06/06/2026
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๐๐๐๐๐๐ | My Parents Told Me Not To
People like to blame love for a lot of things.
Failed quizzes. Missed deadlines. Dropped grades. The inability to focus on what truly matters. Somewhere along the way, relationships became the usual suspect in the investigation of academic downfall. It is easier that way. Easier to point fingers at affection than acknowledge the difficulty of balancing youth, ambition, and the terrifying responsibility of building a future.
But Bachelor of Science in Information Technology graduates Rea Mae Royandoyan and John Lloyd Casis seem to disagree.
And perhaps they have every right to.
Both graduating as Cum Laude, the couple crossed the stage not merely as achievers but as living contradictions to the idea that love and excellence cannot coexist. Their journey was not built on grand gestures, dramatic declarations, or the type of romance people write poems about. It was built through reviewers, sleepless nights, unfinished projects, encouragement disguised as ordinary conversations, and a future planned carefully enough to survive reality.
College, after all, is not kind.
It is a place where deadlines multiply endlessly, where one failed examination can feel like a public ex*****on, and where dreams are constantly tested by exhaustion. Rea herself described their journey as a rollercoaster, admitting that there were moments when she questioned whether she could truly do her best in the course. Yet despite the uncertainty, she viewed their achievement as something priceless, a reward earned through hard work, dedication, and countless sleepless nights.
Perhaps what makes their story different is that neither of them ever viewed success as something that needed to be fought over.
When asked whether her partner's achievements ever made her feel insecure or pressured, Rea answered without hesitation.
"There's no time that I felt insecure or pressured by my partner's achievements. Instead, I'm so proud to have a man who is receiving the best rewards that he deserves."
Pride, not pressure.
John Lloyd shared the same perspective.
"No, I did not feel pressured, insecure, or challenged by my partnerโs achievements because we have always been supportive of each other. Instead of competition, we see each otherโs success as motivation."
While many relationships bend under the weight of expectations, theirs seemed to move in the opposite direction. If one achieved something, both celebrated. If one struggled, both carried the burden.
Long before graduation photographs, medals, and Latin honors, that support had already revealed itself.
Back in 2022, during their Senior High School years as ICT students of Samar National School, Rea found herself facing an NC II Networking laboratory examination unprepared. At the time, John Lloyd was still courting her. They were barely speaking. In fact, she admitted she was not interested in him at all.
After finishing his own laboratory assessment, John Lloyd should have been eating lunch with the rest of the first batch. Instead, he stayed behind. He made sure that Rea was prepared, giving her instructions, reminders, and the things she needed to remember.
For most people, it would have been a forgettable moment. A small act buried beneath years of bigger achievements. Yet among all the accomplishments attached to their names today, it remains one of the clearest examples of what their relationship would eventually become.
Not a distraction.
A helping hand.
Perhaps that is why graduating with Latin honors together means more than academic recognition for them. For Rea, it represents a journey that not many couples get to experience. For John Lloyd, it reflects years of sacrifices, support, and hard work finally paying off. The medals may rest on separate shoulders, but the road that led there was shared.
That idea became even clearer when both were asked a difficult question.
What if only one of them had graduated with Latin honors?
Neither imagined resentment.
Neither imagined envy.
Rea admitted she would feel disappointed in herself, but she would still be proud of John Lloyd. Likewise, he explained that even if she were the only one to receive the distinction, it would not change anything between them because he knew exactly how much work she had invested to earn it.
Success, to them, was never a competition.
It was never about who crossed the finish line first.
It was about making sure both reached it.
As graduation season arrives and countless students continue trying to balance relationships, ambitions, and academic responsibilities, the couple hopes their story leaves behind something more valuable than medals and honors.
"If your partner is truly for you, he will not make you feel pressured in balancing love, ambition, and academic excellence. Instead, he will inspire you and help you no matter what storm comes, especially in academic challenges," Rea said.
John Lloyd, meanwhile, believes the lesson extends beyond relationships.
"Having a partner or not, what matters most is focus and dedication in reaching your dreams."
Because in the complicated intersection between love and studies, neither should require the sacrifice of the other.
Choose wisely,
Choose someone who helps you grow,
Choose someone who understands priorities instead of competing against them.
Growing up, the warning was always the same:
Do not fall in love yet;
Focus on your studies;
Think about your future.
For Rea Mae Royandoyan and John Lloyd Casis, the future arrived anyway.
It arrived carrying two Cum Laude medals and years of shared sacrifices. Perhaps their parents were only trying to protect them. Perhaps they were right to worry
But sometimes, the person you are told to avoid becomes the very person who helps you become who you were meant to be.
article by ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ | The Tradesman
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