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Having a diploma, creating new attitude
Many people thought getting into something high which you aim for is quite impossible, especially if you are less fortunate. Education is very important for us since that is something that couldn’t be stolen away from us. To finish elementary, high school and dragging yourself up until finishing university is something uneasy for most of us.
I had to work my way hard to be where I want. To do that, I had to make something out of nothing. I was a meek, unassuming guy when I was in high school. Studying hard was my passion and I always get into the top ranks in my class. Although my grades were fluctuating, it managed to help me get a quota course at University of the Philippines. As you know, getting into UP is determined not only by your UPCAT result but also by getting the average of it and high school’s general weighted average (GWA).
I started as a typical “iskolar ng bayan”. My first days were nerve-breaking and shameful. I had to strive hard to be able to survive in a war or brains. Reality bites, but I wasn’t prepared to be in UP. But my determination helped me out to showcase the best in me among my newly
acquainted classmates and buddies. They came from exclusive schools and it made me feel that I was different. But what I was there for? Getting the best quality of education as it should be.
Learning had been fun after some adjustments. It really feels good when you can sometimes butt in or talk the language of a real “iskolar ng bayan”. Years passed by and so I went. On my 4th year, I was not retained as an Accountancy student. I was really upset and cried a lot. For one reason, I had a trouble with my Accounting professor but that was not just good enough to kick me out of the program after 3 long years of balancing the income statement, balance sheet, making journal entries, calculating cash flows and dealing with accounting professors who know Accounting better than the book. Moreover, it was also due to some negligence on my part. On the last days of my semester, I had been delinquent. I lost passion in studying. Until I resorted to drinking, hanging out with friends, bar-hopping and other else.
Until I just found one day I couldn’t go home because I have nothing to show to my mother. It was not the kind of learning she wanted me to have but what have I done? I dropped some of my subjects and failed some.t ruined my plan to have a clean transcript of records. I stopped. I was no longer going to university and my family didn’t know. I had to make it up to them. After all, it was my fault and I really wanted to show to people that failure doesn’t stop anybody from moving on and striving even harder. Change is always inevitable.During that moment, I doubted myself whether I could make it through. Until I’ve met people who really believe in me and I started to develop an attitude and see two sides of the coin differently. I looked for a job and went back to school after a semester. I had to wake up in the morning to go to work at 4AM and go directly to school after my shift ends at 1PM. It was quite hard but I really wanted to finish my degree.
But what have I learned out of this?
The real essence of learning is when you know you do it hard not because they wanted it for you but because that is what you want for yourself.
Thomas H. Huxley once said and I quote: “Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.” The quality of education you put into yourself first nurtures you on how you would like to become as soon as you leave the portals of your school.
We must remember that many people couldn’t go to college or even high school. The value of education to life can never be exchanged by riches or fame. You could never be famous and rich when you don’t instill the value of education to your life even if it is just a piece of word from one person. Learning is not just acquired from school but through daily life’s experiences as well.
Graduation is fast approaching. Getting a degree is the greatest gift we could ever give back to our parents. It is our parents’ pride and joyseeing their children stand out and be a great individual because you are now ready to face the real world. It is really good to receive a diploma. It really makes you feel good, better than a kiss from your lover. People see you as a different individual trying to move on with your life and putting more meaning to yourself. That is something that is for sure, will never go away.
Learning is a lifetime process. Life is a struggle. Attitude makes you live your life and puts you where you want to be. According to Epictetus, “Only the educated are free”. So, choose the right attitude and be free. |
