At dahil UPCAT weekend...

It's been exactly 6 years since I took the oh-so-popular UPCAT. Up until now, I still vividly remember how the high school senior me prepared hard for taking these college entrance exams. I took review classes with LSC during the summer. Took their refresher courses and all that.

And yes, I was darn serious about making it to a reputable university. My goal was at least make it to Ateneo then let's see. Little did I know that I'd pass the UPCAT and eventually end up majoring in Statistics.

Man, it's been 6 years. How different my life was back then! My thoughts about college were very shallow and all I wanted was a course that would at least give me a nice job after graduation. That's about it. Next thing I knew, college significantly changed my life - just like everyone else. :)

Here's a very nice piece written by Mr. Ronan Capinding (my 2nd year high school class moderator) on making a that important choice. High school senior or not, you better read this! :)

Which lucky university? (for my dear HS seniors) by Ronan Capinding

I used to be a fourth/graduating year class moderator. And I know that this is the season when my dear seniors are very anxious about their choice of university. Unfortunately, I will not have a chance to give this "ponderable" to a senior class this year because I'm teaching and advising third year classes (which is an equally wonderful year level). Thus, let me share my thoughts through this post.

I just want to tell our dear seniors: "Relax". You always think that your success in life depends on the college you will get into. I'm sorry but I consider students with such a conviction a little weak.

For those who did not take their High School seriously, this anxiety is understandable. They probably want to have a fresh start and they are imagining themselves doing better only in a particular college.

But for those who have been earnest and fastidious in High School, I'm confident that they already have what it takes to become "masters of their fates" and "captains of their souls".

I was clueless about the schools here in Metro Manila when I was a high school senior in Don Bosco Tarlac. I just took every college entrance test that was made available to us in the province. Back then, we already knew who were achievers and who were those that were likely to succeed among us. The admission results then were interesting only because we wanted to know which schools would be fortunate or unfortunate to take in certain students from our batch. We had a mature sense of being the future Providers of our (whatever) future university, and not its mere Recipients. I, myself, thought that I was a prized catch for any university.Pasensiya na kung medyo mayabang ang dating pero ang tingin ko sa sarili ko noon: isang "dalagang crush-ng-bayan" na namimili na lang ng mapupusuang "manliligaw na unibersidad".

Bakit lagi ninyong iniisip na suwerte ang isang tao dahil sa napasukan niyang paaralan? Panahon na yatang makita rin ninyo, lalo na kung mabubuti't mahuhusay kayong estudyante, na suwerte ang paaralang papasukan ninyo.

Kapag may grouping sa klase, may mga natutuwang mapabilang ka sa grupo nila; magaling ka kasi at responsable, at mapabubuti mo ang grupo anuman ang mangyari. Medyo ganoon din sa pagpasok sa college. Isipin mo na lang na mas malaki ang anxiety ng mga colleges ngayon. Idinadasal nilang magkaroon ng mga mahuhusay na mag-e-enroll sa kanila.

Ang tanong: Isa ka ba sa pinapangarap na estudyante ng mga kolehiyong ito?

Sa madaling salita at sa totoo lang, hindi ikaw ang magiging suwerte o malas dahil sa mapapasukan mong paaralan; 'yung papasukan mong paaralan ang magiging suwerte o malas sa iyo!"

So stop worrying and wondering about which college will pave your way to success. Instead, tell yourself: "I have so much to give and contribute. Which college or university will I choose to greatly benefit from this talent and generosity I am intending to offer?"

God bless you, seniors. We are proud of you. We are very confident in letting you go to whatever college you will choose to embrace. And we are even happier for that college or university you will choose to serve and be further formed in. =))

(And this post also goes out to my other friends waiting for admission results, whether it be to a company, an institution, a department, etc. You often don't need to be accepted in it for you to be great; you could very well be the greatness-bearer it has long been waiting for.)