18/03/2022 ◊ 12:44 ◊ Solano University, Diliman, Quezon City
Yvan sat on the last flight of pebble finished staircase in his college building as he stared at the pitiful scores on his midterm papers. I hate myself. He barely made it in his first three semesters in pre-law. Two failed marks were looming at the end of May. His father would not like it. No parent would like it.
On his way home together with Owen and Monique, he kept a serious expression. The struggle in his eyes was more existent. While they were in the train, his tall friend nudged him with an elbow. He had been spacing out for some time.
“You’re already scaring us Yvan.” Monique said.
“Wo-what? I’m sorry, what did yo said?” Yvan blinked four times before comprehending the situation.
Owen nudged him again, harder this time. “Chill man. You behave like a college senior. We’re only sophomores.”
“I don’t know guys… My program’s turning me into someone else.” The engineering major students waited for him to continue. “I-it’s making me see the world in boxes.”
Owen and Monique said in unison, “Huh?”
The tall guy placed an arm on his problematic friend’s shoulder, “I may not fully understand your predicaments, but I think I know a solution for one of those.” He and their female friend were becoming more aware of Yvan’s difficulty with his studies. For them, to conquer a program in the College of Law and Philosophy, one only needed a huge vocabulary, and fast reading and comprehension skills. They knew well that Yvan had all those traits. They were perplexed why he was finding his program challenging.
“You need OTs,” Owen said. Old Testaments (OTs): Exam questionnaires and answer sheets from previous terms that are passed from one batch to another, and one class to another through shady means. These documents are more useful to technical students, who tackle word problems in their exams. Solano’s technical programs have a (not so secret) history of repeating of the same set exam of questionnaires for consecutive terms.
Yvan was aware of OTs. Some of his fellow political science students used those. His confused expression turned into repugnance. “You use OTs?”
“You make it sound like we’re using drugs.” Monique said. “You know, for having a constricted school calendar, Solano sets high standards.”
Owen emphasized, “High standards.” He lifted the arm that was on Yvan’s shoulder. “No one lives a completely righteous life. Most likely, you’ll never get anywhere if you hold on to upright values always.”
The political science student repeatedly shook his head, “No no no.” His friends looked at him in disappointment and annoyance.
“Once or twice I joined you in junior high. I won’t do that again.” Yvan referred to the two instances where he compared his exam answers with the two during midterm and finals. After his second act of academic dishonesty, he felt immense guilt. From that point, he vowed never to cheat in an exam ever again.
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Shadows Within
Teen FictionYvan did not wish for everything to collapse... perhaps he did. They tried to fit and keep him in a box but his soul did not let them. For the story's premise, please see the video below. All rights reserved. Text Copyright © 2014 by Dominique Pahi...
