I Interviewed My Mom About Her Life as a Teenage Fangirl

At 19 years old, I’m finally ready to admit that I’m a bonafide fangirl. I’ve spent a large chunk of my teenage years stanning celebrities. It started with Justin Bieber and One Direction when I was in primary school. I knew the words to all their songs, read fan fiction every night, and cried tears of pure joy when I received their albums for Christmas. I even made my first stan account on Twitter when I was 12, where I would find fellow fangirls to fangirl with. We would talk about how we would grow up to be Mrs. Bieber or Mrs. Horan. 

I’ve grown out of that phase but have transitioned into a fan of pop bands Bastille and COIN. I saw Bastille live in 2016 and 2017. Both times, I went to the airport to greet them when they arrived in Singapore. My mom works in the travel industry and even gave me a list of their possible arrival times. Thanks, mom! Although, looking back, that was a bit too stalker-y and I would never ask her to do that again. 

My mom is 51, but before all the nagging at me to clean my room, she was once a teen too. And apparently, a pretty hardcore fangirl like me. Recently, she brought out an old photo album and began showing me photos from her younger years. Unlike me, who was born and raised in Singapore, she grew up in the Philippines. And in the 80s, she was completely obsessed with basketball, especially Ginebra, one of the most popular teams in the Philippine Basketball Association. She loved them so much that she went to every single game they played. 

I’ve always been a massive fangirl, but was shocked when I found out that serious stanning runs in the family. I had so many questions. How do you even fangirl without the internet? Did she bawl her eyes out at these games the way I would at concerts? Did she dream of marrying any of the players? So, I stopped wondering and just decided to sit down with my mom and ask the burning questions. 

VICE: Hi, mom. What exactly were you a fangirl of when you were my age
Mom: I was a die-hard basketball fan when I was growing up in the Philippines. My favorite team in the Philippine Basketball Association was Ginebra. I did not miss a single game of theirs since they formed in the 70s until I migrated here to Singapore in the 90s. I couldn’t watch their games anymore because livestreaming wasn’t a thing yet and so I lost touch. But Ginebra did come here once and played with the Singapore Slingers. Your dad knew and he didn’t tell me. So, I missed the game. I wanted to divorce him then. 

What was it like watching their games?
I was 19 when I started watching their games live. I can’t give an exact number of how many I watched but it’s definitely in the hundreds. Every other week or so, Ginebra would play at the ULTRA (now called the PhilSports Arena) in Pasig City. Your uncle would drive me there and because of traffic jams, the rides would last almost two hours. But it was worth it. We always had courtside seats thanks to our aunt who worked for one of the teams. 

I refused to watch the games on the TV because when it’s live, the spirit and energy is there. Even during exam week, I didn’t care. I had to be there, or else they would lose the game. I liked to think that I was Ginebra’s lucky charm.

What did lolo (grandfather) and lola (grandmother) think? 
Lola was more understanding, but lolo thought it was too much. I had to beg him to let me go to the games in the beginning because he was concerned that basketball would be a distraction from my studies. But I promised him that my grades would be good and that I wouldn’t fail anything. Soon, I didn’t have to beg anymore because he saw that I was doing well in school. 

Sounds familiar. Remember when I spent days convincing you to let me go to that Bastille concert? 
Yes. A week before your exams? You were out of your mind. But of course, I eventually let you go because I understood how you felt. But I also understand your lolo’s point of view. Your studies are very important.

Did you get to meet the basketball teams?
Yes, many times. Before and after the games, your uncle and I would go to the corner of the court where the players would get ready for a game. People weren’t allowed to do that but because we were frequent watchers, they let us. I was so starstruck and nervous at first. We talked and took photos. The players would always ask us about buko pie (coconut pie), because they knew we were from Los Baños, which is famous for it. Once, I had a friend, who was an artist, make caricature drawings of the team and I gave it to them during halftime. 

My favorite One Direction member was Niall. Did you have a favorite player? 
Robert Jaworski. He was Ginbera’s coach but he was also a player in the team. I loved how he motivated and mentored all the players, even the benchwarmers.

You’ve seen all my phases. What do you think of me being a fangirl?
I think you’re crazy and a little over the top. When you liked Justin Bieber, that man had millions of girls chasing after him around the world and you were still dreaming of meeting him. I was lucky because my idols were only famous in the Philippines, so it was easy to get to them. 

Crazy? You went to hundreds of basketball games! You and I are the same. 
No! You’re so emotional. You cried so much when you saw Bastille live. For weeks after their concert, I couldn’t even speak to you because you were so sad and you couldn’t move on. When you met them at the airport, you called me crying and I thought something bad happened to you! When I met Ginebra, yes, I was so excited and in awe that I didn’t even blink my eyes, but I didn’t cry like a baby. 

What’s the difference between fangirls in the 80s and fangirls today?
They’re different. There are so many obsessive stalkers and that’s where it gets scary. I hear some even sneak into the celebrity’s hotel rooms. But I know you’re not like that. Most of the fangirls today are just too attached, emotional, and melodramatic. But in the end, I support your obsession because I still understand you and I was once a fangirl too. Watching those basketball games were some of the best times of my life. Sometimes, I wish I could go back. 

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.