Star Matter

This speech was delivered by a La Sallian engineer in one of the graduation ceremonies at the UP College of Engineering.

Today as we finish, I have with me a Transcript of Record(s). The student that owns this transcript studied at the De La Salle University. At this University, if you are an undergraduate, you have an ID number that starts upward of “94”, if you finish a school year failing 15 units, you get kicked out.

The transcript I hold has 27 units of failure. 12 of these were earned by the student in just one schoolyear. Each subject is usually worth 3 units. Thinking carefully, one more failed subject and the student who owns this transcript could have been kicked out.

This speech wasn’t made to acknowledge the hardship of our parents who sent us to school. I didn’t do this to deliver a political statement either, or to convince you not to leave the country and help it develop. This speech is for the normal students that, like the owner of this transcript, because often, the university really doesn’t care for their achievements. There are awards like “Summa Cum Laude”, “Best Thesis Award” and “Leadership Award.” But not even once did I see the University give a “Hang-on and managed to graduate despite nearly getting kicked-out during his academic stay” award.

It is likely that this concept is bullshit to most. Why would you praise a student that is useless, stupid, lazy or irresponsible? Shouldn’t they be vomited out by the University? These are the types of students that won’t get anywhere in life, right?

There. You got it. That is the reason why.

Often, when a student has a bad mark in school— especially in college— it is really discouraging. Then comes the laziness to study, then you think, “What kind of job will I get? At a call center again or clerical? Why am I so stupid. If only I were smarter, then I would have been in Proctor and Gamble, or any famous company.”

It’s harder for a student that fails. Even if you say that it is their fault for failing, you don’t know what it’s like. It’s easy to say, “you can do it, just study,” but do we really know what we are saying?

When a student fails in University, it’s likely he’ll just laugh it off. Or sometimes he’ll proudly say “THIS IS MY 5TH TAKE!!” or “Dude, I’m taking a PHD in ANMATH3/CALCULUS/etc.” But a Summa Cum Laude doesn’t know what a normal student is thinking as he is about to sleep, knowing that when he wakes he has to repeat a subject he had taken in the previous term.

Never was it a problem for the “star student” to say “Mom, I failed.” And never has the thought occurred to them, “What if I work for a no-name company” because they are sure of their futures.

Let’s not joke around. Grades are everything. No matter how you look at it, companies that get fresh graduates to work for them will never be fair. Sometimes you can get it through sheer charm and power but it’s still the same. If you aren’t academically good, you aren’t going anywhere. If not that, it’ll be harder for you just to get to a prestigious position.

That’s why this graduation, I am dedicating this speech to the students that stumbled, nearly got kicked out and to those that did everything in their power just to finish. I’ll make the world fair for you for just one day. No matter what others say, whether it’s your fault that your marks are ugly or that you were nearly kicked out, I salute your refusal to stop studying. I salute your strength of spirit to continue facing the world even if you know it won’t be fair to you. I salute that though your transcript sucks, you still hold your head high in today’s graduation and that you are proud of yourselves.

What’s going to happen to the graduates after this graduation? I don’t want to talk about what will happen to the Cum Laude. Lame. You already know what will happen to them. But for those that failed, what is there?

It’s like you’ll get a mediocre job. You could also get lucky, you might be able to work at a nice company. A lot of things could happen. Don’t lose hope. If during college, you persevered, why would you give up now?

It can also go this way: Study again. Show them that if you just worked hard, you’ll get far. Try proving to them that when you try, you can get to where they are. You aren’t stupid, you’re just lazy.

You might say I’m just drawing.*

I’ve been on both sides. I’ve experienced failing, and I nearly got kicked out. I’ve experienced repeating one subject 4 times. I’ve experienced being berated by parents, siblings and by whoever professors that don’t care about the feelings of the students. I’ve experienced sleepless nights thinking of how to tell my parents that I failed again. That’s why I know what you feel.

This is my transcript.

When I graduated college, what did I do? Well. Worked a little, studied again. Got a Masters in my course. Not for work or anything, but to prove to myself that those times that I failed, I was just lazy.

This is a rebellion. I raise my middle finger ..!..(>_<) ..!.. to every professor, over-achiever, naysayer and detractor THAT TOLD ME THAT I CAN’T MAKE IT. I raise my middle finger ..!..(>_<) ..!.. to every valedictory or graduation speech that only gratifies the university, those who were achievers in school or those who gratify the country when it’s supposed to be the graduate’s moment of glory. You are supposed to acknowledge EVERYONE. Even those who failed many times.

That’s why to those graduates whose marks aren’t nice, this is for you. If I could do this, you can to. It’s impossible that you can’t.

De La Salle University is the 3rd most prestigious private University in the Philippines, and the University of the Philippines is the national university and is considered the best in the country.

Original Tagalog transcript under the cut.

This speech was delivered by a La Sallian engineer in one of the graduation ceremonies at the UP College of Engineering.

Ngayong araw na ito, sa ating pagtatapos, mayroon akong dalang Transcript of Record. Ang estudyanteng may-ari ng transcript na ito ay nag-aral sa De La Salle University. Sa unibersidad na ito, kapag ikaw ay isang undergraduate, may ID number ka na nagsisimula sa “94” at pataas, kung lumipas ang isang buong school year at umabot ka sa 15 units na bagsak, masisipa ka sa paaralan.

Ang transcript na hawak ko ay mayroong 27 units ng bagsak. 12 sa mga ito ay tinamo ng estudyante sa iisang schoolyear lang. Ang isang subject ay kadalasang may bigat na 3 units. Kung iisiping mabuti, isang subject na bagsak na lang ay pwede na masipa ang estudyanteng may-ari ng transcript na ito.

Ang speech na ito ay hindi ko ginawa para i-acknowledge ang paghihirap ng ating mga magulang sa pagpapaaral satin. Hindi ko din ito ginawa para maghayag ng political statement, o kumbinsihin kayo na huwag umalis sa bansa at tulungan itong makaahon. Ang speech na ito ay para sa mga normal na estudyante na kagaya ng may may-ari ng transcript na hawak ko, dahil madalas, wala talagang pakialam ang unibersidad sa mga achievements nila. May mga awards na gaya ng “Summa Cum Laude”, “Best Thesis Award” at “Leadership Award.” Pero ni minsan, hindi pa ako nakakakita ng unibersidad na nagbigay ng “Hang-on and managed to graduate despite nearly getting kicked-out during his academic stay” award.

Maaaring isang malaking kagaguhan ang konseptong ito para sa karamihan. Bakit mo pararangalan ang isang estudyanteng bulakbol, bobo, tamad o iresponsable? Hindi ba dapat isuka ito ng unibersidad? Ito yung mga tipo ng estudyanteng walang ia-asenso sa buhay, hindi ba?

Ayun. Natumbok niyo.Iyun na nga ang dahilan.

Madalas, pag ang isang estudyante ay may pangit na marka sa paaralan, lalong lalo na sa kolehiyo, nakakapanghina ito ng loob. Nandiyan yung tatamarin ka mag-aral, nandyan yung iisipin mo “Ano pa kayang trabaho ang makukuha ko? Call center na naman o clerical? Ba’t kasi ang bobo ko. Kung matalino lang ako, sana, sa Proctor and Gamble ako, o kung saang sikat na kumpanya.”

Mas mahirap ang dinadaanan ng mga estudyanteng bumabagsak. Kahit na sabihin mong kasalanan nilang bumabagsak sila, hindi ninyo alam kung ano ang pakiramdam ng ganun. Madaling sabihin na “Kaya mo yan, mag-aral ka lang,” pero alam ba natin talaga ang sinasabi natin?

Kapag ang isang estudyante ay bumabagsak sa unibersidad, nandiyan yung tatawanan niya lang yan. O di kaya naman, ipagmamalaki niya pang “TAKE 5 NA KO!!!” o “Pare, magpi-PhD na ako sa Anmath3/Calculus/etc.” Pero hindi alam ng mga isang Summa Cum Laude kung ano ang nasa isip ng isang normal na estudyante sa tuwing matutulog ito at alam niyang pag-gising niya, kailangan niya na namang ulitin ang isang subject na nakuha niya na sa susunod na term.

Kahit kalian, hindi naging problema sa “Star Student” na sabihing “Nay, bagsak ako.” at hindi kailanman sumagi sa isip nila na “Paano kaya kung sa walang-pangalang kumpanya lang ako makapagtrabaho?” Dahil sigurado sila sa kinabukasan nila.

Huwag na tayong maglokohan. Grades are everything. Kahit bali-baligtarin mo iyan, hindi magiging patas ang mga kumpanyang kumukuha ng fresh graduates para magtrabaho sa kanila. Minsan din naman, nadadaan sa palakasan, pero ganun pa din. Kung hindi ka academically good, wala kang patutunguhan. Kung hindi man yun, mas mahirap yung dadaanan mo para lang makaabot sa prestihiyosong posisyon.

Kaya ngayong graduation, ang speech na ito ay inaaalay ko para sa mga estudyanteng lumagpak, muntik-muntikan nang masipa o yung sa lahat ng paraang pwede, ginawa na para lang makatapos. Gagawin kong patas ang mundo para sa inyo kahit isang araw lang. Kahit ano pa ang sabihin ng ibang tao, kesyo kasalanan mo man na pangit ang marka mo o muntik ka nang makick-out, saludo ako sa hindi mo pagtigil sa pag-aaral. Saludo ako na may lakas ka ng loob na harapin pa rin ang mundo kahit alam mong hindi ito magiging patas sa iyo. Saludo ako na kahit pangit ang transcript mo, taas noo ka pa rin ngayong graduation at proud na proud sa sarili mo.

Ano ngayon ang mangyayari sa mga graduates pagkatapos nitong graduation? Ayoko nang puntahan yung pwedeng mangyayari sa mga Cum Laude. Baduy. Alam mo namang may patutunguhan ang buhay nila e. Pero dun sa mga lumagpak, ano ang meron?

Maaring makakuha kayo ng mediocre na trabaho lang. Pwede ka rin swertehin, baka makapagtrabaho ka sa magandang kumpanya. Madami pang pwedeng mangyari. Huwag kayong mawalan ng pag-asa. Kung nung college, nagtiyaga kayo e ba’t titigilan niyo yung pagti-tiyaga ngayon?

Pwede ring ganito: Mag-aral ka ulit. Ipakita mo sa kanila na kung sisipagin ka lang, malayo ang mararating mo. Subukan mong patunayan sa kanila na kapag pinilit mo, kaya mo ring abutin yung naabot nila. Na hindi ka bobo, kundi tinamad ka lang.

Baka sabihin ninyo, drowing lang ako.

I’ve been on both sides. Naranasan ko na ring lumagpak, at muntikan na din akong masipa. Naranasan ko na ang umulit ng 4 na beses sa iisang subject. Naranasan ko na ang masumbatan ng magulang, kapatid at kung sino-sino pang propesor na walang pakialam sa pakiramdam ng estuyante. Naranasan ko nang hindi makatulog ng maraming gabi sa pagiisip kung paano ko na naman sasabihin sa magulang ko na may bagsak na naman ako. Kaya alam ko ang pakiramdam ninyo.

Akin ang transcript na ito.

Pagkagraduate ko ng college, ano ang ginawa ko? Eto. Nagtrabaho muna ng konti, tapos aral ulit. Kuha ng Masteral sa kurso ko. Hindi para sa trabaho o kung ano man. Kundi para patunayan sa sarili ko na noong mga panahong bumabagsak ako, tinatamad lang ako.

This is a rebellion. I raise my middle finger ..!..(>_<) ..!.. to every professor, over-achiever, naysayer and detractor THAT TOLD ME THAT I CAN’T MAKE IT. I raise my middle finger ..!..(>_<) ..!.. to every valedictory or graduation speech that only gratifies the university, those who were achievers in school or those who gratify the country when it’s supposed to be the graduate’s moment of glory. You are supposed to acknowledge EVERYONE. Even those who failed many times.

Kaya sa inyong mga graduates na medyo hindi maganda ang marka, para sa inyo ito. Kung kinaya ko ito, kaya niyo rin to. Imposibleng hindi.