“The ancient code of the Knights Radiant says “journey before destination.” Some may call it a simple platitude, but it is far more. A journey will have pain and failure. It is not only the steps forward that we must accept. It is the stumbles. The trials. The knowledge that we will fail. That we will hurt those around us. But if we stop, if we accept the person we are when we fall, the journey ends. That failure becomes our destination. To love the journey is to accept no such end. I have found, through painful experience, that the most important step a person can take is always the next one.” Excerpt from Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson (2017)
My undergraduate life at UPLB is comparable to a rollercoaster ride. Full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Sifting through my academic transcript, I’m not exactly what you would call a “conventional achiever”. Never in my life have I excelled in standardized tests and similar concepts. But what I brought in my pocket kept me going. What was this thing I brought? It was curiosity, grit, resilience, and the never-ending pursuit to learn beyond the classroom.
Since childhood, I was always the type whose mind was never able to sit still. I would ask a lot of questions with my wide-eyed curiosity about the universe (and yet still fail subjects for being so distracted). I wanted to be an astronaut, I was always drawing and dreaming of stars and other planets. Where I am now is closer to home than what child Grant would have imagined. I took up Forestry.
UPLB Forestry was definitely an adventure. We would learn about forests through a holistic lens that built us to be well-rounded individuals - from the technical, practical, and especially the social aspect. I remember the days we would hike up Mt. Makiling for field classes, search in every nook and cranny for insects all for the sake of entomology class, (the dreaded) laboratory classes looking at slides under the microscope, watched and cared for trees in the nursery, and (my favorite part) being immersed in the lives of indigenous people and local forest communities.
Sounds fun, right? But on my end, it was never easy. It actually took me 6 years to accomplish the 4-year degree. While my batch mates were graduating, there I was frustrated and repeating chemistry and math class multiple times. looking back, it wasn’t as terrible as I thought it was. Being delayed gave me the opportunity to take extra subjects and meet more people (more friends and mentors).
Despite all the hardships and failures, I did my best to keep going no matter what. I will spare you the details of these dark days but the key takeaway is, rock bottom has taught me so much more than mountain tops ever had. The fortitude and resilience the universe has equipped me with were definitely handy.
I am grateful to the various organizations I joined that inspired me to go out and see the world; diving with UP Marine Biological Society (UP MBS), hiking with UP Mountaineers (UPM), admiring the Milky Way and camping under the stars with Philippine Astronomical Society (PAS), talking about society and things that matter with Filipino Freethinkers (FF), and putting all of our love for the environment into action with UP ECOSYSTEMSS (ECOSS).
I have met people (schoolmates, friends, professors, etc) who have made my days bearable and brighter. It would take pages and pages to enumerate them all but I’m sure that you know who you are and how grateful I am to have crossed paths with everyone who has been with me and believed in me. To my grandparents, family, and bear dog, I love you always and forever and I am only able to reach this far because of all the constant love and support you pour into my life.
The saga continues with life beyond university from internships to working. I’ll be honest, it still is difficult but one reminder I always tell myself is to always return home to my purpose. For whom do I do all these things anyway? Why do I do it? In its simplest sense, all I want is to make the world a better place in my own small ways. To do my best, not just for myself, but to use the gifts and guidance I’ve been given to uplift and be there to build up others, especially those who need it most.
As they say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and, as I learned, the most important step we can take is always the next one. Onwards we go! Towards the never-ending fight for what is good and true, for our work for a better world will never stop.
Cheers and padayon!
Grant Barraquias University of the Philippines Los Baños Bachelor of Science in Forestry, Major in Social Forestry 2014-XXXXX Suma-bit ng 2 taon #VirtualSablay2020 #FacetoFaceSablay2022
“Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.” Excerpt from Desiderata by Max Ehrmann (1927)