<This was the essay that I was required to make and pass when I applied at ADMU. The question was: Are there any significant experiences you have had, or accomplishments you have realized, that have help to define you as a person? I decided to post it here since it's just sitting here on my computer memory -- maybe I could share it?>

Life, so far, has been a great irony for me. Many a time I feel elated when indulging on my interests, or when savoring my accomplishments. There are also times that I am enervated, especially when passing time on doing things I am not fond of, or when regretting my mistakes. These circumstances prove the well-known mantra, “Life’s like a wheel.” To be able to withstand this perplexing pattern is much like abiding by Darwin’s Survival of the Fittest.

I am aware of most of the adversities my family had experienced before. I knew the debt our parents owe to different people to make us go to school like everyone else. In this light, I strived to pass and get into a Science High School. It is not only the privilege of not paying my tuition fee, but it also promises me an education that will make me a well-rounded person fit to survive the complexities that the future holds.

For the first time I exerted all my efforts on accomplishing a goal when I aimed to entered Manila Science High School. It all started on January 8, 2005 – the qualifying examination.

Even though I was confident in passing the exam, I could not help but feel nervous. The hot weather actually added to the uneasiness of taking the exam. More than that, I was doubtful whether or not my answers were sufficient to let me pass. Upon entering the designated room, the need for me to enter the school immediately popped on my mind and it inspired me more. “This school would make me successful,” I thought, especially because my parents were having a hard time paying our tuition fee. The need to enter the school was greater.

The proctor started distributing the booklets. They held the questions that would decide whether or not I had adequate academic foundation suitable for such a prestigious school. I felt a little more pressured since my parents had enrolled me on AHEAD Review Center in preparation for this exam. My mindset was “I should be able to answer them all.” It would be shameful had I found them insoluble.

I focused wholly on the test, trying not to be distracted even by the slightest thing. The pressure made my throat dry and my hands covered with sweat. I did not drink in spite of the thirst or I would be regretful in wasting my precious seconds in doing actions that surely would not increase my chances of getting into the school.

Faces I did not know, who surely shared the same age as I, also took the examination. I learned then that it was indeed the place where competition was a tradition. These students of my age had the same goal – to win the preliminaries and to join the competition. The day of examination took me months to prepare for, but it seemed that only a fraction of a second was used to answer a number of questions. It was as if ages had passed from the time of the examination to the announcement of the results.

I knew I only needed to be patient.

Fortunately, I shared the same fate with those who were chosen to be in the prestigious institution.

My hard work had been rewarded.

Passing and entering Manila Science High School was not just an accomplishment, but also a great challenge for me to prove my worth. I was the salutatorian of our batch during elementary but I obviously was not the best when compared to all the students with the same year. I was like a soldier who went to war with nothing but my own. Industry, eventually, became my weapon. I inadvertently adapted to where I was situated - where one must be competitive.

My first year - loads of assignments and lessons I never heard, they entirely shocked me. I found it harder to cope since I needed to improve my study habits besides the adjustments of turning to a high school student from being a grade school student.

Aside from honing me academically, the community I came to belong also posed me crucial questions I ought to answer. The image unraveled my responsibility as I found pieces to the puzzle. Little by little, I discovered my purpose in life. I pictured myself in a wider perspective than I had had before.

The latter episodes of my high school proved me as a social creature who would naturally depend on others in order to survive. I made it to the star section last year and this year as well. During those times, I became acquainted with students who ARE exemplary not only in the academic scene but also in other fields.

The process was far from complete, but it seemed that I had transcended my expectations. Yes, hectic days and sleepless nights nearly made me consider my entering the school as a mistake. But this predicament was a blessing-in-disguise. I realized I had not done all of my struggling for nothing. The memories flattered me – I am worthy of this life.

Survival of the Fittest purports that being strong is a requisite of life. But reality proves that being one of the fittest alone does not suffice. I learned that it is also through humility that a person learns. For in the recognition of my weakness – the things I have not learned yet – I became what I am today. After all, I am one of those whom the saying ‘no man is an island’ describes. I learned that from my experiences and my colleagues. What I am now and where I am now is a big nonsense without a purpose, that is, to serve my family and my country.

Had I missed the opportunity, perhaps I would not be able to define myself as a person. I will never forget that day: I was the hero, my hands tightly holding my weapon – a pencil and my shield – the eraser. Now, I am still the hero brandishing my edge – a purpose and my aegis – my will.