A Big Dream in the Dream City

WHAT is Baguio City for you? For me, it is not just the City of Pines, the City of Flowers, the Summer Capital of the Philippines, nor the ukay-ukay Capital. But it is a paradise, a paradise where I’ve got to learn a lot of things and improved myself to be a better me.

Staying here in the city for almost two years was a great experience for me. As what I’ve said, i...t made me learn a lot of new things. Simple things that I didn’t used to do before like cooking my own food, washing my own clothes, and such simple stuffs that my mother used to do for me. But above it all, I learned to be independent. I learned how to stand on my own feet without my parent’s always supporting me.

Living in Baguio City made me realize my talents and capabilities and made me recognize what I really want in life. I actually spent my first year of college in Nueva Ecija where I took up Bachelor of Arts in Information Technology. But when me and my family spent our summer vacation in my grandfather’s house in Sablan, Benguet, my grandfather encouraged me to pursue my college here in Baguio City. My grandfather was also the one who’s supporting me financially in my studies. Of course, I agreed. It’s Baguio City! I know almost every probinsyana dreamed to study or even just stay for a day or two here. With its clear blue skies, foggy afternoons, and chilly evenings, Baguio is the place you will feel like staying forever.

So my mother and I looked for a school here in the city wherein I will pursue my second year of college. After walking for hours, our feet landed us to University of the Cordilleras. It’s white and green building, cool ambience, and cleanliness made me fell in love with the place. I was planning then to continue my course IT but the instructor who was in charge of the admission told me that if I will pursue my course, the subjects that I finished in my school before will not be credited because they have a new curriculum for IT. And so she instructed me to shift my course to either Computer Science or Information Systems, these both are connected to IT. If I enroll one of this course, the subjects that I finished will be credited and so I shifted to Computer Science.

My first year in my new course was alright, it just teaches us the basics about computer, its main parts and functions which I already knew. As time passes by, the lessons were getting harder and harder. But still, I pursue the course and believe in myself that I can do it. Then there was this instance that made me realized to shift my course to Communication.

“So class, the pair that gained the highest score in our activity were Jobelle Lustria and Hyun Young Ae. Give them a round of applause!”, said by Mr. Charles Estrella, our Speech Communication instructor. My classmates did what Mr. Estrella had instructed. Then my smile widen with satisfaction. It made me also feel proud of myself because I am the one who wrote the script for our activity wherein I will play the role of the host and my Korean classmate will play the role of the guest.

“You’re so good in hosting, why didn’t you enroll in Mass Communication instead?”, asked Hyun Young Ae. “Oh, do you believe that I have the guts to do so?”, I asked with smile on my lips. “Yes, you have! You’re good, that’s why we got the highest score right?”, she answered loudly.

I found myself standing up in the long enrolment line in the College of Arts and Sciences the next term. Different environment, unfamiliar faces, and new challenges. After many hours of the tiring enrolment process, I received my registration form at last. Of all those words written in the form, only two words flashed into my mind-ENROLLED. MASS COMMUNICATION. Then I suddenly told myself, “This is what I wanted, this is what I really dreamed of!”

I’m now in second year of my dream course, pursuing to attain the quality education that it has to offer me. Even though most of the tasks and activities are hard, I know that I can surpass these all through the help of my parents, my classmates, instructors, and the Lord God above. These are not the end, the truth is, and these are just the beginning, the beginning to achieve my dreams.

I suddenly recalled what my Philippine instructor once asked me during class. “If you would be a place in the Philippines, what would it be and why?” I stand up straight and said, “If I would be place, I would be the mountains of the Cordilleras, because I am cool, I have a dream for myself and for my family that as high as the mountains, and then someday, I’m gonna be on top!”

I personally believe that the city of Baguio is the place, the paradise, wherein the fulfillment of my dreams will be granted. (Jobelle Lustria)