I’m in a mood to cheer. The songs and yells competitions punctuates the school rivalries of my youth. High school was bleacher cheering and those hard-edged field demonstrations, grade school is now something I call just cheering for cheering’s sake --- all girls, no boys, tangerine to blue pompoms. In college, the standard was precised steps, gym dancing and calisthenics. It wasn't a requirement. Auditions were held and I couldn't be bothered to participate. I couldn’t dance, follow choreography, the likes. I booted myself out of the dance troupe in high school because I was weak in dancing as the moderator vehemently told me. Did it scar me for life? Not a chance.
I couldn’t sing either and Filipinos love, love karaoke. In elementary, our choir was NAMCYA national champion, performing at the CCP, giving my classmates who were in the choir out of reach grades. Yes, good grades are lavished upon, out of generosity, out of gratitude. I could have entered the try outs to join the choir or the glee club but I know I couldn’t sing. What was the point? I burst out in a song, once in a while. But karaoke is a definite no no.
But there are a lot of
other school-based extra-curricular activities, I joined the girl scouts in high school so that I would get exemption from the CAT. Scouting is a very clique-based organization. Not being able to afford go to Manila in the summer before the Senior year means a downgraded rank. I didn’t particularly mind. The private school girls even went international even though they were too hoity-toity for camping. One thing I regret is not staying in touch with the people I met through the girl scouts. Although in adulthood, I also haven’t stayed in touch with the former co-workers. However, if you don’t buy each other’s crap, there’s no basis in being text mates.
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