My Take: Growing Up, Liking It So Far

By Scott Lee Chua

Scott Lee Chua channels Spiderman when Net surfing, Lethal Weapon while reading, Hunger Games while competing in math. He handles bullies, survives school overnights, travels smart. 

Ultimately, Scott reflects on how to give and not to count the cost, and how teens can make a difference in this world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anvil Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 2, 2017
• ISBN: 9789712729324

Book preview

MY TAKE

GROWING UP, LIKING IT SO FAR

Scott Lee Chua

My Take: Growing Up, Liking It So Far

by Scott Lee Chua

Copyright to this digital edition © 2013 by

Scott Lee Chua and Anvil Publishing, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by

any means without the written permission of the copyright owners.

Published and exclusively distributed by

ANVIL PUBLISHING, INC.

7th Floor Quad Alpha Centrum Building

125 Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City

1550 Philippines

Trunk Lines: ([phone], 477-4755 to 57

Sales & Marketing: [e-mail]

Fax: [phone]

www.anvilpublishing.com

Book design by Ray Sunga (cover and illustrations); Joshene Bersales (interior)

ISBN 9789712729324 (e-book)

Version 1.0.1

Dedicated to

Mom and Dad

Contents

FOREWORD

This new book from Scott Lee Chua is a collection of more than twenty engaging pieces about growing up today in Metro Manila. The essays offer us this very young author’s take on a wide diversity of topics like the Internet, school life, even religion! Reading the essays virtually gives us an insider’s look into what a Filipino teenager today like Scott thinks and cares about. In other words, it’s a must-read not only for young readers, but also for parents, teachers, and everyone else who’d like to get a better sense of what goes on in the minds of young people today.

Scott’s writing is replete with references to pop culture, as one would expect from any teenager. Don’t be surprised to come across Spiderman, Jurassic Park, and The Hunger Games. Scott, after all, is a typical teenager with typical interests.

But in another sense, Scott is also far from your typical teenager. For one, he loves math! He exhibits a common curiosity about things, but also has the rare willingness to explore them and the even rarer resolve to learn about them on his own. While most people his age would be content copy-and-pasting unprocessed information from Wikipedia, Scott studies the site and actually spends time tinkering with it just to find out exactly how this online free encyclopedia works.

As noteworthy as the topics he writes about is Scott’s confident voice as a writer. With his no-frills prose, he achieves an easy conversational tone that makes his readers feel that they’re listening to a friend. He writes vividly, showing instead of telling through interesting personal experiences and stories.

He is also refreshingly candid. He begins one essay by calling authors sadistic! But far from merely making sweeping generalizations, Scott surprises us with his well thought-out opinions, carefully supported with concrete examples and evidence. Here’s one writer who’s capable not only of grabbing his readers’ attention, but also of sharing insights and provoking thought.

And the best part? This Xaverian writes not only in witty English but also in competent Filipino! (But where, Scott, are the Chinese essays?!)

In Of Pixels and Power, he writes of himself: I am just a teen who loves sci-fi, history, and democracy, but I can make a difference.

Having read the book, I can only agree.

Welcome to the world of Scott Lee Chua!

Johnny C. Go, SJ

President (2001–2013)

Xavier School

PREFACE

The only sure thing in life is change. There’s no denying it–the world is not what it was. Phones can now take photos, magazines are now made of silicon, Blue’s Clues no longer airs. You and I have grown, vertically and horizontally.

It wasn’t too long ago when our only concerns in life were grades and games. Growing up brings more responsibilities.

But with great responsibility comes great power (or is it the other way around?). I’m growing up–and liking it so far. The title says so. Life may not be all flowers and giggles, but neither is it all tombstones and tears.

Whatever your feelings about homework and tests, school has always been a constant in our lives. Before we know it, we’ll be working nine to five. No more performance tasks or summer vacations, just performance evaluations and paperwork.

Everyone knows music and art tell you not just about culture, but also about your identity. But so do Reading, ’Riting, and ’Rithmetic. I learned more about myself by doing just those–reading a summer book, writing an essay entry, joining a math contest. Weird but true.

It’s a big world out there. I used to think the Japanese still wore swords at their belts, until I visited their Digital City. I used to think all Germans lived in cities of steel, until I visited Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

Imagine your room. Magnify it ten times. One hundred. One thousand. Keep going until your mind’s eye can’t take it anymore. The universe is astoundingly enormous, amazingly humongous, unbelievably ginormous.

But in the end, it’s the little things that get you: a dancing policeman in a traffic jam, an old man and his song, a day spent packing relief goods.

That’s life.

Hang on.

Scott Lee Chua

February 2013

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you, Fr. Johnny Go, not just for the thoughtful foreword, but also for making Xavier into the coolest school possible, and for encouraging all of us to be the best Xaverians we can be.

Thank you, Mr. Toshi Alibudbud, Mr. Jared Uy, Mr. Harold Wong, Mr. Julius Porqueriño, and Ms. Katrina Belandres. Some of the pieces here were first written in your classes. Thank you, Mr. Uy, for urging me to join the Bayan at Batas essay contest. Thank you, Mr. Wong and Fr. Art Borja, for helping me polish my graduation speech.

Thank you, all math teachers and trainers, past and present. Your efforts enabled us to hold our head high in competitions. A special thank you to my teammates, Ethan Chua, Matthew Gue, LJ Flores, Tristan Tiu, and Nathan Oranga. Thank you, Sr. Iluminada Coronel, Ms. Rechie Villame, MTAP, and Metrobank Foundation, for creating the biggest math contest in the Philippines.

Thank you, Xavier International Office and South China Normal University, for making Guangzhou the second home for our batch. Thank you to the supervisors: Ms. Mila Llarenas, Mr. James Rivera, Mr. Franco Addun, Mr. Eman Abadam, Mrs. Jopin Galvez, Mr. Reagan Austria, Mr. Noriel Oraa, Mrs. Kristelle Ortiz, Mr. JJ Leonor, Mrs. Cathy Lauengco, Ms. Maggie Qin, and especially Mrs. Jennifer Say. A special thank you to the Schall 1 team: Jason Santos, Raul Recto, Jr., JT Niu, Gian Manumbas, Louie Lagon, Emilio Roxas, Paolo Suarez, Eric Wong, and Austin Sy.

Thank you, Mrs. Emily Alcantara and Mr. Marc Magsalin, for believing in me as early as Grade Two. Thank you, Jose, for your generosity–you know who you are.

Thank you, Xavier Infirmary doctors, nurses, and staff. You make me feel less nervous and always welcome.

Thank you, Xavier Campus Ministry, for making Interactions and Recollections meaningful. A special thank you to Rene Tan and Arman Burias, for staying up with me that night.

Thank you, Student Council, for spearheading the Xavier relief ops.

Thank you, Chinese Home for the Aged and the Xavier High School Chinese Culture Club, for a memorable visit. Thank you, my clubmates, for joining me in singing our hearts out in front of everyone.

Thank you, Ms. CB Garrucho and the people at PETA, and the Xavier Alumni Relations Department, for making Shakespeare accessible to Pinoys. Thank you, Ms. Cindy Lau, for accompanying me. Thank