Pre-fame snapshot of the Popstar Royalty at University of Santo Tomas goes viral, revives memories of her student days and humble beginnings.
A recent Facebook post from the page “The Nostalgic Thomasian” has fans and alumni taking a sweet trip down memory lane, spotting a young popstar in a crowd of high school students.
The featured photo, submitted by a contributor and playfully captioned “Find Sarah G in this photo. UST Education High School,” showcases a young, pre-stardom Sarah Geronimo smiling warmly with her classmates in their signature beige, blue-trimmed uniforms.
The comments section quickly filled with nostalgic messages from former peers eager to reconnect with their old friend. A former classmate commented: “Last time we spent time with her was July 2011 to celebrate her birthday. Hi Matteo Guidicelli when you guys have the time, can we see our bestie again, please?”
Before she became the undisputed Popstar Royalty of the Philippines, Sarah Geronimo was an ordinary student walking the halls of the University of Santo Tomas Education High School (UST-EHS), which was formerly and condescendingly referred to as “Pay Low” due to its scholarship-based admission. She spent her first and second years of high school at the institution.
Her life took a major turn when she joined the reality television singing competition “Star for a Night.” After pushing through previous rejections, her undeniable talent led her to win the grand prize in 2003, launching her to national fame.
The massive success that followed her victory made it difficult to maintain a traditional classroom setup. To balance her rising career and studies, she transitioned to distance learning. She continued her secondary education through homeschooling at Angelicum College, where she earned her high school diploma in 2007.
She never let go of her academic goals. Reports say she later pursued higher education by enrolling in the Associate in Arts program at the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), even if she had initially aimed to attend the Conservatory of Music in UST.
Despite reaching the pinnacle of the entertainment industry, Sarah has consistently advocated for the value of education.
“My family has always valued education above everything else. Getting a good education was always a priority, a more lasting and more important achievement than stardom,” Sarah asserted during a 2013 interview with The Philippine Star.
Her love for UST and the classmates she left behind remains strong to this day. During a homecoming concert for the UAAP Season 88 opening at the UST Open Field in September 2025, she took a moment to address the Thomasian crowd.
“Minsan din akong umapak sa Unibersidad na ito, first year and second year high school po ako nag-aral dito sa UST Education High School,” she shared.
Beyond the nostalgia, she revealed a deeply personal ambition: “At mahal na mahal ko ang UST at mga naging kaklase ko, miss na miss at pinapangarap ko po talaga na one day ay makapagtapos ng kolehiyo dito sa UST.”
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