09/06/2025
๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ช | ๐๐ผ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ: ๐๐ช๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐พ๐ค๐ข๐๐๐๐๐
โThe greater the pullback, the greater distance for the projectile to travel.โ
All I know is I am in a deep dream of having a happily ever after, and only heard these words from our professor.
โWake up, wake upโ, the words uttered by my best friend.
โDid I find him? Oh no! I almost missed the moment of being with him. Let me sleep for a while.โ
โNiadas, solve this one on the boardโ, I slowly opened my eyes, all I could see was the chalkboard full of numbers.
I feel nervous; I think I can't do it anymore. I am no longer happy with what I am doing. I donโt even see myself teaching, and why do I bother to solve? A lot of questions linger in my mind, but I cannot let myself be embarrassed again; people know how good I am. With a dizzy head, half-opened eyes, and even messy hair, I took the courage to stand and take the chalk to solve.
Physics was challenging for me. It was a formidable foe, and I faced it like a relentless storm. I had to retake the exam multiple times just to pass, and fortunately, I wasnโt aloneโthe whole class faced the same struggle. I wonder where I would be now if I had not taken the step and risk of enrolling. Maybe I was still crying because of syringes, night duties, and piles of Biology books, or maybe I am happy because those were my dreams. Neither being happy nor crying, I am not there, I am where I belong, and I feel more alive.
As Newtonโs first law of motion states, an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion continues in motion unless acted upon by an external force. We sometimes stay at rest and contented within our comfort zones, and we tend to hate change because we donโt want to fail. However, there will always be one thing, one decision that will change everything. The things we thought we didnโt want will eventually be what we love the most. When I first entered this institution, all I knew was to finish everything and go back to what I wanted.
I was stuck on what I want and despising the possibility of loving where I am.
Avoiding failures and keeping myself behind the camera during the online classes, barely heard and noticed. However, one thing changed everything. I had a great head start on my first year, and the momentum I created continued. The fact that I am in the right place is slowly settling in, and I have learned to accept it.
With all the doubts and hesitations at first, it turned into determination and resilience. As I learned that teaching needs a massive love and force of eagerness to learn to cover a greater distance.
According to the second law of motion, acceleration is directly proportional to the force applied and inversely proportional to mass. In life, we exert a lot of effort on things we want and see progress. However, there are times we feel stagnant, constrained by the weight of trials. Pursuing our passions with joy makes the journey lighter than approaching things as an obligation. Embracing this perspective allows us to move forward with ease and purpose.
As I held the chalk against the board, I realized it was me conquering my fear, my doubt, and letting myself be heard and seen. I am becoming not what I want but what God called me to be, and it was His grace that brought me here. Iโve seen it as one of the triumphs as I stood in front of my students. My fear was gone as I heard myself during my internship journey.
โAre you familiar with a slingshot? This is another example of launching a projectile. If you pull it backwards, the greater you pull, the greater distance the projectile could travel.โ
These are the words I heard with my eyes closed, but these are the same words I uttered when I am wide awake, projecting my voice with newfound confidence in front of my students.
โIf something is pulling you backwards now, your worries, your academic stress, remember that it is a stepping stone to your dreams. Every pullback is an opportunity for a greater launch forward.โ
The smiles and nods as a response made my heart feel like I was learning how to teach and inspire.
At the end, the uncertainty and fear transformed into passion and direction. The decision I made to step out of the boxโmy comfort zoneโwas not merely solving equations, but it was recognizing that I have the power to influence the young minds while pursuing my sense of fulfillment.
โMath is the language of Science,โ was clear in my mind when the same professor said this during our early years in college.
โI hate it, I hate Math,โ echoed at the back of my mind, but how ironic to love something you hate the most. I found myself loving it; I love seeing every solution unraveled in front of me and giving answers to every problem.
There is no next semester, this journey will eventually come to its end, but with trials and triumphs, I remain steadfast because all I know that everything will be worth it in the end, as what the last law of motion tells, โIn every action, there is an equal and opposite reactionโ. I will reap what I sow. This is no longer a dream, and I chase not the happy ever afterโI chase what makes me feel fulfilled.
From standing in front of the chalkboard with doubts, struggling to solve what was written, to the exciting feeling of standing on stage receiving awards and honors, that has been the testament of indeed, hard work pays off. I canโt wait for diplomas that will soon be handed out, and caps will be tossed in celebration. This course may not be what we want, for how many times, weโve been dragged down and experienced setbacks, yet we are still here standing firmly, wearing our beautiful smiles and gladly sayโโFinally, I am here!โ
๐ฆ
Composed by Ma. Jeanesa Niadas
Illustration by Jude Warren Nacita