THEY SAY YOUR college degree will define the trajectory of your life. It’s been years, yet the stigma toward people who failed to earn a college degree still exists. Truly, it is a wonder how one’s future can depend on a single achievement.

Every single student worries about getting their diploma as they have been taught by the society we live in that there is a little to no success in life without one. Regardless of which angle in life we take a look on, education is always a requirement—either to get employed or even just to be respected. While one’s education undeniably gives a glimpse of who they are as a person, it is unacceptable to reduce their being according to their academic milestones.

A diploma serves as a tangible reminder that one has gone through different stages of learning, various experiences that mold who they might be, and lessons that no one knows about except them. Inside the gates and fences that bound the premises of a university, within the four corners of a classroom, there is always one student that thinks more about whether they would be able to get a diploma or not. It is heartbreaking to witness a youth devoting their life solely worrying for this. 

There is a fine line between an achieved success and true success. Many people tend to forget that there is something more significant than what we acquire through years studying. More often than not, we, ourselves, seek validation and worth through the awards we get.

This thinking often breaks one character more than it should’ve shaped it. The prejudice that one might receive becomes more frightening than failing-– which is a natural occurrence in one’s journey. From this, students become desperate instead of persistent, pressured instead of determined, and dishonest instead of being true to themselves. 

What’s worse than all that has been already mentioned is that there are students who started to think that reaching a diploma is a race they should win only at a given time. This turns genuine learning into a pressured and forced completion of tasks. And once the time given for them is done, they just start doubting themselves which leaves a wound bigger than anyone could imagine.

As much as we acknowledge the importance of a college degree, it is best to not disregard the hardships and best works of those that are still battling with the everyday workout of learning. The life and success of one individual can never be measured through the diploma they hold, or even when there is none to begin with. From this, it is crucial to remember that there are occurrences beyond the premises of an institution that hinders one’s maximum capability. 

Indeed, education is a very important part of one’s life, but that doesn’t mean that people can no longer succeed if they fail to acquire one. Because beyond the core values that every institution teaches us, there is already a character that defines who we are before becoming a student. That character is more likely to be the one who creates a child’s future, and not the paper they receive during a graduation ceremony. 

Success and the future is not something that needs a gate pass or some sort of entry fee, it is for everyone to create one for themselves. Education is not a game and definitely not a race. Learning is an experience we get a hold of until our heart decides it’s time to rest. 

It’s high time that we start recognizing and respecting people for their character and the abilities they have to offer for the betterment of society. May we stop depriving opportunities for those who are determined to keep moving forward despite the uncertainties of life. Lastly, the mindset that the only pathway to success is through a diploma, which will be displayed in our homes, should come to an end. 

Nonetheless, we should continue pursuing the future that we want for ourselves. Create a future that we will surely be proud of. A future where we did not have to sacrifice a bit of our character, and more importantly, our true self.

A life that is made and achieved genuinely, in our own terms, is a success whose definition is something only us could ever understand.