<p>When I was a kid, I asked my lolo a question that would end up shaping my entire life: "What is a scholar?"</p>
<p>He told me it was a student who excels and gets to study for free. And with all the confidence of a child who had no idea what he was getting into, I declared: "I want to be a scholar too, Lolo."</p>
<p>Well. That kid had no clue what he signed up for.</p>
<h2>The UP Experience</h2>
<p>Let me tell you, UP Computer Science is no joke. It's not just about learning to code. It's about learning to solve problems that make your brain hurt, debug code at 3am when you have class at 7am, and somehow find the will to keep going when everything feels impossible.</p>
<p>There were moments I wanted to quit. Exams that crushed me. Projects that seemed designed to break my spirit. Deadlines that made me question every life choice I'd ever made.</p>
<p>But whenever I felt like giving up, I'd remember that conversation with my lolo. That kid who wanted to be a scholar. And somehow, that was enough to keep going.</p>
<h2>July 21</h2>
<p>On July 21, I walked across that stage. Computer Science degree in hand. An official graduate of the University of the Philippines.</p>
<p>I'm not going to pretend I didn't get emotional. That moment was years in the making. Every sleepless night, every failed test I bounced back from, every time I chose to keep going when I could have stopped. It all led to that one moment.</p>
<p>The kid who asked his lolo about scholars? He did it.</p>
<h2>What Iskolar ng Bayan Actually Means</h2>
<p>Here's the thing about being an Iskolar ng Bayan. It's not just about the free education (though that part is genuinely amazing and I'm forever grateful). It's about what you do with it.</p>
<p>The literal translation is "Scholar of the Nation." And that comes with a responsibility. The country invested in me. Now it's my turn to give back.</p>
<p>I don't see my CS degree as just a ticket to a good job. It's a tool to build things that matter. To contribute something real to the tech landscape in the Philippines. To maybe, hopefully, make things a little bit better.</p>
<h2>Thank You</h2>
<p>To my lolo, who planted this dream in my head without even realizing it.</p>
<p>To UP, for pushing me harder than I thought possible and making me better for it.</p>
<p>To everyone who's still on their journey: it's going to be tough. Really tough. But if a kid who barely knew what "scholar" meant can make it, so can you.</p>
<p>Padayon, future Iskolars. The best is yet to come.</p>
