REACHING FOR THE SKY

The fundamental theorem of arithmetic states that every whole number is either prime, or is composed of a unique sequence of prime numbers. These prime numbers are what make up the whole composite number. In a way, they are the building blocks of every number, like how our experiences build up who we are as people.

I’ve spent most of my life in Philippine Cultural College, and I experienced many of my firsts here. I read my first book, solved my first math problem, wrote my first story. I made my first friendships and my first rivalries, some of which faded over time and some of which grew stronger yet. I got my first crush, was given my first valentine’s gift, and received my first confession.

I learned things inside and outside of the classroom, and my teachers were not only the school’s faculty members, but also my friends and classmates. Some of the most important lessons, after all, were those that could not be found in textbooks. From my friends and my teachers around me, I learned about love and happiness, conflicts and bittersweet endings. I learned that not everyone would like me, and I learned to be okay with that. From the competitions I’ve been sent to, I learned to be independent, to be self-reliant, and to be confident. I learned to be at home on the stage, as much as I was in my own bed. From my ten years in Tanglaw and my eight years in the Student Council, I learned to appreciate more the people around me, and to give myself to others. 

I have many memories of this place, both good and bad, but they are all memories that I will look back on with rose-tinted glasses once I’ve moved into the next phase of my life. The laughter we shared with friends as we crossed the street to buy snacks after class, the times we got scolded for not wearing our school pins, the paint that stained our skin as we tried to prepare the props for our performances. The unforgettable memories of ninth grade Valentine's Day, full of silly relationship drama and gifts and breakups. All these are memories that I’ll continue to keep close to my heart and take with me on the next step of my journey.

These regular high school experiences, mundane as they are, are the foundation of my time here, and, by extension, the building blocks of the person I have become, adding one here and subtracting one there to balance out the equation. As I anticipate the next phase of my life and peek at the possibilities that await me as I move forward, I know that I have a steady ground to stand on. Despite how far above my head my dreams may hang, I know that with each new experience, I’ll reach it one day.

After all, as long as we keep adding prime factors, the value of the whole number only goes up, right?