Andrea Babierra joins the cast of Julia Barretto’s new teen series ‘The Seniors’

Playing the role of Nicole the pageant queen in the new Vivamax series The Seniors, Andrea Babierra said she enjoyed becoming a high school student again while doing the project.

“Nag-aral akong mag-drive ng tricycle for this series. So parang gusto ko lang ma-try mag-roam around sa province namin na naka-tricycle lang (laughs). Nung estudyante ako nung high school, kagaya nung role ko na si Nicole ako yung lagi nilang sinasali sa mga pageants tapos sobrang active ko pagdating sa mga extracurriculars. Dancer ako before and sumasali ako sa mga declamation, sabayang pagbikas or anything na related to performing arts,” she shared during The Seniors mediacon.

READ: Julia Barretto wants to go back to school: ‘Education is such a valuable thing’

Andrea shared that her best memory from high school involves her closest friends until now.

“Para sa akin yung pinaka tini-treasure ko talaga nung high school ko nung na-meet ko yung mga friends ko. Kasi sila pa rin talaga yung mga friends ko until now. Na kung wala sila sobrang boring. Kasi yung high school years ko yun yung happiest years talaga ng buong buhay ko kumbaga. Sa kanila ko na-experience yung iba’t ibang kalokohan. Dun nag-start yung pag-explore. Sa gruop pa namin pag may problema, may open forum pang nagaganap na minsan pa may kandila sa gitna (laughs). So ang daming nakakatawang pangyayari. Para sa akin yung mga friendship na nabuo, yung mga fun memories and kahit yung mga kalungkutan,” she shared.

READ: Awra Briguela on Julia Barretto: ‘Lagi lang siyang na-mi-misinterpret ng tao’

Unlike Diana, the lead character in The Seniors (played by Julia Barretto) who experiences being bullied, Andrea admits she was lucky to never have experienced it while in school. Ako personally wala said akong na-experience na pam-bu-bully. Pero yung isang member sa circle ko meron siyang kaaway sa higher year tapos yung circle nung higher year idadamay yung grupo namin sa away. So mga ganun lang, mga simpleng iringan lang nung high school. Pero ngayon naman parang magkakaibigan na lahat.

“If you get bullied, you really have to be strong for yourself and surround yourself with good people. Kasi magkakaiba tayong mga tao eh. Yung ibang nakaka-experience ng pang-bu-bully hindi talaga kinakaya. Yung iba naman they stand up for themselves. And para naman dun sa mga mahihina na iba, surround yourself with good people kasi sila din yung makakatulong sa iyo. And huwag mong sarilihin yun kasi madaming puwedeng mangyari. Madaming mga tendencies if sinarili mo. Sasabog ka o baka may magawa ka pa na puwede mo rin pagsisihan in the end. So be strong and surround yourself with good people,” she advised.

When asked what she learned from her high school years, the former Pop Girls member said she learned to accept that she doesn’t have to always be perfect in everything.

“I learned to continue exploring and be willing na magkamali. Kasi parang sa bawat mistake natin, as long as may nakukuha naman tayo na aral or natututo tayo sa pagkakamali natin, nakaktulong siya sa pag-grow pa natin. Everyday naman possible na may magawa tayong pagkakamali pero there’s always tomorrow na para i-improve mo yung sarili mo at i-apply mo kung ano yung natutunan mo sa mga nagawa mo sa past, parang ganun,” she explained.

For those who are overachievers in school, Andrea also shared some advice.“Kasi pag nag-aaral tayo, meron tayong mga classmates na super grade conscious na parang may nagagawa na silang mga bagay na parang hindi na tama para lang ma-grab nila yung top. Siguro ang advice ko lang sa ganung take ko, okay lang naman magkamali. For you naman yun eh kung makuha mo yung top. Pero kung hindi at may iba din naman na deserving, parang lt’s be proud na lang sa kanila. Let’s clap for them. Value your education kasi sobrang mahalaga siya. Kahit sabihin ng iba na hindi naman mahalaga yan, pag grumaduate naman hindi na natin magagamit yan eh pero sobrang laking bagay talaga ng education. Malaking bagay yung nakapagtapos ka. And sa future ma-ri-realize mo rin bakit mahalaga siya,” she added.

Watch The Seniors streaming exclusively on Vivamax. Starring Julia Barretto, Ella Cruz, Awra Briguela, Andre Yllana, Gab Lagman, and introducing Andrea Babierra. Directed by Shaira Advincula and created by directors Antoinette Jadaone and Dan Villegas.