Best High School Memories: Not In the Four Walls of the Classroom

Hello Hiveians!

I wanted to change this topic because I think my best memories in high school just became fuzzy. All I can remember were bad memories. But when I read Laarni's post, it turned out great, so I decided to stay on the topic.

We are supposed to share our best high school memories, but I can't single out one memory that made me happy. I tried digging deeper into my storehouse, but I can't retrieve something to share. But then I realized, maybe my best memories didn't happen on the school grounds. And that will be my take for today's challenge.

I already told you about the leadership training that I attended when I was in first year high school. I shared it on the prologue of my Siquijor series. That leadership training can be considered as one of my best memories because it shaped me and my views of the world pertaining to social issues. Plus, I met a lot of young and promising leaders from all around Negros. Coming from different backgrounds, I realized that each have different views and opinions and pooling them together in one ground was an interesting dynamics.

I was never really into sports nor into performing arts. I'm more into the sciences, maths, and history. But I was not flanking into the arts and crafts because I knew how to deal with my weaknesses. What I lacked in one area would be heavily compensated by the other areas I'm good at.

First year? Nothing much. I was settled nicely into the high school at the center of our town. We lived in a mountain barangay back then and I remember I would walk a few kilometers uphill instead of riding a motorcycle just to save money. Competition was tough especially from those students from the central school, but it became friendly and I got along with them well.

And then something unexpected happened in my family that forced us to transfer here in Cebu. I was forced to transfer school in my second year and it felt horrible, aside from the horrible things that happened in the family that I'm not at liberty to share. It felt like I'm a healthy plant nicely growing in my spot and then suddenly uprooted to be transferred somewhere else. This was when unpleasant things started to emerge.

Being in a new environment that was very far from the one I grew up with was awful. I felt like an outcast. They tried to bully me, but I never backed down. I felt like I was tolerated, but I never really belonged to them. I was in survival mode. I focused all of my energy in my studies. I made sure that I would excel in every subject, not just those I really liked.

Junior year was a little bit relaxed because I was fully adapted to the fast paced environment I was in. This was when I became a representative in almost all of the quiz bowls, essay writing contests, math olympiads, extemporaneous speaking contests, and campus journalism training there was. I was rarely present in class. Most of the time, I was in the computer lab or library, reviewing and preparing for the next contest.

I loved in the computer lab because the room was air-conditioned and I was provided with snacks and lunch. I didn't care much about studying that time. All I care was the meal. 😂

There was a time when I had three contests in one week that I had trouble catching up with the review. I requested my teachers to have a replacement, but they don't want other representatives. I hated it, but I obliged because I wouldn't be in a cramped classroom with 59 other students and I would have free meals and snacks.

More than the perks of being a school's representative, I realized that the best part of those experiences was that I met a lot of competitors and fellow representatives. They later became my friends until college. In a way, I had a network of people which was really helpful later on.

I realized that my best experiences in high school happened off campus. It continued until my senior year.

Senior year was more on exploring what I should do with college, but my stint as a school's representative in quiz bowls continued. I had a job that made me busy after school. I became a tutor of some wealthy students from private schools. I had free dinner and I had extra money to give to my mother. We were really poor that time, but I never ran out of money because of that job.

I never really enjoyed high school like a normal student, but I guess it prepared me to face the bigger things in life. It taught me the value of network and that the lessons go beyond the four walls of the classroom. It taught me to earn money on my own even when I was still studying. It made me become more independent and that I should not always rely on my parents.

P.S. As I already mentioned before, I rarely won first place in those contests. I usually ended up second or third place. It made me realize I was not the best and I will never be the best, but I was satisfied with my performances. It was never about winning in the first place.

Kim Ybañez

_{Welcome to Kim's small corner in Hive. He is a chemical engineer by profession, but a blogger by passion. He is a wanderlust and an adventure seeker. Join his quests as he visits secluded destinations, climbs mountains, tries new and exotic dishes, and explores his country (The Philippines) and the rest of the world even if he's still a poor corporate slave with tons of bills to pay and two siblings to support in college.}

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