RISING STRONG: ADVENTURES OF A FRESHMAN YEAR SURVIVOR

I'M BACK! MY FELLOW WRITERS AND LOVELY READERS! IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I POSTED SOMETHING IN THIS PLATFORM. I MISSED YOU ALL!

As May has come to an end, I would like to ask how your month has been? Did it bring you a lot of blessings, exciting occasions and milestones, such as graduations, recognitions or other significant happenings? Well, if I mention any of those things that you celebrate—Congratulations, you have come this far!

In this month full of Celebration I would like to share My Freshman Journey. (hmmm where should I start?)

Let's start with how I discovered these college applications. As a provincial girl who doesn't have any knowledge about college applications. I think God will let you meet someone from the City who will educate you about these things.

When the pandemic started I was a grade nine student and I met an internet friend from the city. We have been talking for many years and as time passes by we talked about our future and where we will go when we step into college.

As somebody who is living in the countryside with not sufficient internet connections or doesn't go to the City, well I admit that I didn't know the things that we're talking about. She's super open-minded about that and she shared her learnings and we talked about those things that will be required in the future.

We talked about our dreams and she presented me to her dream school, her dream university that she wanted to go to in college. She told me that it is one of the best universities in Cebu. Well, curiosity killed the cat. I look for that university on Facebook and Google.As I browse the photos of that university, it catches my attention.

It feels like I'll be part of that University in the future. But as time passed I lost connection with my internet friend and my desire for that university had been forgotten.

However, as I step into my last year of SHS—everyone is talking about where they should go after graduation, what is their dream course and many things about college application. I realized that I am a graduating student and I need to look for a university in the next school year.

As I keep on scrolling on my Facebook account I saw a post about the application of Cebu Normal University, the one that me and my friends talk about. The deadline for the application for the entrance exam is nearly approaching. I immediately told my parents and friends about that.

Fast forward, me and my friends are now at the university and filling up the application form for our future courses. The sad part of that day is the College of Teacher Education is the only one available for applicants. To tell you honestly. I didn't see myself being an educator in the future. I love kids but I don't see myself in the position of teaching them.

But I didn't want to waste my parents' money just because I didn't like the available course, so I took the risk and the funny thing is the way of choosing my future course— I chose my course in the fate of a spinning wheel. Whatever the arrow chooses will be my fate. Because from the very start it seems like I'm just applying for the ride to the City and also for the clout with my friends. I don't think that I will pass because it seems like it was just an option for me. However, I passed the entrance exam without even studying anything and I also passed on the other state university that I applied to with my dream course. But the confirmation of the other university is a bit late and by that time I'm already enrolled in CNU.

So I could say that redirection is direction. Maybe this is my fate and I should accept it. Maybe God chooses what is the best for me. He chose a place where I really belong or a place where I will grow as an individual.

Before I successfully stepped into my second year I could say that I encountered a lot of problems along the way when I started as a freshman. There is this time that I am turned into studying and working because there's a problem that affects my family that is really depressing and some problems that cannot be easily coped up.

Amid all of those problems, luckily someone helped us and pushed me to continue to study. He motivates me and my family to continue fighting and continue striving hard. He became my inspiration and he's the one motivating me that those problems are just hindrances and it's part of the journey.

Despite all of those struggles that me and my family encountered, I still have that burning passion to continue the things that I love and to get that degree. But the struggles are not yet over of course, we encountered financial problems.

Those problems affect my mental well-being. Having problems on the other side while studying is depressing but I always choose to be positive as always. But every time I think of my family in the province, while I'm in the city makes me
sad. They kept their money just to give me an allowance for a week and for the rent of my boarding house. It has never been easy for us, especially since my father was the only one working in our house.

Luckily someone asked me if I wanted to tutor some kids for an extra income. Of course, I immediately grab it so that I can also help my parents to lessen their burden on our financial problems.

After class I go to the hospital because the mother of the kid that I'm tutoring is the head nurse of that hospital— they have this private room that we can occupy if I am going to tutor his son. I only have 1 hour to tutor his son and it really helps me financially.

Because my allowance for a week is only 300 pesos, and on 300 pesos, I still need to deduct that for my eggs or other things that are needed in school and my BH. Sometimes, I even borrow money from my friends if I don't have any money for my food, sometimes I even contact maam @jobeliever if she has extra money to borrow, but luckily ma'am @jobeliever understands our situation and helps me with my allowance. ( I AM BEYOND THANKFUL OF HER)

Despite those struggles, I continued studying and didn't give up on reaching that degree. Those struggles that I encountered became my driving force to continue reaching and dreaming of a better life.

As a person who survived those trials, this is my advice to the incoming freshmen. Keep on dreaming—DREAM BIG! Keep that passion burning. Don't let anyone melt down that passion, even yourself. College Universities are in survival mode. You need to keep yourself healthy and strong. As a girl who's always thinking of how other people perceive her, I could advise that it's okay to fail— failure is always part of the process. If you are not losing you are not moving. So make that failure become a lesson and use that to motivate yourself.

This is also my tip for those incoming freshmen.
"CHOOSE YOUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS WISELY"
In college you will meet a lot of people that have different opinions, stances, likes, hobbies, culture and perspective in life. Choose a friend that you can click with. Choose someone who will help you and pushed you to do your best!

Here is my last tip. COLLEGE WILL DRAIN YOU! So as early as now sleep properly on your vacation, rest, relax and make yourself healthy. Because once you enter a university there is no holding back even in your sleep and mental health. Health is Wealth. Take care of yourself!

(Photo Credits to my classmate)