Tomorrow is my test but I care less; for my dignity as an individual and the capacity of my brain to think will not be determined by the results of that sheet of paper.
If given a chance, I would love to give the valedictory address during the graduation ceremony; however, I was never privileged to do so. I was never the achiever type of student back in grade and high school because my parents were not the “you-must-get-this-grade-because-I-want-to-go-up-on-stage-during-recognition-to-boost-more-my-effin-ego” kind of couple. Since I was younger by two years with my batch mates, it was considerably hard for me to keep up with their pacing – good thing I survived. I graduated basic education accepting the fact that the dream of thanking my mentors and classmates for all the experiences I have enjoyed, ranted, learned, and cried through the course will never be in full realization. I kept that thought in mind for years until my recent discovered passion for blogging and hairstyling. Hence, I would like to grab this opportunity to deliver the message I have so longed to give. This is for DMDP Cosmetology Night Class. Cheers to us.
Tomorrow is my test but I care less; for my dignity as an individual and the capacity of my brain to think will not be determined by the results of that sheet of paper.
To all of you who are willing to listen to this message, good afternoon. For those who are busy taking pictures and commenting on the hairstyle and makeup of thy classmates, good afternoon as well. The statement quoted prior to my greetings was an edited version avowed by the genius behind the controversial light bulb – Thomas Edison. Though it is quite ironic to choose such in this celebrated day, I believe that such statement summarizes everything that I have learned through my course.
Three months ago, my colleagues were quite astonished when I announced that I’ll be taking up Cosmetology. My close friends couldn’t even get a hold of themselves but laugh over this horrendous decision. Why would somebody as rugged, plain, and “ungirly” as myself enroll in this course? True to their words, I am that kind of individual. However, there are several circumstances in life that paves inevitable just like my great passion for hairstyling. I have been abhorrently addicted to braiding and all its kind that I find it a necessity already to learn in a formal learning environment the proper ways of doing things. As much as I wanted to focus on hair culture, TESDA affiliated agency DMDP offers Cosmetology – this means I can’t take hair culture only, I need to include nail and beauty culture. And so the long days started. After office duties, I needed to report to this new environment from five in the afternoon till nine in the evening. It’s exhausting I tell you, but lest it became something that I came to look forward to everyday. It gave me a new environment to vent exhaustion from work, new set of friends to rant and laugh with, and new learning experiences that totally made me a different person.
The three months course did not only taught me life-learning skills in beauty care but as well as honed me into a better individual. It made me realized that the real lessons and tests in life can’t be found on a single sheet of paper but on what happens within us as we go on with life struggles. We take these tests in different time, places and instances – which means that this could happen every day. With the encounters I had with the people from all walks of life, I have come to value love of labor and service more. But more than anything else, I have learned that competition was never the sole purpose of life. The goal was never to stay on top. The goal was to see to it that nobody gets left behind.
Finally and probably the best thing that had happened through the whole course, I am truly grateful with my newly found friends. Through them I came to value more the essence of giving more what is necessary, to be of aide to those who are in need, to laugh with life’s struggles, and to never give up. Come to think of it, no one ever thought we’d survive that late night class.
And to all those who have made this dream into full realization, my mentors, DMDP staff and personnel, thank you. I am not the same person as I am now without you in the picture. May you be able to help more individuals make their dreams into a reality and aide more Filipinos into landing a decent job.
Kudos to us and the future that is to come!
Dakilanglaagan 