today, i came across the virtual commencement exercises held by my university for the class of 2020 which also led me to recall my own graduation one sunny summer day back in 2006. the circumstances surrounding the conferring of our degrees (and in some cases, medals commending academic excellence) may drastically be different as this year’s graduation exercises have shifted to a virtual ceremony, but i would reckon that today’s graduates feel a mix of pride, excitement, unease and uncertainty all the more exacerbated by this pandemic we are facing. looking back at these old pictures brought back memories of all the odds i had to surmount to even get to this day, and everyone who helped me along the way to get there, in big ways or small. so many terrible things could have happened to me since i lost my father at 12 and have been in constant need of financial aid since, relying on the goodness of family members and strangers, juggling part-time jobs with my internships, but i chose to soldier on to this day. my message to my graduating self is a similar message i’d like to share with today’s students. today is called a commencement day for a reason. while you are closing a chapter in your lives as students, you are also welcoming the beginning of something new. and with every new start, we should summon the courage to hope. hope is not just whimsical optimism, but a certain audacity to admit to yourself that no matter what life throws at you, you will find a way to get through it as you always have been. you have been among the chosen ones handpicked to attend this university, you have survived its most gruelling demands and challenges, you will get ready for more. because you can, and you will. as my favorite saying goes, ‘ad astra per aspera’, or a rough road leads to the stars. trust me, it will all be worth it eventually. padayon! #classof2020 #sablay2020 #tatakup #upfight #throwback (at University of the Philippines) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDGqyCiHDx6NJe3fVpbIlOBQbfLyXhkG55CO9E0/?igshid=16d00jqvtk0wu
