School Experiences

I am on my third year as a college student. I would like to share some true to life experiences of how it is to be the freak in the school.

On my first day of school I am well aware that I will be an oddity to my classmates, and I recall an incident that confirmed this. We were assigned to room 303 and since I don’t know anybody I took a seat at the back. There was no instructor yet, and to pass the time I read paperbacks. I was amazed at how well behaved my new classmates were. But an interesting thing happened every time I went to the urinals--there was a sudden eruption of chattering, and when I retook my seat, as if by magic, it became quiet again. It was a strange and eerie experience and this phenomenon went on for almost three days. It was a few weeks later, when a classmate told me, that verified what I suspected. They thought I was the “Professor”.

I have allergic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. The Doctor advised me to stay away from dust, smokes, pollen, or anything that can trigger a violent sneezing attack which, theoretically can burst blood vessels and may even caused death. So I stayed away as far as possible from the blackboard and from the chalk dusts. (This was during my freshman years. Now we are using whiteboards.) I thought I would be safe in the farthest corner. But I was aghast to see that this was not to be. My heart stopped when I saw my classmates took out their pompoms and started powdering their faces raising the level of suspended particles to a dangerous level for me. They could unintentionally kill me! Imagine what the tabloid headline would be in case I had died of sneezing “An Old Student Killed by Baby Powder”.

I used to insist on my right to pay the student fare. The funny thing was the varied reactions I got from the drivers. One told me that I don’t look like a student and that I look more like a professor. Another one told me that he will not give me a student discount but definitely he will give a senior citizen discount. Others just give me the look. I hate jeepney drivers and after these experiences, to hell with the discount.

My favorite trick: During the first few days of classes I will enter a freshmen class sit at the instructors table or sometimes I just stand by the door of the classroom and watch the tortured look on the freshmen’s’ faces. They can’t talk or make any noise. Sometimes my classmates would call me The Campus Director for fun, and when I stand by the door with my classmates bowing their head and calling “direk” the effect on the freshmen is devastating. Sssshhh si director nasa pinto!