By Gilli Aquino

“This is the place where you belong.” 

These words are etched into the minds of every junior as they take their first steps in the Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS). A multitude of different paths await these new students — all of which remain distinct from one another. However, here in the ASHS exists a path that glows yellow for those students with a heart to stand up and speak out until their voices begin to echo. 

A month has passed since juniors and seniors have been thrust back into the grueling workload that comes with being a student in the ASHS. For juniors of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HumSS) strand, the onslaught of lengthy readings, well-articulated classmates, and puzzling math quizzes is an experience that falls on the bingo card of every HumSS student’s junior year. Yet belonging to a strand that is often underestimated for both its difficulty and importance is no easy feat; tough minds and even tougher hearts are things that each student here must learn to build for themselves. 

However, Humanistas, before you despair over the chemistry quiz that reminds you of why you picked this strand, remember that here in the ASHS community exists a family of like-minded individuals who are willing to guide you along this treacherous path. 

A Crowd of Yellow

“HumSS Sama-Sama!” is a potluck event where both juniors and seniors are given the chance to meet and bond with their fellow humanistas. As planned by the HumSS core, a plethora of exciting games, delectable food, and new friends await every HumSS student at this fun-filled program. Seniors and juniors from different sections of the strand were grouped together, forcing new bonds and connections that extend beyond the classroom. 

Caelyn Santos, the HumSS Chair, described this event as an opportunity for seniors and juniors to interact, collaborate, and form stronger bonds with one another. “Especially for the Juniors, who are new to the ASHS, we wanted to introduce them to the supportive and lively environment of HumSS, as well as to learn from the previous experiences of their Seniors,” Santos states, sharing her sentiments on the event. “HumSS Sama-Sama!” marks the first big project of the HumSS core, lighting the torch for all the new possibilities that the strand could bring into the school year. 

“Compared to last year’s bonding events, we wanted to open all of the HumSS students to meeting one another, and not limiting it to certain sections,”  states Ava Veloso, the HumSS Overall Secretary. For Veloso, they hoped that the salusalo, team sharings, and team-building activities helped in forming new memories for the Humanistas — ones that can urge them to reminisce with love for being a HumSS student. 

The event took place on two different dates. The first being on September 4, which included the senior classes of Kibe, Holland, and Grodecky, along with the junior classes of Goupil and Grande. While the second day occurred on September 9 with 12-Gonzales and Geronimo accompanied by junior classes, Hoyos and Hurtado. These two days gave the HumSS strand an avenue to build bridges among their fellow batchmates — sparking the first core memories of the school year. In the words of the HumSS chair: “HumSS Sama-Sama serves as the starting point for future HumSS events, and we hope that Humanistas will continue to foster their relationships within and beyond the strand.” 

While this event may only last for two days — hopefully the bonds and friendships created during these days may serve as a solid support system for the rest of the school year

From Junior to Senior

From the competitive spirit of a charades game to the pleasant conversations of student sharings — a sense of harmony was felt throughout the air as both juniors and seniors alike continued to bond over shared stories. These activities allowed juniors to learn more about what is in store for them as they get through their first year in the ASHS. On the other hand, the seniors take the responsibility that once seemed so far away — the job of being a role model to their fellow junjuns. 

This held especially true for Lesther Salapunen of 11-Goupil. For him, getting to know his HumSS seniors served as the highlight of the event. “I found this the most enjoyable thing about HumSS Sama-Sama because it reassured me that if they [seniors] were able to thrive and grow in the HumSS strand during their junior year, then I can do so as well,” he details, claiming that the seniors’ experiences and tips allowed him to relate to them in some way. 

This special bond between seniors and juniors will only continue to grow as the school year progresses. For Gherson Ramos of 11-Grande, the immersive activities forced his group to interact, laugh, cheer, and at times even fail side by side, pushing through the initial awkwardness of the groupings. However, what struck him the most about the event was the buzzing atmosphere, getting to feel the living and breathing heartbeat that is the HumSS strand.  

“It wasn’t just the food or the games, HumSS Sama-Sama is that one rare moment where you experience and feel everyone moving in the same rhythm, the shared feeling na ‘ah, this is what HumSS is.’ Moments like that form what essentially will be the community identity that we are all part of,” Ramos explains his observations throughout the event.  It is an exhilarating feeling to know that you and those who surround you are united in the shared values and experiences that truly make you a HumSS student. This sense of belonging may be exactly what each junior needs to flourish in their journey throughout the ASHS.

Yet aside from our dear juniors, many seniors were also able to revel in the festivities of the day — making the most out of the last few months they have left in the senior high. Ricci Torio of 12-Kibe describes her experience as she interacted with the juniors. “As a senior who wasn’t able to attend last year’s HumSS potluck, it was so great to see our juniors actively participating in the event alongside us seniors,” she explains, stating that this communal spirit was most especially felt during the chant-making activity. 

In spite of the differences each student may have from one another — “HumSS Sama-sama!” serves as a reminder that every senior and junior is not only united by the same strand but connected by the passions and values that make every HumSS student a true Humanista. 

Future Humanistas 

As the first event for the strand, “HumSS Sama-sama!” serves as the opening act for every other exciting project to come. While these are yet to be revealed, the HumSS core assures both juniors and seniors that there is still so much in store for the school year. 

“We can only hope right now that our sentiments are felt with our initiatives as of now, and that all of our strand feels a sense of belonging and identity with these upcoming projects,” Veloso shares, teasing the future initiatives that the HumSS core has planned. Every single project, initiative, and event that awaits the strand — all culminate into a vision for HumSS that is one united community. 

As for Santos, she aims to transform HumSS into a space where students are given opportunities to be proactive and contribute to the community. “This year, we want to involve more students in the planning and implementation of HumSS projects which can provide Humanistas with more opportunities to express their skills and identity,” Santos illustrates, believing that including more students in the process can foster a more inclusive strand community. 

The HumSS core urges students of the strand to not only participate in the festiivities of every event but to actively contribute in making these spaces so lively; further deepening a sense of identity with these projects. Behind every initiative is the goal to create a strand community that every HumSS student can turn to if they ever feel adrift. 

As you wander through your path here in the ASHS, know that somewhere amid all this noise is a welcoming community that awaits you — one that you can truly call the place that you belong.