Mindanao State University
March 03, 2017
“So, where do you study?”
“I study in MSU” “Woah! Really? You must be smart. It must be hard studying there.” this is the
common reaction I get if I talk about my school Mindanao State University. The
mere mention of its name will drop the jaw of some people and even some
professionals. The name entails such prestige and if you happen to study there,
people usually think so highly of you.
Mindanao State University
is such a prestigious name of a school for me back then. When I heard about it
from my aunt and cousin when I was on my fourth year in high school, I already
got motivated to study here, despite the distance, despite the people and
despite the fact that I can’t basically live without my parents because I don’t
know how to cook. I still got curious about the school so for almost half of
fourth year, me and my mother we’re always arguing about the matter because she
doesn’t want me to study from afar especially here in Marawi, she even joined
force with my older brother who she knows I am very afraid of at the time. My
father however is considering because he’s also a graduate here. He knows I can
do it even when my mother and kuya don’t. He believed in me when the others
didn’t. So because of my persistence, in the end I won.
Fast forward to April 2014, actually, my preferred course
isn’t really marketing or business course for the matter, it was actually
social work, but I arrived so late and the only department that still allowed
first year enrollees is marketing and that is the reason why I ended up in the
department. The reason why I’m still here though? It’s that I’m so lazy to
shift because I know that shifting is so complicated, but I also asked God for
a sign if I should shift or not and the sign said not so nah I didn’t.
Let us go back to first year first semester. I was really
really homesick, and I really wanted to just go back home and hug my mother and
tell her that she’s right, that it’s really hard to be away but the stubborn
side of me said no, I shouldn’t, that I should stand for what I started. That I
shouldn’t let anyone think that I’m easily defeated so even when I really
really really wanted to cry on the phone call, I always stop my tears from
falling and tell them I’m okay and when my voice already starts to crack, I’ll
tell them I have to hang up. That was my routine for six months, and when it
was my first ever time going home, I was so excited like I’ve never felt that
excitement before. I was so happy to see everyone for the first time after how
many months. By that time, I never wanted to go back here again and when they
accompanied me to the terminal going back here, I really fought so hard for my
tears to not show up. I just don’t know what was wrong with me, I felt like it
was in my system. I don’t want anyone thinking of me as a quitter.
A couple of years past and I don’t already feel that
feeling anymore. I have made friends and sisters by the personae of my
roommates which shares the same experiences with me. We’ve talked about how we
feel about leaving home to study and not being able to see your family for a
long time. We just comforted each other and made family out of one another. I
am just so thankful they came into my life, at least through them I don’t feel
alone.
Other than emotional challenges, there will always be the
intellectual challenges, where I have to face different instructors every day
and cope up with their personalities and different styles in teaching plus the
fact that I have to study 3 courses in one night (I know, cramming is not good
but it is the only study habit that works for me), one of which contains
hundred pages or so for my major exams so that I will be able to pass the semester
but I have been depressed when I failed not only one but two math subjects. I
have also experienced a test of my physical fitness when I have to run from
annex to CBAA and vice versa or annex to SPEAR and vice versa or the most
exasperating which is I have to walk from my boarding house in fourth street to
CBAA using my very uncomfortable school
uniform and heels. There are and will always be that “adrenaline rush” kind of
stress wherein I’ll be forgetting that I have to pass a lot of requirements for
the other day so I have to pull an unexpected all nighter just to be able to
pass the requirements.
Even so, these were just challenges given to us so that
we will no longer get shocked in the real world after college because we were
always reminded that time then will be more critical and should be used
efficiently. These challenges are also a reminder of that roll of paper every
one of us desperately wants to grab hold of, but that role of paper is not just
any other roll of paper used for the purpose of wiping your dirt. It is a role
of paper that will guide you and lead you to the path of your dreams.
Photos not mine.
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