Breaking Out of School: An AdDU Party

Breaking Out of School

We have all heard those cheesy quotes about graduation. We have seen them plastered all over walls in malls; we have seen them etched in vomit-inducing, flower-scented graduation cards; and oddly enough, they are still the content of much everyone’s graduation speeches. Gross.

We have heard people say that it is about ending a chapter of your life, and starting a new one. It is about following your bliss after years of hard work (I mean, way to go for fooling these kids into thinking that real life is so much easier than school). It is about a huge accomplishment, a rite of passage, something to be overly proud of, something that will happen only once in our lives. I mean, give these kids a break. They already know these things; and if they do not, they will realize it in a couple of months.

What these kids really need right now is some time with their friends who might be leaving soon. They need a time to remember all those crazy-fun stuff they did back in college. They need time to not think, and not make mature decisions. Actually, what they really need is a hot bangin’ party.

Thankfully, the Ateneo is known for producing party geniuses. The batch of 2010 is no different, as they realized early enough that this blue-blooded breed will be craving for just that: a no-holds barred, all-night party.

And that is exactly what took place at the Kadayawan Resort last March 21, 2010; a day after the class of 2010 donned their togas and received rolls of blank paper, otherwise known as the commencement exercises of AdDU College .

Break Out

This year’s graduation party, dubbed Break Out, seemed promising from the time invites were sent out through Facebook. Organized by the Samahan Central Board (Ateneo de Davao’s student council), spearheaded by Ron Chuan (Samahan’s Treasurer) under Ria Lumpas’ Presidential term, this event had all the elements of a truly exciting soiree.

Poison: There were a lot of drinks to choose from but surprisingly, the new partyphile favorite, Tanduay Ice, took center stage as Atenean partyphiles formed straight lines (probably for the first time since their grade school years) to get their fill of chilled booze. I guess chilled drinks are still preferred by college students even when they are drenched in rain.

Four other cocktails were served at a measly price of 40 pesos per cup, and of course, the ever-reliable beer was also present; although we needed to brave the rain just to get our fill of golden ale.

Beats: The first spinner of the night was DJ Sheryl Maligad who dished out fresh party tracks that featured heavy beats combined with layered vocals for a more commercial appeal. This seemed to please the young partyphile crowd; a feat only an experienced DJ can achieve.

Much like DJ Sheryl, the featured performer of the night, DJ Chewy from Manila ’s Club Encore, had a pulse for what the dance floor craved for. He dished out a mix of Rock, Alternative, and R&B tracks all laid delicately over a serving of House-tinged beats. He managed to move from track to track and genre to genre with seamless transitions and dance-inducing tempos. Chewy is truly one gifted DJ who should give the Davao crowd more of his audio stylings.

Crowd: Most of the party’s attendees were recent graduates, but there were also several under-graduates and even a handful of people whose school lives remain to be memories of the ever-so-distant past (including me of course); this made for a unique mix of partyphiles that were willing to let their hair down and party on a rainy Sunday night.

Overall, the party was a hit. Everybody got drunk, dizzy, and danced until the wee hours of the morning as the air was filled with school spirit, and a collective craving for hardcore partying. The Samahan Central Board definitely gave Ateneans another reason to party, as they proved, once and for all, that graduation parties need not involve corny speeches and gut-wrenchingly cliché quips about moving to the next chapter of your life; next page of your book; next step in your journey; or next hurdle in your race. Basically, this proved that graduation parties can be fun.

And sometimes, when we find ourselves with so many decisions to make, so many opportunities to chase, and so many things to consider and do and think about, as in the days following our college graduation; all we really need is a break.

All we need is the license to party; some moments of non-contemplation; fresh beats; cold booze; and a pack of buddies to remind us that life is not a series of accomplished tasks, but one huge party. And somehow, Break Out reminded these ex-students that it is not about ending a life they once lived, but about dancing to another DJs beats.