This was my first personal journal ‘cuz our teacher told us to write random thoughts as well in our journal, we can put personal writings so it’ll be not just reflections from quotations he’ll give us and also told us to put “Dear Journal,” but it’s not graded yet it is still part of our Personal Development (which he never checked i think?) but it’s fine with me.

Dear Journal,

I’ve experienced doing journals or diary before ‘cuz I was inspired by Charlie in the novel “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” so I thought of doing it as well but later didn’t continue anymore because I figured it wasn’t really my thing at that time (saka tamad din kasi ako noon saka madaling mag sawa? lol). The book is about Charlie writing letters to a ‘friend’ (the readers) from time to time whenever he feels like it or whenever there are happenings in his life and there the story goes on. I liked reading that, I remember I was in 8th grade when I bought the book in NBS I was so happy because got it way cheaper than the one with the movie cover and duh the original cover is way cuter and also it was the last one in the store. The book helped in my sophomore year, that phase of adolescences really sucks doesn’t it?

3 or 4 years ago I graduated 7th grade survived the first year of Junior 4 more years to go and 2 more for Senior thinking I will still study at the same school because where else am I gonna go? But in my surprise, “Danese lilipat na tayo, kailangan ka na naming hanapan ng school doon.” It was almost start of the new school year. And just like that I had to leave all of my friends and family as well. From that time it was not syncing to my head that I’m really moving away. In my mind it’s summer and I have no idea what’s gonna happen next school year. So then they found a school, it was nothing like my previous school. It was more of an international school, yeah sure I’ve studied in an international school before when I was in elementary so I thought okay it wont be that bad. On the plus side the uniform is cute it was like from the Japanese animes or whatever so I was like okay it’ll do. It was a bit of a shock for me, I still remember going in the room on the first day of classes I sat straight to the seat beside the window, it was really cold and I forgot to bring a jacket. Everyone seems to know each other already because it’s the 2nd year of Junior. I grabbed my book “Paper Towns” and just read it I’m like screw these kids take me back home, HOME. I don’t know but I still remember that first day, only that first day. Maybe because it was the first day for an entire new beginning, new residence, new place, new people, new school, new uniform, and new haircut.

The book “Perk of Being a Wallflower” helped me cope up with my new environment ‘though I had friends instantly, surprisingly. But I still had a hard time knowing what I really wanted. I guess, I became friends with them for a reason, and that is to just survive my High School. Given that I’m not totally friends with them anymore now.

I read the book (Perks of Being a Wallflower) again in 10th grade kasi nakita ko siya ulit sa dati naming bahay and everything just flashed back to me, so I decided to read it again and at some point I understood it better than before and I’ve appreciated it more, perhaps the thing is when you re-read a book or even re-watch a movie after a couple or few years it wont be the same because obviously you grew as a person, experienced and learned more compared when you were younger. So I guess, that’s all. ‘Til next time.

Yours randomly,
Danese