(By John Jacob J. Mendoza) San Beda College Alabang is a long-standing academic institution, rich with history and generations of Bedan students walking its hallowed halls. Every familiar face here carries an unfamiliar story—experiences unseen by the casual eye, tales waiting to be told… until someone dares to say “hi.”
“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”
— Anaïs Nin
Oh, my name? I’m John Jacob Mendoza, but most call me JJ. I’m a student from the Technical High School Department and a proud Bedan since preschool. Outwardly, I may seem like your typical easy-going student, but beneath that, I’ve lived a life filled with both challenges and quiet victories.
I’ve served as Managing Editor of our student publication, joined the Bosconian Quill: Journalism Press Conference 2024, and became a pioneer member of the Technical High School Student Council. I’ve led the Bedan ICT Oriented Society, represented the Youth Eucharistic Society as Public Relations Officer, and even stepped into the spotlight as the first male ballet dancer of the CFPA Dance Company.
Despite the workload and expectations, I remained approachable and grounded—or at least, I tried to be. Somewhere along the way, I wondered: What struggles are my peers facing behind their smiles?
To find out, I decided to immerse myself in a different lifestyle. Instead of being dropped off, I began commuting to school, just like many of my friends who travel daily from faraway places like Cavite or Taguig. It was exhausting. I would get home drained, sometimes burnt out, with homework piling up and barely a chance to rest. I remember collapsing onto my bed one day and asking myself, “How do they live like this every day?”
Back then, I hadn’t won a single medal. My friends were award-winners, organization leaders, achievers in every way. So I followed in their footsteps—only to find myself under a glaring spotlight. Recognition came, but so did pressure. I realized how difficult it is to be seen all the time, to always feel like you have to prove yourself.
Over time, my admiration for my friends deepened. I saw the quiet passion in their daily efforts, the invisible sacrifices they made. They may not always be recognized, but their dedication left a mark.
There are still many stories left untold—council members quietly doing the work behind the scenes, students juggling classes and part-time jobs, and those fighting silent battles no one ever sees. These are the unfamiliar lives of familiar faces.
And perhaps that’s what makes our community so extraordinary. At San Beda College Alabang, every student walks with their own story—some loud, some quiet, all uniquely beautiful. To explore these narratives is to realize: we are never truly alone in our journey. All it takes is a little curiosity and courage to listen.
