FEATURE | Shine Bright Like A Diamond
by Epryll Malaya
Something is to be said about Pisay students and their love for the academe. Commonly seeing them in a world of their own, showdown with requirements even on rest days — all attention on classwork and classwork alone, makes the love too hard to ignore. A day without requirements is not even a day at all: restless hearts and preoccupied minds fill the shell of a body that is a student with no deadlines.
So, what if for just one night, we forgot all about it? What if we forget about the unconquerable mountain of papers? Enchanting meetings like the one on December 21 are ours to hide from the eyes of the jealous academe and keep out of reach from our all-powerful desire to achieve.
Let the memories of the red ribbon-giving, dancing, enthralling costumes, and human bingo be kept close to the hearts of those like Reya Gomez, Sheendy Taduran, and Sheykhinah Valerio whose highlights of the night were reflected by these moments. The red ribbons are “a very appreciative way of saying thank you to your friends for being there throughout the year,” Reya stated. Mavi Picar added that even if it isn’t exactly a red ribbon given, but instead a red stamp, it’s still precious as it is the thought that truly counts.
Let performing remain as beautiful as it did for Dan Baloloy, Carl Pielago, and Bianca Bedis, who, despite being nervous when faced with an ocean of people awaiting their performances, still felt fulfilled and hoped for more events where they can showcase their passion for the arts (as well as seize more cash prizes). Let JJ Yet and KR Otilla bask in the memories of 6 years of performing and music that was once again seen on that night, though they were admittedly annoyed “kasi palagi na lang ‘yun every year, may problem talaga sa technicals and ‘di namin inexpect na second kami magpeperform kaya medyo nakakadisappoint din kasi ‘di kami ready.”
Let the young scholars, whose first late-night face-to-face event in PSHS–BRC was the eventful Socials Night, look back on their new memories tenderly. Isha Begino claimed that she held no expectations but still enjoyed the occasion. “Inexpect ko po na masaya siya kasi yung mga past events na yung student body rin yung namahala ang sasaya rin po nila pero in reality nagexceed pa sa expectations ko yung saya nung Bejeweled,” added Paula Mabini and Xyza Rodriguez.
Let the efforts of all the committees responsible for bringing the Bejeweled Ball to life be recognized, like those of Ivoirien Avila, the Design Committee Head. “It was hard conceptualizing at first dahil bejeweled nga siya parang malaki siyang event and maraming nageexpect dahil most awaited event siya kasi nga ilang beses na napostpone ang scho night,” she shared. Ivoirien and Reya, a Design Committee member, then thought of using CDs as part of the stage design in place of expensive and hard-to-procure gems. Reya explained that in this era of Netflix, CDs are one of the things in houses that collect dust and thought to make use of their full potential, much like how the normally tired students were vitalized and polished at the night of the ball. Many people have also complimented the stage design; the design-duo said that the praises warm their hearts along with the rewarding aspect of having a creative outlet.
A whole world was made just for us, that night on December 21, with magical lighting and music that reverberated from our feet to our spinning heads from dancing all night; a place where the stars are just a breath away — the unreachable finally in our midst. In a twinkle, we become more than an amalgamation of anxious hearts, preoccupied minds, and gears working on assigned times for everything.
Not like puppets held on a string by the academe, just some people having a good time — just diamonds that shine on a bejeweled night.
