Inside my Memory Box

Addressed to Ella’s “Memories in a Box”…

As young as twelve, I saw high school as a stage of teen problems, drug addiction, bad peer pressure, fraternities and boy-girl relationships. Ridiculous isn’t it? That shows my being narrow-minded and the conservative environment I was surrounded with. I wanted to skip high school, jump to college and finish my education. I never knew what pleasure and fun awaited me.

It was in my second year in UP when I realized how awesome high school was. And it was then when my memory box was born. I filled it with every bit of memory I could have. So what do you think is inside this memory box of mine?

What consists of this flashback trunk are just simple stuff like my first year library card (I think it was only required in that year because it didn’t exist in the following years); some parents permit for a certain school event (just shows that either I didn’t come to the event or the guard was asleep); the doll-key-chain Yolike gave after the Christmas break; a 19-forgotten paper chat with Jabert about his crush; my very hi-tech calculator that broke down after three months of extensive use; bracelets given by Eldee and Stacey; the pink pillow given by the juniors during our last promenade; my vulnerable flute; and the red silk we wore around our waists when we won the Dayegon Contest. By the way, these are only those that can be seen on the surface of the box. Underneath are more memories.

These included the copy of the songs in the CD gives as a token by the juniors; raffle tickets I bought because it was compulsory but I didn’t hand it over during the draw; the immortal Jonathan Livingstone Seagull; the cross stitch that wrote “Dany” and up to now I don’t even know who Dany is; letters from Christille, Byron. April Mae, Jann, Jabert and Stacey; another keychain from Arvin(he gave key chains to all who were in Bocobo); candies and lollipops(I collect every sweet someone gives me unless I am really in need to eat it); the box of peanut kisses Richard gave me when I turned sixteen; the wallets I used in my third and first year; the blue scoop I used to eat the thirty-peso-worth of ice cream at MV Duolos ; the mini Harry-Potter-organizer that lasted only for a year; the bottle of sand we gathered from an on-the-spot outing to Pepito’s beach; Chinese Checkers we won in exchange of the tickets we collected from playing at Timezone; the slightly-used map of the world for our SocSci 1; Math 1’s “Annual Statement of Account”; a bookmark from Gracielle; the bag I got for Christmas from the Royal-Family-Christmas-Tradition; message in a bottle given by Jann; the classic polvoron Nico Martin distributed; the candles warmed us during the freezing promenade; assorted coins from Madam Gallo; the dice I found on the street one cold and sad night; the Hilton ball pen

Nico lended when we had one of those nerve-wracking Calculus tests; my so-called “soulmate” bracelet (the one I found twice in my stay in UP); the amazing UP Handbook; my very first watch; Statistics booklet (I always keep it because this was the only Math I was confident with); a ticket to the Oedipus Rex (starring Ella and Gabby); my favorite SocSci 2 notebook; a poster for Hale’s very first concert here in Cebu which was posted on the walls of the waiting shed; Madam Lapa’s table of elements; Carol-of-the-Bells lyrics; UPCAT requirements; and the most valuable material memories-pictures!!!!

And from what has been written above, you can now imagine how full and memorable my memory box is.

So, what’s inside your memory box Ella?