PREPARE as soon as possible.

This was the advice the two magna cum laude graduates from University of San Carlos (USC) Cebu gave to next year's Bar examinees.

Chiole Chiong, 25, originally from Zamboanga Sibugaym said six months of review is not enough to prepare for arguably one of the most difficult examinations one can take.

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“Start preparing now,” Chiole stressed.

Chiole, along with 24-year-old Zamboanga del Sur-born Suzanne Sencio, finished the Bar exams last Sunday, after a one-week delay due to Typhoon Ondoy.

For Suzanne, the battle begins not in the review, but it starts as early as law school.

“Dapat mubasa naka sa reviewers during law school days palang. Pag mag-review ka, it should be your re-review na -- review in the real sense of the word,” she said. (You should read reviewers even during law school days. If you review, it should be your re-review -- review in the real sense of the word)

Suzanne learned this the hard way when she shared that she only read her textbooks and not her reviewers when she was still in school.

“Textbooks help but unta ni scan lang pud ko sa mga reviewers so pag review na, kibaw nako unsa nga reviewer akong I focus,” she bared. (Textbooks helped but I should have scanned my reviewers too, so I would know what reviewer I should focus)

Suzanne also said one can never tell how difficult the year's exam can be. “It's all in God's hands,” she said.

Choices

Both women coincidentally had to choose between medicine and law.

As a BS Biology graduate from University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Chiole realized later on that medicine was not for her.

“It was not my calling...and I always wanted to be a lawyer since I was young,” she said, adding that her inclination is civil law.

Chiole also shared that her motivation for enrolling in law school was upon finding out that USC had performed well in 2004.

Suzanne, being a graduate of Mass Communications from UP Cebu, said she had to seek out God for guidance.

Her mass communications background, which exposed her to various issues, helped her choose in the end.

“So I realized I can be of help (with the issues) if I become a lawyer,” Suzanne said. She right away pursued law after graduating from college.

Hindrances

A major kidney operation during Suzanne's second year in law school did not stop her.

“I still pursued law because before getting into law school, I already had this ambition and motivation and desire to help. When I'm already here, karon pako mu give up? (should I give up now?)” she said.

Suzanne added that even if the course is tiring, she gets to accomplish a lot by the end of the year.

Chiole, meanwhile, admitted that she is a crammer.

“Well, we can't focus all the time in our studies, diba (right)? What is important is that when there is an exam, makafocus ka para pasar ka (you could focus to pass),” she said.

Lucky charms

A ring given by her mother when she was young is Chiole's lucky charm when she takes the exams.

“It's like my security blanket,” she said.

For Suzanne, prayers from her family and friends all over the country were what inspired her to move forward.

“Even my lolo went fasting,” she shared.

On what she thought of the Bar, Chiole said it was “okay” despite having difficulty in the Criminal and Political Law exams.

“I give myself a performance rating of 7 (out of 10),” she said.

Suzanne, on the other hand, said the exam was long and not easy.

“The length made it more difficult because you don't have time to analyze,” she added.

The one week delay also did not help, according to Suzanne.

“Students are already psyched to end by the fourth week. Nawala na ang momentum so pwede ka mubasa ug other materials but dili na siya ingun ana ka significant, because for me emotionally drained na ko,” she said. (Students are already psyched to end by the fourth week. The momentum was lost so you can read other materials but they are no longer significant, because for me, I am emotionally drained already)

On their plans of what to do while waiting for the results, Suzanne said she will return to her hometown to relax while Chiole will help out in the family business.

The results are normally released in April but due to the new procedure of two examiners per subject, it may be moved to an earlier date. (Justine Paredes/Sunnex)