Published June 05, 2025 by Campus IO
As the final bell rings and the last pages of notebooks are filled, a chapter quietly closes — one marked by resilience, growth, and the quiet, powerful triumph of simply enduring. For students everywhere, the end of the school year isn't just a countdown to that short vacation. It's a moment of reflection, of gratitude, and of hard-earned victories – though how small they are.
This year, like so many others before it, came with its share of challenges — some loud and obvious, others quiet and internal. There were sleepless nights spent studying, moments of self-doubt, and times when the weight of expectations felt too heavy to carry. There were tears behind the comfort rooms of Athena and Hermes, silent walks home after night classes, and questions like, "Will I really make it through this?", “Ilang activities pa ba?”, “Kaya pa ba?”.
But make it, sure, they did. Kasi many hold on to that:
"Hangga't kinakaya ni Mama/Papa, kakayanin ko din."
Every assignment completed, every exam taken, every early morning and late night was a testament to endurance. Even the failures — the missed deadlines, the disappointing grades — taught lessons that the classroom never could: how to rise after falling, how to ask for help, how to begin again.
Every event won during college days and intramurals. Those “Go Crushie” cheers while watching games, those cheers and banters during intrams where some get a little angry but end up still laughing. Those bilangan of points to make sure your team, your college will win. Every tear after losing a crucial game. All of these are cherries on top.
Amid the pressure and pain, there were also unexpected joys — the kind that slip in quietly and stay with us the longest. The laughter shared during group projects gone awry, the away-bati moments during research or capstone rushing, the comfort of a friend offering snacks and silence after a hard day, the simple relief of a teacher saying, “I believe in you.” These moments reminded students that school isn't just about academics — it's about connection.
Perhaps the most beautiful thing to emerge from the whirlwind of the school year was the friendships. In hallways and canteen (kahit pa mainit madalas), on group chats and walk home from school, bonds were formed — some quick and fleeting, others deep and lasting. These friendships became lifelines, safe spaces in the chaos. They were forged in shared struggles, silly jokes, and whispered confessions. They gave students something to hold onto when everything else felt unsteady.
So as students zip up backpacks one last time and wave goodbye to classrooms that have been both battlegrounds and sanctuaries, they carry with them more than just report cards and yearbooks. They carry stories — of perseverance, of quiet strength, of human connection.
To every student who showed up, who stumbled but stood again, who laughed through the pain and found joy in the mess: you did more than just finish a school year.
You grew. You endured. You found your people. And you never lost your self.
And that is something worth celebrating.
Here’s to the tears that taught you, the smiles that sustained you, and the friendships that will follow you far beyond the walls of Andrews. Cheers to all the hues in between the colors of your student life.