Costly fees, tight deadlines for school projects and paper works, passing marks for every quarterly exams, and sorts of them just to come up with grades with flying colors. This is college life.
College is beyond making abstract dreams and childhood ambitions nor slumping on seats and sleeping on classes. It is more of enduring sleepless nights for reviews, paper works, reports, and projects. It is having intimate relationship with books and notes while sacrificing time and efforts. These, in particular, are the reasons why when the intensity of pressure reaches the highest degree, some just want to strike their heads against the wall and start moving the wrong chess piece, thinking it can cure the problem but it worsens it instead.
Almost always, because we get overwhelmed by the quick-firing of tasks we have to juggle out, thoughts of raising white flags suddenly popped up at the back of our minds and the idea of quitting blanketed optimism. No doubt, college is not easy. It never is. How everyone wished that there is a shorter path of getting into the finish line. If there are only easier ways to have success, but there were none. You have to feel the scorching fire for you to be polished like gold. You have to feel the painful process. You should…You must.
Even though, there are no easy ways to get success instantly, there are things you can have for you to remain standing still-the panacea for this problem. The perfect formula: prayers, patience and inspiration.
God should be the center where your life revolves. He can be your guiding star when the road seems to be dark and hollow, and further, He shall be the cloud who obfuscates you when the brightest rays of fame, wealth, and success try to blind your eyes.
You should also walk with full patience 'til you step into the peak of success. Try your very best to be invincible to pains and stresses. Try to feel good even your entire world appears to be falling like puzzle pieces.
Lastly, inspiration. It solidifies passion and motivation. The driving force that will keep your dreams alive. It’s the thing which will fuel your veins to keep in continuing.
With this formula, success will absolutely be yours.
If triumph means having monstrous eye bags, looking like a zombie, being friendly with your books and pens, making thick paper works, reviewing piles of notes, investing sweat, tears, blood, and money; let it be. If the fruit of the painful journey is success waiting to be found, keep your eyes straight and follow the track. If pressure's gravity pulls you down into the doom of hopelessness, never give up as what Thomas Alva Edison once said, "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up."
This article was written by Michael Dave Macaraeg, a former student of mine, for his column in our school paper. Not only did he excel academically but also showed profound interest in writing.
At present, Michael is now a high school English teacher at the same institution where I also work as an instructor.
