My Nerd Days

Having a new student who books for free talking classes is indeed a blessing for me. Not only that it adds to my bread and butter, I LOVE talking. I love talking about anything under the sun. I love talking to the point that sometimes my family finds me way too annoying.

I have let out Miss Smarty Pants a little too much, so the student was impressed and somehow asked me that he'll ask some help in writing his paper about the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)! Oh for Christ's sake!

I think I have heard about that, so I might take a look at it on the internet to learn a thing or two.

As I remember, NATO was associated with the United Nations and all I need is a short trip to Wikipedia to refresh my memory once more. As I skimmed through the details, something unexpected happened:

I found myself reunited with my old nerd self. Memories that I have long tried to erase flooded and made it's way through all the information overload that I'm getting reading NATO and UN stuff. I remember Janice, the nerd.

Yes, that was me. I was the class valedictorian of Sabang Elementary School Batch '94. I was a NERD! I join all sort of inter-school quiz bees. Math, Science, History... name it!
They know me as someone who always brings trophies and medals to the school. And here I am now, holding a bottle of Jack Daniel's Whiskey instead.

While nowadays I frequent bars and gigs, most of my childhood is spent in the school library or in a vacant room with my coach preparing for an upcoming quiz bee.

I wonder where did they kept my trophies that I have won in those contests, or whether they ever kept them for so long. I should've taken them with me when I graduated. 

Or is it just a good idea not to hold on to those? Those are reminders of what my parents thought to be my glory days.

They aren't.
They may have brought honor and pride to my parents. Those trophies may have made me known, not only in our school but in other public elementary schools as well where I compete.

I do admit that during those times I thought that being the smartest in class is the best thing that can ever happen to a student. I realized after a few years that I have missed out on a lot of things:

What I really want during those years is to join the school programs, dance to the tune of 'My Girl", do the things the AngTV kids do, learn to skate, play Nintendo, ride a bike, or just be a kid, just like everybody else.

Though I get to play a few rounds of chinese garter and jack's stone, but only after I finished reviewing for an upcoming competition.

I cannot say that I was deprived of a happy childhood, it's just that I was so shielded from the outside world, I didn't know what "cool" means.

 

My idea of being the best back then was to be the smartest. I have to be number one in class. I have to be provincial champion for the United Nations quiz bee, though deep in my heart I want to be Miss United Nations instead.

While nowadays, one of my ultimate dreams is to be in a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, back then joining David Celdran in Battle of the Brains is my greatest dream.

Some people might wonder where's the nerd Janice now? Some might like my old self better. Mothers may wish to have a very smart child, one who always bring home the bacon in any inter-school competition.

Sorry to disappoint folks, Janice is now Janis.

Along with my changing of name comes a change in perspective. I want to live life to the fullest and have fun, expressing myself rather than impressing others.

Well, learning is a life-long process and I'm still interested in learning lots of things. There are still tons of trivia yet to be known, and I'm a voracious reader until now.

As I age, I have learned that there are lots of things to learn from cool people. Being exposed to rock musicians and the underground music scene makes me realize that smart people actually come in interesting packages: goateed, pierced, tattooed.

I may not have lived up to the expectations that such wizz kid would turn out to be very successful in life. Others, like my mom would have want me to be a CEO or something. 
Of course I want to be a hot shot someday, but this is who I turned out to be.

I'm just living a mediocre life. And I am so damn happy!