I never considered being a teacher.

Little did I know that my life would drastically change when a nondescript envelope arrived in my school’s Guidance and Counselling Office bearing the tiny logo of the university that would eventually be my second home for the next six years: the University of the Philippines.

I admit that during my freshman year in UP Manila as a nursing undergraduate, I was arrogant because of the fact that being educated in the best educational institution the country has to offer makes me the cream of the crop. After all, I got pretty good grades during my first semester, enough for the then College Secretary to praise my mother and say “Wow, keep this up and you’ll be graduating with honors!”

Alas, apparently it was not to be. Soon after that, my grades took a downward turn, lower and lower until in my third year when I failed one of my major courses. The failure shook me hard. I refused to drop the course because I was so desperate not to be delayed, even just a bare passing grade would do. I did my best to salvage my failing marks – even as far as to continuously consulting with my professors hoping that they would take pity on my desperation not to fail. In the end, it was too late to save my grade and I lost all hope well into the last week of the semester when I just skipped classes altogether. It was heartbreaking to see the rest of the class progressing towards their dreams while I was at a standstill. This experience has left a lasting effect on me as I became more humble than ever.

My transition to the College of Education had not been smooth. First of all, the seemingly endless paperwork required to transfer campuses was enough to make me question whether it was worthwhile to still be pursuing something I was not too passionate about – I was just driven by the need to escape my former college and turn over a new leaf in a new campus. The numerous trips from Taft to Commonwealth to bring required documents for transfer, the long wait in lines, and the feeling of being alone in a completely new campus did not make my initial foray in Diliman any easier either. Still, I persisted, and thankfully, I was admitted to the college.

The College of Education was a breath of fresh air from the toxicity of the College of Nursing. All the professors were very caring and genuinely concerned in their students’ welfare. There was a culture of warmth rather than fear and pressure as what I felt back in UP Manila. As a form of gratitude for welcoming me into the college, not only did I worked hard to accomplish my course requirements but I also tried my best to love what I was doing. As time progressed, educating and nurturing learners of all ages and abilities started to grow on me. That showed in my improving grades and upon graduation, I was also blessed to have been inducted in two prestigious honor societies in UP – the Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in the Social Sciences as well as The International Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, which only invited prospective students with outstanding scholastic records. Unfortunately, just because of an underloaded semester back in UP Manila, I was not able to graduate with honors.

Despite graduating from the country’s premier university, I still wasn’t confident that whatever I have learned would be enough for me to conquer the Licensure Exam for Teachers. Friends and classmates would always comfort us, saying: “It’s okay, taga-UP ka kaya kayang-kaya mo ‘yan. Madali lang magtop ‘pag galing kang UP, especially for the BEEds.” Sure, that may be applicable to my batchmates who graduated with honors and to those who are really smart without trying too hard, but for an average person like me? That sounded like a far-off, impossible dream.

To increase my odds of making it to the passer’s list, I enrolled in CBRC’s LET Review Course with my older sister who also took CPD units with the intention of taking the licensure examination with me. From the diagnostic exam alone, the checker already told me that I have what it takes to make it to the top. At first I was skeptic, as I had a low raw score (below 70%, which is certainly not a passing grade, let alone a topnotcher’s rating). But upon hearing that, I started telling myself that maybe, just maybe, I could do this. Throughout the course of my review – barely two months before the LET – I studied with the intention of not just passing, but topping the LET.

It was not easy. The lectures were long and oftentimes I find myself spacing out because of the monotony. I fought hard to keep sleep at bay, especially in the afternoon, by answering the exercises again and again. I took notes by hand as opposed to taking pictures of it. I took each question seriously as if I was taking the actual LET. I tallied my scores and answered it again and again at home. In a way, the preparation for the LET took over my day-to-day life.

Of course, I took a breather now and then. I still played computer games, I still went to the movies with my family and I still played with my pets, but I made sure I allotted ample time for my preparation. I studied for the LET like I’ve never studied before during my life as a student. Having my sister with me during my LET review encouraged me to study hard too. We had a sort of competition on who will score higher each time to keep ourselves motivated. We promised that we would bag the Top 1 spot in both the elementary and secondary levels of the LET. Though in the end I was the only one who emerged as a topnotcher, my sister’s rating wasn’t too bad either. At least she got her two licenses while I only have one.

There was little fanfare when I got the good news. No tarpaulins in my name (aside from CBRC’s) nor prize money nor hero worship-like recognition in my community. A few congratulated me, UP acknowledged my (and my other co-topnotchers’) accomplishment in a special ceremony, and I was honored to be invited to be one of CBRC’s national reviewers. Nothing else can beat the joy I felt when I climbed up the stage with my mother and my sister to receive a medal and a certificate of distinction from the Board of Professional Teachers during the Oath-Taking Ceremonies. The smiles on their faces were more than enough for me.

My LET journey has taught me that there’s no dream too impossible as long as you’re willing to go great lengths to obtain it. You fail, you succeed, it’s all part of our lives. You can be a failure today and a huge success tomorrow. Just remember to face everything, whether it be success or failure, with a humble heart and you’ll be alright.