So much for being a student activist
Grr. I am so annoyed. The protest rally at my school didn’t happen as I thought it would (See previous entry. I didn’t want to upload it here at first because the rally was supposed to be kept secret from pro-administration people). One pro-admi teacher learned about it by accident and told the principal. This morning, police cars were waiting outside. Even though many parents showed up in black, the rally was stopped and they had a meeting with the president of the school foundation. It would’ve been really different if the whole thing went on as planned, with the parents storming the school while we were having our Monday morning assembly. But things never happen the way you expect them to.
The seniors were very agitated and disappointed about the turn of events, and we decided to make our own rally at recess time. But then several teachers and parents discouraged us from doing it because we could get into trouble and be prevented from graduating. Or so they said. The parents talked to the principal, Sister My, and she said that they would discuss things on Thursday. Of course, none of the seniors bought that bullshit because you really can’t trust that crook to keep her word. But by the time recess came, we decided that maybe having a rally wouldn’t be such a good idea since we couldn’t agree on any clear objectives. So we gave up, and the rest of the day was very boring.
What really pissed me off was that instead of having the usual Monday morning assembly, we were forced to stay in our classrooms and pray the rosary. What is this, the Spanish occupation? I cannot believe that dictator of a nun principal actually used religion to control us! That made me feel quite angry, and I had half a mind to walk out of the classroom and join the rally. But nobody else seemed to want to go, and so I stayed. At that moment I felt very disillusioned and rather ashamed about being a Catholic. What with nuns stealing money from tuition fees and priests raping kids and all…I don’t know anymore. Maybe I should become a Born-Again Christian. At least they don’t impose religion on you and act like self-righteous bastards.
Oh, and since I’m graduating in less than a month, I might as well say what school I go to. No, it’s not Assumption, Poveda, Miriam, or St. Scholastica. I go to Colegio de Sta. Rosa Makati (CSR). You’ve probably never heard of it, but maybe it will be on the news three days from now. I used to study at Miriam when I was in grade school, and when I moved to Makati I was supposed to go to Colegio San Agustin. But then I was at the States for a choir tour during the time they were accepting new students, so I ended up at CSR. It used to be a good school; diplomats actually let their children study there before International School opened. But it deterriorated rapidly during Sister My’s term, and that’s why it isn’t very well known anymore.
This just goes to show that it’s wrong to assume people go to certain schools just because they talk or act in a certain way. A lot of people have asked me if I go to Assumption just because I speak very good English. I suppose I must’ve gotten my English-speaking ways at Miriam, because I have never been teased about my English until I studied at CSR. Oh well. I really loathe school stereotypes. They’re stupid, really.
Anyway, I really hope things turn out okay when Thursday comes. Actually at this point, I don’t really care what will happen anymore. I’m graduating anyway, and my sister’s moving schools. But I really hope that Sister My gets removed and that she gets a lot of bad karma after this. She deserves at least that.
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24 Responses to “So much for being a student activist”
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[...] /a> Monday, March 03, 2003 Lauryn’s Journal: bah So much for being a student activist…. lauryn @ [...]
Although I admire your sudden loathe for Catholicism, Born Again Christians are not much better. In fact, I find them to be quite scary. It really is a form of mind control, and they use everlasting peace as a lasso, and religion as a whip. I recommend going to a quiet place and meditating. Sit against a tree. Feel God in the tree. Feel God all around you. Religion is a bunch of rules written by The Man to bend people to his will. But real spiritual freedom and satisfaction…that’s in you regardless of how you worship, how you pray, how many Hail Mary’s you say.
Well, I can’t say I quite agree with Blue’s ideas… I can say this much… In regard to folks “forcing” religion upon you, you’re going to run into it whether you’re Catholic or Protestant. I don’t think most folks intentionally do this to give you a hard time, it’s just that they’re doing stuff the best way they know how, which unfortunately isn’t always the best way to do things.
You’ve heard it a million times before. Man is sinful. Catholics are sinful. Christians are sinful. They fuck up… Just like every other human being on the planet. It doesn’t mean that God loves them any less. Unfortunately, they don’t realize this fact and end up acting like a bunch of self-rightous pricks.
If anything, just remember this… The one you ought to be looking to for an example is Jesus. Not the church officials, because ultimately, they’ll eventually let you down.
i got a bit lost.. may i ask what the protest is about?
[...] ST&f=19&t=3176&s=”>this thread and my entry talked about how I’ve b [...]
of course, you’re in a Catholic school and I think its okay for them to let you pray the rosary at school. btw, probably one of the reasons why people at CSR tease you is because maybe you dont speak tagalog at all and its weird cos u live in the Philippines, where most of the people at least speak some tagalog in one way or another–unless the person was born and raised in the states. even people from elite schools speak tagalog– its not like they speak pure english. well hey, you’re in the philippines and tagalog skills always come in handy. just a thought. tc!
i think she’s written before that she speaks both English and tagalog.
I’m going to agree with Nikkiana that you should not look to church officials for examples. Granted, I highly respect their devotion, but they are human, and with humanity comes fallacy. However, if Catholicism is your true calling, regarding the various world religions, then by all means, look to the officials for guidance. Even though they’re human, they still know their goals and aspirations regarding spiritual satisfaction, and the path to get there. Everyone is on a path, whether or not they know it. People follow that path in different ways. I personally follow that path by feeling my perception of god (xi-[chi]) all around me. I don’t have a religion, but I’ve found that most of the ideas I’ve had on my own can be found in many of the Eastern religions. I find most of my satisfaction meditating and being in nature.
lauryn, i admire your courage. You don’t mince words in berating your nun principal in a medium where anyone could read your thesis. I was guessing that you go to assumption but it turned out to be CSR.
Well I,m sure that you will find Ateneo a very different genre but I am also sure that just like the rests, Ateneo frowns on acid comments however blatantly true your ideas maybe. But since it’s a big university, there are many ways and means to ventilate your issues and angst. It’s a perfect place to grow and study and nobody will even notice you speak English all the time. Speaking perfect English is a way of life in Ateneo and you will sure to encounter a number of foreign students who speak funny English and its your turn to smile.
Your rally-gone sour thing is very typical of Filipino rallies. Lots of whispers but the real thing is bound to be a whimper and each one ended up telling the admi. that he’s not the one who initiated. hahaha, what else is new? You don’t have to wonder why the Philippines is the Philippines.
Sister My pilfered one million pesos worth of funds in another branch of my school before she was transfered to mine. She deserves all the berating in my website.
I just hate it how she uses religion to control us, when she herself hasn’t exactly been the perfect role model. I dunno. I guess I still have to figure what kind of things I want to believe in.
with such a bombardment of the different religions in todays society, one may sometimes find that it is hard to make a choice.
i have no religion by choice at this point in time. not to say that that will stay that way forever, but…
and about the activism?? one can get arrested for demonstrating in my country. we need a permit before we can demonstrate. *chuckle*
They hate you for speaking perfect English? Maybe the next time you get funny stares or little snickers you’d better tell them you’re working on your Tagalog. Perfect English is always more pleasant than very rusty Tagalog or annoying Tagalog-English hybrid. English is universal, anyway. For those who find your choice of language haughty or pretentious, puhlease. We have exactly the same reasons as they do — we use a language with which we’re most comfortable. For those who can’t understand, it’s not like they can’t grab an interpreter from around.
Suezye’s right on that. I, for one, am very opinionated (but I do base my issues on facts). I understand that not everyone can agree with or accept things I have to say, so I make sure I use milder statements (if only to inject a little neutrality) in spite of all the momentum in my head. Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT at the moment, nor have I ever been an activist.
I tend to be selective towards my receivers, i.e., I don’t tell everyone, but I choose at least two persons who’ll disagree with me. You’ll never know if you’ll learn something from someone just some random old time, right?
so! i got a little bit informed now of what really happened in CSR! i was a graduate of CSR makati and was really bothered of what was happening there. good thing we had a very nice principal during our time (Sr. Luz Nitura). btw, i was from batch ‘97. nways, i think you should better write a letter to the AR congregation and state your grievances. I mean and I think that they can help you more to oust the principal..well I hope so! if you need the help of the alumni, we’re here! We are still roseñans by heart because we were molded and honed in that institution. I spent 12 years of my life in CSR and am proud to be a graduate of that school! Hope you will too!
i’m proud to be a rosenan too… i’m from batch ‘01! and for you lauren i think your all that stop acting like someone else and be true to yourself i bet you just got ur english from cable… how the hell did you get in to ateneo if you didn’t get your knwoledge at taro… i’m from u.p now and i find it very easy there i didn’t even had a hard time with my studies there! to think i’m not even an A’s student in taro and you bet i’m not… so don’t diss the school maybe you’re the one who have a problem and not the school… holla at me there’s my email…
Go CSR be the best school. :yes: :yes: :yes:
CSR is the best skul and CSA too :yes: :yes: :heart:
Well maybe the education and the crowd during your time was a lot better. I mean, sheesh, that was more than ten years ago. I believe that the quality of the education really deteriorated, especially during Sister My’s time. Seriously, when I compare myself to the other people at school who came from ICA or Assumption, it’s like they know sooooo much more than I do. CSR’s not *that* bad, but I still can’t help but feel that I’ve been cheated out of a good high school education somehow. Oh, and I didn’t learn my English from “cable”–I learned it from my parents. We all speak English at home. And I believe that they didn’t have cable when they were growing up. ;p
i am currently studying at CSR and it sucks how much you… in some ways… completely uhm… what should i use? mock and taunt it…
Education in CSR is undoubtedly good… but the heck, what can i do? it’s your opinion… but dear, let me tell you… CSR may be drowning with all those nun-tuition fee stuffs but their quality of teaching interminably fabricates the best of their students and i’m proud i study in csr… beat that… 
hi! my twin & i were from batch ‘93. sr. max was the principal during my time, and she didn’t seem to be approachable or even plain nice. the thing is, in the greater scheme of things, your principal is not the one you need to remember, it’s the lessons you get from the people who do matter. mrs. perido (physics) or mrs. guillermo (history) are people who have taught me how a teacher should be. mrs. basa & ms. laceste are no longer there, but they were good teachers too. i was particularly inspired by mrs. basa, who knew how bored i was during class because my english level was past what we were taking up, so she gave me other work. i wish i could keep in touch with her, but it’s a little difficult for me since i’m in the us, working as a teacher (!) now. and the funny thing was, after i saw the varicose veins behind ms. bernarte’s legs in 5th grade, i’d sworn to eliminate teaching from possible future professions. talk about “huwag magsalita ng tapos”.
BE HAPPY.
donna was lucky to have sr. luz, but those are the breaks. the world isn’t perfect, and neither are we. unfortunately, not everyone will be what you expect (but that can be taken positively as well). in ateneo, you have other inspiring mentors, like mr. “dax” manacsa, dr. ibana or mrs. ang, as well as your share of the teachers that will inspire you to run screaming in the other direction. just get what you can learn from them and go on with your life. it’s up to you anyway, whether you want to live your life simply reacting to your environment and the people around you or being proactive and being a creative force.
catholicism is a very human religion, but the church only provides guidelines for living. don’t let sr. my be that powerful enough that she represents the whole church to you. look for other positive religious role models. nuns are very human - my sister is one and she reminds of that. my brother also knows that there are many scandals by priests nowadays, but that doesn’t deter him from becoming one. i had my own soul-searching, and in the process, i’ve come to realise, with the help of Jeuit friends, that catholicism is the way of life for me. notice i didn’t say religion - that implies that it’s limited to a certain area, or a certain day. you have to sift through the tenets, dogmas, and traditions to find that catholicism is often obscured/misrepresented by the people who purport to live by it. but don’t let them turn you off - seek for yourself. “an unexamined life is not worth liing (socrates).”
there is so much to appreciate in many things, why focus on the negative? learn what you can from the experience - whether good or bad - and move on. :hug:
well i guess students should stop rallying in the streets because it does not change the useless structure of our society.mob does not achieve anything of genuine value.religion is just a socially constructed meaninng in our society,its bullshit!!religion has no place in this world,most folks use this to control the people.you may ask what will be the place of morality without religion? shetness,there is no such thing as morality.we are being manipulated by the useless ethics of this hypocritical society. i rather have an authoritatrian government where people are all politically mature than an axcessive democracy where people are stupid. yes,it shows in our constitution. one criteria to be a president of the phil is he/she must able to read and write. fuckshit, can we afford to have a pres who could read and write but cannot comprehend. hello?
I know that because i am currently studying at Csr makati.:oops:
the highschool student were letting us join the rally but we were afraid. but i guess we are all happy now coz we have our new principal.:lol::mrgreen:
Hi,
I am sorry to hear that you did not have a great time at CSR. I went to CSR a long time ago (17 years ago) before leaving for the U.S. I had not gone back to the Philippines ever since. I had a great time at CSR. Of course, during that time it was the Jesuit nuns that were running the school. I’d get in trouble all the time. I was too opinionated. As for speaking english, I didn’t get the treatment that you got. My friends and I spoke english, in and out of school. I particularly struggled in Filipino class. So if anyone would talk to me in Tagalog, they would have to hear me talk in tag-lish. It sounds awful and it feels awkward speaking it but there are many Filipinos here that are not comfortable in speaking english. Don’t know why. Most of them are educated.
Anyway, I am writing to you to ask if CSR has a website. I had lost touch with my friends at CSR and found no other resource. Google brought up your website for Colegio de Sta. Rosa, Makati but nothing for the school itself. So maybe you can help. If not that’s fine too.
melissa
If you are sick of Catholicism you should join the Orthodox church why?
1) It is the only church founded by Jesus Christ himself.
2) It beleives in the holy spirit preceding from the father as the bible teaches.
3) We celebrate Christmas and Easter on the proper days, except the Greeks.
Why do protestants dislike Catholicism yet celebrate their holy days due to their astrology inspired calendar?
4) We have given the world the vast majority of it’s martyrs this century. So the devil obviously hates us.
5)Our liturgy dates back to St John and St Basil, not made up as we go along.
6) The church originally had 5 popes, Alexandria- now the coptic pope, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem and Rome, Rome was only one. So Rome was the renegade not the other way round.
It is the true church, beleive me, I was a protestant myself once, but reading and reasoning leads you to the Orthodox church.
im a graduate of CSR too but way back 1977 when it was still handled by the mssj nuns. too bad bout your woes but i admire your guts. i too has been looking for a website of csr for so many years now, guess there is none and no way of getting in touch with former chums. anyway, more power to CSR grads…..