A JOURNEY TO HAPPINESS

Our professor in Social
Responsibility and Human Relations gave us a task and to create an article about ourselves. At first, I thought it will be easy to make but as I was typing this second sentence I was feeling a bit nervous thinking that I won’t be able to finish this on time. So, without further ado, I will start my article. 
Hi there! I’m Lorraine Altamerano Chuaquico. I was born on July 05, 1998, 1:10 pm at Morong, Rizal. To be honest, I don’t actually know where my name came from. My mom said that they just thought of “Lorraine” and it sounds cute daw.
When I was only a year old I started to talk (baby talk) and also to crawl then eventually to walk on my own.
At the age of 2, I started to talk, a straight one. Also, I can read by that time, I can also write but not as neat as how I can write right now. With these things, my mom and my dad decided to enroll me in a Kindergarten school here in Tanay, Rizal at the age of 3.
I just remembered that my teacher gave me a task. I was in my preparatory level that time. This task is to memorize a speech and I should give it an action. It’s like a declamation in our school and I was the one who will represent our section. The speech was written in a 3 pieces of yellow paper. I didn’t have a hard time to practice that speech because my mother helped me to memorize and to put some actions in it. I was standing on our dining table and I was reciting it in front of my mom and my dad. My dad said, “Wow! Ang galing naman ng anak ko.” That time kasi, my father is working on MRT or Metro Rail Transit under Maintenance Repair. His day-off was only Saturday and Sunday, then on Monday morning he will go back to work. So, by the time that my father got home I recited it and he said those words. As a 3 year old kid, I was just having fun on what am I doing that’s why I didn’t have a touchy feeling on what he said. Maybe on my father’s side, he was proud of me.
On the day of my declamation I was feeling a bit nervous thinking that I will not be able to do it well but as I saw my mama and my papa standing in the corner and watching me on stage I was like, “Kelangan kong gawin yung best ko kasi nageffort sila na makapunta dito para lang panuorin ako”. The nervous feeling lessen and as my teacher gave me the cue to start, I started my declamation speech. As I finished my speech, both mom and dad hugged me and said the words, “We’re so proud of you bebe.” I know it’s funny but that’s how they call me.

My graduation was a day ahead. Evening came and we all slept in the living room. I was sleeping in our living room katabi ko sila mama pati ang mga kapatid ko. I wasn't expecting what happened next. Habang natutulog ako di ko namamalayan na napasok yung daliri ko sa may bakal na electric fan. Nagising nalang ako na ang sakit sakit ng daliri ko, I was shouting that time. From the moment that I shouted, my mom woke up then she saw my hand na punung-puno ng dugo and then they rushed me in the hospital. I don't know what happened next because I eventually dozed off.
I was the one who’s in charge in conducting our Philippine National Anthem. Nagcoconduct ako ng National anthem na may bandage yung daliri ko. After that, the ceremony has started. I graduated with awards and I was ranked 3rd in the honors. My mom and my dad were so proud of me.
A month after my graduation, my mom and my dad decided to enroll me at San Ildefonso College as a grade 1 pupil. At first, I got a hard time to meet new friends. But eventually I get to bond with them. Naaalala ko pa noon, may kasal-kasalan kaming ginanap sa room namin tapos ako yung flower girl ang di ko matanggap noon, ang ikakasal ay yung crush ko sa crush nya. Yes, I know, I’m only a 6 year old kid pero may crush na agad ako noon. Pero kahit na may crush ako, hindi ko pa din naman napapabayaan ang studies ko. I still make sure that I will make it into the Top 3. At hindi ako nabigo, dahil nakapasok pa din ako sa honors at pang 3rd ako noon. My mom and my dad were so proud of me.
When I reached the 2nd and 3rd level of being a grade schooler, I still manage to be on the Top 3. Sa totoo lang wala naman talaga sa isip ko ang makapasok sa honors, ang nasa isip ko lang noon ay ang makapag-aral at makagraduate. But, when I reached the 4th level that’s the time na nag-change na ako ng sinabi ko kanina. Di ko din alam kung bakit pero ang nasa isip ko na noon ay dapat magseryoso na ako kahit kasama na ako sa mga honors. Maybe because I wanted to become 1st in the honors. Yes, I’m so eager to become 1st because I wanted for my parents to be proud of me. I know they’re proud of me but I wanted more. My papa always told me na wag ko daw ipressure ang sarili ko sa pag-aaral, kung ano lang daw yung kaya ko, yun lang.
Dahil sa simula palang daw, kahit anong achievement yan, kahit anong ranking ko lagi daw silang magiging proud sa akin. And this is the output of all the obstacles that I’ve been through when I was in Grade 4.

When I was in Grade 5, my dad decided to transfer me in another school. He transferred me in Greenfield Montessori School (GMS). Actually, ayoko talaga ang lumipat dahil 2 years nalang gagraduate na ako, pero mapilit siya, nilipat nya pa din ako.
To be honest, kaya nya daw ako inilipat ay dahil may pinapapirma daw sa kanya yung school na kahit anong mangyari sa akin ay walang pananagutan ang school. I don’t know if that’s true but that’s the only reason that I heard from papa. So, with that I’m a transferee at GMS. New school, new classmates, new teachers and new surroundings. Just like what I’ve said when I was in Grade 1, I also got a hard time to meet new friends but eventually, I get to bond with them. When it comes to academics, I make sure that I really did my best just to get into the Top 3. When the awardings has come, I was waiting for my surname to be called, pero walang “Chuaquico” ang natawag. Umiyak talaga ako nun pag-uwi ko sa bahay. Nag-sorry ako kina mama at papa dahil di nga ako nakapasok sa honors ang sabi ni papa, “it’s alright bebe. Saka pagpahingahin mo na muna si papa sa pag-akyat sa stage, nakakapagod din pala yung aakyat ka ng aakyat tas sasabitan ka ng medal.” After he said those words, he smiled at me. When I graduated my primary level, I didn’t have a place in the honor but my mom and my dad were so proud of me. In the reception, I had an accident again, tumama ako sa bakal na nakausli habang nagtatakbuhan kami. They rushed me into the hospital and nothing severe happened.
And yes! I’m already in High school. I still studied at Greenfield Montessori School. There are new faces in our section. Of course, first day of school, what would you expect? Right! The “Introduce-yourself-thing” It never gets old. So, each one of us in the class introduce ourselves even though we already knew each other. But as for the transferees they are a bit shy to introduce theirselves. Who doesn’t, right? It took us 2 weeks to finally get comfortable with each other especially with the transferees.
In high school I experienced different kind of things. Let start with the happy ones. So as I’ve said, we finally get comfortbale with each other. I get to bond with the transferees together with my old friends.
When the awardings came, I was so nervous because I was expecting that by that time I hope there’s a “Chuaquico” that will be called which will belong to the academic roster for the first quarter. My teacher in English was the one whose giving the letters. She comes down to the last 3 letters and still there’s no “Chuaquico” that’s been called. I was losing hope by that time, I was just stoping myself from crying until she announced that the last letter was for “Chuaquico” Di ko na talaga napigilan pa yung luha ko. I was so happy that time. Naaalala ko pa sinabi nya, “Oh, wala akong kinalaman diyan ha? Nagbibigay lang ako ng letters para sa honors. Congrats to those who received the letters.” After she gave us our letters, she said goodbye and goes out of the classroom. By the time that she left, my classmates congrats us and we just keep on saying Thank you to them.
When I got home I immediately go to my mom and told her that I have a good news and I get the letter from my bag at sabay sabing, “Pasok ako sa honors!” and she was like “Wow naman! Ang galing naman ng anak ko.” After that, I called my papa and also told him about the news. Finally! After 2 years I got the award that I was waiting for.
The next day, I reminded my mother to come to school at 2:00 pm for the awardings of the certificate. I’m not expecting that I will still be on the Top 3 like I was in my primary level. Ang sa akin lang ay makapasok ulit sa mga honors.
August came and my friends decided to create a name of our group. We come up with “GIMELLAINE” cool, right? Our group consists of 6 members. It starts with GEM, KIM, GIZELLE, HAZELLE, LORRAINE & JHOANNE. The great thing of having this kind of group is that you have someone to lean on in times that you feel like you’re falling apart, you have someone to tell your secrets if you can’t open up to your parents, you have someone to get along with and you have someone to share your memories with.
But not everytime they will be there to understand, help and give some advice to you, sometimes you need to be on your own for you to truly believe and trust yourself as well as your decisions.
2nd year came and our section have another set of trasferees. There were siblings, they were both beautiful. I think those siblings already got the attention of the boys in our section. And some are from other schools, like SIC. Some were transferred in our section, those who were in section 16 before, they were in section 10 na. Sophomore year was fun for me until I become selfish when it come to my friends and start to become a stupid teenager when it comes to love.
As I’ve said there were transferees from other section, my group entertain that transferee. Well, as for me its okay. In fact, I’m close to that transferee. I don’t know what happened to me until one day I woke up that I’m becoming a selfish person na. The attention of my friends was on the transferee. They were giving her more time than me. Oo, aaminin ko, naging selfish na talaga ako. Humantong pa yung pagiging selfish ko sa hindi pagpansin sa kanila para lang matry ko kung papansinin na nila ako, pero pakiramdam ko wala na silang pakealam sa akin nun. Until my attention was focused on the person that I admired the most. Actually I don’t know if I’m still admiring him that time, they said that I’ve actually fallen for him already. It’s so funny that I’ve actually fallen for a guy who doesn’t even court me. HE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE A CRUSH ON ME! They said that it is called a “one-sided love” because I’m the only one whose loving him.
The whole class knew that I’ve fallen for him and they were teasing me when he’s passing by the corridor in front of our room. EVEN OUR TEACHERS KNEW ABOUT THAT ONE-SIDED LOVE OF MINE. I thought its not a big deal to fall in love with this guy but I was wrong, by the time that the whole class knew about this, someone bullies me. It continued until 3rd year. I experienced being left by my friends and being bullied by my classmate. Yes, I was hurt, really hurt actually. But God never left me, he never let me alone by myself. He sent me some friends, those were Angela, Mica, Dom, Jemay and Jillian. He sent me these guys, I don’t know why but they helped me to be myself again. They helped me to become happy again. Sabi nila, kung importante ka sa kanila di ka nila hahayaang magbago. Tatanggapin ka nila ng buong-buo dahil ikaw yan eh. But I disagree, ang nasa isip ko noong mga panahon na yun ay, nagpakatotoo na ako nung umpisa palang pero bakit nawala sila sa akin?
4th year came, more projects, sleepless nights because of homeworks, recitations, quizzes, exams, thesis, reportings, entrance exams and so much more. Sabi namin, wala eh, graduating tayo kaya ganto kadami gagawin natin.
Yes, I changed for the better, I talked to my friends and told them my apologies. But I don’t regret doing those things because of that I learn how to be brave. When it comes to love? Well, I moved on. Sabi nila sa akin, mag move on na daw ako kasi habang patuloy mong mamahalin ang isang taong wala namang gusto sa’yo patuloy ka ding magmumukhang tanga. Thanks to my friends, naliwanagan ako kaya tuluyan ko na syang kinalimutan.
When it comes to honors, Well, I maintain it, I’m still on the academic roster since 1st year until 4th year. I’m getting nervous because I’m scared that another accident might happened to me but it ended the day that there’s no accident happened to me and I even graduated with awards and belong to the honors.
College came and I wasn’t expecting that I would pass the entrance exam in PUP. Mahabang pila bago ka makapagenrol, gutom, hirap at pagod ang kakaharapin mo. It’s so funny how I got my course, to be honest, naubusan lang talaga ako ng slot sa Accountancy. Sabi ko ang pagpipilian ko nalang ay ADPR or BSBA-HRDM. Sabi ko pag nakakita ako ng kalbo, ADPR ang itatake ko, eh may lumabas sa NALLRC. Di ako nakuntento, isa pang kalbo at may nakita ako nagbabike. I think this is the plan of God for me. And I think its for the best so I grab the chance of taking it even though I don’t know anything about it.
I’ve been through so many challenges in my life but I still manage to find the true meaning of happiness. It’s in you. It’s in us. It’s in ourselves. We just need to appreciate the little things in our life for us to be happy. Now, I’m not saying that this is the happiest day of my life but, this is only a part of my life which I will treasure the most because in this part, I learn how to stand with my own feet and continue my life even though I’m hurting inside. I’m thanking God for all the hardships, challenges and experiences tht he gave me, because of these, I became stronger.