monster’s Tale

I came from Claret School of Quezon City during my years in elementary. Then I went to Quezon City Science H.S. During my first year, I found the atmosphere different from the atmosphere I grew up in for the past 7 years in Claret. There was a certain pressure on academic performances. Almost one-third of the school’s population was not Catholic, and most of the students were from schools I have never heard of. I encountered students of varying ages with different personalities that I’ve never met before. Certainly, I was in a state of shock, a culture shock. My whole first year was focused on academics and adjusting to this new environment.

Sophomore year. I thought I should have adjusted to my new environment by this time,..at least. Second year was not far different from the preceding year, I just have a new set of strangers (properly known as classmates). It seemed that this class, named after the chemist Curie, has nothing in common, or there was nothing unique about the individuals’ personality. The people have their own mini-groups, people they’ve known since first year. Each mini-group has their own world, their own rules, and their own game. It would be difficult for an individual to penetrate a group’s barrier. So if you’re a loner. .too bad better stay out of the room. I happen to be that person. Yes, I was sort of a “loner”, but I was totally fine with that for I was never lonely being alone. But I did not close my doors from neighbors and strangers, I just didn’t trust others easily. Only a few had successfully gained that trust.

I could not easily give my trust to my fellow Curie’s. But as the days turned into nights, and nights turned into days, I began to realize that I was becoming a part of a crowd. And as the classes went on, the class discussions, recitations and activities, and the in-between snack breaks, inch-by-inch of their personalities were revealed. This section really has nothing in common. Each one has his/her own story to tell. We were like a library filled with books of different fields. Like any library, it has a librarian that brings organization and unity in the library. And that librarian was our class adviser Mrs. Bustria. She was a real mother to us. She treated us as if her own, showed compassion and love to each one of us. And like all mothers, she scolds us for our wrong doings. When we were scolded for the very first time, she really was in rage and we really felt it. We really felt bad for our wrong doings and were sorry for making her angry. After the sermon we were all saying, “Nakakahiya kay ma’am. Ang bait-bait pa naman din niya, tapos tayo ganito. Nakakahiya talaga. Kailangang makabawi tayo.” The class decided(including me) to make it up to her, which became the goal of the class. For the very first time, I saw a spark, a spark of unity.

The bond started. And it grew stronger when we have to come up with an interpretative dance for the inter-section dance competition in honor of the “Buwan ng Wika”. The creativity and ingenuity flowed, every movement was redefined up to the class’ satisfaction. Arguments were never avoided for each has his/her own perspective. Tampuhans even made the class stronger. We made a deal that we will be frank and straight-forward with each other especially if it’s a class matter, that we will do our part for the sake of the class. And this worked well. We now have a strong, chain-held bond. We faced the challenges and tasks given to us with no hesitations. The more challenges we encounter, the stronger we become. We were like seeking more for the glory. A special teacher saw this outrage and quoted, ”I see monsters in you!”. And I guess she was right. We are monsters! The monsters are unleashed.

Thus, we named our section, Curie Monsters, and became known to the other sections. We set a trend of section bondage. Proofs of this are witnessed before any major event such as class plays, presentations and even sports fest. We gather around, forming a circle, holding hands right-over-left, and praying for strength and guidance. And after the prayer, we all turn jovially around with a hearty shout, “ROOAR!!!”. This is our famous Monster Ritual. It represents a bond unbeatable by any force as long as we stick together.

All this monsters stuff, Curie2, Ma’am Bustria, the forces, my whole sophomore life has defined me as a person. The Curie Monsters, from the adviser to the last student on the list, everyone, has contributed to my personal being. A class, whose students are from different walks of life, with totally nothing in common that had a special chemistry not shared by the other sections, has totally open my doors to the world. I shared the pain, the tears, the joys, the glory, unity and commitment, and especially the bond with people I thought before as complete strangers. Our self confidence and self-esteem were boost by comforting and supporting one another. Each one of us admits that our individuality and personal being developed and our talents flourished with the help of everyone. And I stand proof to that. I’m me then, now, but better. I’m, . . . a monster by heart.