TIME WROTE US. Four years sounds like a long time, but it feels like ending in the blink of an eye, and looking back on my freshman days, exploring this college life full of interest in what is waiting for us. I wrote stories about what I think, echoing the words I prefer not to say out loud. Given the chance to go back through the pages, there will be no edits and new endings, but rather to live each moment again from the beginning.
It began in a way we did not anticipate, embarking on this journey behind glowing screens and attending online sessions. College didn’t begin with the crowded hallways we imagined, instead, we were apart and isolated in a quiet room in our own homes. Even with the distance we still found each other, fate had its plan, it kept us confined as it started that moment when our lives intertwined. The pandemic stole the magical feeling of entering college for the first time, but somehow, we managed our ways to make it special.
“In the end, what made this journey significant was not only fixed to the things we attained but also the moments spent with the people around us.”
Well, who would have thought we could create moments through interacting on each Facebook profile picture, heart reactions, silly captions, and commenting on dozens of copy-pasted memes? As time lies between the cycle of lectures and deadlines, friendships are created as we get to know each other. A single message that went around into a daily conversation, a group project that composed a lifelong circle of friends, and simple interactions that led to a deeper form of relationship.
For every soul that we crossed paths with that subtly changed us, some may have left, but others still stay. We don’t always get to determine who the people will be that will enter our lives. People come and go, yet they leave something behind, whether it is a memory, a lesson, or to be part of us, on to the next chapters of life. Sometimes, as we look back, we realize how unpredictable life is, especially when it weaves people you barely notice but soon become those who are influential in your story, indeed the Butterfly Effect. A year ago, I never knew that they would be coming my way, and a year ago, I never knew that they would mean the world to me.
To the professor who believed in my potential right from the start, Sir Kerwin Martinez, thank you for being the reason for who I am today. From the moment of my first recitation in your Introduction to Philippine Politics class, to guiding me through my undergraduate thesis as my first adviser. To my thesis adviser, Sir Harold Blando, thank you for all the comments and steps taken, as things are all possible with your guidance in accomplishing this research. Reality speaking, this Political Science life was a humbling and difficult experience, but I’m grateful to share that these professors made it possible for me to face the challenges within.
To the friends who made this college journey wonderful, Princess, Sam, Erika, and Kaye, I will always be grateful for having you all in my life. Thank you for the shared moments and for being the light in the times I felt lost in the dark. Among all the memories we have made, we spent the rest of the day hanging out around the campus talking and reflecting on life. During those points, I felt seen and heard, as I found solace in your presence. When I am here with you, everything feels better, living in a safe space departing from a world full of noise and distractions. Wherever life carries us after this, keep in mind that my heart will continuously find its path to the memories we have together.
To my dearest block section, 4BPL, thank you for the moments we’ve shared. I am proud and grateful to have grown with all of you as companions throughout this part of our lives. As we have reached the end, may we all fulfill our goals and for everyone to be in a place where we have always desired. Cheers for enduring these four years of Political Science life. Hopefully, our paths will cross again.
College went by fast, but it gave me pages that I’ll never forget. No need to rewrite, but only to recollect. To admire every chapter, like through the hangouts after classes, recitations that feel like the end of time, and examination week that challenged our inner peace. The story was not perfect, but still, it was ours, and if this is the final chapter, then let it be the one that I begin again to look back on. For this time, I’m no longer masking myself behind the walls or through pen names. For now, this is me sharing stories without hesitation like I used to do. The best stories deserve to be conveyed from the heart, a story we will glance back on years from now.
To be honest, I am not good at goodbyes, but I am grateful that all these memories took place. In the end, what made this journey significant was not only fixed to the things we attained but also the moments spent with the people around us. As this chapter reaches its end, I just want to share a few words, coming from someone who is close to my heart and my source of strength. Always take things at your own pace and pray that all the trials and worries will end in full bloom. I found comfort in these remarks when life felt too heavy, reminding me that even in the most difficult seasons, learn how to control your sail and there is hope and beauty that is patiently waiting at the end. Now that we are already ending this journey, the story is still far from over; ahead of us is a new beginning, and we are just getting started, as the best is yet to come.