When in Rome

Note: This was originally intended for the final issue of PAGASA for SY 2010-2011, but I don't think that issue will ever be released, and I hate to see an article of mine go to waste (whether it was worth anything to begin with, you be the judge). :D

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When in Rome…

by Stephanie Paige C. Abellera

…do as the Romans do.

Well, at least that’s how the saying goes, but unfortunately, that’s easier said than done – for me, at least. See, three years ago, my parents decided to drop a news bomb on me when they told me that I would be transferring schools. It was as if the fates thought that 2012 just wasn’t soon enough, and so they decided to bring an early apocalypse for my thirteen year old self. My folks were quick to reassure me that I’d adjust in no time and get with the school dynamics. But as I look back on my high school days, I’m pretty sure that I’ve never really gone with the flow; in fact, I went with a different current, a route out of the status quo.

My first day in XUHS hadn’t been the prettiest; after all, when was being the only transferee in your sophomore class what one would consider fun? I was forever in my own world, mechanically doing work and never really enjoying my time at school. Classmates would leave me to my own designs in fear of, and I quote, “disturbing her solemn self.” This went on until my senior year, though by then, I guess I loosened up a bit and looked forward to school more often.

Nevertheless, I stuck to my own principles. I always did my homework beforehand, either inside the classroom right after last period, or at home, instead of rushing it five minutes before the first bell rang the next day. Since I only lived ten minutes from school, I walked to and fro everyday with a heavy book bag in tow (I never had a locker). And because I was a Senior, no longer could I spend my Saturday mornings sleeping in and recovering the sleep I’d lost during the week; rather, I’d be working - running errands, editing papers, and such. For the whole of my high school life, I was without a Facebook account, so I couldn’t really count on getting tagged for any assignments, so I did things my own way. Not exactly the typical lifestyle for a Xavier student, huh?

Still, if you really look at it, I still made it, even without abiding by the usual customs of the school community. I guess that’s what high school was for me – a challenge to be different, not exactly to stand out from the rest, but to see if the road less traveled was any better than the worn dirt path of high school clichés.

So a few words of advice to you undergrads: Don’t be passive conformists and go by the rules of society (although, please do follow school rules!). Throw caution to the wind, step out of that rut, and own your high school days. After all, when in Rome, do as YOU usually do, and everything else will follow.

See you later, XUHS.

Oh, and hello, UP! :)