Celebrating Buwan ng Wika 2024 – Part 1: Preparation Day

Hello, my dear Hivers! It's me, makiyumee and I am back again with another blog! Today's blog is about a very notable event that happens every August here in the Philippines and this event is the Buwan ng Wika. Now, let us all dive into today's blog and how I prepared our school's event along with my classmates.

I was informed via message on Thursday morning that I had to assist my classmates to the campus in order to help with the Buwan ng Wika event preparations. I was surprised by the news, but I quickly dressed and left. Thank goodness, and much to my relief, I made it in time to catch the bus. I didn't mind the brief bus ride because it was quicker than taking the tricycle all the way, which would have actually needed more time. I was thankful for the little victory as the bus went by since I knew it would make this day a little bit easier.

Our class officers were the first to welcome me to the campus. They had a paper in their hands, and it was obvious it was important. They showed me the paper after saying hello for a brief moment. It turned out to be about the syllabus for our course. They clarified that in order for me to know that I had received my copy, I had to sign it. I picked up the pen and signed my name without thinking twice. Even though it was a straightforward task, it felt like one more step toward organizing everything for the upcoming semester.

Once making appropriate paperwork was signed, we arranged about arrangements. When I turned to look at the covered court, I saw that the first and second years were already working hard and making runs around to complete their assignments. Beside me, I heard a classmate laughing as I watched them. She grinned and said, "Look at them, they're still first and second years, so of course they're going to follow everything the teacher says and show off how good and obedient they are. We, on the other hand, are fourth years now, so we're more on the stubborn side." Her remarks made me laugh as well, knowing there was some truth to what she said. As we got ready for the event, it felt good to share that understanding and hilarious moment.

Through some effort, we were able to find some whiteboards that we could use for our booth and game. After obtaining those, we decided that visiting one of my classmates' house was the next course of action. The letters and decorations for the game and booth needed to be printed out. It seemed as though, piece by piece, we were finally arranging the puzzle. We traveled to her house, and on the way there, I could already see our booth set up. We kept going because it was exciting to see our ideas come to life.

We started by cutting out each decoration and letter after printing them out, being extremely careful to trim the edges. To help the letters stand out more, we took extra care not to cut too close and instead left a thin outline surrounding them.

Although it was a little strenuous, we wanted everything to look perfect. We used scotch tape to cover each letter after the cutting was complete. We didn't want to take the chance of the ink smearing or the paper getting wet because of how rainy the weather has been lately. The designs would always remain sharp because the tape would protect our hard work and keep everything organized.

After we were done cutting out the letters, we focused on arranging our booth, which is a photo booth. It was at this point that we used all of our imagination. We searched my classmate's house and discovered some old paper plates and curtains, which we chose to utilize as the main elements of our design.

We took great care when hanging the curtains, making sure they flowed in a way that created a warm, vintage feel for the booth. The slightly worn appearance of the fabric went well with the event's theme. It gave the booth a cozy, nostalgic feel, almost like something you'd find in an old, well-loved house.

As we worked, we made sure that every element—from the tastefully arranged plates to the hanging curtains—fitted together perfectly. The booth started to represent the essence of the occasion and take on a life of its own. We were proud of ourselves when we eventually took a step back and evaluated our work. It was more than just a photo booth—it was an area that perfectly encapsulated the theme and invited guests to immerse themselves in a distinct era filled with culture and history.

It had just gotten close to six o'clock when we made the decision to take a break. The campus was enveloped in a gentle, early evening glow as the sky started to grow darker. We finally took a moment to rest when we found some chairs and sat down, breathing a collective sigh of relief. After working for hours, the cool evening air felt good, and it was nice to just relax and take everything in.

I got up after a short while because I was interested in what the other students had been doing. I strolled toward the spot where the first- and second-year students had set up their stalls. I was astounded by what I saw as I made my way between the stalls. Their work expressed energy and excitement, which served as a reminder of the effectiveness of teamwork.

I was filled with amazement for the younger students as I made my way through the rows of stalls. They had taken on the task and outperformed everyone, demonstrating that amazing things are possible when you have imagination and teamwork. Looking at all these stalls and booths displayed here in the covered and also with the stage decorations, I know our Buwan ng Wika event this year will be amazing.

I hope you had fun reading this blog, everybody! I will see you all on the next one!