My clock alarmed and the whole house woke up with it's loud sound. It's 4:00 in the morning of September 17, 2009, the day I have been preparing and waiting for for several weeks now. My gosh, it's Bulprisa day.
I found my heart pounding restlessly under my chest. I took a deep breath as I started arranging my things. All of a sudden, my cell phone rang and a text message popped up. It was my team mate, saying that we should go to school together. When we got there, many of us went directly to the Church to pray and seek help and guidance from the Lord. After the mass, we returned to our school. I can see in the faces of my teammates and the other participants that they are definitely excited, though some are first timers, including me. Some are quite nervous. I can see the teachers and facilitators very busy doing and preparing things — those things that we should bring, checking our attendance among all others. After some moments of waiting and preparing, our jeepney started to move forward. Our travel is quite repulsive. The road is quite unsteady and the air is filled with dust and smoke. While waiting to get to the venue, some of us slept, others took the chance to have a nice conversation with our teachers and some are having a ‘soundtrip’. Most of the time, I can hear them playing the song Runaway by the Corrs. They kept repeating it until it finally irritated our ears. Whilst we’re busily doing our own businesses, the jeepney stopped as well as the other jeepneys of our co-players and co-participants. We’re not sure if we are already in the school venue until we saw the parade that signals the opening of Bulprisa.
The teachers instructed us to go and walk until we reach the school; it’s only a few blocks from us anyway. We must hurry because we will still prepare for a lot of things. Finally, we arrived there. The school is 
There are also our co-Marians and schools from the different places in Bulacan from the assigned district. Parents are also there to support their young ones. The school has their different cheers. Some of them has accompaniment just like drums. We also have our very own cheer that was composed on that day. “Sma-Sma-Smasn!” There is also another. One is going to lead shouting “Sto. Niño!” and others will respond in the same way.
Our aim for this affair is to develop comradeship with other people from other school. Some game and competitions started this day, particularly the Academics and Cultural activities and the outdoor games or ball games. To be more precise, the events that ensued this day are chess, table tennis, poster making, vocal solo, duet,
The next day, September 18 is very tiring for all of us because of the happenings during the first day. But this is a big break for all of us. We should prove what we’ve got and show purpose of our trainings and hardships. Some events started today just like the extemporaneous speech tagalog and english declamation, and quiz bee. The coaches are hectic of assisting their contestant because the event will start at any moment. A teacher ordered me to fetch his competitor to her room, it was my friend also. We go to the second floor of the building where some events in Bulprisa are going on. I can feel the intense of the fight that all of them are very persistent to attain winning. The results of some of the contest were also obtained today. Unluckily, some again lost. I can see in their faces regrets and disappointment. Fortunate we are and we don’t have a game today. It’s Friday and all the games haven’t finish so it will be resumed on Tuesday, Tuesday because in Monday, end of Ramadan will be celebrated. We are all exhausted and others brought their sadness due to lost on our journey back home. It was a rough day and we all again return to our home aboard.
We have two days rest, probably three days. We still have our training on that free day to have strategies and tactics. And the other day was another challenge day. Third day of Bulprisa. I definitely know that ball (to be particular: volleyball girls and boys high school level, volleyball elementary level, table tennis and basketball grade school and high school) and chess games are recommenced today. Again, there are things that flowed just the same as the past Bulprisa days except for our place. We are not on room 112 anymore instead; we are positioned on the rooftop with the other participants from other school. The reason is regular classes on SHA. Chatting around while waiting for their game, playing volleyball, eating, texting and soundtrip. Afterwards, games start. We’re lucky today because we have won our game as well as the girls of the elementary level, but also contradicting for the boys because they lost the game and they don’t have the chance to play again, in short, it is their last day. All of us have the same statement to them, “Okay lang iyan, you did your best naman eh,”. But still, we can’t eliminate that melancholy in their faces. A moment after that, the sky is beginning to become dark and it rained. And the games are again canceled because of the wet floor and the continuously droplets of the rain. And then again, we packed up, and went down the stairs. As we walk, we have no idea what had happened to one of our team mates, he accidentally slipped off and should be brought to the hospital. We’re all concern when we finally knew he’s okay. We traveled afar from home and all of us have mixed emotions.
At last, the fourth day is at hand. The start of this day was not good for all of us. We faced some problems and conflicts, particularly our teachers and coaches. I told myself, “Yung iba, laglag na. Kailangan natin silang iganti.” My team mates agreed.
Oh, I nearly forgot. We always start our game with a prayer. And every time we have our score, we scream yell “Namaste!”, a word which means “may God be with you”. This is our chance, if we won this game, we’ll be on the semi-finals. We heard a lot of rumors that our opponent is really vigorous. But, we are not affected. The more we will listen, the more we will be nervous. And it won’t help us instead, it will let us down. The game started and the umpire has blown his whistle. The ball was raised in the air.
I realized that while I’m watching, my heart is thumping so fast. I make sure that every score my team mates have, I’ll cheer them up. The first set is fair, almost there but we lost same as the second set. It’s our last chance to play. And unquestionably, we blame ourselves. We knew we did our best, but It’s not enough. We know that the teachers, our coaches and of course our directress is expecting that we’ll be bringing home victory. But definitely, we fail to do this. I have the thought that Basketball boys high school is the only chance of winning, predominantly on the championship. And then, they’re the only one who has the luck to return to SHA on the fifth day. We’re not there anymore. But then, a message again beeped on my phone, saying that the Basketball is the champion. They didn’t fail us. We’re all happy hearing this and all proud.
For us, the true of essence of Bulprisa is experience. We had the best experience above all. For each game we have, in every ball that we catch and throw, and volleyed, in the words that was written, lyrics that has been said, and the moves left done, we are doing it for our school and for our teachers that was like our parents during those moments. I recalled the happenings in my mind again. All the memories will be with me forever, I’m sure. All the laughter, the bonding, the jokes, the happiness, excitement, and everything. We may have lost in the games, but we still have each other, we have the unity, --- and most especially the friendship.
I reflected on these events when suddenly, a song broke my concentration... "and I-I, I've fallen in love with you..." "Oh,” I exclaimed “Here we go again." =D
