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7/23/2008 - "BOND OF BROTHERS" The Ties That Bind Friends As True Brothers
A Reflection By Santiago Arnaiz
Last week we received word about a special event for incoming freshmen to be sponsored by the seniors. I really didn't think much of it at first, though the thought of having a lesson-free day of fun activities is always very welcome. We all looked forward to it, not quite knowing what we were in for.
Monday morning finally came and as was the case with majority of the people I know, I was light-headed - lacking sleep from watching the Euro-Cup football finals the night before. The day was off to a slow start, as quite a few of us came late for morning assembly. We were made to sing the National Anthem over and over until the teacher in charge finally announced, "... High School, you may go." I stood unmoving for a few seconds. I nudged my friend as I realized that when the teacher said "High School," he was referring to us. We made our way through the corridors and it hit me --- we are in High School!
At the start of the school year, we all felt strangely awkward in that although the campus was very much the same, everything seemed so different. Our confidence that began building in the eight years of Grade School was replaced with apprehension about things to come. What we needed was something to break us in and someone to help us cope with our new environment. Thanks to the sympathetic effort of the seniors, that's exactly what we got.
The Freshman-Senior activity, "Bond of Brothers", was a chance for us to listen to and benefit from the experiences of our older "brothers" in 4th Year. The morning of the whole-day activity consisted of a number of games, a couple of inspiring talks, and even a few performances, featuring High School bands--some of which were good and others, well, not so good. After we had our fill of entertainment, we were treated to lunch, followed by a tour of the senior classrooms in the afternoon. Once there, we had a few more talks given by the 4th Year students on Personal Formation, Extra-Curricular Activities, and Academics. For me, this was when we really felt a sense of affinity with the seniors. The talks they gave us were crammed with useful information on how to do well in High School while enjoying "the best years of our lives". I really felt a connection between our two batches and I thought to myself that with friends like these, I shouldn't be intimidated by the prospects of new experiences and challenges that High School has in store.
In one day, my insecurities about fitting in and surviving my initiation into the High School student body began to dissipate. I came to realize that the seniors, our "kuyas" that we look up to here in Southridge, started out just like us with their own uneasy entry as freshmen and now are so well-adjusted and equipped with the confidence to deal with the daily rigors of school. Through this exercise, I've become more comfortable with the thought of being in High School. We all are very grateful for the generosity of our "brothers" who welcome us into the fold.
