Room 24 Harry Potter Spoof

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High School Day

This is the day that we will remember the sweet memories of high school. Today, the entire population of Balay Lampirong will walk around the campus, chin up, wearing their high school uniform. Indeed, all the different kinds of uniforms demanded a head-turn. It was a long day. In Ma'am Gadong's math class, all the students in uniform were required to answer their assignment on the board. In the library, someone was barred from entering because she did not appear to be a UP student.

By nightfall, High School Day was still far from over. Everyone assembled at the covered canopy for the Flag Ceremony. Yes, they did have a prayer, the national anthem, panunumpa sa watawat, and... excercise! The House Council officers led the rest of the dorm in a dance number. Then each wing of the dorm gave their presentation - impromptu or not.

After the 'Flag Ceremony', the dormers fell in line and trooped towards the CDH. Those who were unaware of this special High School Day were absolutely puzzled by the presence of so many high school students wearing all sorts of uniform. In long tables, we ate, laughed, took pictures, and made lots of noise.

Still, it isn't over. A special program was set to culminate this High School Day. Jose Alfonso Hautea led this year's honorees as valedictorian. Honorees were selected according to how well they resemble a high school student. Balay Lampirong Dorm Manager Aster Tronco facilitated the awarding of the medals and certificates to the honorees.


Then, it's not over yet! The dormers battled against one another in limbo-rock and Chinese garter games! Then the ultimate finale. Karaoke sing-along! No matter how good or un-good you voice, if your name is picked from the fishbowl, you have to sing, and sing they did!










It was a long day. For most of us, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to wear your High School uniform in College. It brought memories and it will certainly be memorable.

Feature Story: High School Days - Reminiscing the Past

High School Days - Reminiscing the Past

Reminiscing the Past

by Xerxes Seposo

When was the last time that you were with your friends dancing in disco bars? When was the last time you study together with them for the nerve-racking long exams, term papers, and projects? When was the last time you laughed, cried, and enjoyed together backstabbing your teacher? When did all of these things happen in our life?

Simple. It was the time when most of us set foot upon the grounds which sheltered and nurtured us for almost four years, if not more, of our lives. The second home that nourished us outside our primary home, the home which broadened our minds to life’s lessons, the home which introduced us to our life long partners, our friends, the home we considered as our Alma mater, our High School.

Have you ever remembered saying these phrases?

"Pst… Ara na naman si Ma’am ho."

"Kring…Kring…Recess na…"

"Bal-an mo ang natabo sa 'Lovers in Paris' kag sa 'Jewel in the Palace'?"

"Naupod ko bala si _________ sa jeep."

"Kanguso! Kanguso!"

"Pailog bi. Kabudlay daan sang assignment."

"Kami na bala ni _________."

"Boo! GMA.. Go! ABS-CBN…"

"Shet! Nakatapak ako tae!"

Well if you remembered these phrases, may tama ka, you’re in!

It is really funny to remember what we were during our high school days. Who we were then? What was our real identity before? How did we evolve emotionally, mentally, socially, physically from our previous characters? Most of us learn majority of the knowledge from the people who introduced us to new atmospheres, a new way of thinking; divergent from others.

The memories embedded in the past from our high school days are never forgotten, each are unique to our senses regardless of how bitter or joyful it may be. Whatever we experienced in the past, parts of such experience serve lessons to be learnt and to be carried over up to the present, even though various emotions accompany it. We learn lessons as we trod the different paths of life, but it still depends upon our discretion of what options to take and the consequences to face. As we use something preserved from the past, we unintentionally reminisce the memories embedded upon such thing(s). We cherish them as if it was just yesterday. We bring them to life, to our senses, the unique feeling that we experience once again. Some of us try to leave the past as it is and bury it to be forgotten, but not all parts of the past are that bitter, some are joyful. We should not let the past haunt us, let us just dwell upon its memories, let us reminisce it once more.

Binugoy 2006 - The Guimaras Escapade

Now on its second year, Binugoy returns to Raymen Beach Resort. The boys of Balay Lampirong started the semester with fun in the two days they spent on the resort on the island-province of Guimaras. Swimming on the crystal waters, playing games on the white sand beach, and periods of just plain relaxation against the cool sea breeze were just some of the stuff they did. The highlight of the two-day excursion was a two-hour boat ride. The boys wandered around the island onboard 5 motorized bancas stopping over the SEAFDEC Mariculture Park and Baras Cave.

The adventure started when they left Balay Lampirong at 8am of Saturday, November 18 and headed for Iloilo City. Upon reaching the city, they stashed up on food by overrunning Jollibee and JD Bakeshop near the UP City Campus. When the jeepney tires started to deform under the weight of additional food, they proceeded to the Ortiz wharf where they found out that the boat they hired decided to make them wait for 15 minutes. It was still on its way back from a regular trip to Jordan, Guimaras. Meanwhile, the boys entertained themselves by taking pictures of themselves (some still hugging oversized pillows).

The boat ride took about an hour to reach Raymen Beach Resort in Nueva Valencia Guimaras. They could have arrived sooner if not for a fisherman’s line with which the boat got entangled. Along the way, some boys insisted on shuffling a deck of cards amid the sea winds. It was prohibited in the dorm to place bets, but since they were in the middle of nowhere, they placed a few cents at stake, just for the fun of it. Some boys gobbled up the food they raided from Jollibee while some took a nap. However, most were too preoccupied appreciating the scenery as the boat passed beneath limestone cliffs draped with lush greenery.

The boys were already standing when the boat touched the sand. In no time, their enormous bags were already unloaded and everyone was on the beach. For some, it was unwise to keep the water waiting so they took no hesitation and started splashing around. The boys occupied an oversized pavilion and a cottage in the resort. Soon, the boys were playing beach volleyball while some opted to hit the cue ball.

At four o’ clock, everybody was required to assemble on the beach and to form their teams. The teams raced to fill a bottle with seawater using a plastic cup which they relayed using their mouth. There’s a catch, a very big one. A gaping hole at the bottom of the cup was letting water gush out. Thus, it was impossible to fill the bottle. However, the winning group employed ‘strategies’ that remains classified to this day.

A second game tested who among the teams could hold their breath the longest. After some intra-team eliminations, Joshua emerged the winner, narrowly winning over Dave. The first pair of lungs to give up belonged to Flord so his team was compelled to crawl under Joshua’s team.

Dinner was prepared by the upperclassmen. It was not easy cooking dinner for 26 people but the large servings of pork were very encouraging. Certainly a welcome variation from the miniscule servings served back in school. Rice servings were particularly generous.

After dinner, the boys gathered around the table for surprise activities. That night, the upperclassmen conferred upon Brian the Puuth-yni Oxana Korona Corp. Inc. Co. Award and the Maria Tarsila Borlongan, Jr. Ltd. Federation award to Jun^2x. These were considered very prestigious awards given annually during Binugoy, but just like the Dyoys Divina Liwayway Foundation award, their meaning is a secret well-guarded even from the awardees themselves.

After the awarding ceremonies, a bottle was spun in the middle of the table to begin what was to become a bloodcurdling, spine chilling, truth or consequence challenge. It was agreed that the answers to the questions will remain unspoken of beyond the activity.

Sardines and bread was breakfast. How you put them together is entirely up to you. Some found waking up not so easy but they just had to because island hopping was impending.

The boys hired five boats for a two-hour tour around the vicinity of the resort. After everyone has strapped on their life jackets, the five boats formed a convoy that headed to the first stop - the SEAFDEC Mariculture Station.

Walking on floating catwalks, the boys got to see different cages that held different kinds of fish. On one cage were milkfish spawners that were at least a meter long each and another contained very large sea bass. The favorite turned out to be the cage with several pawikan (sea turtles) swimming alongside enormous groupers.

The ride away from the SEAFDEC Station was quite rough. Waves splashed into the boats to the delight of the boys who struggled to keep their mobile phones and cameras dry. As the boats toiled to reach the next destination, they passed by a significant number of jellyfish idly floating near the surface. Considering that the waves were splashing into their faces, the jellyfishes only added to the thrill.

The boys eventually reached Baras Cave which was large enough to accommodate a boat. The smell of bat dung (guano) did not prevent anyone from diving into the water. The boys swam around an unnamed islet beside the cave and afterwards declared it to be named as Binugoy Island. Colorful fishes among the corals at the foot of the islet were part of the attraction.

Before finally leaving the island and return to the realities of university life, everyone had a hearty breakfast. Large cuts of chicken were grilled and served with more rice than everybody managed to eat. In a flash, everyone was packing up and getting ready to go. Once again, hugging their huge pillows, the boys boarded the boat for the trip back to the city.

It was just a little over a day but the recollections will last a lifetime.