“Always aim for the best and if you fail, treat it as a stepping stone [to be] better.”
Dealt with great significance, a student from BSA 1-10 named Carl Patrick Dy gained triumph at the ‘Search for the Top Freshmen Quizzers’––a virtual competition held last 20th of January with an engagement of more than 70 participants on ‘Zoom’.
Throughout the event, the recurring presence of doubts, hesitations, and worries challenged his will and rivaled with his presence of mind. The jitters kicked in, which naturally is the usual adversary of every competitor in any competition. But with the immense support from his family and friends, and along with his knowledge and skills, he remained high-spirited.
Moreover, his participation in the said virtual competition was actually unanticipated, leaving him one day to prepare for the coverage of the quiz bee. (FABM 1 and 2, and Law on Obligations.)
Carl’s way to the ladder on one of the biggest opportunities in his life, so far, is like a story taken straight out of a film or a book––and he is the protagonist meant to surpass any obstacle he will encounter.
“Paano ba ‘to?” “Kaya ko ba talaga ‘to?” “ Susuko na ba ako?”
The things that are running into his mind did not stop him from breaking barriers and defying trials. Along with the adrenaline brought by the urgency of the situation, his self-encouragement helps him gain the necessary confidence during the most crucial part of the competition, the elimination round. Amidst all of these significantly noticeable feats, he remained humble and still in disbelief at the results of how he defied these self-doubts and won against his biggest enemy, himself.
A New Nomad is in Town
Other than rising to the occasion, Carl also managed to secure a spot for a “nerve-wracking” shot. He found his way into the group known as “Air Nomads” which will represent the university for various outside-the-campus competitions.
This new nomad in town may feel the weight of the challenge and the pressure, but the competitive spirit will remain intact as always. With new opportunities, these further fueled Carl’s motivation for another success, and just like in the past, he will surely leave no stone unturned.
As early as high school, Carl has been participating in various accounting quiz bees. Now that he is at the earliest stage of higher education, he has acknowledged his victory that coincides with a sense of responsibility vested upon him when he earned the chance to represent his university.
Given that he is actively engaged with his extra-curriculars, he also recognized the demand that he must always be up on his feet and be one-step ahead of the curve. Not just an achiever, but an overachiever. A pressure that he placed upon himself, in which he is harvesting the positive results at the present.
Acing that Battle
Keeping in mind the opportunity he previously earned, Carl wanted to express how his loved ones influenced who he is at the present, and how this will influence who he will be in the future.
For him, there is no miracle and there is no secret recipe for success. Though, he believes that aside from all the success that he had and will potentially have, believing in oneself will always be the greatest present we can give to the people that believe in us. And this might be his sole inspiration as to how he manages to be the person he wanted himself to be and aspires to be.
Wins and losses, success and failures. Life will always be a constant state of uncertainty. But as what Carl told me, our lives can be compared to competitions––there are times that we win, and there are times that we lose. But the most significant part of it is that we will always end up with learnings that we can hold onto for the challenges we will face in the next. We just need to find the missing piece that will be a deciding factor in acing that battle.
It is true that during the time where we are being challenged the most, we are vulnerable to the greatest change we could not even imagine for ourselves. The battle was never about the end result, it was always about our personal takeaways and the significant lessons of both losing and winning. And in that sense, we never really lose. It is about the person whom we choose to be. As we commit ourselves to another unconventional semester, the question remains: Will you ace your own battle? It is time to find out and defy that self-doubt!
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