By Jan Vicente B. Pekas
Everyone has gone through their own versions of circuses in th run up to Holy Week. For us students, we have been running around like the ground was on fire catching up with deadlines, rushing last projects, and finding the needle that is time in haystack of work. By the skin of our teeth, we have arrived at last to a paradise free of stress, Holy Week.
It is always a surreal feeling no matter how many times I experience it. After weeks of hard work and stress, when we finally get over the hump and accomplish an experience that is sure to have shaved off a couple months of our lives, the serene feeling after all that always seems new, like it is something I never experienced before. I find myself asking “what next?’ several times just because my and all students’ heads have been so used to moving on to the next task immediately in order to accomplish the swamp of work ahead of us.
This feeling returned this week, as we finally got over our exams and we are then faced with what to do with all our time, free time that we have been craving for since months ago. I planned what I would do when free time would finally come around, but I have found myself instead in limbo. Even when dealing with free time, I still have to adjust to a lifestyle opposite of whatever a lifestyle was on the last few weeks of school.
Regardless of this state of weariness, the sight of our parks filled with families on a holiday is a pleasing sight to bring me back to reality. Inside the buses heading to Baguio are filled with families with strong eagerness to finally arrive in the city.
The energy around us is one of joy and togetherness as locals and tourists enjoy themselves during the holidays. This is a good contrast to everyone and anyone who has just been through hell, especially to students who may have sacrificed time with their families in order to work on their projects day and night.
As time passes and we eventually get our zeal back, it can also be good to switch places. Being a source of positivity to anyone, even to strangers, can be much more helpful than we think. People from different walks of life pass by each other every day. If we have the opportunity to do so, we can always share positivity and try to contribute in making the environment a little more pleasing.
A peaceful and positive environment is a good place for those seeking refuge and a break, we need that environment to always be there, because we all know hardship is never too far away. **
