“Sometimes the path that we did not plan is the one that to teaches us the most.”
When I first entered college, I had a very specific dream. I wanted to study Psychology. I was always curious about how people think, why they feel certain emotions, and how the human mind works. Psychology was my first choice, and in my mind, that was the path I was supposed to take.
But life does not always go according to plan.
Hi! my name is Arie, and I am currently a student at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela.
At first, I did not really understand why I ended up here.
I remember asking myself many questions.
Why this program? Why Social Work? What am I supposed to do here?
I was confused and unsure if I really belonged in this field. Social Work was not the course I imagined for myself when I was younger.
To be honest, one of the reasons I doubted myself was because I am not very confident when it comes to public speaking. When people hear the word
“Social Work,”
they often imagine someone who speaks confidently in front of communities, leads programs, and talks to many people. But I was not that kind of person. I was quiet most of the time. I was the type of student who preferred listening instead of speaking. Because of that, I wondered if I would survive in this program. However, as the weeks and months passed, something slowly began to change. As I continued attending my classes, I started to understand what Social Work really means. It is not only about speaking in front of people. It is more about listening, understanding, and helping others. Social Work is about seeing the struggles of people and trying to make a difference in their lives.
It is about helping families, supporting communities, and standing beside people who are going through difficult situations. Social workers are not just professionals—they are people who choose to care. The more I learned about it, the more I started to appreciate the program. Little by little, I realized that maybe this course was not something I should be afraid of. Maybe this was an opportunity to grow.
Sometimes, we enter a path without fully understanding it. But along the way, that same path teaches us lessons we never expected.
Another reason why my college journey became more meaningful is because of the people around me. My classmates became one of the biggest reasons why I started to enjoy this program. In our section, we help each other during group works, activities, and projects. When someone is confused about a lesson, someone else is always willing to help. College can be stressful. There are deadlines, reports, and many responsibilities. But because of my friends in the program, those stressful moments became more bearable. Sometimes, even when we are all tired from our tasks, we still find time to laugh and talk about random things. Those simple moments remind me that college is not only about studying. It is also about the friendships and memories we create along the way.
Because of them, I began to feel that I truly belong here.
One of the biggest adjustments in my college life happened when we returned to face-to-face classes. After experiencing online classes for a long time, being back inside the classroom felt different. At first, I felt nervous. Everything suddenly felt new again—the classrooms, the daily schedule, and the routine of going to school. But the biggest challenge for me was the distance between my home and the university. I live in Wawangpulo, Valenzuela City, and traveling to school every day is not always easy. Commuting can be tiring, especially when there is heavy traffic or when the weather is very hot. There are days when I have to wake up very early just to prepare for school. Sometimes I feel sleepy during the trip because the travel takes time. But that is not the only challenge. My schedule is also very full. I have classes from Monday to Sunday, which means there are weeks when I barely have time to rest. Balancing school tasks, projects, and responsibilities can feel overwhelming.
There are moments when I ask myself,
“Can I really do this?”
There are days when my body feels tired and my mind feels full of deadlines and requirements. Sometimes I wish the days were a little slower so I could breathe and rest. But even with all these challenges, I continue moving forward. Adjusting to face-to-face classes was not easy at first, but slowly I learned how to cope. One thing that helps me is reminding myself why I am here. Every time I feel tired or stressed, I try to remember that this journey is part of my growth. Each early morning, each long commute, and each busy schedule is part of the process of becoming the person I want to be in the future. Another thing that helps me is the experience of learning inside the classroom again. Being physically present in class makes learning more real. I can focus better, understand the lessons more clearly, and interact with my professors and classmates. There is something special about hearing discussions in person, sharing ideas with classmates, and working together on activities.
These moments remind me that education is not just about finishing requirements—it is also about learning from the people around you.
“It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.”
And that is what I keep doing.
I keep going.
Looking back now, I realize that my journey did not start the way I expected. I did not get my first choice, and at first I felt lost.
But along the way, I discovered something important.
Sometimes, the path we did not choose becomes the path that teaches us the most.
Social Work may not have been my dream at the beginning, but now it is slowly becoming something meaningful in my life. It is teaching me to understand people, to be more patient, and to care about the struggles of others. Most importantly, it is helping me grow not only as a student but also as a person. My journey at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela is still just beginning. I know there will still be many challenges ahead, especially with the distance from home, the busy schedule, and the responsibilities of college life.
But despite all of that, I am learning to appreciate the journey. And maybe one day, when I look back at this moment, I will realize that