A memorable semester

A semester has concluded, the holidays are approaching, and a year is about to end. But before the year ends, I learned three valuable lessons this semester as an educator by day in Morayta and as a student by night in Diliman.

First, the joy of teaching. As a university lecturer, I am primarily tasked to teach several classes of promising college students and to mold and shape their young minds in their coming-of-age years.

For the past term, I taught a subject that many, including some of my students, find intimidating for whatever reason—accounting. I might find it not that hard since I am now speaking from the lens of a certified public accountant with experience in tax practice from a Big Four accounting firm.

Sure, accounting may be a boring and difficult subject to some, but it is not only the technical know-how being taught and transferred to these young minds; knowing the debits and credits is not the sole goal of teaching this subject. More than teaching these technicalities, I also promised myself, before entering the academe, to impart values to my students.

Keeping true to that promise, I found joy in encouraging them to think critically, hone their analytical skills, and, more importantly, help them appreciate the essence of lifelong learning—that learning should not be a daunting task, but something indispensable for personal growth and character development; that learning is not only necessary for nation-building, but also something that makes living worthwhile and interesting.

By the time the term ended, I realized that teaching is a gift and an honor that I am grateful to have experienced. From the accounting cycle to the rules of debit and credit, from preparing a worksheet to preparing financial statements, I found a greater purpose in life—that I am preparing my students not only for the licensure exam but that I am also molding their minds as valuable contributors to shaping our society for better.

Second, the privilege of learning. Besides being a lecturer, I am also pursuing further studies during evenings as a law student; and every time that I commute that long, lonely road from Morayta to Diliman, I always think to myself that, no matter how exhausting it may seem, I find myself in a position that many dream to be where they are, but only few were given the chance.

To be clear, I am of the view that learning should be a right, not a privilege; that each and every individual deserves access to quality education for this is one’s chance to have a brighter future, not only for oneself but also for one’s family.

Be that as it may, reality dictates that higher learning is a costly endeavor, that some people must set aside such a dream and, instead, prioritize working to make ends meet and help their families. But this unfortunate social reality motivates me to do better in my studies, that by studying law diligently, I would become a lawyer which could then enable me to give back to society in the future; that I could help contribute to making society a much fairer place to live in, especially for those who are in the margins, those who are forgotten.

Lastly, the gift of being with the right people. The past semester also taught me that being with the right people at home, at work, and at school is crucial. Not necessarily because I have no choice but to deal with them in the years to come, but more because we would be supporting one another in our daily struggles in life.

For the past semester, I was gifted to be with my family and friends, to have amazing block mates at law school who support one another, to have promising students who are cooperating with activities, to have helpful workmates in the faculty room, to have my circle of friends back in Adamson—my alma mater—ready to listen to my frustrations.

I am not writing this solely to show my appreciation for all of them, but also to share my realization that, however cruel life can be, being surrounded by the right people could make life bearable, and even worth living for. So much so that, even without a significant other, I find these people more than enough and that I cannot ask for anything more.

As I welcome a new year and approach a quarter of a century of existence in this world, the lessons I learned would be something worth sharing with my students next semester—that learning is a gift one should make the most out of, that sharing one’s knowledge is a meaningful task, and that being with the right people makes living worthwhile, however challenging life may be at times.

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Joshua Corcuera, 24, is a certified public accountant who teaches accounting by day and studies law by night. He is a university lecturer at Far Eastern University and a Juris Doctor student at the University of the Philippines College of Law.