hiraeth RWS Literary Folio by covz

hiraeth /ˈhirˌīTH/

(n) A deep, inborn sense of yearning for a home, a feeling, a place, or a person that is beyond this plane of existence.

About The Cover When the game Minecraft was launched in 2009, kids our age were drawn to playing the game as smartphones were already available prior. Things were a lot simpler—we had a great deal of freedom from the stresses of adolescence and adulthood before. Now, many versions of Minecraft have been released. As our generation’s childhood game progresses, were we able to progress as a person as well?

ftentimes you see life before chaos. Realizing that once the pandemic comes to an end and things return to “normal,” we will never go back to how it was before. How can you come to terms with the idea that you were robbed of two years of life and opportunities? Because of how things have been going recently with the pandemic, we are romanticizing the past a lot right now, afraid that we may be slowly forgetting how we lived before. We are currently living in the entropy—of disarray and havoc. And with the upbringing influence of the new normal, the longing for the pre-pandemic era has always been strong, since memories of bygone days are solely kept. Of the ceased opportunities and chances, from children that have seemed to lose interest in everything, their hiraeth for the moments long gone is strongly burning. The Editorial Board has once again set the mood, and to give you a glance of ideas, we have dedicated this Literary Folio to feeding the readers’ famished minds and emotions with unsaid words packed with a sensation of yearning, wisdom, and hope; as well as unexpressed thoughts that have been held for an unthinkable amount of time. A sense of nostalgia may urge us to return to our own voice and perceive the self as a jumbled collection—of reminiscence and futures. We wish you luck in your trip down memory lane that you may hopefully come across. As you read through the works of our dear writers, allow these writings to communicate with you in order for you to discover more about yourself in past stories, and for you to consider this question: Could the mask-less days be my “hiraeth”?

Mark Laurenz Dela Cruz Editor-in-Chief

bove all, we would like to thank the Almighty Father, who gave us strength, and most importantly, talents to pursue such write ups and art. This anthology would not come into existence if it were not for the following individuals, whose unconditional support and tenacity helped us get this far: The Editorial Board would like to express their gratitude to Ma’am Fe S. Pablico, their Reading and Writing Skills teacher for her continued support, guidance, and encouragement; for giving us this opportunity to do this wonderful project. Our Literary Folio would not be complete without the alluring images that reek metaphorical auras, we extend our gratitude to Mr. Ryan Ruiz, Mr. Lance Ethan Dabad, and Picturesque; the very talented photographers that gave us permission to showcase some of their masterpieces. To the contributors that were not mentioned above, we acknowledge your support and dedication you have poured in making this folio.

Superposition by Matthew Padilla

ick. tock. tick.. The sound of the clock is starting to irritate the patient and calm feeling I am clinging on to. Sitting outside the doctor’s office, waiting for the results of the tests they ran on my father. My father was rushed to the hospital a couple of minutes ago. I was really scared that something bad might happen, I did not want my last conversation with my father to be what it was, full of fighting and loud words. We fought about how I was always affected by things that change. Starting to feel nauseous, I decided to go get a cup of coffee. *** Staring blankly at the empty cup, hearing the sound of the coffee machine as it is doing its magic, I suddenly remembered a phrase that my father said to me in our last conversation. He told me, “Life is a forever evolving creature”. This made me look back. I was not the kind of person who likes coffee. We have come a long way to the people that we used to be. Seeing everything around me change felt very draining. It gave me a certain feeling, like an anchor weighing me down. I hated feeling like this, I hated being in multiple states at the same time. Living in the present, while looking back to things in the past. I hated having the ability of being in superposition. To clear my mind I went outside of the hospital for a walk. *** As I was walking, I saw that everything had changed. It does not used to be this way. The streets that are empty now, used to be the venue of congregation. Kids playing, people in a hurry, cars with loud horns, and

many more that made the streets busy. The sidewalks used to have people walking on them left and right, fast and slow. The parks that used to light up with colorful lights during special holidays. Transportation vehicles that almost never had empty seats. I saw the school that became the common ground of different students. Where the loud ones, the quiet, the intelligent, and the different variety of students found what it means to be in a family not by blood. I walked past a restaurant beside the school that used to be filled with people having loud conversations. Laughing while putting unusual amounts of food in their mouth. It was empty now. Having walked a long distance, from one place to another, I saw that some things cannot be the same as before, and that is okay. *** I suddenly realized that change is not a bad thing. This is what my father was trying to tell me. The ability of superposition is a blessing. To live on, and have the ability to look back is something I should be thankful for. Looking back can be what inspires us. See how far we have come. See how we have adapted and faced every challenge along the way. It is hard to adapt to change, but change will always be a part of life. Every person and thing can change. This should not bring me down, but it should show me that the things the future has in store for me are great. The fun times in the past are to be matched by the things to come. *** A week later my father passed away. Our last conversation might have not been what I wanted it to be, but he left me something special. He left me appreciating this ability of superposition.

Off Road

Ryan Ruiz | Photography

Popcorn and Rotten Tomatoes by Joelle Kristine Liñan & Mark Laurenz Dela Cruz

ooking movie tickets at the cinemas together with friends is a core memory I would treasure forever. Movies that took references to other movies are one of my favorites, a connection between two films feels cinematic enough; an art that filmmakers find joy in producing. Films are powerful languages that are made to bear deep messages, it is an art of expression used to communicate to viewers about certain topics that traverse within our society. As we enter a dark and cold aisle, with tickets on our left hand and popcorn on the other, we enter a dreamscape of reality through big screens that flash through our eyes. The feeling of stimulation and excitement watching a 2-hour long film is irreplaceable. The cinema is a location where all of one’s senses are manipulated. For every movie that I have watched is a mind game; where critical thinking is required for you to decipher every single element in the movie that could potentially lead to plot-twists that no one could have anticipated for—is the most exciting part. Then, judgement takes place. Taste in movies differs depending on who is watching. It is selective as people can form different opinions and arguments according to public interest. I, however, base my own opinions on my own insights. As we tend to expect more from a film, watching it might evoke a variety of emotions such as pleasure, grief, and disappointment. Thus, it is very important to not judge a movie by its cast and cinematography. A movie can be insightful, cliché, or anything. But a movie can never be the same when watched twice.

The Wormhole Interstellar (2014)

Recently Played by Joelle Kristine Liñan

As I shuffle through my playlist, a familiar tune came to play on my AirPods. One that was left at the bottom of my playlist, a song I added year 2016. Reliving the moments on how I religously listen to music during a car ride feels so magical. How I wish I could travel back and listen to my favorite songs for the very first time. Various emotions can be matched to the subjective perception of music across cultures. Music is an art that can be heard, seen, and felt. It varies in many ways. It can have soothing tones that give you a sense of peace and tranquility, mellow tones that make you feel warm like you are being bathed in sunlight, or shrill tones that make you want to bang your head in a wall. I see colors in music. Music is white when it makes me feel like I am floating. It is gray when it gives me chills down my spine, or makes my knees tremble. Music is orange when it fills me with delight. Music is blue when it makes me feel gloomy. But my personal favorite is when music is red. Music is red when it makes me want to fall in love. It’s enticing to think that music can personify every emotion we have. The act perceiving music by the ear is marvelous in a way that it could make a person go back in time and reminisce about its past. When words fail, music speaks. It has served as a savior, a bringer of joy, and the bearer of memories.

OTW

Elizabeth Althea Santos | Photography

Do you get Déjà vu? by Chloe Alexa Villaceran

Déjà vu ( n. dé·jà vu | \ ˌdā-ˌzhä-ˈvü | French : “already seen” ) is the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time. It is a feeling that one has seen or heard something before. Assume you are going surfing for the first time in Siargao. You’ve never done anything like it before, but you suddenly have a distinct memory of doing the same movements under the same blue sky with the same waves crashing at your feet. Déjà vu is just the uncanny sensation that you’ve already done something, even if you know you have not. Experiences of this phenomenon tend to end as quickly as they begin. The perception may be so fleeting that if you do not know much about it, you may not even realize what just happened. Your brain falsely perceives what is happening in the present as a memory, or something that already happened.

Jamais vu by Chloe Alexa Villaceran

Jamais vu (n. French :“never seen”) is quite a rare phenomenon that is the exact contradiction of déjà vu (again, from French– “already seen”). Jamais vu involves a sense of eeriness and the observer’s impression of seeing the situation for the first time, despite rationally knowing that they have been in the situation before. It is more commonly explained as when a person momentarily does not recognize a word, person, or place that they already know. It has been linked to certain types of amnesia and epilepsy. In the particular instance of seizures, jamais vu can arise as an aura as a result of a partial seizure disorder originating in the temporal lobe of the brain. Let us simply assume you are conversing with a close friend. Suddenly, it feels as if every piece of information you have about them vanishes from your mind in an unexplainable way for a few moments. As a result, the person you actually know feels strange to you. A few seconds later, everything comes back to normal. Your brain gets disconnected from reality. So if you think about it, jamais vu indeed looks like a computer system error.

Hypnic Jerk

Jamsan - It’s Okay Not To Be Okay (2020) | Digital Art

Flavoured

Mark Laurenz Dela Cruz | Photography

Childhood: The Golden Years

by Ma. Chynna Lyca Corbita

Children really do love the idea of games and play, don’t they? Well, it has to be admitted because we’ve all been children once. But what else did we love as a child that seems to be lacking us now? The first thing that will always come into our minds back then was the fact that we are free; free to do the things we do... with permission from our parents, of course. But it’s fine, because the exact meaning of being free for a child that age is to go out and play. To run free and hide away from whoever is tagged in the game. Second is that we didn’t care about our tomorrows and only focused on today. We have not really thought about what the future will bring and problems have no place to take in our mind. Those years brought genuine joy and feelings as laughter and tears weren’t faked. And the last and major thing should be the idea of growing up, one that we may have drowned our minds in to. As a child we always wanted to grow up faster—to be a fine young lady and a carefree young lad in an instant. To experience what it’s like and to feel what they feel. But now, as someone growing up, we look back and crave for the golden years. The years of contentment and joy where the only major struggle was being it in the game of tag and hide and seek; and pain was brought by scolds, bruised knees, and noontime naps.

A Celebration of Yearning

by Ma. Chynna Lyca Corbita

Personally, I enjoy occasions and celebrating with other people. Well… that was before everything that is going on right now. The Filipinos are known to be those who celebrate every special occasion; may it be birthdays, holidays, success, and life. Whether it may be a simple treat from a friend, or a huge party held at a ball, there’s this one question that would often be asked, “What’s the occasion?” Let’s bring ourselves back to the time where we never failed to celebrate—mask-less, and physically close to each other. Do you remember going out for your friend’s birthday party, singing and laughing out loud; and a few moments after, you receive a certain text message that would make you go and rush home. But from whom would that message come from? Ah, yes. Your parents. Then the Christmas holidays you spent with your family and relatives—exchanging gifts, smiles, and laughter. Playing along with your young cousins or getting along with the elderlies. And even that street food trip treat by your friend because she got so happy in achieving something—good grades and her crush’s attention. It was joy brought by a ten-peso-budget celebration. It is the moments like these that we miss as we battle through this pandemic. Because we know that even the simplest celebration brings out a vast well of emotions.

Limelight

Chloe Alexa Villaceran | Photography

Student’s Disposition

by Earl John Tuyugon

or the past two years, the students’ disposition in learning can be classified into two: pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. The learners’ temperament is complex before the pervasive COVID-19. It could be bombinating with joy, contentment, and enthusiasm due to their achievements and fun bits with friends, or gloomy and distressing as they also underwent some hardships and upsetting moments. Most students would prefer the mental state they had before the pandemic since they felt felicity and were glee-ridden. Even though it was not rainbows and butterflies all the time, the silver lining was they’d share it with their classmates, friends, and teachers. The education during the pandemic is like the debasement of the mental stability of most students. It is challenging and back-breaking. It could be depressing for some since there is a shedload of tasks and assignments to accomplish every week, not to mention the responsibilities they carry out in their households. The only comforting prospect on this one is that they feel a little lighter when they talk with their friends and have an online class. But it is truly a matter of perspective. For some students, it could be tough before the pandemic and joyous in heights of it, or vice versa.

Peaks and Valleys of Memories by Earl John Tuyugon

We had a lot of memories during the face-toface classes, and these are categorized into: good times and bad times. The memories of those good times are the ones we cherish and reminisce the most. We get these memories from the fun times with our friends and classmates— like riding tricycles together, buying snacks, and doing projects—achievements and school events. Bad times are unpleasant days because we were late, reprimanded, received a poor grade, or quarreled with our friends or classmates. These were the moments we want to forget, and we wish hadn’t happened, but also moments that played a vital role in our personal development. Memories are crucial in our existence because we learn and grow from them. No matter how good or horrible they were, treasuring and remembering them is salient.

Fairy of Shampoo Zyleah Jhanelle Abejero | Photography

Wistful Splash Joelle Kristine Liñan | Photography

The Solace of Yesterday by Andrea Nicole Caingles

unlight streamed into my bedroom window. I woke up at 8 AM and the sun had already risen. As I opened my windows, a cold breeze rushed in. It was good to breathe in a bit of fresh air. I stretched my legs and arms then started to think about everything I have to accomplish for today. I ate breakfast and had a cup of coffee while turning on my laptop. The aroma of coffee floods the air around me as I was sitting there, looking blankly. My online classes are about to start but my mind was still wandering about a nostalgic memory from the year 2020—It was waking up to the smell of egg and bacon on a Monday morning. Then there’s my mother shouting my name to wake me up the second time. Getting out of bed was still the hardest thing to do. I laughed at the memories of my cold showers at 4 a.m. then put on my uniform as fast as I could, seeking the comfort of warmth. Then I went outside to have some fresh air while having a cup of coffee. The sun was starting to rise and I eventually felt the warmth of the sun shining upon me. My view is absolutely mesmerizing. The sky was still in the process of turning into a painting. It felt like there is hope, a new beginning. There’s just something about each sunrise that I love the most. Maybe it’s the feeling that I get inspired or the feeling of having another day to do something memorable. Then I ate my breakfast while mom packed my lunch. We took a walk in the neighborhood and eventually arrived at the road where I waited for the van to school. Then it hit me. I was just imagining how great things were back then, just like what I’ve been doing for the past two years since the pandemic started. Mornings have been far from what I experienced about 2 years ago. The excitement I’ve felt from going to school has disappeared and turned into exhaustion from both the responsibilities at school and at home. From time to time, I’d suddenly miss the feeling of getting up early for school, those cold showers, neighborhood walks with mom, and traveling to school on a Monday morning where there isn’t much traffic. I miss the fun, the peace, the people, and everything in between. Although there were lots of changes, I’d still feel the same excitement before accomplishing something from my to-do lists as well as waking up to the smell of food every morning. Just like before, I’d still hear the birds chirping while feeling the morning breeze gently blowing upon me. I’d still make sure to spend time every morning thanking God for another day. I’ve realized that things back then were different compared to this very moment. Yet, we are capable of doing the same good things from the past through our own little ways. Even though I have to wake up early to catch everything the morning has to offer, it is so worth it to be able to enjoy the little things I love.

Ephemeral Glee

by Elizabeth Althea Santos

asking at the sight of my friends before my eyes as we laughed our hearts out, I perused every single emotion and expression unfolding in their faces. We were sitting on the balusters as we watched how the daylight faded. That was the moment one of my friends cracked a terrible joke, prompting us to laugh raucously at how bad it was. Perching on the balusters with my friends talking about life and joking about our embarrassing moments after a tiring day at school felt like a reward. And before I knew it, the sun had completely descended into the horizon which signifies that it is already past my curfew. Being with my friends felt so euphoric. Hence, it left me completely unaware of the time, causing me to get home late. That being the case, I got scolded by my parents as I have gotten home way past my curfew. As I heard my mother’s sermon, it dawned on me that no matter how good it may have felt, what I did was wrong. I know she was only worried about me as a mother would to her child. Thus, it made me feel guilty of my actions. Albeit I still cannot shake the rapturous delight running through my veins as I reminisce probably one of the best moments I had in my life. The deep conversations felt terrific especially because it was with the people close to my heart. It fascinates me how one ephemeral moment contradicts itself by making you feel like it could last forever. Despite feeling exhausted, I ended the day lying on my bed with a smile on my face. The faint glow of the stars on my ceiling gave me comfort. I felt like I was drowning but also floating at the same time. As I revel in my fine thoughts, my eyes started to feel heavy, and before I knew it, I had completely succumbed to a deep slumber. I never knew a good sleep until then, for that night, I have slept with the feeling of a light heart thanks to the elating escapade that would be surely engraved upon my heart.

After Hours Picturesque | Photography

Delayed by Phil Jeff Dagunlay

t was an early flight from Hong Kong to Manila, and there were a lot of things going on. From numerous boarding gates to crowded people, delayed flights, and overseas workers looking forward to their own flights. Truly, the ebb and flow of humanity as it moved through time provided fascinating insights—and there was an overflowing excitement in the eyes of the people, right until this announcement: “To all departing guests bound for Manila, we would like to inform you that your flight will be delayed. Thank you!” I recalled watching the news about delayed flights before, and now here I am, witnessing it for myself. Then there was another sight of disappointment when it was announced that the flight would be delayed by another hour. Soon after, we had a fast-forward experience and began to rush; hurriedly running from one gate to another, and hoping to make it on time for our connecting flight. I realized that this kind of transportation also has its benefits and downfalls. Despite the downfalls that I’ve experienced, I was grateful to the Airline Industry for having its solutions to the possible problems of each flight. Although no one likes getting up early to get to the airport, being on the first flight of the day has its advantages. Also, choosing smaller airports and avoiding congested airline hubs. Secondary airports are less busy and less prone to delays. Regardless of how inconvenient or irritated you are, shouting at an airline representative isn’t going to help your problem. For smooth travels, authorities and the airline industry are prepared and held liable for unanticipated flight rerouting as a result of delayed or cancelled flights and provide incentives to affected customers and alleviate their discomfort. Once we reached the check-in counter, we had already missed our flight but were told that the company rebooked our tickets free of charge. We waited hours for our flight home, and it came eventually—fortunately with safe skies, no delays and no cancelled flights. The experience of that moment lived in my mind like a fresh occurrence, and a longing to feel the thrill of airport adrenaline all over again. We encounter periods of challenges, but the real challenge is how we find solutions and learn from it. Traveling used to be a lot easier than it is now; no quarantines, no travel restrictions, no masks, just pure freedom.

Head In The Clouds Lance Ethan Dabad | Photography

Daybreak

Phil Jeff Dagunlay | Photography

Remorse of the Past

by Zyleah Jhanelle Abejero

e all make mistakes that we later come to regret. We also do things in life that make us feel good about ourselves. Even so, there is still a horizon of things that we hope to be able to do one day. All these influences who we are and how we have come to be ourselves. We tend to wish we could rewrite the past to avoid regrets, yet this would entirely alter the person we are at present. The last few years have been a rough course for me. A series of events had transpired, sending me down to a path I should never have traced. As a result, it inflicted a great detriment to my mental disposition. I cycled into a loop of uncivilized thoughts, careless decisions, loss of sympathy, and care for myself. “You can’t undo what’s done. Accept, let go, and move forward with an objective solution. Trust yourself.” This statement was all it took for me to acknowledge the reality I led—that my mistakes, carelessness, and vulnerability molded me into someone stronger, striving to be better. No one, but myself, was ever going to pick up my pieces and restore what I took for granted. And for that reason, I closed my eyes. I walked out of the pessimistic side of the scale, cleansed my mind, and reorganized my thoughts. Letting go of those regrets was not easy, but the unsolicited misconceptions got lifted off my mind—losing something can lead to the unraveling of something better and new. Do yourself a favor by dismissing these regrets. Take time to relive joyful memories, discover new passions, spend time with those who make you happy, do the things that’s worth your while, treat yourself to a routine centering your mental welfare and growth. That way, you will come to observe positive changes and hopeful results. Regret is a dreadful hunter of the past, the kind of remorse that will chase and swallow you alive. I had given it a lot of chances to dominate me, yet I still somehow find myself pulling back. I realized it was because I recognized the emotion and fought against it, and especially because of the people who genuinely support and care about me. I breathed, with the utmost of my patience and rationality. Reflect, learn from it, forgive myself, and move on— the mantra I came to cultivate. Having some regrets is not a bad thing—they make you strive for better. If we didn’t have them, we wouldn’t grow spiritually, either. It is your preconceptions of regrets that determine how they affect you, positively or negatively.

Break The Chain by Samantha Issabel Sim

eople, opportunities, time, or whatever valuable things—getting stuck over these things, it is like having a chain that binds you from moving forward in your life. It is always okay to feel loss or regret. It is okay to feel sad and stuck for a while over memories, but you have to remember that you have a life to live. Do not let the past consume you and keep you from moving forward. Life does not end with the things that got you. There is so much to look forward to. Perhaps we should exist in the present, as the future will come by itself. The past will always be a part of your story. But you do not get to live in that story forever. Leave it behind. Looking back will only ruin the present that you have right now. The only thing that you can take with you today and tomorrow is the lessons from it. Use those lessons as a tool of opportunity to grow from them—be a better person so that you’ll have a better tomorrow that you will not regret. Life is full of choices. Every choice we make has the potential to shape who we become. Those decisions will go down in history. It feels hiraeth as we look back. However, there is no going back in any way. What has been done has been done. Make a decision that will reward you in the long run—a decision that will not leave you hanging in the past. We must renounce our idea that things were better in the past. I find myself around people who romanticize the past too much—which is natural. It is fine to reminisce but it is when it traps you and feeling an unbreakable bond to the past is just an extension of one’s anxiety. Allow yourself to move forward with time and stop being stagnant. It is a process and it is not linear to move on but take it day by day. Break those chains. Be free.

Growth

Mark Laurenz Dela Cruz | Photography

Mark Laurenz Dela Cruz

Chloe Alexa Villaceran

Editor-in-Chief | Graphic Design and Layout Editor

Associate Editor

Andrea Nicole Caingles

Elizabeth Althea Santos

Samantha Issabel Sim

Staff Writers:

Matthew Padil la

Joelle Kristine Liñan

Ma. Chynna Lyca Corbita

Earl John Tuyugon

Phil Jeff Dagunlay

Zyleah Jhanelle Abejero

hiraeth Solely made and used for the fulfillment of academic commitment in RWS