For all students out there with endless rants about the educational system, their teachers, assignments, exams, projects, and anything about school; may this post enlighten you.
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It has been a long while since I have finished schooling. And though being a student is really an uphill climb with many obstacles, it is surely one journey I did not regret taking and I would say I take pride finishing. I do not write this to brag about my achievements (if you can call whatever I have accomplished as such), but I am sharing this to you merely to share why I never regretted studying hard.
Wayback in high school, I was never the cool girl. While most of my classmates would go to malls and hangout together, there I was, (as killjoy or as pathetic as it may sound to you) going home early most days, with all my books and notebooks in my bag, to study. Yes, as boring as it may sound to you, my life revolves around school and studying. Like most students out there, I get pressured on most days, too (especially trying to secure my position as one of the top 10 students and my scholarship), but as difficult as it may be, I somehow believe back then (young as I may be), that if I persevere and never give up, I shall see the silver lining after all those dark clouds. It took me lots of long nights studying and putting extra efforts on my school work. My mantra was "hindi pwede ang pwede na," and if I can do something excellently, I will. I was your typical nerd and awkward high school girl. I bet, no one would really remember me, if I had not been smart back then! And while for others, I may not seem to enjoy my highschool life because they feel I was a late bloomer, somehow it did not bother me. Eyes on the prize, I will always tell myself. All I think of was, to get good grades, to be a good student, and on top of it all-time to make my parents proud.
And so I graduated Highschool and here comes college life. While for others it may be a time of added independence, for me, all that I felt were added challenges. I studied in a State University, and I realized, that even if I was one of the cream of the crop when I was in high school, the competition was tougher in college. We were coming from different schools, and I have lots of smart, confident, and outspoken classmates. Somehow, I felt my confidence wither when I am with them. And though I am not competing with any of them, I want to be at par with them, at the very least. Instead of feeling down, I somehow took it as a motivation to strive better. So like how I was in high school, I kept on studying. I took notes well during discussions and listen to my professors. I painstakingly made reviewers during exams because it helped me remember things. But sometimes, even if you gave all your best, the odds will not always be on your favor. There were times when I got bad grades, too. There were times when I will be caught off guard when a professor throws me a question. There were many times as well, when I feel I was not doing enough, that all this hardwork and effort is not going anywhere. Still, I just kept going, like any student does. Whaf kept me going was when one of my professors back then said, "this too shall pass." And yes, though the nights seem long when I am studying for an exam, preparing for a report, or writing my paper, I know that if I kept going, I will see the light at the end of the tunnel.
That was four long years of studying in college, plus atleast half a year spent for reviewing and preparing for the licensure exam. I was literally living for school, leaving our house as early as 5:30 am and going home late because there are many things to accomplish. My friends and I are not party goers, and you would see most of us gathered together, with our handouts. We had group study sessions and we hang out at the library. There were days when we would drop by a nearby mall to atleast relax, eat some snacks, or play games, but you can literally count the number of times we did those things. And while for others this may not seem fun and may really find my life monotonous, still I didn't care. I wanted to graduate. I wanted to have good academic standing. I wanted to make my parents proud. And so, my eyes were set on all the things that motivated me.
Long years of studying and sometimes sacrificing my social life (and even the chances of dating and getting a lovelife back then), but still I think it was all worth it. While studying well entails means giving up or sacrificing some things in life, I still believe, that it was the very reason why I learned discipline and hardwork. I would never learn the value of excellence and doing your best in everything you do if I just dilly dally on my school work. I had the good friends that I had today, because we are united and have a common goal in mind- to march and receive our diplomas on graduation day, together. While solely focusing on school life means I will be missing some happenings with some old friends, I know that the time and effort spent on studying hard is never wasted (You can always make up for the times you missed after you graduate!). I am the professional I am today, because of the discipline and responsibility instilled to me when I was studying. You become the person you are because of your habits and what you have invested in life. So if you want to reach your goals, you have to be willing to disappear for a while, as they say.
College days and the Licensure exam are finally over, and though I am far from being "big time" and "rich," I can happily and proudly say that I am enjoying the fruits of my labor. Some of this includes: buying the things I do not have back then, going to places I have never been to, and eating at restaurants I can never afford before (because when you are a student, you have a very minimal allowance). Now that I am at this point of my life, sometimes I will gladly look back and say, I'm glad I did not give up. I'm happy I knew my priorities. And all these I did not achieve on my own, my parents, first and foremost, were my inspiration. They deserve all the good things in life because they sacrificed so much for me and my brother. My college friends, were also the persons who made the load lighter and bearable. It helped knowing that you are not alone on that diffficult journey. Also, our teachers, mold us into the persons we are today, and I will be forever indebted to them for imparting knowledge and skills I will be using for life. And most of all, God, has been my shelter and fortress all these years. During those trying moments when I was student, I believe and hold onto Him, for it was written: The pain that you are feeling is nothing compared to the joy that is coming.
So if you are a student who is tired and who feels like giving up, think of this time in your life as a preparation for the real world out there. If you think schooling is hard, the world of employment is a tougher place. You have to be ready to face that jungle kind of world. Besides, no one says life is easy. And if you want something, you have to exert effort and find ways to get it. No one gets to the top of the mountain without passing through a difficult terrain or trail, and same goes with life. But I tell you dear students, if you persevere, if you work hard and smart, if you study well, for sure, God and your teachers will definitely see your efforts. It may take some time, but if you just keep going, believing, and praying, your hardwork will eventually pay off.
For now, enjoy the journey. Listen to your teachers, obey your parents, be a good friend to your classmates, and learn as much as you can. And one day, you will somehow find yourself missing your school days, when all you have to do is just go to school and learn. As you look back at those younger years, I am sure you will be at peace with yourself, knowing you made it this far. And if you are able to survive the challenging world of schooling, what else can you not conquer? Yes, you can achieve things as long as you set your mind to it. That's what I did when I was a student like you. For all its worth and for being the person I am right now, I would confidently and contently say, I never regret studying hard.
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