TGIF—Thank God it’s the finish line!

Four years ago when I stepped onto college, I was a clueless boy wondering what new challenges stood awaiting my curiosity. Like everyone else, I was excited to attend my classes and listen attentively to discussions with an expensive binder at hand to write notes on.

My college education was a very big blessing as I got the chance to study and take up the course Mass Communication which I really wanted—for free because of the presidential scholarship offered to me. To maintain it, I had to endure sleepless nights, drink immeasurable amount of coffee to stay awake, and experience the harsh stress derived from piles of tasks (not to mention the extreme pressure caused by professors and instructors ).

But hey, I was also a normal student who had a fill of college life’s happy memories and crazy moments. I even did things I considered unethical when I was in high school like copying from seatmates during quizzes and exams, failing to submit projects and assignments on time, and ignoring other requirements. There were lazy days when my classmates and I would agree to skip classes and just while away the time somewhere.

I spent nights chilling out with friends at bars and on the beach where we would drink till we dropped (oops, my parents didn’t know that). Then we would all worry about the unfinished requirement the next day. We would, however, laugh out loud anyway as if it were nothing.

I got angry with classmates and friends during productions, cursed them in my mind, and celebrated with them when the projects were over. I experienced disappointments, filled my own cup of failures and grabbed a plate of opportunities to become better.

Through all these, I had proven that not everything I would learn resided in the classroom. That experimenting and challenging the norms would help me discover untapped potentials. And that only I could solve the problems I created.

Indeed, my college years were great. My Mass Comm life was exhilarating. And my future is the best part of this master plan.

Happy Graduation, batchmates!