Beauty, brains, and talent all rolled up in one. For the people who know Bernisse Chua personally, this is merely an understatement. Already in her third year as a BS Accountancy student, she ensures that she is always at her best when her feet step on the field without setting aside the important duty known as her studies. Running on the track for countless hours under the scorching heat of the sun and still managing to breeze through her accounting exams the following day, Chua is indeed more than just your stereotypical student-athlete. Also a consistent member of the Dean’s List, this young lady stands out in many ways aside from her quick feet on the track.
Although a large part of her time is taken by practice sessions to condition herself and improve her performance on the track, she still finds time to maximize her knowledge and skills scholastically as she is actively involved in various professional organizations as well, such as the Business Management Society (BMS).
When asked how she fits all her athletic, academic, and extra-curricular work into her very rigid everyday itinerary, the accounting major shares that it all boils down to time-management. “Although the term “time management” is already overused, it really is the key to get things done. I think that if you really want or need something, you’ll find time for it,” humbly shares the Lady Tracksters’ standout. “There’ll be a lot of compromising but priorities are always first. It really is about discipline.”
As Lasallians are all confronted with challenging lessons, demanding paperwork and numerous course requirements, student-athletes, just like ordinary students, are not exempted from this academic jungle. But what makes it different for student-athletes like Chua is that they still go to another “class” for extensive and tedious training, and preparation for a different kind of midterm or final exam, which is the annual UAAP and other athletic tournaments.
Fortunately for this intelligent and persistent young lady, she seems to be doing well in everything she ventures into. With her team having a decent finish in the UAAP last year and showing so much promise for this season, excellence appears to usher Chua wherever she goes. Better yet, more than just the UAAP experience, the DLSU Tracksters have also instilled more to her than just sportsmanship and athleticism. “Joining the team gave me a better view of the Lasallian community, and I would not be who I am today without [having joined] it,” admits the third year student.
More than her innate talents, what brings her gold is her constant thirst to become better every day. “I believe that it is inside everybody to want to excel and I just want to prove to myself that I can do it,” utters a confident and optimistic Bernisse Chua.
After initially suiting up for Taft’s track team a year ago, Chua is now on her second playing year. Just like last season, she is always ready to make significant contributions for her team for the upcoming December tournament in this UAAP season. Talents like Chua are difficult to come by, and DLSU has definitely found a diamond in the rough in her.
