“I’ll taste every moment and live it out loud…I know this is the time to be more than a name, or a face in the crowd…I know this is the time of my life.”– David Cook, “Time of my Life”
MY COLLEGE life ends here, and what can I say about it? It’s been a glorious four years, despite all the wounds, bruises and injuries, physical or otherwise.
Life in college was like American Football: in the game, you get banged up by players from the defense in their effort to stop you from moving the ball and scoring, but if you win against all the collisions and tackles, it feels as if all the huge efforts were worth the exertion.
Back in my high school days, I was so pessimistic about college life that I thought it would be quite impossible for me to graduate without repeating at least one subject. Clearly, I knew little of myself and what I can do.
In a football game, as well as in our lives, you need to believe in yourself if you want to win or succeed. So I got rid of all the jitters and negative thinking, taking every entrance exam with confidence and faith that I will pass, careful with every move so as not to be eliminated in the competition.
It was wonderful to hear news that I qualified for the school I chose, UST. Having assurance that I would go to college on a credible institution was like having a slot in the quarterfinals of the league, where you get to be with the best teams, and compete against all of them to bring home the bacon.
As you climb up the competition ladder, the collisions, the banging, the tackles and the offensive tactics get harder and more challenging. In school, I had to keep up with tough subjects, teachers who try to challenge my strategy, and competition from classmates.
Then, as you make your way through the competition and as you prove your worth, people take notice of you, and you start getting success in other fields. That was what I felt when I qualified for the Varsitarian, the University’s special league of writers.
While entering the finals, you face off with the other most formidable team in the league. When I got to my final year—the final match—it’s when I fully realized that the only contender I had to fight against was myself.
Life is a game in which you constantly strive for improvement despite all the struggles you encounter. To get through my final year, I reinvented my habits by devoting more time to the things which required more attention.
Through all of this, God played a key role as my quarterback. Like the quarterbacks in American Football, God became the center of my offense, the leader of my team who selflessly organized the play and directed me to the winning strategy. Without Him, playing in this field called life would not be possible.
After all the bumps, crashes, collisions and injuries, it’s good to score yet another winning touchdown in my life.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for letting me experience every single moment of college–the challenges, struggles, triumphs, and other blessings You have showered me. Give me strength and courage as I take on bigger challenges outside the University, while I live my life enlightened by Your everlasting guidance. Amen.
