My college experience

Juan Apolinario C. Reyes

Talking about going to college, I had some seriously disappointing memories about choosing and applying for admissions in college. The first-degree program of my choice was medical technology. To be a Doctor of Medicine was the only prestigious occupation I knew, and medical technology was a premed course. I wanted to be a doctor because doctors possibly earned a lot. In our province, the doctor's house was always the biggest in the town. I applied to UST. UST was my first school of choice. I did not pass that exam.

My second choice was a degree in music. I went to the conservatory of music in CEU to apply but they required us to perform. I checked out what sort of skills and talent my co-applicants brought with them in Metro Manila. What I saw and heard dashed all my daydreams with music forever.

I was a big kid in our town and a bigger kid in school but seeing my co-applicants sang, played the piano and guitar, my sense of who I was crumbled. I was shocked. I would be happier, in fact, if I hadn't discovered how little skill I had. I had the talent, but I was severely short on skills. Talent can grow on anybody, but skill requires dedicated training and attention to craft. I didn't have that.

The fact that I am into math and a writer and a teacher goes to show that our character, eventually, is our destiny. My two most long intense moments when I was in high school was when I was writing and constructing a proof in geometry.

Writing and mathematics stabilized my mind and restless soul.

Life is good.

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