Cheerleading Nostalgia

When I was in high school, the month of January was such a big deal not just because its a "New Year" but because... another TIONG LIAN SEASON IS COMING!

It is definitely that time of the year where you can hear insanely loud drum beats that will (surely) and eventually get stuck in your head. Whether you're in class or in some place else, you will definitely find yourself beating your hands against the table (or turning your empty water bottles into drum sticks) and mimic those catchy drum beats that you hear almost every day at noon before going to Chinese class. It's true, the drum beats have this hand-beating/empty-water-bottle-tapping-effect. It's like an LSS kind of thing but with drum beats instead. HAHA I even remember my Chinese teacher calling my attention 'cause I was creating too much noise with my "hand beating" when she was lecturing and I didn't even notice that I was doing it loudly. CLASSIC.

Its also the time of the year where you see blue and white jackets parading all over the school grounds care of the cheerdancers, drummers, and the basketball players just because they want to flaunt their new and awesome varsity jackets. I, myself, was guilty of this "crime".

Obviously, I'm blogging about Tiong Lian because I am a bit nostalgic and hey, its January! All the #mmtlba and #bluepandas tweets yesterday made me go back down to memory lane and reminisce those times I spent in Uno, especially with my co-cheerleaders. I guess, I just miss all the excitement and preparation I used to do for this very awesome basketball tournament. Not to mention, the free food and our exemption from classes. Oh! Those were the days.

Okay, for the benefit of those who do not have any idea what this is, it's like a high school version of UAAP but instead its a basketball tournament between different Chinese high schools.  


One of the best memories I had when I was in high school was definitely joining the pep squad. I've been part of the UHS pep squad for two years. And nothing will ever come close to this very very awesome experience. Sure there were some tough times, but being able to manage everything (studies and practices) for the whole two years was enough proof to make me feel proud and happy of what I was able to achieve.

UHS Pep Squad 2007

MMTLBA 2007

UHS Pep Squad 2008

I look... pissed. (circa 2008)

Pep Rally 2008   

The practices, actually, makes the experience more fun. This is where all the craziness, harutans, and  kalokohans happen. Maybe every game we have to stand at the side of every section of the bleachers and do all the serious stuff that we need to do as cheer leaders, but every practice (though we have to take it seriously most of the time) we take time offs to be goofy and crazy as well.

If we had a motto, it would be PRACTICE HARD, LAUGH and MAGHARUTAN HARDER. LAME! But you get the point!

Though we can't actually finish (or we technically really can't eat) our lunch every time we train at noon, it was still worth it. So long as our tummies are full with all the love and laughter that we all manage to share with each other. CHEEESE!

circa 2007

The Banana-Q girls (circa 2008)

We just have to have a picture while doing this stretching! (circa 2007)

Just because we have the same Denman brush (Giezelle and I circa 2008)

Goofing around with Giezelle and Nicol (circa 2008)

circa 2008

circa 2008

circa 2008

There are a lot of photos, actually. But I believe it would be more practical if I will upload an album in Facebook or something.

Our locker room moments. How will I forget? The place where we sleep, freshen up, and do our kalokohans. The endless picture taking also happens in this very room. You have no idea how much of an addict we are in taking photos of ourselves which is why Multiply was kind of a great use for us. Not to mention, the horror stories that happens inside the locker room that Ahya Donelle (our choreographer) used to share. I remember we were all scared of being the last one to change in the locker room every time we finish practicing for the day. This, by the way, causes us (sometimes) to run as fast as we can up to the gym (this is where the locker room is) just to be able to be the first one to change. Then, the last one left suffers. *EVIL LAUGHS* Oh, did I mention we use to do pranks to each other as well? Aww! Now, I'm extra nostalgic.

With them shiny jackets on! (Circa 2008)

eating our very late lunch (Captain Olivia and I, circa 2008)

Some things may come in handy when you really really need to pee! (circa 2008)

Giezelle and I, Circa 2008

El Capitan Olivia doing her thing, circa 2008

The bottom line is, without Tiong Lian, the fun experiences I had with my co-cheer leaders would not even be possible. The pictures I posted would not even exist if it weren't because of the practices we have for the competition and half-time routines.

I really really miss the squad and everything in it.

MMTLBA'12 is about to start. Oh! How time flies! I'm guessing a lot has changed ever since I graduated but I do hope everything's still the same in terms of school spirit. I hope the cheering squad's still giddy every time the drummer and cheer leaders instructs them to yell "Shang Yi Chong Xie!" as loud as they can (on aca pella, if its even legit to call it this but you get the point) then following that up with a sick drum beat and the cool cowbell accompaniment (which BTW our school founded in the history of drums in MMTLBA, if I'm not mistaken hahaha.) This is the favorite cheer of all time, BTW. 

I wish I have the luxury of time to watch at least one game of Uno against other schools. I sure miss the whole Tiong lian vibes. Isn't it obvious enough considering I made a blog post about it?