On this special day, my friends and I are celebrating the birthday of one of the prides of our friend group—outstanding swimmer and tech nerd Vilzon H. Corpuz.

Vilzon, or Vil, is a hardworking student with a variety of hobbies. He is part of our school’s swimming varsity team. He began entering and winning swimming tournaments at a young age.

Vil is eager to dive into different interests. In a span of a few months, he went from horses and pixel art to anime (Inumaki from “Jujutsu Kaisen,” in particular) and tech stuff. It’s fun, him telling us about his new discoveries.

I need to stress how hardcore he is as a tech nerd. All throughout the year, he was telling us about his dream, his vision of the perfect PC setup. He did his research and each part of his setup was calculated and selected and then added to his wish list. That dream finally turned into reality in 2024, when his parents got him the setup he had been longing for.

Vil is also a self-confessed a cappella enthusiast. He has playlists featuring songs from groups like Pentatonix, VoicePlay and Home Free. His enjoyment of a cappella covers triggered another interest: to learn growl notes and vocal fry. Honestly, I didn’t understand half of those things but when he explained—and even demonstrated—it did spark my curiosity.

Responsible

He also gave writing short stories a shot. A handful of his friends are also interested in writing stories and poems, so it did not come as a surprise that he’d soon try it out as well. When he told us of his idea for a short story, we encouraged him to pursue it, giving him tips and commenting on his work. There were times when his questions challenged our knowledge on how to write stories and fanfic. But it’s been wild fun. I mean, who wouldn’t laugh at having to explain examples of fluff and angst stories?

It’s also admirable to see how responsible Vil can be. He often tells us about his plans, how he implements a daily schedule, how he uses studying techniques and how he makes sure he finishes everything on time. Some people struggle with keeping their academics on track but not Vil. He even takes the time to help his friends and classmates in learning the lessons they’re having a hard time with.

Of course, there are times when Vil undergoes trials in life as well. The world can really stress a person out. With schoolwork, swimming training, friends and more, it can be a challenge to juggle everything. I mean, can you imagine a teenager having to deal with all these things?

But after these trials emerges a stronger and wiser Vil. We see in him a friend who never backs down and never gives up. We also realize our role in supporting him and one another.

Vil is more than just a cool friend to hang out with. He is someone I can trust. He doesn’t make me worry about how I could be a disappointment. In fact, he has boosted me to do better, helping me out at times in order to truly unleash my potential. He is a friend who listens, a friend who helps, and most importantly, a friend who cares.

There’s a valuable lesson here—true friends are always there for one another. Sometimes we get the idea that friends get bothered by our simple requests, and that asking for help makes us a burden to them. But a real friend wouldn’t make us feel uncomfortable about seeking their companionship. My friendship with Vil and the other people in our group taught me that.

We’re always here for Vil just like we’re always here for one another. —CONTRIBUTED INQ

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