High School, The Zuckerberg Connection

Cristel, my two-time seatmate in high school, was nostalgic about our St. Thomas Academy days. And lately, I bet everyone is. I don't know why, but a lot of high school classmates are active in Facebook these days. I had the chance to talk to some fellow Thomasians (wow, I haven't used this term to refer to schoolmates since 2004!) through FB chat in the past week.

Inginu, our musical genius ever since grade school, formed a band and launched an album online. Edwin, my junior prom partner, told me that he's organizing a movie marathon aka a small reunion for his senior class so he could make the most out of his week-long break from work. Camille, my classmate in IV-St. Claire, told me she's now happily married with two kids.

I miss high school, of course, with all its Catholic School experiences: The values affirmation in the morning ceremonies. Retreats in Tagaytay. Student Council meetings with a Guidance Counselor as adviser. Our ECHO staff days. Leadership trainings in Calaca, Batangas. And all the Religion-related activities.

But I miss senior year the most: How I was soooo good in English, Social Studies and Drafting classes and how I was sooo mediocre in any Math class. How bad we were in the Choir Competition. How good our Men's Basketball team was. The 'Sister, nagugutom po kami' excuse during the retreat. Our really good Values Education presentations/dramas and how lucky I was to be grouped with amazing actors who happen to be the craziest guys in class (hello Mark Paul, Reggie, Erwin, Ledzepp, Louvhern,Sandro, etc.). Daily kwentuhan with lunch buddies Cristel, Adri, Micah and Eden. The best Social Studies class with Mrs. Torres (who is now teaching at St. Thomas Academy Kindergarten and my niece Marga's teacher). Seatmate Gil Edward and our crazy tactics to save each other when we forgot about assignments and requirements (One time, we were required to bring coloring materials and we broke my Crayola pieces in half so we could share. He helped me borrow books from other sections when we both forgot to bring ours).

I could say more things about senior year but my HS photos, notes, and scrapbook materials are in Batangas. Wah, Cristel, your nostalgia is infectious even though I'm 2400 km away.