By Jan Fernandez
As you step in the Family Park, you encounter upon yourself a wave of confusion. Why? For a certain reason, the vibrant colors will surprise not only you but also perhaps your untrained eyes, and yes, it, by all means will leave you in a state of utter less motion. Feasting on the sights unseen before and the glamour of the décor, left all, especially the first years, in a humbling awe. Then another phase of the “transition” kicks in, we Velezians, like all human beings are social creatures; By the justification of the just, we just have to search for our dear friends, now don’t we? But before we go rushing in and saying, “hey-ho” and other whatnots, we realize that we first have to register and therefore must decide, either pink or blue if not both of the face paint.
As we scan the environment, in our minds it is captured, processed, and to be reacted in a moment, a snapshot of everything that is to come; blitzkrieg of joyous colors of the festival, unity of the ever-excited first years through forth the energetic fourth years, and finally the solemnity and quaintness of momentous silence in the melting pot of energy, excitement, and pure fun.
The morning is kick started by splashes of water from who knows where. It is a give off to a watery day, trust me. And without even announcing of the start of the party, you can feel the emanation of the essence of the party itself: smiles, laughter, and grins of those who wish to splash water to their fellow friends. I remember the rush of adrenaline in my veins. A month and three days of hard work and perhaps even sleepless nights for us and most especially to our third year fellows, it is right and just that we dance the whole day away, and indeed we have done so successfully. We can hear “Ahh’s, woo’s, and yeah’s”, booming the atmosphere as we students and faculty members dance the early morning to the up-beat dance led by the pros. We would not even care if we are sweaty, hair all messed up, or even our clothes being stained by a concoction of colors. Yes, that’s how much fun we had.
But deep inside, amidst of the clash of chaotic mix of color, fun, and dance, we realize and ponder to ourselves, “All would not be in place if not for the faculty, SBOs, and volunteers”, in a conclusive realization of what I graciously call as unified effort of all kindred spirits for the beneficiary of the collective, assuring myself that you agree too of this conclusion amid of the opinions and facts.
After a multitude of absolute fun and games, like all good things in life, it too must come to an end. With faces that of a new born baby, smiling and ever ready for the future, we enclosed the day with a heighten determination in face of trials and of grieve failures and that we shall stand strong for the coming future, well acquainted with the Med-tech Velezians, together we rise as a community and as one embodied spirit. And as goes for my personal best quote for unity, “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”- J.K. Rowling.
