College Life

Since high school, I have been waiting to enter college. I always wanted to be a college student; a serious student who would decide what to be in his life. My first day on ACLC College was on second week of June 2007. It was a day full of new experiences.

The first day of anything new is always nerve racking especially the first day of class. Most freshmen are right out of high school and are embarking on a new journey. I got into a new educational building, was exposed to a different style of learning, and met new people. I notice students reacquainting themselves with peers they saw semesters before. I see others finding old friends thankful for someone to talk to so to not look stupid standing alone. I see adults who decided to return to school after many years out of high school hoping to obtain their degree. My first day signified the beginning of my career goals. As soon as I entered the college campus the high school atmosphere was over and a serious period of my life began.

Students come to the realization that life is not as easy as they might hope for. Many young adults seem to believe that college life is filled with parties and typically a laid-back lifestyle. College is a serious business; our future depends on it, we must double the effort and patience particularly to the projects and research given away by our professors and must study hard to achieve a high grades.

But as a student, life does not only revolve in studying. We also need a break, we need to unwind ourselves sometimes that’s why extra curricular activities are implemented to give students a time to enjoy and acquaint their selves with others. There’s a Sports fest that falls every first semester of school; this was my favorite event. Once sports fest is approaching and announced to the students, I abruptly told myself that I should be the leader of the cheer dance committee because my passion was there. Yes, I love cheer dancing and always a cheerleader since grade school. Video below is the latest cheer dancing competition that I joined during school’s sports fest 2008, just got lucky our team won the grand prize.

I’m also a dance club member of the school but I stopped a week after I joined due to a reasons where my mom asked me to take care of my father when he was admitted in the hospital, I’m having a hard time to focus more than 2 things at the same time and I felt being awkward from the group. Even though I quit I still give a support to the group in every performance they have.

Thesis or the special project, subject that really makes me feel insane. It’s difficult to make one especially if your course taken is related to a computer fields. Those times, I feel like to surrender and commit suicide loljk. There are times that we sleep at dawn and there are nights that we really don’t go to sleep just for the sake of the thesis.

April 2009 is the most freaking month in my entire life. We present our unfinished system to the panel; let’s say that our proposed system is 75% working. During the first defense our system was rejected. I feel so down that moment but I told myself not to lose hope. I remember what mom told me before, “If you really want to walk through the stage wearing a black toga and receive a diploma, you should surpass all obstacles and do not lose hope, always pray and ask God for guidance.” On that time, it’s cleared on my mind why it was happened and realized how amazing and challenging life was.  We doubled our efforts and focuses on the project in over a week until after 3 times of re-defense our thesis finally accepted and graded.

Finally, after years of struggling from assignments, research, examinations, case studies, etc. I am now a graduate and alumni of ACLC. The commencement exercise was held on May 30, 2009 in the afternoon at Sabin Resort Hotel. The tears and joy poured the entire event for all the hardships gone through were all paid.

In this video, we sang our graduation song titled “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. As you can see in the video, I was emotional on the part where we give the roses and card to our parents. I can’t stop myself from crying that time because I saw from their eyes how happy and proud they are to see me walking in front and receive the diploma.

A great debt of gratitude to my alma mater. My hard work will pay off in many ways. Good things will come to those who wait until they graduate. I’ve come so far. I’ve worked so hard. This graduation is a new and open door. Graduating from college is a pretty big deal. Congratulations to me! I did it!

Photos during graduation.

Mama and Papa

Receiving my TESDA NC II Certificate

Software Development, Batch 2009

That was me! teheee

With Emz and Mai-mai

With Bobby

With Karen, Accountant of theYear

With Sir O!

With Ma'am Alice and Ma'am Emz

With Ma'am Chickay

With Sir Hodge