Story By Ma. Nita V. Bolo, CST-R Batch 1993
Photos By CST-R SMO
Shout out to all Thomasians who are proud of their sections!
OLIC, OLMM, OLMC and OLPH and we would reply, Pray for us!
These sections would always remind me of where I truly belong. Our high school life will never be the same without remembering our section names. Learning the lives of saints and blessed ones is part of a Catholic school education. Photos of these inspiring figures were all over our classrooms, and those classrooms were where memories were made, friendships formed, secrets told, and, of course, where learning was shared by beloved teachers.
My little ‘Istorya sa Sto. Tomas’ is an attempt to relate to all Thomasians, then and now, how significant our respective sections were for us.
OLIC.
The Our Lady of Immaculate Conception celebrates its feast day every 8th of December— it is her Solemnity. Every Thomasians should know this.
First Year High happened in section OLIC which was located at the second floor, St. Monica Building. This corner room is now occupied by Grade 8 Section Blessed Melchor de San Agustin (BMSA).
Can you still remember the small things in your freshman year? Here is a BUCKET LIST of all the small-great things that made freshman year so memorable:
- Got lost in school
- Covered books and notebooks
- Met your first best friend
- First crush
- Excited to wear proper school uniform
- Law abiding Thomasian
- Regular attendance at the morning Mass at the school chapel (now the Library)
- First school disco
- Befriended upperclassmen (Manong and Manang)
- Collected blue books (now Yellow Books)
I know you have more. First year was a unique experience for everyone, truly unforgettable and life-changing!
OLMM
Our Lady of Miraculous Medal. November 27 marks the Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Grace.
It was my sophomore year! Now, section OLMM is a Grade 12 STEM Class! Our room is now occupied by Grade 9 Section St. Claire of Montefalco.
They say that there’s nothing exciting about the second year. I can prove them wrong. During sophomore, high school just got better and better. It’s the year when everything started to fall into place. For many of us, we finally grouped with our best buddies and high school life started becoming real.
In a poetic turn of events, historic events came in two’s.
How could one forget the national crisis over the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit Northern and Central Luzon and the global crisis of USA’s Operation Desert Storm?
By that time, Batch 1993 also met two amazing people—Fr. Durana and Fr. Martinito.
How about you? What were the memorable two’s of your sophomore year? I am sure many of us agree that the first two years of high school have been two of our best years yet.
OLMC
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. This year, the Augustinian Recollects celebrate 400 years of devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in the Philippines.
Oh Junior Year! To me, section OLMC meant excitement and surprise. For Thomasians now, OLMC is Grade 11 STEM CLASS. What was once our room is now occupied by Grade 9- Blessed Julian Benigno Moreno.
What are the things you remember about your third year high school that will surprise you?
We actually would never know which experiences will shape, inspire, or affect us in retrospect unless we start reflecting on our present decisions and future plans. While the first two years were filled with new and exciting adventures, the junior year brought a heaping of lessons along with the surprises
Third Year High School Starter Pack
- Balancing Is Life (In Chemistry, it’s both sorrowful and joyful.)
- Are you an Asset or a Liability? (Yes, accounting matters!)
- You can do magic with Statistics! (Stay alert or you’ll get tricked.)
- Are you a friend or a foe? (The struggle of keeping real and reel friends)
- Love or Infatuation (Don’t ever get confused with your feelings #SeminarianFeels)
It was indeed a struggle to balance studies and social life. I also understand that these tips may not work for everyone. Knowing Thomasians, we are made to survive! Just challenge yourself and make your third year fun!
OLPH
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of the most well-known and loved images of the Blessed Virgin among Filipino Catholics. The feast day of OLPH is on June 27.
On my senior year, we belonged to the section OLPH but it is now the Grade 11- STEM Class. Our farewell-classroom is now occupied by Grade 10- St. Lorenzo Ruiz (Girls).
Sure it was a busy time for a teenager. Fourth year was jam packed with events specifically designed to the crowning moments of high school experience—prom and graduation. As senior year waned, the events would come on thick and fast.
What are your best songs and your favorite movie hits? Relate it to your favorite high school memories.
- “Hero” by Mariah Carey – To our dearest teachers: thank you for your guidance and support.
- “Save the Best for Last” by Vanessa Williams – shout-out to ‘someone we used to love’
- “Sister Act” – friends who became sisters, confidantes, companions
- “The Cutting Edge” – when you almost gave up in life but you found a reason to keep yourself from breaking to pieces
- “FLAMES: the Movie” – when ‘PAcute’ things made you smile.
- “All for Love” by Color Me Badd – Too young to fall in love, but who are we to judge?
- “Livin on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi – memorize or else (Rosary: sorrowful, joyful, glorious)
- “Just Another Day” – The UTMT (Under the Mango Tree): Thomasians’ favorite rendezvous
- “Smells like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana – Yes, we broke some rules, we sneaked out, we lied, we argued, we obeyed-sort of. It’s just the teen spirit!
- “Next in Line” by After Image – Keep in mind being teenager is passing—it doesn’t last forever! Soar high, just enjoy the journey!
There’s a last time for everything. There are also lots of “lots” in your checklist of memories, keep them in your hearts. The fun and laughter for many Thomasians mostly happen in their respective classrooms. That’s just how it is meant to be.
So what happens next? What can one do to bring back high school memories? Make sure that you build up a stock of experiences and memories that will really matter to you later in life.
Saints and Blesseds, thank you for your protection. “We are yours forevermore!”
