My parents first met in their mid-20s in San Rafael, Aurora, Isabela. At that time, my father worked as a duck herder and was often with his cousin while taking care of the ducks. One day, while my mother was fetching water near their house, my father and his cousin saw her while they were herding ducks nearby. That simple moment became the beginning of their love story. My father started visiting my mother’s house to court her. It was not easy for him because my grandmother was very strict. However, my father did not give up. He followed all of my grandmother’s rules just so he could continue courting my mother. He even changed himself for the better by dressing more neatly and cutting his long hair. As time passed, my mother slowly fell in love with him, and before long, they became very happy together. Then, Yeepee! I was born with a name Julian Jay I was born in San Rafael Aurora, Isabela on December 21, 2005.. Growing up was not always easy because my mother worked abroad as an OFW, so I was not always with her. Even though she was far away, I knew that she was working hard for our family and for my future.
During my daycare and elementary years, I did not have much difficulty socializing because my classmates were kind and friendly. Eventually, many of them became my close friends. When I was in elementary school, I often joined school competitions. I always did my best in academics and extracurricular activities. All my hard work paid off because I graduated as the salutatorian of our batch. I was very proud and happy with my achievement because it showed that my efforts and sacrifices were worth it.
After elementary school, I continued my studies at Doña Aurora National High School. At first, it was difficult for me to socialize because I was shy and unfamiliar with the new environment. Adjusting to a new school was not easy, especially since I did not know many people. However, one of my classmates approached me and became my friend. Because of that simple act of kindness, I slowly became more comfortable and started making friends who were not from our village. As time passed, my circle of friends became larger. I even considered them my brothers and sisters because I am an only child. Until now, my friends from Grade 7 are still by my side. They taught me many things and became an important part of my life. Through them, I experienced exploring nature, going on trips, eating out together, and trying new adventures. I never get bored whenever I am with them because they are all kind, supportive, and fun to be with. I am truly grateful that I met such wonderful people in my life but life was not easy back then because when we reached Grade 8, the pandemic started. What was supposed to be a one-month lockdown eventually turned into two to three years. Many people died during that time, and we struggled with our school activities because we were overloaded with tasks and given very short deadlines. However, those challenges did not stop us from continuing our studies. We eventually graduated together and even received the same honors. Entering senior high school became easier for me because I already knew many students, and some of them had also been my classmates before. Because of that, socializing was no longer as difficult as it used to be.
My senior high school years became one of the happiest chapters of my life. During that time, I joined several school competitions, including pageants. I knew it would be challenging because I was not used to it, but I still wanted to challenge myself and try new experiences. I joined pageants for two consecutive years, and even though I lacked experience, I was thankful because my friends always supported and encouraged me. One unforgettable experience was when one of my friends and I both won 3rd runner-up in a pageant. We were extremely happy and surprised because we did not expect to achieve that, especially since we were only beginners. That experience helped me become more confident in myself and taught me that trying something new can lead to unexpected achievements. However, senior high school also became one of the most painful periods of my life. As graduation was approaching, my grandmother passed away. I was deeply heartbroken because she was the person who raised me while my mother was working abroad. She took care of me, guided me, and became one of the most important people in my life. It was very painful to accept that she would never see me walk across the stage and receive my medal during graduation. Because of her death, I became very sad and emotionally affected at school. Eventually, I realized that losing someone is part of life, even though it is difficult to accept.
When I started college, I faced another major adjustment in my life. College was not easy because of the new environment, the difficult subjects, and the new grading system. Sometimes it feels stressful and exhausting, but at the same time, it is also enjoyable because I continue to learn many new things. It was also during college that I met someone special in my life. At first, our relationship was not easy because we faced many challenges and difficulties. Despite that, we managed to overcome everything together. Thankfully, we are still together until now, and we have been in a relationship for almost one year. I sincerely hope that our relationship continues to grow stronger and lasts until we grow old together. Being a college student has also taught me many valuable lessons about life. I learned how to become more responsible, especially when it comes to managing my time, changing my lifestyle, and saving money for the things I want in the future. It was during this stage of my life that I became interested in going to the gym and improving myself physically and mentally. Even though college life is difficult, I am still happy because I have classmates and friends who always support and help me whenever I face problems.
My hobbies also remain the same despite my busy schedule. I enjoy playing online games, which I learned because of my friends. Playing games helps me relax and enjoy my free time. I also love playing basketball, a sport that my cousin taught me when I was young. Since then, basketball has remained one of my favorite hobbies. I also tried joining sports activities in college, but unfortunately, I was not given the opportunity to participate. Even though I felt disappointed, I accepted it because not everything in life goes the way we want. Instead of focusing on my disappointment, I decided to focus more on my studies and schoolwork because I know that college subjects become harder as time goes by. At present, I continue to work hard to achieve my goals and build a better future for myself and my family. Life may not always be easy, but all the experiences, challenges, and people I have encountered helped shape me into the person I am today. There are still many more stories and experiences that I could share, but for now, my main focus is finishing my studies, succeeding in college, and achieving my dreams in the future.
Julian Jay M. De Guzman Jr.