Looking back into Hight One, this issue recalls life in High One and some of the best events of the year.

1. HUZZAH!A Diary of a High One Student
Problems Achievements
Xcalibur Adjusting to
Fair 2013 High School
Keff Ng, Nicholas Barria
Issue 1, 2012-13

2. Life in High School by Nicholas Barria
When I first entered High School, I expected the projects and tests to be more
difficult and the teachers to have a harsher way of attitude than Grade School.
It turns out that I was correct on one of the points: the tests and projects being
harder, and even then I underestimated it.
When my friends from the upper batches told me that what would kill us would
not be the tests, but the projects, I knew already that it would not be easy. I
thought that the projects were arts and crafts and the like we experienced
when we were younger, which were more focused on creativity. But instead, I
was wrong. We were bombarded with computerized projects, basically hell for
someone like me, a student who was not the best in digital technology. So, in
short, I knew our projects would be hard, just not this hard.
The teachers, though, were nicer than our Grade School teachers, much to my
surprise. Green slips were given less frequently, deadlines and due dates were
more lenient. They acted more like friends than teachers, and provided much
encouragement to our cause. I guess its a way of welcoming us to high school,
maybe they are just like this since we are basically “newborns” among the
higher years, and that the upper batches are not treated this way. It was the
“calm before the storm.”
So, basically, in my opinion, high school was worse assessment-wise, but in
terms of the freedom given by the teachers, it made our grade school life
looked like it was not worth living.
Sources: Apple, Stock Images

3. High School Problems by Nicholas Barria
The problems of high school usually center on stress and anxiety. No, it is not
like your common “bullying” problems. Many students feel tormented by the
difficulty of countless assessments piling up on them rather than bullying. Many
students nowadays sleep much later due to homework and projects, causing
them to feel as if they are aging faster.
I myself have been
tormented by the fact that I
had to complete numerous
assessments in a short
span of time. The peak of
these problems begins
during a period near the end
of the quarter, or, as
students call it, “hell week”.
Every assessment remaining
is crammed into this period,
and teachers begin to wrap up the whole quarter in one final test to give to the
students.
In this week, students can seen be staying up until even 2 am, and some even
refuse to sleep at all just for the sake of their projects. Sometimes, teachers
even take pity on the students and extend deadlines, thankfully.
Source: 123rf.com, mrac.ca

4. Accomplishments by Keff Ng
When I first entered school on June 18, 2012, there were lots of concerns on
what was going to happen throughout the school year. One of them was
regarding academics. My mom told me there would be more projects, more
intense group works and more challenging lessons.
She was right. At first, I found it difficult to juggle with studying for Long Tests
and finishing projects and group works. It was all the more as the quarter
reached the end, as teachers dished out one deadline after the other, forcing
everyone to cram.
But I would never have expected a 1st
Honor in my first and second quarter in
High School. My fears were lessened. It
might be because I had a very good set
of teachers. Maybe I was surprisingly
able to handle them. Maybe High One
wouldn’t be that bad at all.
Accomplishments, though, are not only about academic ones, but class ones
too. During the Intrams, our class’ volleyball team won first place. During the
Xcalibur school fair, our class booth was the “Best in Design,” thanks to the
hard work of everyone in 1C.
With achievements like these in High One, there is hope that next year, there
would be more of these. Be it in academics, the Intrams, school fair, or
whatever competition involved, there would be more achievements on the way.
© Trenton Tan

5. The school fair has been an annual tradition in
Xavier School. It gives an opportunity to forget about
the hustle and bustle of school and enjoy. Each year,
the theme changes, and the booths are all student-
manned. They not only run it, but also build it, buy
prizes, advertise and more. This way the students can
feel some sense of accomplishment.
From Grade 8 to High 4, sections have to not only come up with the best
booth in terms of design, but also make sure it earns the most. However it is not
all about money, 70% of the earnings go to the Xavier School Educational Trust
Fund. After all, the fair is about making people happy.
We as one Xavier community showed our true colors in this memorable event.
The memories from the fair will last forever. Hereʼs to hoping the next one will
be, as the cliche goes, “bigger and better.”
© Wendell de Ocampo, Jared Uy

6. PEP
R ALL
y
THE YEAR IT HAS BEEN:
a look back into
high one
a-day
© Wendell de Ocampo

7. christmas party 2012
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs8/i/2005/357/5/8/Flames___blue_and_gold_waves_by_jbensch.jpg
the year is coming to a close.
next year will be bigger, better and even
more epic.
we can feel it.
#OnePrideOneGlory
#Huzzah
© Wendell de Ocampo