My Titanic Weekend

In 1912, RMS Titanic plunged into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean taking along with it the thousands of passengers aboard it.

In 1997, film director James Cameron released his mega-blockbuster film "Titanic" which featured a fictional love story interwoven in the short-lived life of the RMS Titanic.

This year, 2012, the centennial year of the sinking of RMS Titanic is being commemorated with the re-released of the beloved epic film in 3D technology. 

I must admit, I was one of those who went gaga over the film when it was shown here in Manila in 1998. I was in the middle of my board exam review at that time and I seriously thought I was going to fail because I was spending more time reviewing the film than my review books. I would attend my review classes in Recto and I would always have a Titanic-related poster or magazine when I get home. I was that hooked. 

But contrary to what I believed as my doomed board exams, I did pass it that year and I would credit part of it to Titanic.

Why?

No, the film itself did not inspire me to study. Nor did I find the test answers in Leo di Caprio's handsome face. It was all in the beautiful soundtrack, the instrumental songs and not Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On". Titanic's soundtrack was my constant companion during those grueling days and nights of studying. The songs had embedded itself so much in my mind that I was still hearing it in my head as I was  answering my test sheets during the actual board exams. Two days after the last day of the exams, the list of the successful examinees was posted in the newspapers and I was in it. =)

So watching the film again is more than satisfying my girly desire of seeing the young Leo di Caprio again in the big screen. It was also my way of reliving that stage in my life when I was transitioning from being a student to being a young professional. As the film created a milestone in the movie industry being one of the highest grossing movies of all time and catapulting its stars into mega stardom, I was also creating my milestone in my little side of the earth. That is passing the board exams which helped me to get where I am now.

"I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you... to make each day count." - Jack Dawson (Titanic)