Hey, Hivers! What's up? It is me again, makiyumee, and I am back with another blog which is the 3rd part of my CNU-M Panagtapok 2024 blog series. Now, without further ado, let's get it on!
At about 3 p.m., my friends and I headed to the Medellin Sports Complex, filled with excitement. We wore our themed outfits, showcasing the classy "old money" look with traditional colors and elegant details that made us feel like we were in a different era. As we got closer to the entrance, we saw a group of students gathering by the gates. We joined them, laughing and chatting as we waited to sign in. The atmosphere became livelier as more friends showed up, all dressed to impress, ready to celebrate and create lasting memories. The excitement in the air promised a night full of fun, laughter, and new friendships.
After signing the attendance sheet, we wandered over to our table, only a few meters from the stage, so close that the massive speakers loomed right beside us. We exchanged glances, half-laughing, as we knew our ears were in for a loud night. The view, though, was perfect—we could see everything clearly. We dragged a few empty chairs over, arranging them around our table, making a little space to settle in. Other students were still checking in, so we relaxed, chatting, and laughing, letting the energy of the evening build up around us.
A few minutes later, our class mayor’s phone buzzed, and she looked up, her face lighting up. “The food’s here!” she announced, and a few of us eagerly followed her outside to meet the lady who had cooked everything. The scent of freshly prepared dishes greeted us before we even saw her, making our stomachs rumble in anticipation. Carefully, we carried trays back to our table, arranging the dishes just as the announcement for the processional echoed across the room. The long red carpet waited; a path laid out for us to showcase our outfits. With a last glance at each other, adjusting our clothes and grinning, we lined up, ready to make our grand entrance.
All the students streamed out of the building, a buzz of excitement in the air as we gathered for the red-carpet walk. The long, elegant pathway stretched out before us, covered in rich, red fabric that glowed under the lights. First came the teachers, stepping confidently onto the carpet in their classic, sophisticated outfits. Each teacher moved gracefully, their attire matching the night’s theme perfectly, and we couldn’t help but cheer for them, clapping and grinning in awe.
After them came the student council members, followed by department officers from education and tourism, each group greeted with applause. One by one, students continued their walk, each person savoring their chance to shine, with the sound of applause and camera clicks filling the air. The procession stretched on, with everyone soaking in their moment, knowing this night would be captured in pictures to remember.
My friends and I didn't really dress flashily since our goal that night was to eat all of the food that we paid for and after we posed for the camera and walked down the red carpet, we quickly made our way back to our table and sat there in excitement as the aroma from the food reminded us of the delicious dinner waiting for us.
As the procession ended, the program officially began, and soon the aroma of food filled the air, signaling it was finally time for dinner. Sitting at our table with our second-year guests, we wanted to make sure they felt comfortable and welcomed. We served them first, passing plates of food with warm smiles, ensuring they had everything they needed before we, the fourth years, began our meal. Conversations flowed easily, and hearing the second years express their happiness and satisfaction made all our efforts feel worthwhile. It was a small gesture, but it set a friendly, relaxed mood for the evening.
After dinner, two students performed a song on stage, giving us a chance to relax and let our food settle before moving on to the night's exciting activities. Soon after their performance, the first event began—a TikTok dance challenge! We cheered loudly for our second-year representatives as they danced with energy and style. Watching them, we couldn’t help but feel a bit envious, joking about how, as fourth-year students, we were starting to notice those little signs of aging catching up with us. After the dance challenge, series of games followed, and I was happy that our table managed to win one game.
Soon, when the games ended, another presentation followed and this time, it was our teachers who performed on stage. We stood up from our seats and jammed with them as they performed a series of songs from the 80s and 90s. It was a fun time, and I was happy to see them all having a good time while performing too. Dance and singing presentations later followed and all of us jammed with the presenters until one of the highlights that evening started and it was a live band session.
The live band played some famous songs like Bisan Pa, Salamin-Salamin, Palagi, and a lot more that I lost count. We sang along and danced to the songs just like in a concert. I could feel how may throat became sore and a little painful that night since my friends and I screamed the lyrics of the song after we sang along with the crowd and the band.
When the live band finished performing the last song for the night, all of us thanked them until the DJ suddenly turned up the volume and remixed pop songs blasted through the giant speakers. We all screamed happily as we danced to it. Disco time finally happened, and it was the second highlight of the night. My classmates and I made sure to leave no regrets after the event since this was already our last acquaintance party which made us a little sad at the same time. In the end, we managed to spend the most of our time that evening before going home with contended smiles.
Thank you so much for reading my blog, my dear Hivers! That would be all for this one and I will see you all on the next one!