On January 28 of this year, I attended the Ateneo de Davao University BSBA Batch 1997 Panagtapok 2023 reunion. I had been to a class reunion, so I knew exactly what to expect.
Mr. Peter Paul Tan Valentin, who is now the mayor of Malalag, Davao del Sur, hosted the event in his home in Las Terrazas. If I'm not mistaken, the last time I visited their home was in 2018.
Therefore, I had difficulty navigating the address provided. I send a message to my fellow classmates, asking them to provide me with the precise location if I take a taxi. Alas! One of my classmates invited me to join them going to the location of the event.
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| Thanks Peng Sy for the ride! đŸ˜˜ |
As soon as we arrived and walked inside, I saw that something was amiss. I saw familiar faces, and yes, they're all from my university, but their not my BSBA Sec. B classmates. Then I recalled that the event included the classmates of Mr. Valentin in Management class.
After that, I became aware that some of my classmates from BSBA Section B were already present. Oh, the good old times! How quickly they all made their way back! That was the anticipation all along. The truth turned out to be very different. I had a hard time recalling even the simplest of details. Really Jean? (hahahaha)
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| AdDU Sec. B with Sir Butch Samante |
At one point, I was reunited with them again. It's been a while since I haven't seen them (due to the pandemic), though we still communicate and I've seen some of their updates through social media, but what is more cool is to see them again in person.
As far as I can remember, I'm not that close with my classmates because I'm in a dance club and spend most of my time practicing with my troupe I hadn't thought about it, but I just recently remembered that my college life was more about dancing.
My mind began to wander back to my time in college. Oh, what happy times they were, even though (for me) they ended in such tragedy! OUCH! My experience at college is starting to feel more and more like a roller coaster. The path's twists and turns, including its numerous inclines and declines, are nothing short of incredible.
I had a serious relationship, but it ended just as we were about to graduate from college. It was a blessing in disguise. A terrible thing happened to me, and it gave me some time to think about my life; consequently, in order to forget that depressing phase, I applied for work, and I got a job that made it possible for me to move on; in other words, I became a working student.
During the course of the evening, I met several of my girlfriends, whom I used to hang out with during my freshman years in college. BTW, I'm a graduate of BSBA Marketing major, and most attendees present at the event are major in Management.
I heard the success stories of my batchmates who were destined for greatness, and some had somehow gotten derailed. The most fascinating one is the topic of menopause and medical maintenance. How life keeps us going to fight each personal battle, whether financial, emotional, or spiritual—yes, life does indeed begin at 40!
Mr. Wilfredo "Butch" Samante, our freshman facilitator, was also present at the event. He gave me a look that made me feel 17 years old again, hehe, and then asked, "What do you do?"
I responded, "I am a Virtual Assistant and a blogger."
"It doesn't surprise me," he snapped.
He reached out and hugged me. "I may be in my sixties," he hissed, "but there's nothing wrong with my memory."
The celebration kicks off with games, and winners receive cash!
We all triumphed in our respective game categories, so congratulations to all of us! However, the most enjoyable activity is getting together with a large group of people and indulging in a magnificent meal.
The night will not be complete without Karaoke and dancing.
You are likely curious about my college boyfriend. I'm happy to say that he was exactly as youthful and outrageous at the reunion as he was the same person I dated for three and a half years, which did not surprise me.
Lastly, I ended up with a favorable opinion of my classmates. The greatest shock was how little the majority of us had changed. People who were interesting characters in college remain interesting characters today.
It’s great to see old class(batch) mates. Can you still recognize them?
