Lovely Grace Alata

12- Generosity

“A Life of a Virtual Student”

Today, I’d like to share a recollection of my experiences in school. I can still vividly
remember this large building made of bricks, standing so firmly in front of a tall, eye-catching
pole. It fills my heart to see the colors of red, blue, yellow, and white fluid in the wind,
billowing, enticing me. It is me. It is us. I remember this tall girl who hurriedly ran into me and
told me, “You are late, miss” on the first day of school. So, I scrambled with her until we reach
this one big room with green boards, they call black and all sorts of colorful pictures stuck on the
wall. The lady reading this thick and hard-bound apparatus came across the board and prepared
what seemed to be a spell on everyone. It worked as every kid couldn’t take their eyes and ears
away from her scribbling and endless talking.

Unnoticeably, each day passed by so quickly. We got used to exchanging brains and
mouths which formulated this cultivating spell all of us needed. I didn’t want to go home every
dismissal as I still want to admire this fascinating woman in front of our gym. She’s standing so
proudly on solid rock, holding a flaming torch from both hands. I wish I could stare forever at
the relaxing hues of green and white spreading across all areas. But as I approach the vicinity of
a large gate that stood a few meters away from me, the once alive and cheerful path with bustles
of chatter that came from friends became occupied with nothing but fear and loneliness. Who
knew, that would be the last time I leave that large, green building that has been my cocoon for
quite a long time?

Fast-forward to the present and I am now getting used to spelling out my dreams in a spot
of electronic ink. I wake up each day, hoping to learn new things. Also hoping that our internet
connection and little pets hear this roar from my mind saying, “Please bear with me!”. The once
noisy room filled with chitchats and fun discussions from my teachers and classmates has now
been moved into my screen. Gone are the days of physical activities and group tasks that built a
lot of friendships and strengthened the leadership and teamwork in our room.
 Waking up to the new reality of our world wasn’t an easy task for all of us. The school
they introduce us is definitely not made of a million bricks and large windows but thousands of
hearts and hundreds of windows that lead to several various dreams that each kid has. I’d like to
think that this is a big challenge and we are being tested. Because I believe that every storm is
followed by a beautiful rainbow. Perhaps it is a symbol of peace and hope for what we may yet
achieve. Definitely not an end to our story but a beginning of a new chapter for all of us.