Passive, You Say?

I am a student of the University of the Philippines, Diliman. Specifically, a part of the Centennial Freshmen. Yes, I am still an incomning sophomore and I'm proud to say I survived my first year in the prestigious university. Before I entered UP, I have heard talks about this school's reputation, both good and bad. I have heard about its grand reputation being the home of many political activists thanks to its belief in the freedom of speech of its iskolars. Many parents have been scared to dens their children to UP Diliman for fear that their kids might turn into one of those people seen rallying on the streets and being paddled by security officers for creating a riot. People thought I would be one among them upon entering. I thought I'd end up having to battle between my issues and what we're supposed to fight for. But even just after a few months of experience UP culture, I realized that you don't turn into a convert easily.
A major percentage of the Centennial freshmen actually did not get converted into political activists. And I have heard and read (on the doors of restroom stalls) that the these people who aren't joining rallies and the walkouts are passive and apathetic, specifically called "apathetic middle class." Well, I have to agree with the middle class part, since the university is no longer just catering the intelligent and poor, but also to those who can very much afford the other prestigious colleges out there. But I beg to disagree concerning the "apathetic" part. You cannot call these people who don't join in in the political activism apathetic just because they don't share the same views as those who do their parts as activists. I'd like to call them "sensible middle class."
My parents didn't want me to be an activist. Nor did I want to be one. I stayed away from all the political talk, shunned them all, and rolled my eyes whenever some activist would explain about the country's state for the nth time. I wasn't okay with going against the flow and fighting for human rights by cutting class and walking out. Someone told me to join the walkout. I reasoned out saying I can't miss my classes since they were my majors. He simply shot back saying he was walking out of Math, which is a very important non-major. So what? My parents paid my tuition and other fees already. My parents paid the university for me to study and go to my classes. Skipping class just to join a walkout was bogus to me because that meant wasting my parents' money and efforts. It's not like we just had one walkout. We had more than that. If you joined every single walkout, how much would you have wasted? I mean, sure, you're supposed to tell the authorities that you don't like paying for expensive tuition and lab fees, but you already paid the school. You were able to pay, so can't we just abide by the rules and graduate at the right time? If you hate the university that much to the point of just going to the academic buildings just to walk out of class and rally through the corridors, then you shouldn't have paid your tuition. It's an open university. You can do that for free, right? Just walk in and share your sentiments. I may sound mean and tactless with this, but I really don't see the point. If you would go to every rally and walkout existing, make sure your grades aren't failing because once you fail a subject, you have to retake that subject, which means paying for that subject AGAIN. I don't know about you but I'd rather finish and graduate ASAP.
So, yes, I speak for those who are called apathetic, for those who you may think as people who don't care. I speak for the rich kids. I speak for those whose education matter so much to them that's why they were willing to pay the university the amount needed to study there even if the units got expensive. I speak for those who don't go on the streets but rather stay in the classroom and work their asses off taking advantage of every scholarship available. I'd rather do my part as a student, because that's what I am. I went to college to study, to create a solid road towards my desired career. I don't want to waste my parents' trust and money.
So, passive, you say? I'm not passive. I am also an activist, just for other reasons. I am an anti-political activist. I don't really care about that now, not because I believe we no longer have hope, but rather because, I don't want to waste my time burning myself under the sun and hurting my feet and throat when I have papers and plates to pass in the next few days. I'm sensible and logical about this. May this be respected.