Saturday, July 21, 2007

I hadn't but a slightest clue on how fun the class encounter would be this year. It was better in terms of activities lined up. In fact, I regret the fact that I was not totally up to it at first. And since it was one of the sponsored school activities, I was quick to dub it as "boring." (Who would have said I was right?) But frankly, I was trying to cut the negativity going on inside my head as early as the day before it. I did not want it to linger long enough and affect the very few optimisitic, party-mood cells I have (which were most likely lying dormant for quite a while). I did not really grasp on the idea that it was something to look forward to, not even during the day itself.

True enough, to prove my utmost hard headedness, I only packed my things the night before. And what I put in my green luggage were clothes I first saw and thought might be good enough to wear for a school event-- casual and cool. Sadly on my part, I did not stick to what the class chose as theme: retro. Truthfully, I am not vintage-retro-ey born and the fact that I don't have clothes that can be classified under "retro" is another thing. (You might now be saying that leggings are possibly easy to wear. Yes, it is. But I have fatty theighs so I do not think it would be widely appropriate. Yes, I am concious about how I look but I do not do anything about it. How ironic, isn't it?) On the latter part, I am just too KJ and probably didn't have time enough to do "reasonable" packing.

The start of the event was kind of delayed but we did not dare wait any longer for late comers because it would just push the schedule farther even more. Some were dutifully dressed retro-ey complete with leggings, pretty loose graphic or striped vintage tees and flipflops. To top it off, many brought their own accessories which are composed of shades, bangles and those long, colorful necklaces. While I, on the other hand, wore my usual comfy tees with capri and flipflops, sitting in one corner trying to reflect on the fact that I was too dumb not to even try bringing even just an accessory (because it would have probably worked). And so, I tried to squeeze in and just drool over how the others put their heart into their costumes and mind you, they perfectly fit the theme. Yes dear, perfectly. At that moment, I would have wanted a teleport so that I could have gone back home and not long be back with a handful of clothes which would fit the theme as well as accessories. But no, there was no teleport.

The night seemed cool. Cool and breezy, in a way making it pretty hard for us to keep awake. But just in time to save us from the moment of closing our eyes permanently and saying goodnight to the busy day, the 8 center activity emerged. (If not for that, I would have permanently given in to my drooping eyelids.) It served as a wake-me-up-because-I'm-sleepy activity since it required a lot of running around and thinking and talking. [EDIT]No, slash out lking, it was more on YELLING.[/EDIT] What made it different was the fact that we were composed of members we never actually knew much about. In other words, it wasn't our usual set of barkada in the class. Quite challenging? No, not at all. It was so much fun that it came to a point that we were acting like close friends already. We bonded so much that we seemed inseprable. These simple things proved to me that there is so much more behind each of my classmates-- so much more which I did not know of because I did not give myself the chance to get to know them.

There were also other activities but I would not mind emphasizing on all of them. (I will just select some parts to share). Another that I liked was the Chocolate Game wherein the number of nips we had was the actual number of "secrets" we had to spill. The secrets may be anything under the moon. And yes, you got that right, it was ultimately pure hardcore fun-- for my groupmates and me, atleast. It was shocking to embrace realities which you did not expect from a person and usually it all deals with L-O-V-E. Hm. On the contrary, it was thrilling to spill things which you yourself only knew. Well, it was like some form of truth or dare but this time what you are going to talk about or admit is something not forced.

The night was calm and it was the soothing haze of the moon which allowed me to take a sleep after a tiring event. It took me past 2am to sleep. I did not have a comfortable night sadly because I kept on waking up in between and (I do not know exactly what brought me to do this) I kept on looking at the window outside. That time I did not think about spooky things which would have had freaked me out somehow.

Believe me, I learned a lot from an event which I first dubbed as boring. Wrong inference, I admit. More or less, I gained a better understanding about myself and how others thought about me. It made me realize my own potentials and weaknesses and how much people trusted me. Their affirming words were unexpected and I am happy to know that they appreciate my help. Though I may not be able to please everybody (and I do not expect to do so anyway), at least I know that I have done my part to help. Truly, it is again another memorable experience which opened up my sheltered life. I am not the shell anymore but the turtle itself trying to take a peak at the colorful world outside. And yes, I am thankful for all these. Very much.