How to help ?Ondoy? victims - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

How to help ?Ondoy? victims - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

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QQ: Always take the opportunity to be courageous.

This night is very inspiring. My professor in Local Government, Professor Rowena Guanzon told our class, "Always take the opportunity to be courageous." In my 20-something years so far I believe I have taken my fair share of risks and big decisions. But now, in retrospect, I think I am not the same courageous girl anymore.

I have braved the halls of Manila Science HS (after travelling by bus from Bicol to Manila alone and this was when I'm in Grade 6) and survived. I have believed that the only university that I would have to graduate from will be UP - and yes, I passed the UPCAT and went on to have a degree (and met the most wonderful and truthful friends I will ever meet). Now I am risking 5 to 6 years of my life, toiling in law school, unsure if I'll pass the bar but still praying and hoping and (I would like to believe) working hard to be a lawyer, a good lawyer.

But I think, these same challenges have instilled in me that calculating mindset which pushes me to think of ways to compromise, or other means to do things not head-on but after some careful thought and, (thanks to my business classes), SWOT analysis. Haha! Weird, right? Is this the result of getting old? Of getting involved in various situations and learning that no, things are not as simple as they seem or appear to be? Then it does seem true that one gets cynical with age. But hearing Prof. Guanzon made me think about my decision- making process, and the things that I do and hope to achieve. I will heed her advice, and not worry too much about my future. I know I will write about my own success story soon, and inspire others just as law school (and people like Prof. Guanzon) has inspired me.

I won't give up. Never.