Grade 11 of the school year 2016-2017. Yes, we were the first batch to undergo the k-12 curriculum.
Year 2012 when we first stepped into Junior High School, we were Grade 7 then. At first, it didn’t seem confusing because we can still go with the flow with other students who are still on the previous curriculum for four years of our Junior High School life. The treatment feels like the same, however, only our grading system differs and the additional two years so that we can graduate.
Now that our batch finished the school year, I would like to share with you the journey of what (my) 11th grade feels like:
(Note: this is also for incoming grade 11 students so they know what to expect *winks*)
1. What happens on the first day, only happens on the first day
to be honest, on my first day of school, I remember waking up really early so that I can attend the first flag ceremony of the school year. I remember being all kind of prepared: my uniform was neatly ironed, my hair was combed, and my smile was perfectly practiced to mask my nervousness that time. I looked confident! My bag seemed also really heavy since I brought all of my books and complete school supplies. Everything on my first day was perfect.
2. Now, how about the following days?
Ayun na nga. Things are getting a bit tough so I failed to keep the habit going. It depends on the habit of a student, but in my case, “sa una lang ganun”. Lol!
3. Looooong vacants
On senior high, you will experience a long vacant. I think it depends on the schedule/shift you are given but in our case, on some days we have 3 hour vacant or sometimes, our teacher won’t attend the class. We sometimes don’t know what to do inside our room since we cannot go outside of the school. Minsan sobrang kaumay ang mahabang vacant! We tend to sleep, but there are times when we watch kdramas instead. And oh secretively, my classmates also play cards for past time. Haha!
4. I-ran-out-of-words moments
Of course, for non-stop writing essays, paper and thesis. There are times when after writing an essay for one subject, you will write again for another one, and then write for your Pananaliksik subject. It’s gonna make piga your brain, but you don’t want to be redundant so you keep on searching on google for the synonyms of this certain word. #guilty
5. In-between
Sometimes you ask yourself whether you’re still a high school or a college student.
6. “We’re not robots!”
There are times when you’re given a lot of tasks to submit the next day and sometimes, it makes you cry like “I’m not a robot! I get tired too!”. After being at school for how many hours, you come home being in front of your school works again. That’s normal.
7. In need of sleep
I totally regret those times I intentionally skip sleeping early when I was in junior high. And now, I pay back the consequences. On senior high, just like in college they say, you’re willing to stay up late in order to finish everything. I also had those moments when it’s already 1 am and I’m still not halfway through, so I was torn between to stay up late or finish this at school tomorrow. And one more thing, its ironic how the topic of my Research Paper is about the sleep deprivation and I got sleep deprived because of it.
8. Sacrifices
For those times you are willing to skip or not listen to a class to study for another subject. Priorities!
There are more moments of what “Buhay Senior High” feels like but I still have one more year to describe it!
For incoming grade 11 students, yes, it may seem really tiring and if you thought Grade 10 was already stressful, what more in senior high? What more in college? But know this one thing, it will all be worth it if you just keep on going and study smart. Once you stepped in to senior high, you are back to the starting line. Don’t ever think you are in a competition, only compete with who you are before. Keep on reminding yourself to be improved. Grades had been one of my concerns on Grade 11, I’ll share that maybe next time, but always remember to not idolize the grades. There will be times you will fail, feel frustrated and discouraged but don’t count all the wrongs that you’ve done and happened but count how many times times you tried your best. What’s more important is that you learn.
kath miguel 