Like, seriously, I don’t get what’s the deal with this outdated and lame program. What’s the point, you know? What’s the lesson we’re supposed to learn from all of this? Honestly, I’m not into that stuff. Only dumb people would fall for it, seriously. It’s crazy to me that there are actually people who would willingly participate in this program. What even is “SMA Merah Putih”? Some kind of weird institution or something. You gotta go through PPS, Posma, Mapram, Mapras, Plonco, and all that jazz just to get in…
But here’s the thing, even after going through all that, we still act like children. It’s so childish. What’s the point of the program then? Their answer is always the same old cliché, like “Oh, it’s to make the students love the school, build mental strength. It’s a mental test, a challenge. So that later on, they’ll be like this and that…”
Total BS!
Real mental tests are the challenges we face in our everyday lives, man. How we deal with all the obstacles that come our way. That’s the real test of mental strength! Not some Posma, Mapras, Plonco… whatever that is. It’s just a big act, a ridiculous show. It’s all about frustrated people, seeking attention, negative compensation… it’s just not healthy at all.
What are they trying to prove with all this program committee stuff? Bossing people around, getting angry and yelling for no clear reason (acting tough, I guess…). Are they playing some kind of drama? Or maybe they’re just a bunch of failed artists? Could be.
But hey, isn’t there a more humane way to do things? Especially in universities. Ugh! There’s this P4 training thingy as an alternative, you know. Don’t think those who got kicked out didn’t feel hurt, man! They’re humans too, not robots.
Yo, check it out! Some peeps say it’s like an introduction between seniors and new students. But seriously, do we really need all that rolling on the ground, push-ups, and getting our faces messed up like Hiawata (if you don’t know Hiawata, Humpa-pa works too!)?
I swear, since I was a kid, I never wanted to be treated like that. And to top it off, it’s a whole day thing. Sometimes even until late at night (supposedly!).
Just imagine, what if someone faints and passes out. It might sound like I’m exaggerating and getting all emotional about this, but it’s not impossible. Everyone’s endurance is different, especially for the ladies. Just think about how their parents would feel if their kid, who was supposed to become someone, dies just because of participating in Posma. I’m not making this up, it’s for real. It’s not a lie or nonsense that Posma is supposed to build camaraderie between seniors and new students (yeah, right, so friendly!). If they want camaraderie, why not just introduce themselves nicely in a peaceful and friendly atmosphere? It would be more likable and civilized, don’t you think? Trust me, this “slaughter” program is really unhealthy. It just creates unhappiness, resentment, hostility, and all those negative feelings.
Just think about it, we’re already paying a lot of money for this expensive high school, then we have to participate in Posma (and pay for the registration fee too), and get tortured… Sheesh! But why do people just go along with it? It’s weird but true. Stand up and rebel, man! We have the right to speak up in this country. Freedom. Independence. The right to not be treated unfairly. According to the Constitution of ’45, Article 28 and Article 27, paragraph 2 (yeah, I know this stuff…).
If I ever experience things like what I mentioned above, and if I’m given a Posma/PPS certificate, I’ll burn that damn piece of paper.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to go through such a disgusting, miserable, and useless thing. ‘Cause I didn’t and I’ll never participate in an uncivilized program for the rest of my life. Seriously! (If you’re having trouble understanding the meaning of these words, or if you don’t get it at all, just go kill yourself… kidding!)
Nine out of ten doctors I asked said that Posma is not good and really unhealthy for mental development. It weakens the will to live. In other words, only idiots would want to participate, and only people with mental issues would be involved as committee members.
True that. Is it okay? Hopefully, this flyer can be an eye-opener for us. So our hearts can be open. Abu Nidal.
That’s the flyer that was circulating this morning. It was stuck on walls, notice boards, or in the cafeteria. And of course, the Mapras committee members were pissed off, embarrassed, and annoyed. But who was the one spreading that dark flyer? Using the name of a terrorist from the PLO? Crazy, that anonymous writer is really looking for some trouble.
Guess what? Andang was the most confused when that dark flyer started circulating. Because he was the most ambitious in organizing the Mapras program.
Lately, he seemed (pretentiously) busy managing the committee formation. Even though he’s not the head of the student council, his enthusiasm surpasses that of the ’45 generation fighters. During committee meetings, he speaks with so much passion. Like a fire-breathing dragon.
That’s why he’s so bewildered now. Quickly, he gathers his subordinates for a secret meeting after school.
“What’s going on? Everything is falling apart. How could we be caught off guard like this? You all know, the flyer has spread everywhere. All the new students must have read it. And what if they get influenced and start protesting? Damn it. There must be someone who doesn’t like our Mapras plan. Sure, activities like this are not allowed anymore. But traditions shouldn’t disappear, right?” Andang rants.
His friends just nod along.
Lupus too. He’s not interested in Andang’s ramblings. He’s really pissed off. It’s nap time, for crying out loud. It would be better if there were snacks at the meeting. Ugh!
But you don’t know the whole story, do you? Here’s the deal. Andang, with the recommendation from the elected student council president, became the head of the Mapras program. Officially, this activity is not allowed. Not even in universities. It’s supposed to be replaced with something more educational, like P4 (cleanliness program), classroom hygiene, and so on! But, as usual, what’s written doesn’t always match reality. Especially in this Merah Putih High School, which is not a public school. So the rules can be a bit different from the government’s. And Mapras has become a tradition every new academic year. It’s not as intense as in private universities, but it’s still annoying. So it’s not fair if they cancel the dark program this year. That’s why the second and third-year students are determined to organize Mapras. Meanwhile, the teachers just shrug and understand this traditional event.
But if the first-year students revolt, it threatens the continuity of the program. Seriously. Because officially, senior students don’t have permission from the principal.
That’s why they’re all confused now.
“Come on, let’s find a way out. Should we look for who made and spread the flyer? Come on. Any opinions? Lupus, why have you been quiet all this time? What about our journalist…” Lupus just lazily scratches his head. He’s tired and really sad because he got dumped by his girlfriend, Poppi. So he’s not in the mood to give any ideas. Andang throws the question to the other students. There’s Irvan, Boim the playboy, Andy, Roni, and even Ruri, the gossip queen. Surprisingly, Ruri is not talking much this time. Maybe she has a toothache. But she compensates by farting constantly. Three students have already fallen victim and moved to a different seat. No one wants to be near her anymore.
The meeting becomes more chaotic when the student council president shows up. Other students start arriving too. They discuss the possibilities of who made the flyer and brainstorm possible solutions. While they argue with each other, Lupus gets fed up. He quietly slips away.
He never really liked these kinds of events. It’s better to go buy snacks and go home.
The next day comes, and the senior students still haven’t found a good solution. They also haven’t figured out who wrote that dark flyer. Although it’s been confirmed that there are two possibilities: a new student or a senior who disagrees with the event.
Only Lupus seemed to not care. During the break, he sat alone behind the cafeteria, enjoying his wrapped fried noodles. He casually read the flyer that was causing a stir. Some parts were torn, but mysteriously reappeared.
Lupus read it carefully. Hm, not bad, he muttered. But suddenly he found something. Something that could possibly reveal the secret of the anonymous writer. It must be the work of a new student. Someone who disagrees with Mapras. Because in some parts, they mentioned that they had never participated in Mapras before. And even though they tried to hide their identity, their emotions showed that they were a girl. Plus, there were a few sentences in fancy English. Aha, with this information, how can they not find out who the writer is?
Lupus never expected that someone named Rina would be small, gentle, and well, cute. The girl looked pale and scared when she realized her secret had been uncovered.
“It wasn’t difficult, I was just guessing. I saw three clues. The flyer showed agility, emotions, and the ability to speak English. Not many people have all three qualities. So I went to the school administration office. Looked through all the data of the first-year students. You might remember, when we first entered school, we had to submit a short biography and achievements to facilitate extracurricular activities. Right? And there I read your name. Rina. Achievement: winner of an English writing competition held by UNICEF. It all adds up. Only you meet those three clues. Plus, your home address is close to the school. That made it easy for you to put up the flyers at night. And also made it easy for me to find your house.
“By the way, you’re really good at English. Where did you study? Have you been abroad?” Lupus asked, curious.
Rina didn’t answer. She still looked scared.
“But… but, bro, I didn’t… um, I mean, I was just venting my frustration. I really hate those Mapras events.”
“Why?” Lupus asked.
She didn’t answer immediately. It seemed like she was weighing her words. Lupus waited.
“Because of my brother. He got injured during a Mapras event at his university. He was asked to bring a lot of gas balloons to the top of the building to release them. Suddenly, one of the committee members started smoking. The fire caught the balloons. They exploded instantly. My brother’s face got burned. He had to be hospitalized. Who takes the risk in situations like this?”
Lupus was taken aback. He saw tears in Rina’s eyes.
He himself wasn’t a fan of those events. Especially when he heard other people’s gruesome stories. No wonder Rina was so against Mapras at Merah Putih High School.
But you forgot, Rin, that was in college. And now it’s also starting to be prohibited if it goes too far. It wasn’t intentional either. Well, for high school, it’s not that heavy. Just cleaning the yard, classrooms, and yeah, getting yelled at a little. You know, Rin, the school introduction period is the most memorable time for us as teenagers. When we feel like we’re in the same boat, no difference between rich or poor. Our rights were taken away together. It’s definitely memorable, even though if we were asked to do it again… oh boy. No way. I used to hate it too. But on the last night, when we all had an out-of-town event, wow, it was so touching. It would be a shame if you never experienced it.
And a few days later, Mapras itself was still held. The principal kindly gave the official permission, so the first-year students had no choice but to participate. Of course, Lupus kept Rina’s identity a secret, so when Mapras took place, the committee members had forgotten about the flyers.
Lupus was now busy searching for Rina among the new students with their hair tied up in five braids. I mean, girl students, you know. All the new students were given the task of collecting as many signatures as possible from the seniors. Of course, the seniors felt like top celebrities, being chased around for their autographs.
Hm, Rina was right. The seniors were really cheesy. Especially Boim. With his countryside charm, he instructed every new student to sweet-talk him to get one signature.
“Lupuuuus…” a loud call from a distance startled him. Lupus turned around, oh… there she was, Rina. Running towards him with a happy laugh.
“Thanks for not ratting me out about the flyers. Just imagine if the seniors found out. Oh boy, I would’ve been in trouble. Oh, by the way, can I have your autograph too, Kak Lupus?”
Lupus smiled and gave Rina ten signatures in her book.
And when Mapras ended, all the new students gathered in a circle around a bonfire. The cold night air was biting, but warmth enveloped each student. Irvan was seen sticking close to one of the new students. Boim too. And Andang, wow, so affectionate. So it wasn’t wrong for Lupus to stand close to Rina.
Everyone sang the song Auld Lang Syne.
But honestly, that song would be more fitting for Poppi, not for Rina. And it’s clear now what Mapras means to all of them. Yeah, what else could it be if not finding a partner. Hehehe…
