It’s past 6 when I woke up from a one-hour slumber. I climbed down from my bed and went straight to check my phones for any messages. I found my globe first and saw two unread messages.

“Te, di ako pumasa ng ust…” one from my brother.

“Ate ja… L >:D<” the other one from a friend.

Not more enough, next I checked my sun.

There were 4 missed calls, and one message which says, “Sagutin mo, may sabhin ako sa’yo.” I already know what to infer.

All the thoughts planned for next school year flashed through my eyes and fell straight to the Payatas of my imagination. Dang! Where would my babies shape their future now that the university of their choice turned its 400-year-old back at them?

Anyways, I know there are tons of good schools out there. Plus, in the game called LIFE, it’s not about the schools’ names anyways; it’s all up to the person whether he’s going to build his road to toy land or trash land. However, what bothers me most is their ‘self-talk’.

I’ve been through a lot of negative self-talk myself and its consequences are undoubtedly negative! (that sentence took a lot out of me, excuse me for it) I didn’t know where and when did I stop, but all thanks to God, to my family, and friends who helped me say, “Hey, Janina pull over! You’re on the wrong way, go back, and turn right, that’s the RIGHT way.” (why can’t I get over? OK, I’ll get over) But believe me, not everything that says turn right is the right corner or street or highway for you. Cos the perfect direction for you might be turning left, or going straight ahead, or even making U-turns.

Along the journey, you are going to meet older merchants that will tell you their versions of how they got into the ‘right’ path, just like them, you need to take your path—you have to KNOW your OWN.

I know how you are feeling right now—down, crushed, helpless, disappointed, depressed, rejected, anxious—all the normal feelings that a full-functioning person has to go through when one’s (great) expectations were not achieved. It’s OK to feel that, but not as long as you’re living! That’s what abnormal meant.

Like I said earlier, we have different paths to take. And THAT path you thought were right for you might NOT be GOD’s (right) path for you. Now that you KNOW it’s not the right one, you have to make a U-turn. And It’s not bad at all! Because nothing that comes from the Lord is bad.

“I flunked UP, but UST saved me. Now, I will let UP see what they missed,” exclaimed Dr. Cabral proudly.

Being under Dr. Cabral for two semesters in Economics feels like a chicken perfectly grilled to become a juicy, delicious lechon manok, and believe me attending her 1-hour class/4 days a week makes me feel proud that I am in Komersiyo and I am a Thomasian.

She’s an avid Thomasian and her famous line is, “If you’ll cut me now, I’ll bleed yellow.” She flunked UP; now her revenge is as sweet as Ferrero Rocher and Ritter Sports combined—she is studying her second Masters degree in UP.

Now, my babies, my challenge for you is to find your own Dr. Cabrals that would make your proud to be in the path that God will show you in time. J