Back when I was still a frosh, I was the type of person who was afraid to test out new things. Joining an organization or doing other extracurricular activities did not cross my mind, since I had this internal pressure and belief that I would not be able to do well if I decided to actually try it out. On top of that, I was also unsure if I was majoring on the right program, which then made me further shut off the idea of pursuing these activities.
After my first two terms in DLSU, I failed three subjects which left me feeling hopeless about myself. For my frosh self, failing a subject felt like it was already my judgement day; I had this notion that in college you shouldn’t ever fail a subject because it could affect your chances of getting a decent job in the future. It even got to the point where having those failing marks greatly affected my performance in my other subjects.
Luckily, my parents and friends supported my decision to shift out to a humanities program. It seemed so wrong when I imagined myself taking up a program in the field of humanities since some of us have this idea that humanities will not do you any good; we have this notion of believing there was no money or future in it. Moreover, shifting out felt like a big leap in my life because it showed me how I was still lost despite being in college already.
Three years into pursuing my new program, it hit me that shifting out was one of the best decisions of my life. I realized that it pushed me to have the guts to do something that I was afraid of doing before. Surprisingly, the thought of engaging in extracurricular activities popped up again when my college best friend joined an organization. It seemed like a place that I could never get into since these people seemed like the epitome of an ideal Lasallian.
I tried joining that org without expecting a lot, and, luckily, I got in. To be honest, being part of that group still feels surreal to me due to how I see that these individuals have the passion and drive to produce something under pressure. Meanwhile, I am just this new kid on the block that still needs to learn from their master.
A few months into joining, I was able to meet interesting people who further helped me get a hang of my job, and helped me find my purpose in the organization. This place felt like a home, a safe space even. The truth is, even if the job could be difficult at times, it still feels rewarding since there are people who are willing to walk with you through it.
What I’m trying to say is: in life there are certain instances where you might be afraid to take chances since you are scared of what could possibly happen, or there are preconceived notions of what you are about to choose. Yes, oftentimes you get swayed by that feeling and it prevents you from trying new things. But, let me ask you this, when will that day come? When will you be willing to face that fear and have the guts to take the step or leap? Time is such a precious commodity and I hope we all get the chance to make our move before everything is too late. It’s okay to be afraid of what is to come, the only question is for how long?
