Pursuing Excellence: 1st Semester Ends

             If you're asking why I posted a reflection post in this site instead in Tumblr, then there's one reason behind that: this is very educational in the sense that not only I learned about this experience but also others who will read this will learn from this very wonderful experience that I encountered during my first semester in University of the Philippines Diliman.
               Before I enter this university I was so excited and proud of myself that I passed the toughest and hardest college entrance exam test and just didn't pass it but also being one of the luckiest and fateful enough to be in the flagship campus which is in Diliman. As the time gets nearer and nearer, the pressure was pushing my inside thoughts that only those who have the mental capacity will survive in that kind of environment. Okay, that's the reason behind why I lost my confidence, eloquence, sharpness and believe in my own knowledge as if the Gelo was long lost forever.
               The first weeks in the university was the hardest for me. Every morning, every noon, every night and almost every moment my hope was diminishing. There came a point during this week that I'm too afraid enough and don't want to enter class and just return home and study there. That was how hopeless I was before. If not by my parents, I won't be here continuing this thing that I once dreamed before. I give up too easily. I was weak back then.
               As the sem pasts, I was able to adjust if not completely, partly. I can cope up, socialize and enjoy my stay here in UP until one day that I don't wanna go home weekly any more and now as the sem ends this week, I'm not only thanking that this sem ends but I'll surely miss life changing chapter of my life.
              If there is something that UP taught me it's not really the academic ones but whatever essential thing that I learned right now resides here in the deepest part of my heart.   I'm taught with getting the solution set to a trigonometric function, how idealistic democracy works, how to introduce myself in Spanish, the different theories in politics, to create a research paper and how to play duck pin bowling but there's something that is implied in these things that I realize as I progress during the sem. It's the word never give up.
              Never give up. Easy to say but hard to apply specially during times when you're really down with your acads, understanding the dynamics, legitimacy, and functions of a democracy that is really hard to understand especially when you're here in a democratic country that is called as democratic but as what you can see in your daily life living in this country, it really is not, going overnight studying politics even though you know you'll fail, solving complex equations and making a research paper. But look at this, I was able to finish and end this sem without conflicts because I did not give up.
              Life is always full of surprises. The next semester will just like be this sem but more harder and challenging. Life will continue to put me down but no matter how many hardships that will come next semester, I'll continue dreaming and will never gonna give up. Remember this fellow students: Problems will surely come, it will always be there no matter how successful we are in the future, but it will only come and won't stay forever. If you're feeling down and hopeless always remember that there is still One Guy that will extend His hands for you but never forget to call Him. Padayon UP! Maraming salamat sa isang semestre!