Biography ✨

For most people, life is a journey, life is a never-ending journey or maybe life is a rollercoaster ride, one day you’re up there and then suddenly you’re being drag below the ground, we cannot really tell. However for me, life is a series of alphabet, wherein the letters abc’s meaning depends on people’s perspective. His letter A can mean Awful and for you it is Amazing, it really depends on what a person is experiencing on that particular day or in his whole life. Life depends on how someone thinks about it and how he views it. So now, allow me to tell you my own version of ABC’s.

My  A means Alabat, but here’s a thing, on the first of July Year 2000, I was born in Chinese General Hospital in Manila, however my mother does not like the idea of raising me in the City, the reason why she decided to bring us in her hometown, which is located in the Province of Quezon- the Island of Alabat. Looking on google maps, it is located in the borderline of the Philippines, facing the Pacific. To make it short, I was a girl born in Manila by my lovely mother, Diosa, but was raised in province. 

B stands for bookish. I was influenced by my cousin to read an actual book and not just ebooks. Since grade 7, I’m already so fond of reading ebooks and exploring different stories in wattpad, however when I was on my 8th grade my cousin gave me a book, it was my first ever book, written by John Green—The Fault In Our Stars. Since then I started asking for more books, but I understand our financial capacities so most of the time I still have to wait in order to have the book that I want, some times I still have to save for it. I’m also fond of buying books in Booksale so that I can save and my favorite series is Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.

C signifies Courage. Growing up without a father-figure actually got me thinking. Seeing my friends being attended by their daddies and papas got me really jealous and I couldn’t stop myself from asking why’s and what ifs. However my mom made us understand the situation and my mommy’s siblings showered us with so much love and guidance; my Titos- they stand as Father figures as well. That made me courageous enough, it embed things on my mind- that I always have to be brave and courageous to deal with life’s challenges, as I don’t have my father’s back.

Dreamer is for D. I was a dreamer even before I knew it. However my dream is changing constantly, as if I will never know what I really want to be. When I was in elementary, I wanted to become a teacher because my Tita who happened to be a teacher, inspired me. But the following year I find the idea of wearing white uniform fascinating- making me want to be a nurse. Then a year after, my mind changed, again, I want to design a house, obviously, an architect, that lasts until grade 9, but I know for a fact that I can’t, but that didn’t stop me from dreaming. It was only when there is a poster making contest in our school that I was like bitchslap in my face, telling me to wake up because I don’t have any talent in drawing, that’s when I stop dreaming to be an architect someday. It was only until grade 10, when the NCAE results are out, I decided I wanted to  be a CPA. My mind was captured because the ABM strand has the highest score, and my heart was inspired by my friend’s brother who graduated from a course BSA and a sister of someone I know just pass the CPALE. It really got my heart, and from that day, I know I wanted to be just like them.

E means Elementary, during my elementary days, I remember I was always supported by my tita who’s a teacher there, she pushed me to join school events, so as time goes by I have learn how to dance, and I remember I graduated rank 7 back then, but there’s only one event in my elementary years that I remember vividly, it was during a campus journalism, I’m grade 6 then, my tita pushed me to join, so I did, just for fun, and the results we’re actually fascinating, I joined for fun and experience and I ended up placing 1st in Feature Writing, but I was hesitant to join in DSPC, it’s pricey and would probably reach almost thousand of pesos, and I know we cannot afford, my mom don’t have stable jobs, and my papa only supports us depending on his earnings, but not stable. So I made a choice, I backed out, I told them I can’t make it to DSPC and they should just find someone who can replace me, and that’s the biggest regret I made.

F for is failure. No matter how much we thought we did our best, we cannot escape failures. There is one moment in my life that made me cry so hard. I’m crying for weeks before it sink into my mind, and even if it happended 2 years ago, it’s still so clear and in fact it still has the capacity to break my heart. It was during my senior high school days that I have this burning desire to graduate with flying colors, so I worked really hard, and the most important thing is I am enjoying while doing so. When I was in grade 12, I thought finally my hard work would pay off, I started to really focus on writing that time despite of my strand, it was because of the subject “Malikhaing Pagsulat”, that I started to fall in love with writing and the idea of words. So I started writing, I was once hailed as “Makata” in our school, and I’m so happy about it. Writing makes me happy and free, and it’s overwelming how you can express yourself and people around you appreciates it. So I thought my hard work would pay off, I thought they will choose me to write the “Hula ng Klase” “Kasaysayan ng Klase,” or any of the 3 articles that will be in our batch’s yearbook, even some of my teachers thought that would be me, but I’m not. I’m not the one who wrote it, it was really my dream because it is about writing, and it is about who the top is, the top student has to write that one- either the valedictorian or the salutatorian, or maybe that’s what I thought? Because for years and from the batches ahead of us, that was like a rule or some kind of whatsoever but I remember myself being so bitter that time, I skipped graduation practices, almost skip the graduation itself, and I didn’t even read that part in yearbook. I’m that bitter because I was so hurt. In my head I believe, I should be the one writing that. In this situation comes my letter G.

God. I even questioned Him because of what’s happening, because I know I worked hard to deserve the things I know I should have. But I still didn’t get what I believe I deserve. I though it’s really over, but my teacher just approached me telling me I have to make a speech because I will deliver one in graduation. And that maybe the reason why I’m not chosen to write those whatsoever in the yearbook, because He wants me to speak up, He wants me to be heard, He wants my voice to be recognized by my batch-mates and made an impact with a heartfelt message in their hearts and in their parent’s hearts. And that’s when I realize that failures aren’t really failures but redirection, you only see it as a failure because you’re hurting but it is God’s way of telling us we deserve better, it’s His way of placing us in a place where we should be and He’s willing to give our heart’s greatest desire to us. 

High school. High school life is another challenge but I will never forget my first day, year 2012, posted near the rooms were the results of the entrance exam for Alabat Island National High School and results for the placement test of those who will qualify in our school’s highest section- Special Science Class. I couldn’t believe it when I saw my name in the 3rd place for entrance exam and 4th spot on those who took the test for special science class. That moment started my burning passion in studying; as if igniting the fire within me. There’s a time when I was grade 7 that I try to run as grade 7 representstive for our Student Government, but I didn’t win, so the following year, I did not try again. I stopped trying! That made me realize that we should not stop, that we should try again, and again, even if we fail because if we fail seven times, then we have to stand up eight. Hence, when I was in grade 9, I decided to join Citizenship Advancement Training (CAT) and I became the secretary of that organization, was also included in four batallion commanders of the batch. During my last year in Junior High, it became hard for me, because senior high comes next, but i’m happy to say that those four years were fruitful and I ended up placing 8th. Then, I tried to push through with studying in other school, I already took an entance exam in Maryhill College, in Lucena City, which is 3 hours away from Alabat, boat for an hour and bus for approx. 2 hrs, hopeful that it will be my new home; but my mom made me understand that we cannot afford it, despite of having voucher. Amidst feeling bad about it, I decided to just enroll again in the same school as my junior high, I studied in AINHS, again. One of my achievements I can never forget back in senior high is when my “Dula” was the chosen piece for out batch’s play competition, and the most overwhelming part is when I graduated with High Honors. Looking back, I know I almost skipped my graduation, but I’m glad I didn’t, because when I graduated, I walked up there, in the stage, all eyes on me, and aside from being able to be my batch’s voice and being able to deliver my message and what’s on my heart, I receive this medal with a valedictorian engraved in it, that became my favorite medal out of my medals since elementary. 

Hence my letter I is Improvement, from failure there is always a room for improvement, we  sometimes failed because we have to improve, we have to be better. If we fail, we should try again, and again and again. It doesn’t matter how many times we tried, but what matters is the we did not stop trying.

Julienne is almost me. Here’s a funny story why I am not her. When my mom gave birth, she fell asleep after. Then, a nurse came into her room to ask the name of the baby, which was me, my supposed name is Julienne because I was born in the month of July, but since she’s still sleeping that time, my tita is the one who gave me my name, which came from the second name of her daughter- Ofelia Joyce, hence my name is Joyce.

Kaleidoscope. As per Merriam Dictionary, Kaleidoscope means an instrument containing loose bits of colored material (such as glass or plastic) between two flat plates and two plane mirrors so placed that changes of position of the bits of material are reflected in an endless variety of patterns, which resembles the variety of people in this world. It represents us, how we are different with each other, how we face different problems and how we deal with it, differently. This simply means that the world is not monotonous, that it is made of complex unique beautiful individuals. Unique individuals that I have to deal with, varieties that I have to umderstand, which I further develop when I started my college.

L. Light. No matter how dark it is, even just a dot of light can be seen, it can start a much lighter ambiance, what I want to say is, when I have dealt with my darkest times, mental breakdowns, emotional breakdowns, and when i’m almost giving up, I always find a way to see even just a dot of light and to reach it, so I can finally get out of that dark moment. I remember when I joined Archery when I was in grade 11, during the competition, I work hard to put as much arrows as possible in the target, but I failed. That’s actually embarrassing, it felt like all my trainings gone to waste, I started to hate that sport I was inlove with, but I did not let the darkness subside, I started believing more, that’s when I started to finally see a light from that dark moment, I see the lights glowing from people around me, trying to cheer me up and still congratulating me for still fighting.

Mental health is always my issue. I’m anxious with literally everything. But my most unforgettable is during my first year summer class, we’re at fifth floor around 5pm when the ground started to shake, my mind went blank and instead of doing the duck, cover and hold drill, I arranged my things and I stand up, almost about to run outside, but a friend get a hold of me and assisted me to get down and helped me with my breathing.

Nature. I always have this weird thing for nature. When I was in my 8th grade, I have this belief which is “Save mother earth for the future and for the next generation,” that made me come up with the idea of recycling plastics. I save all the plastics that we have used in our house, then I cut it into tiny pieces, my plan is to make it as a pillow. I know it’s an small act, but those bigger acts started from the small one. 

Obstacle. I think one of the most challenging obstacle along the way is being financially unstable. I experienced having only one uniform all throughout my senior high school, everytime I’m home, I have to wash it early so the following day, it’s already dry and I can wear it again, I’m not ashamed of it, because that didn’t really bother me from reaching my goal. In facing obstacle, we just have to see it as a challenge rather than being a problem, and as we take it positively, it will bounce back it’s positivity and could no longer be a problem to deal with.

Pup. PUP was never my dream school. It’s always UP, it’s my first love, the one I’m always dreaming about. UP has my heart but I failed to pass the UPCAT, and when PUPCET results came out, I actually feel happy for passing, and honored, because it’s always an honor to pass in that kind of school especially that you came from a province. Upon entering PUP, I started to fall inlove with it, and besides PUP has UP in it too, plus it has extra P!

Quality time. I always made sure that I have quality time, not just time but a quality one. I made sure to spend it wisely everytime because once it passed, I can never bring it back. I also like living my life with no regrets so I made sure to really make the quality out of my time.

R means Reaching. Verb. Reaching. Current. The reason is I’m still here, I’m still an iska, I’m still struggling and still failing some times, but the most important thing is I’m learning, and I’m moving forward trying to find a deeper meaning of my ABCs.

Still. My life is still a work in process, WIP as they call it in Cost Accounting. It’s still ongoing so I am still not done yet with my own version of ABCs, as I still have to find some letters, some meaning of my letters. Maybe as time goes by, I’d reach until Z, when that happened I will sure to share in once again, and who knows if my other letters changed it meanings along the way.