Good day, Hivers! It's me, makiyumee, and I am back here with a new blog to share to all of you. For today's blog, it will be about our university's Panagtapok 2024, which is a weeklong full of sports and arts competition and also a week full of camaraderie and acquaintance. I hope y'all are ready because here we go!
It was around 7:30 am when the parade began. The students of Cebu Normal University – Medellin Campus were all gathered at Medellin Sports Complex while wearing the shirts or jersey of their designated team: Burning Spear (STM), Blazing Armor (THSM), Soaring Phoenix (BEED), and Raging Eagles (BSED). I was in team Raging Eagles since I am a BSED student. Our color was green—yes, we are all green flags…charot lang!
When everything was ready, the parade began, and we started walking from the Medellin Sports Complex, following the streets of Medellin. The assigned police officers and traffic officers were there to guide us along the route, making sure everything went smoothly. I was relieved that the parade wasn't as long as last year's because the weather was hot and humid, which made walking under the sun quite challenging. After we finished the parade, everyone returned to the sports complex and gathered at the court. The participants for the bench yell competition were already getting ready in the bleachers, preparing for their performances. The excitement in the air made the atmosphere lively, and it was clear everyone was eager to watch the upcoming presentations.
Each team had their own bench yell, with a maximum of 50 students in each group. The students themselves created the pieces for their yells, putting in a lot of effort and creativity. As I watched each team's performance, I was truly amazed at how they showcased their talents, not only in shouting their yells but also in performing and working together as a team. Some teams even brought drums to add rhythm and energy to their performances, while others wore colorful costumes and headdresses that made their yells even more eye-catching and exciting. The bright colors and lively movements of the performers made the whole event feel like a festival. You could see how much time and hard work they had put into preparing for this moment, and it really showed in the way they performed with confidence and enthusiasm. The energy from the crowd also added to the excitement, as everyone cheered and clapped for each team, making the entire experience even more fun and memorable.
After the bench yell competition, the judges made their decision on who the winner would be. My classmates and I had a feeling that our team, The Raging Eagles, did a good job, but there was something about team Soaring Phoenix that made us think they would win. When the judges announced the winner, we clapped because our guess was right—team Soaring Phoenix won the competition. Their performance was so clean and perfectly in sync. They were so coordinated that it almost looked like they were moving like robots.
After the bench yell, we all sat on the bleachers as the opening program began. Once the important messages were shared, the athletes' oath was next. After all the speeches were finished, it was time for the banner-raising race. Each team had their own teacher and student representatives, and we, the Raging Eagles, cheered for ours. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to raise our banner first. Even so, I was still happy because we successfully raised our banner without any problems or accidents.
After the banner raising, the hosts of the event announced the representatives for Mr. and Ms. Acquaintrams 2024. The moment their names were called, the entire place went wild with excitement, and everyone cheered loudly for their candidates. My classmates and I didn’t hold back—we cheered so hard for our team’s representatives that it felt like the veins in our necks were about to pop! The energy was high, and we couldn’t stop laughing and enjoying the moment as we joined in with the other students. The atmosphere was filled with fun, excitement, and pure school spirit. After each one introduced themselves and showed the sport that they had chosen to portray, it was finally time to know who won and our female representative won while the male representative that won was from STM or team Burning Spear.
The morning program ended, and we went outside to eat lunch. We returned to the sports complex at around 1:30 pm for the afternoon activities. This was the time when the contestants for the Latin dance, pop solo, and duet would perform and show their talents. While watching the Latin dance performances, my classmates and I couldn't help but cheer loudly for our team’s representatives. They had great chemistry on the court, their facial expressions were perfect, and their moves showed trust and connection. At that moment, we all felt confident that our team would win the Latin dance, and we did! We won all the awards, and everyone was so happy. For the pop solo and duet, our representative didn’t win, but we still earned some awards, which made us proud.
Soon, the event came to an end, and my friends and I made the most of the remaining time, basking in the happiness and excitement from the opening day of Panagtapok 2024. As 4th-year college students, we knew this would be our last sports and acquaintance event, so we wanted to enjoy every single moment together. We talked about everything we had watched, sharing our thoughts and opinions on each contestant’s performance. It was fun remembering the highlights of the day, from the bench yell to the Latin dance.
After some time, we were called for the sign-out process before we could head home. We all lined up, chatting while waiting for our turn. When it was finally our turn, my friends and I signed our names, marking the end of the event for the day. Once everything was done, we said our goodbyes, heading home with big smiles on our faces. Even though it was the end of a long day, we felt happy and fulfilled, knowing we had made the most out of this special event.
That would be all for Part 1, so stay tuned for Part 2 and I will see you all on the next one!