SLU: An Unforgettable Place

Sapientia Aedificat. It is a Latin phrase which translates to "Wisdom builds" in English. And how true it is. Wisdom has helped mankind develop. Wisdom is what made Plato, Socrates and Aristotle famous. Wisdom is one of the building blocks of human progress. One school has this Latin phrase as its motto. Part of its goal is to give the youth the wisdom to help build society into a place where everyone can live harmoniously with one another. What's this school, you ask? It's none other than my school, Saint Louis University.

Saint Louis University (SLU for short) is a prestigious school, possibly one of the best, here in the Philippines, specifically in Northern Luzon. Known as the Light of the North, it has served many people and produced many excellent students for the past 100 years. This now-expansive educational institution started out with humble origins. In 1907, CICM missionaries from Belgium came to the Philippines to "Christianize" the northern part of the country. Four years later, in 1911, Rev. Fr. Seraphin Devesse, with the help of the locals, created a small school, which he named Saint Louis School, for young children. Eventually, it grew larger and accepted more students.

Fast forward to 2010. What was once a small school for 10 students is now a huge educational institution with more than 30,000 students from different parts of the country. Being one of those 30,000, I am very proud to be a Louisian at heart. Wearing the white-and-blue uniform makes me feel proud and confident, knowing that I am part of an awesome school and one of the "empowered stewards of the world". Want to know why? It's because this school has almost everything a student would expect from a great school. Awesome teachers, good facilities, staff that greet you with a smile, good food, fun activities and more. Heck, if I were to list all the good things I can see in this school, it would take up more than half of the page. I come from a family of Louisians, almost every relative of mine from my father's side graduating from SLU. It's safe to say they too feel proud of their beloved school.

The SLU Centennial is a once-in-a-lifetime event, one I am very willing to participate in. By the time I post this blog, it will be 55 days until what could be the most anticipated event in SLU history. The road to the SLU Centennial is a pretty long one, with the big day(s) on December 4 & 5. This event is called "Centennial Handog ng SLU sa Baguio". I can tell, it will be one heck of a party. After all, a birthday isn't without a party to go along with it, right?

Being in SLU has given me many memories, memories that I will treasure forever. It has formed me into what I am now. My personality is greatly influenced by the people I meet in this school. It has left an indelible mark in my mind, and in my heart. The people I've met here in SLU, my friends, teachers, classmates, schoolmates, all of them became a huge part of my growth not only as a student, but as a person. I will never forget the times I have had here, whether they be good or bad, the lessons I've learned, and the many experiences I have had during my stay here in this institution. This post is my gift to SLU on its 100th birthday. I know it's just a small gift. I know it's not enough to completely repay what SLU has done for me. I hope, someday, someone out there will be able to read this, and hopefully, the name "Saint Louis University" will be well-known throughout the land.