Never Let Anyone's Opinion Become Your Reality

Next month, I will finally start my new journey as a college freshman. I am an Accountancy, Business, and Management student, but I want to pursue computer studies. My senior high school strand is not aligned with the path I will take to college, and today I will share how and why I came up with that decision.

Photo by Florian Olivo on Unsplash

Since I was a child, I have been interested in computers and how programmers are able to make hardware more usable by using a set of codes. Even though I didn't have the materials back then to self-teach and explore coding, my interest wasn't lost. The smartphone with my parents is the only thing I have used before where I was experimenting with its features and specs. I also had a programmer friend when I was in grade 6. I idolize him because, despite his age, he's able to exploit different Facebook accounts (mga umaaway lang sa kanya yung ginagantihan nya haha). Although that's unethical, I find it cool and it doubles my curiosity when it comes to technology.

My junior high school paved the way to strengthen my interest in computers. I chose the ICT course for our Technology and Livelihood Education which made me exposed to different people who also like coding. For 2 years, I learned how certain things work. I even created my own website using HTML and CSS.

In the last year of junior high school, our teachers prepare seminars to help us decide what strand we will choose in senior high school. Beforehand, I already planned to take the ICT or STEM strand; either of these two will equip me with the needed knowledge on the journey I will take on through college. But during our seminars, they mentioned several things that got me confused and made me doubt my plan. They said that if you take STEM, you should expect a scientific and mathematical approach to studies. I wanted to take STEM but I was scared of mathematics. I am not good at math and my grades usually fall between 80 and 85, which is kind of a flop given that the topics are not that hard. I am a slow learner, I guess. So, the remaining option for me is the ICT strand. I informed my parents about it and it seems they are not happy with my decision. They have the stigma of this kind of strand. They thought it wouldn't help me to be equipped with the necessary skills to find a decent job. They also think that if I continue on this path, I will just get a job in a low-end computer shop. This left me undecided for months.

My classmates are starting to enroll, and I have no choice but to also participate in the ongoing admissions. I would be left out if I didn't act in time. On that exact day, the majority of my friends were applying for the ABM strand. My foolishness kicked in and, maybe due to peer pressure, I decided to take what they took. Aside from peer pressure, one of the deciding factors for me was rumors that this career path was a no-brainer, which I eventually proved wrong.

The first year of my senior high school is pretty stressful. I didn't expect the difficulty of the path I took. When someone asks me why I did take the business stand, I just answer them with the line, "Na-scam ako haha." I was forced to understand and learn all the subjects related to business and accountancy. I have no choice; if I don't, I will fail. I understand now the feeling of being forced to do something you didn't love. Thankfully, I met different people that somehow helped me enjoy my senior high school days. I made new friends that helped me to know who I really am.

After I graduated from senior high school, I had the opportunity to consider my previous life choices. I came to the realization that I frequently look to other people for approval, and if they don't like what I'm doing, I get discouraged and stop. My parents' opinion regarding my chosen career prevented me from pursuing it. I believe that their views will become my reality. But in the end, it's up to me if I want to prove to them that they're correct or wrong. So, I explained to my parents that I couldn't continue doing the things I disliked. I told them that I would not continue taking business and would just shift to studying computers and technology. At first, they were disappointed, but I continued to explain things and understand them.

I feel confident that I will succeed now because I have chosen what I will study in college. I was aware that I lacked fundamental knowledge, but with enough effort, nothing is insurmountable.

BS in Computer Science and BS in Information Technology are the two courses I am choosing. Both are related to the advanced study of computers, but the difference is that BSIT is more focused on assisting people with technology. while BS ComnSci is more focused on the internal aspects of networks and computations. So far, I like the overall idea of a BS in Computer Science. Even though it is more about mathematical computation, I will look at it as a challenge to myself to work hard.

I want to share this with you all to say you should be firm on the things you want to pursue. Never let anyone's opinion become your reality. It's your own life, and you're the one who should be controlling it. You can ask for some advice, but in the end, you must have the courage to make a decision based on what you really want. That's what I learned on my journey, and I realized that even if you start it wrong, it doesn't mean you need to finish it wrong. You always have the choice to stop and take the other path.