On the night of the 16th of May 1999 at St. Victoria's Hospital, a pregnant woman was rushed to the hospital's delivery room. This woman was my mom,Gracita Cabotage on that day she was with my father, Edwardo Cabotage. From the stories i've heard from my grandmother, they we're very happy when I came because I'm the first child of my parents. I'm Maria Erika May Ignacio Cabotage. Now, I'm 14 years old and currently a 3rd year highschool student in Sta. Elena High School. I also have a sister who's 5 years younger than me. They say that highschool life is the most exciting part of our school days because of friends, studies and of course, love. Majority of highschool students already felt that 'love at first sight' and such, well, i've felt that 'ventricular contraction of the heart' too but I thought that I should prioritize my studyies because that 'love' can wait until the right time. Besides, I'm a half human, half potato so, i don't really care. Kidding aside, here's my story.
As I've said earlier, I am the first child, I used get whatever I want, whenever I want it. But that was until my sister came when I was five and studying pre-school, as far as I remember. I was 4 years old when my parents enrolled me for pre-school. At first, I know somewhere deep in my soul that I never wanted to go to school and study but who could contradict the desicions of my great parents? So, without any choice, I was forced to study at San Roque Elementary School. On the first day, well, based on my mom's story, I did'nt want to be left in school and I cried when my mom was out of my sight. But as the days go by, I learned not to cry when I don't see my mom and to enjoy at school. Then, on day of January 12, 2004, my sister was born. I was happy that time but now, I'm very stressed. But even if she always pisses me off, she's still precious to me.
When I entered elementary, nothing important really to me exept for me, being top 6 in Grade 3 and me, receiving a bronze medal in Grade 4 because of being one of the youth volunteers in Red Cross. Then, when I miraculously survived the five torturing years and went to Grade 6, I really didn'excel but I belong to the upper 10% of the class-which is a requirement in some highschools. I did my best in the last year of being an elementary student but I graduated without any recognitions, and so what? Atleast I graduated right?
On the month of January, 3 months before I graduate, I took an entance exam to Marikina Science High School. Luckily, I passed that boring test and got the opportunity to have an interview but, a week before my interview in MariSci, my cousin who studied at MariSci told me stories that students there has no time for sleeping and that students there are mentally tortured so I got frightened and I didn't do well during the interview so, I joyfully failed. But it's okay because we've still got hope in Sta. Elena High School's ESEP. So, as far as I remember, on the second week of February, estimatedly 2 month before the most-awaited graduation, me and some of my classmates, took an exam on Sta. Elena High School for ESEP Class. Fortunately, I passed the entrance exam and was interviewed by Ms. Milo and Mrs. Salvador. Out of us eight who took the exam, only 4 of us was allowed to have an interview. After that suspense filled interview, only me and Lamar passed the interview. I enrolled for being an ESEP student and was very excited to got to school without knowing the hardships that highschool would give me. And on the first day of school, I found out that I belong to the ESEP 1B class. When I frist step in to the room, I was nervous because I knew none of them. I saw a gril who sits alone so, I asked her if I can sit beside her. I found out that we share the same name with a different spelling. Her name is Erica Salcedo, my first bestfriend. But faith wasn't that good to her because during our third grading, she got sick. I really thought that highschool is very easy. But I guess, I'm wrong. I'm very wrong! During my freshman year, I experienced a lot, hardships, problems but I learned how to socialize with different kinds of people and have fun with them even if there's a problem. I fought with my friends, I became a star in a play, I got my first line of seven in my card, I stayed up all night to finish a project, I rushed projects at school and many more, but even if it's hard, we can still have fun.
A year full of hardships passed, when we became sophomores. At first, it was like, 'Wow! I'm a sophomore already, 2 more years I'll be college.' But, being a sophomore was not that easy. We experienced not to sleep at night just to finish our research paper, not to eat at lunch just to finish our mind blowing assignments in Geometry, we experienced being the advisory class of the most beautiful, kind and 'kalog' teacher, Ma'am Jean Odones, we experienced many conflicts that made our class, ESEP II-B more 'solid' as those conflicts come. We got united and our bond became strong as those hardships pass by. Even if we're always compared with other sections, we know that we're still the best because we don't fight for recognition or study just to stand out. We do it because we're just the ordinary class in Sta. Elena High School. Even if we don't win in contests, even if teachers don't like us, ESEP B will always be ESEP B. We experienced to joy and hardships of Milo Olympics, joy because of no classes for weeks and hardship because our skintone got dark, as in dark, and we we're very haggard because of the practice of Field Demo. But our efforts was not wasted, it was worth it. But our most controversial experience was in MAPEH with Mrs. Macabudbud. I don't wanna talk about it anymore. Just ask someone else.
Now, I'm already in 3rd year. 2nd year passed so fast yet very memorable. Now, I need to be focused in my studies because my family is pressuring me to study well so that I can be admitted to excellent universities as a scholar. I think 3rd year would'nt be as easy as 2nd year because it's just the first month yet projects are already pouring to us. We're very busy. Well that's life, we have ups and downs, right? I think this is the end of my autobiograhpy but I know, it's just the beginning of my life.