"Ate" and "Kuya"

What's interesting about our school is that we have a lot of second-coursers. A huge number. They, or should I say we, make up 30-40% of the student population, I think. That's much bigger than with the other schools.

That's one of the reasons why I chose to study here. I was conscious of my age, you see hehe. I don't want to stand out among my classmates.

So it was a pleasant surprise for me when I found out that there were people older than me, much older than me, folks who are old enough to be my parents!

So I found myself in the middle of the age group. Some classmates of mine call me "kuya", and I in turn call my other classmates "kuya" and "ate".

"Kuya" and "ate" are very curious labels because we still use them even with those who we would normally call "uncle" and "auntie" or "tito" and "tita" outside the school. Perhaps it's just a sign of respect? Because they would probably be embarassed if we call them "tito" and "tita" in school. It emphasizes their age. Whereas if you call them "ate" and "kuya", you limit any adverse psychological impact it may have on them as much as possible hehehe.