Another chapter of my college life has been put to an end. Goodbye to my sophomore blues and hello to third year thrill. Some say this is the busiest part of the four year battle to earn a degree. This is also where I will prepare a whole lot of paper works more commonly known as Thesis. Another thing that requires preparation is the OJT (On-the-Job Training), usually after the end of the school year where other year levels take their summer vacation while us juniors, do our thing. But besides all the challenges this year holds, there are some perks that someone in this year have and one of them is having no PE subject.

To set the record straight, in our University, taking at least four (4) semesters of PE lessons (composed of four different sports) is mandatory for graduation. Technically, a student at a higher year level (a 3rd, 4th or 5th year perhaps) can still have a PE subject only if he failed to take them from his/ her first and second year (our school follows a two (2)semester-per-school-year system). Luckily, I’ve managed to finish them on time. However before I discuss every policy our school has and turn this entry into our school rules and regulations, I would like to look back at the semesters of PE that I’ve been through.

The first semester of my first year in college was just nerve wracking regarding the fact that I’m still adjusting to college life and city life as well. I took “Sepak Takraw” which used to be our national sport. Although I’ve never played this game before (mind you, this is really our national sport but don’t get me wrong of being un-nationalistic), I was never new to this. I remember my high school days where I used to watch varsity players tumbling around; making their acrobatic moves (this sport is somewhat like volleyball but using the feet instead) and waiting for their fans’ screams (d’oh, who cares?). Anyway, learning the sport was a bit rough for me because I was never athletic. We had (and had no choice because he’s the only teacher of this sport in our school) a man named Mr. Calixterio as our professor. He was a bit old and that adds the burden for me learning the game. Though, he’s quite popular among boys who went under his tutelage, it’s because of his not-so-young-age. Moving on and rudeness aside, I still learned something from him and last time I checked, there’s a new and younger professor in town.

The second semester of PE all in all was just fun. By that time I made friends from my classmates (in my course) and we managed to get under the same section in PE as well (most of the time, my classmates in the PE subject comes from other courses). I took volleyball and again, I was never new to this. I played the game before and I know for a fact that it’s fun especially under the sun (oh, my rhymes are getting corny each day). I had as a teacher was a man named Mr. Anselmo and he was a fun teacher to be with. He gets strict at times but I guess it’s his way of showing his authority over us. Anyhow, every after PE in our regular classes in our course, me and my classmates get along on discussing the fun and exciting sessions we had. The bumps and bruise, wins and losses, crushes from other courses are just hilarious. Conceivably, I really cannot enjoy something if I don’t share it with someone.

In my second year of college, the situation was different. I’m well adjusted to college life and I love my new found home in the city. The first semester of that year was filled with excitement to get together again with my high school friends as we decided to enroll on the same PE class. I’m from the Information and Computer Studies Department while one was from the Mechanical Engineering Department and the other was from Industrial Engineering. As I’ve said, we went through the same high school but chose different paths in college. Still, we manage to spend time together and relive our precious memories. But before I get too emotional here, we pursued “Handball” as our sport. I’m quite unfamiliar with the game if only for the video tapes, Mr. Sambuang our professor showed to our class. It’s like football but as the name implies, uses the hands (it’s sad that today, we’ve only come up to games that fuses out sports developed before, well these excludes video games). What’s interesting about this semester of PE was that, we’re lucky (the three of us) to have as our team mates, pretty ladies from the Faculty of Arts and Letters (this college is known for housing beautiful and smart girls). We ended up together because they had no choice for majority of the class came from the Faculty of Pharmacy and the rest was just us (from the Faculty of Engineering). Nonetheless, I really don’t have in mind that they only chose us for the latter because they’re friendly and easy to get along with. Another thing that is in my memory (I chose not to use the word memorable), was our group uniform. It was yellow, shiny yellow, really, really shiny (I hope you have an idea how yellow it is). I’m a bit embarrassed every time I wear that but thanks to my team mates, I’m not the only one (yeah!).

The last PE that I took was “Softball”. It is fun considering we had as a teacher, a ‘pervy’ but always angry type of teacher, Mr. Salamat (‘Salamat’ in Filipino is Thank You). Softball is not a popular sport here in the Philippines contrary to Baseball’s popularity in the US (Softball is almost the same as Baseball). Some of us, including the un-athletic kid writing this, always get in trouble and with that follows a shout, “Anak ng Patatas” (Son of a Potato), by Mr. Salamat. Well, it took me a while to get used to it but hey, I’m not dreaming of becoming a pro you know? (Another rhyme here, I think I’m sick.)

A school includes in its curriculum Physical Education to maintain the over-all wellness of its students not just in academe but in the physique as well. But aside from such reason, it is important for a student like me to take such courses not just because it’s mandatory, but for the memories I built that I will cherish and remember throughout my life with sports.