ireneherradura

[ireneherradura]

I delivered a speech on my SHS graduation...

Dr. Peter P. Laurel, President; Dr. Flora V. Javier, Executive Vice President/Vice President for Academic Affairs; Mr. Crisostomo M. Malabuyoc, Vice President for Operations and External Relations, Ms. Lerma Y. Calingasan, High School Principal; Dr. Dina Ocampo, our Guest Speaker; Ms. Geraldine A. Dimaculangan, Senior High School Coordinator; Ms. Cheryl E. Punio, Officer-in-charge for Junior High School, faculty members, parents, guests, and fellow graduates, good afternoon.

 Batchmates, we’re in the end game now. Oh, wait no – there is still college. Yeah, we really are in the end game now.

 I am supposed to deliver a speech of gratitude tonight. Before I start, I want to say that I am extremely honored to be here, standing on this stage and speaking before you. I did not expect this. This was not really on my bucket list. To see my face posted on LPU-Laguna’s official Facebook page, that is my bucket list right there. Nevertheless, I am truly grateful. Oh yes, grateful. I am getting sidetracked. Let’s go back to the speech that I am supposed to deliver.

 Today, we get to look back on our hardships-- those countless sleepless nights, coffee overdose-- just all the stuff we put on Twitter. We did it. That is why we are here. Good job! But I hope you know that we were not the only ones who were struggling during those times. We were never alone. And I want you to show those people your simple gratitude.

 I have spent the last couple of days inside the faculty room, editing beside my beauty-and-brain Argo Advisers, Miss J, Miss Megan, and Miss Marian. Miss Charmi would always see me there and start telling my Argo advisers to stop stressing me out, jokingly of course. But during my time there, I saw their hard work. I saw how much effort they put in organizing our graduation ceremony. I could not be stressed out. They are stressed out. But they did not give up, for us to be happy. I know I only saw the tip of the iceberg. I know Miss Len stayed at school until 11 P.M. just to finish her work. I know all the other teachers worked hard, too. So, if they gave you tasks you do not like, do not post hurtful comments on them on Twitter. Do not fold your report cards because I saw how they carefully cut each student’s name and glued them on the envelopes. And thank and hug them right after this ceremony. That is how you show your simple gratitude.

 Our parents may not be able to help us in our research, in our accounting worksheets, your calculus problems, memorization of laws, cooking, and bartending, but they love us. You could not be tired. Your parents have been working hard to finance your studying. They are tired. So, when you leave home in the morning, kiss them goodbye. They pay your tuition fees; do not waste it, go to school every day. And do not forget to include them on your Facebook and Instagram posts tonight. That is how you show your simple gratitude.

 Meeting new friends is one of the joys that come with the senior high school program. We love them, we laugh with them, and sometimes we fight with them. I was lucky enough to be adopted by a group of smart girls known as Spookies. We were not always given the opportunity to be in the same group with them or attend their debuts. At the end of the day, our friends are there to listen to our unending rants. So, boost them, remember the little things they tell you, and stay in touch with them forever. That is how you show your simple gratitude.

 To my classmates from 11-Imbabura to 12-Initiative who rooted for me from the start to be the batch’s valedictorian, to every Ate Luz and Erp who maintain the cleanliness and safety of our school, and to my fellow Filipinos who voted wisely during the last election, thank you so much.

 To Miss Mey who never stopped believing in me, to Miss Charmi who made me cry when she said that I am one of the best students she ever had, to my mom, dad, and brother who supported me all the way out, to Az and Angely, by the way, this is a clear declaration that you are my LPU best friends, thank you so much. I will stay humble and be the best version of myself. That is how I show my deepest gratitude.

 This is the fight of our lives. And we are not letting them down. Whatever it takes. Congratulations to us, Batch 2018-2019! Veritas et Fortitudo, Pro Deo et Patria. This is our end game. This is a game of gratitude.

[ireneherradura]

I passed UPCAT...

UP Diliman, Degree Program with Available Slot First Semester, SY2019-2020

I know I said before that UPCAT is just an entrance exam and it won’t make me any less of a person. It’s still true! However, now that the results are out, I just can’t hide the fact that I’m so happy that I passed! UPCAT is seriously one of the hardest exams I have ever taken and I never, in any way, expected that I will pass. God is really great, isn’t He?

I would like to throw in a few thank you’s:

To God, thank you for not letting me fail for a long time. I know I am a handful but I will always be grateful to you for being so understanding and just being there, spiritually, with me;

To my best friends, Jamie, thank you for the reviewers and constant reminders that I can do it. You should know that I look up to you and I admire your maturity. Krizalane and Rommel, thank you for sparing your time to me last summer. Even when school started for you but I was still on break, we still see each other at Kriza’s house so we could review. I miss you all so much;

To all my teachers, past and present, thank you for teaching me well. My grades are probably the main reason why I made it to UPD. This is for you. I hope I made you proud;

To Team DenHa, thank you for the free UPCAT review. That was so nice of you;

To my friends, thank you for believing in me when even I, myself, couldn’t. Some of you even checked my name before I could - that was so nice of you thinking that I could pass;

Lastly, to my family, thank you for supporting me. Mama, thank you for waiting seven hours outside the exam hall so you could take me home safely. Walter, thank you for, honestly, just being my dog. You’re God’s greatest gift to me.

Maybe you’re thinking, I shouldn’t talk too much because my status is DPWAS. I didn’t make it to my course which is BSBAA but this is enough for me. This already made me so happy.

After junior high school, I felt like I was slacking off. No matter how many praises I got from teachers, classmates, and schoolmates, I knew I could do better. I was trained hard to do group tasks individually. I used to not complain when given difficult tasks. But now I do. And it’s frustrating because it felt like I lost my wits already. I felt like I wasn’t as competent as I used to. This just wasn’t me.

When I passed UPCAT, I felt alive again. It reminded me that I still can. I was still as competent. And my wits, they are still there.

As of now, I am still undecided where to pursue my college. This isn’t easy because I have a lot to consider. But I know I’ll figure this out. God is with me. All the time.