Memories from Adamson University & The One Who Said I’m Ugly

After 13 years, I finally got my Transcript of Records at Adamson University. Yep! For 13 years that I’ve been working  and since I left the university, its just now that I requested for a copy of my TOR. It felt like time suddenly ticked back to year 2000-2003 as I flipped its pages. And it made me cry. Not only because of the figures, but because it reminded me of these:
a) the kind of student that I was; b) my failures;
c) the sacrifices of my parents just to send me to college;
d) and dreams that I still have to chase and fullfill.

For the record, my first choice was Business Administration but I ended up with my second choice, Chemical Engineering. It was a last minute decision during enrollment so I can be in the same class with my bestfriend (ganda ng rason, diba?). But she transferred to TIP after a year (ang saklap, Baks!).

As a student, I am that home-school-home-school type. Having a challenging, or I may say difficult course (napagtanto ko lang nung 3rd year na ‘ko), I discovered different forms of cheating just to survive a class. To avoid it, there were  professors who gave exams in two sets (set A and B), sometimes in three, or kapag minamalas hanggang four sets. Biruin mo, looking around with a tarsier eyes and a giraffe neck was elementary. So there were sign languages, eye contacts, cheat notes written in tiny fonts on sleeves, hands, desks or on scientific calculators. But cheating in any form is still cheating, it is not a right thing to do; honesty is the best policy ika nga. Forgive me, I must admit, I am guilty that at one point, I tried the sign language. If I would judge myself based on my scholastic record during that three years of stay in AdU, it was not actually outstanding.Nasa average lang. Medyo nakakaiyak.

My TOR shouted four 5s. Nakakahiya, I failed on some of my major subjects on my third year. I failed not only academically, but also I failed to exert more effort and focus that time. No other words to further explain pero maliwanang na nasayang ang tuition. Matutupad ko sana ang pangarap ng mga magulang ko. Yun ang talagang nakakaiyak.

I believe that every parent dreams of giving their children the best education. My mother who is a dressmaker, and my father who doesn’t have a permanent job, are not an exemption to that. Sending me to college with P24,000 per semestre was expensive for us, and I was fortunate to pursue a degree despite the cost. My mother (the biggest contributor of my college days) earns somewhat like P2000 a week that time and I am aware that she borrows money for my tuition fee. Add to the expenses are my fares, school supplies, uniform, books and allowances. But for three years, she managed to pay all of that. She managed to send me to AdU. Yun ang mas nakakaiyak. Napakalaki ng pagod, hirap at sakripisyo ng magulang ko mapag-aral lang ako. Sobra ang pasasalamat ko. I can never repay them for that.
I wasn’t able to enroll for fourth year because my parents cannot anymore afford the tuition fee. (Two years & a summer na lang sana!) They sacrificed more than enough for me, I had no choice but to find a job, and I never had the chance to continue my studies.

Getting a diploma is still a dream that I need to chase. It is still a goal that I have to plan for it to be real. To give my mother & my siblings a happy and comfortable life is the bigger dream. I pray that God will permit what my heart desires.  Yun na siguro ang pinakanakakaiyak sa lahat. Dahil sa saya. Ang makitang natutupad ang mga pangarap mo.

***
Mahaba na ang post na ‘to pero…

THANK YOU!

Adamson University:
dahil binigay mo na ang TOR ko. Thank you for the memories! Para kang boyfriend, gusto kitang balikan kaso mas mahal na ang tution fee. Mamimiss kita. Wish ko sa’yo maging Champion ka naman sa UAAP Mens Basketball, puede ba yun?;

To professors like Engr. Roque, Engr. Duque, Engr. Ong:
Hindi ko po kayo malilimutan dahil mahirap kayo magpaexam hahahaha! Thank you very much po and may you continue to mold more Chemical Engineers. More power and God bless to all of you 🙂

To my classmates:
I am happy for your success! Buti na lang may Facebook!

To that one upper class student na hindi ako tinuruan dahil pangit ako:
Gusto ko lang sabihin na pangit pa rin naman ako ngayon walang bago. haha! Ano na nga name mo? 🙂

From your fellow Adamsonian,
LJ