Blessing in disguise

I come from a province in the north. It was my ultimate dream to study at the University of the Philippines, and I almost saw the fulfillment of that dream when I passed the UP College Admission Test.

I was supposed to take up metallurgical engineering at UP Diliman. But because of my family’s financial standing, I had to forego my dream of becoming one of the country’s wards—the “Iskolar ng Bayan.” I cried for the lost opportunity. Little did I know that this lost opportunity would turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Having given up on making it to UP Diliman, I took up a prelaw course at a university in the province. With perseverance, I graduated with honors. I got a job three days after graduation; at one point, I was teaching in two schools while serving as executive secretary to a college president.

I thought that my career would go nowhere if I did not pursue law. I felt I had no choice but to take up law while working.

I can still remember the day that led me to taking up law. My father and I were looking for a good school in our province to enroll in for my undergraduate studies. In one university, we happened to meet a church mate who was then the vice dean of one of the departments there. At that time, I had not yet figured out what course I should take. Since my father had always believed that I’d make a good lawyer someday, he asked the vice dean what course would best prepare me for law studies. The man suggested legal management, and so I took it up.

I had a great college life. I was into a lot of co-curricular activities: I participated in a number of quiz bees in and out of the university, I held key positions in the student government, I joined the university choir, I made it to the ranks of the 10 outstanding students in the university and in our region, etc. My college life was so full of excitement and opportunities that I almost forgot my frustration at not being able to study in the Philippines’ premier learning institution.

Still, I start feeling sorry for myself whenever that lost opportunity comes to mind. I also feel sorry for my family. I am the second in a brood of four children, and our eldest sibling was then in nursing school. Her expensive course was draining the family finances, and our parents were hard put to find the money for this and that. I had no choice but to forget about my dream of going to UP Diliman.

Until now, I consider missing the chance to go to UP as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, frustrations of my life. I still keep the admission letter in my room. The map of the Diliman campus and all the documents are still intact. Every time I see them, I can’t help but pity myself and my family. I tell myself life would have been far better if I had made it there.

Nevertheless, in a couple of months from now, if the odds will be in my favor, I will be graduating from law school. Although I have had to give up my job in my senior year in school, I know graduation will all be worth the sacrifice. I had to disconnect myself from the world and live an almost solitary life. My supportive family and understanding friends are keeping me going.

They say that a UP graduate is assured of a good career and a good life. Maybe so, but graduating from a university in the province can also offer that assurance. After all, learning institutions have the same pursuit: to quench every learner’s thirst for knowledge and to kindle in every man and woman the passion for learning.

The school we study in does not define who we are as a person. Neither do we become less of a person if we graduate from a province-based school. To an eager student, learning knows no boundaries. The world is a huge classroom where experience is the teacher and we are the students. In our hands lies the difference. How we appreciate the knowledge we gain and what we make of what we learn will define our future.

Sometimes I ask myself: What would my life be had I graduated from UP? But I have no regrets. UP was a missed opportunity, and also a blessing in disguise.

Richard Laggui Suyu, 27, is studying law at Cagayan State University-Andrews Campus (Cagayan Valley) and hopes to graduate in March. He served as editor in chief of the official student publication The Athena Law Forum, and works as a part-time pleadings writer in a law office.