[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’BENEATH & BEYOND | Graduation’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY SONIA D. DAQUILA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=”]
Saturday, April 22, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
GRADUATION originated from a Latin word “gradus” meaning, another step higher. This is also synonymous with “commencement exercises.” To commence means to start.
Graduation for those who will be “graduating” is a very significant event. It is the end of a four-year or a five-year course or even 10 years in college, four years in the college of Law or from graduate studies.
A week before graduation, there is no end to the usual sights. Smiles for those who will reap the fruits of their hardships and sleepless nights, and appeals with matching tears and sobs to teachers or deans, or parents blowing their tops, sometimes bad-mouthing teachers and blaming them for the failure of their children, or students cursing their teachers who gave them failing grades.
But, no, teachers do not fail students. They, the students, decided to fail themselves. Students at times make their parents believe they go to school religiously and they don complete uniform, and of course, with ba-on. When confronting their teachers who give them failing grades and they are shown the evidence of the horrible results of quizzes and periodic examinations, the parents’ ire is trained on them.
Compassionate, though, some teachers tolerate students who have a litany of justifications, just using the magic expression, “graduating, malooy ka man…” in any way, bolstering the values of lusot or paki-usap.
I have witnessed the joy and agony of parents depending on their children’s success or failure. As a dean then, in some instances the whole family would come to beg for their children to be allowed to pass because a mother, a father, a tito or a tita, or a sister or brother just came home from foreign countries to witness graduation of their “scholars.” In some instances, banquets had already been prepared and the whole community invited, only to end up in embarrassment.
Inversely, some students, despite the difficulties, glow with pride, dressed in academic regalia and marching to claim their respective places in a competitive world. Ken, Wilfredo and Yvette were my students in college who preferred to stay at the last row and I saw how they fought drowsiness.
Ken and Yvette would directly report to their classes from the call center and Wilfredo from the bank where he served as a security guard on a night shift. At times I would tell them, “Sigi lang, tulog na lang da kamo kon indi nyo na kaya.”
Where are they now? Ken is now a corporate lawyer. Yvette still works in a call center and a second year now in the College of Law. Jimmy owns a security agency. He has a big beautiful house, flashy cars and lovely children.
Graduation, indeed, leads the graduates into another grade, to a tougher and harsher environment, the university of life. For those who fail, try again and learn your valuable lessons: the consequences of what you did, what you refused to do, or what you failed to do.
For the graduates, let your years in college guide you. From theoretical knowledge, apply those which you learned. Be grateful to your parents and family where love and compassion never end, to the teachers who have been your friends, mentors or second parents, lest you forget.
Remember also those who pained you and let you learned realities in life. Hug them and say thank you as you bid them goodbye. Gratitude counts and gestures of kindness are never wasted.
Remember, too, your friends, even your enemies, they leave in you imprints as part of your school life.
Do not forget to support your Alma mater. No matter what, they shaped you and prepared you for another level, today, your graduation day. Congratulations! (delsocorrodaquila@gmail.com/PN)
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
