Getting into the Nursing School in the Philippines
Being part of the 2nd batch of K-12 Program in the Philippines is quite hard, but it’s worth it. I decided to go to the science program when I was in middle school. I love problem-solving and discover things when I was a kid. I remember going out under the sun and use my magnifying glass to burn leaves and actively participating in science-related activities in schools. Before I graduate under the science class curriculum in Junior High School, I applied for the health allied strand in Senior High School. I graduated and learned a lot from high school. The lessons I’ve learned, the school’s core values, and the teachers helped me and guided me to the path I am currently taking.
While scrolling through my articles here in Medium, I realized that I hadn’t introduced myself yet. Well, I am Jireh, not my first name but the second one. I was born and raised in the Philippines. I am a goal digger and a lovable guy. I focused on studying since I started schooling. I was an achiever before, but now I am currently struggling in the nursing school. Haha! I was born in 2000, and in fact, I am 19. I have been in 6 schools already. I finished my pre-school at Asian Academy somewhere in Nueva Ecija, and sadly that school doesn’t exist anymore. I started studying at Araullo University-PHINMA Education Network for my middle school. I was then transferred and graduated in Wesleyan University-Philippines for my middle school. I took different entrance exams for Junior High school. I took the big three science high schools’ entrance exams in my province, which is in Nueva Ecija, and passed the exams.
I chose to study at Nueva Ecija High School under the Special Science Class curriculum. Through the years, I have been a consistent honor student that made me feel so great about the title, but as I grow up, I realized that being an honor student is just a pay-off for my hard work in school and it doesn’t determine my capabilities as a human being. I also took different entrance exams for Senior High Schools in Manila, the Philippines’ capital city. I studied and graduated at the University of Santo Tomas under the Health allied strand curriculum. I met my real and loving friends there, which made my senior high school life memorable and full of happiness. Lastly, I took different entrance exams for college. I passed other top schools in Manila, but they offered a different undergraduate program, not the one that I wanted to have. I was enrolled and currently striving at Saint Louis University under the Bachelors of Science in Nursing.
So, what is it like to be born in 2000?
Since I am Asian, I have authoritative parents, which most Asians have. I grew up going to church every Sunday. I also grew up playing Harang Taga or Patintero, which my cousins and I loved the most. The game requires a rectangular grid drawn into the ground. The rectangle size and the number of subdivisions can be changed depending on the number of players. There are two teams, the taggers, and the runners, with about two to six players each. Generally, a rock paper scissors game determines the team. It is a traditional Filipino game for children of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Along with tumbang preso, that is also one of the most popular outdoor games played by children in our time.
Being born in 2000 feels very special to me. We are one of the last generations to remember a world without iPhones or iPads. I went from playing with my mom’s flip phone in 2004 to watching YouTube on my computer in 2007. I also remember playing Y8, Farmville, Wild Ones, Tetris, and Ameba Pico and the game boy and Wii era. I am so glad that I know both a world without iPhones or iPads and a world with them. Nowadays, when I see 5-year-olds with phones and tablets, I always feel sorry for them because it is the only world they know. I also remember growing up watching TV commercials and print ads. Today, everyone can advertise anything on social media. It was also a few years ago when blogging is a trend. Today, there is already video blogging. There is also a rise in mental health and social health issues for the past years. I noticed a lot of improvement in our lives for the past years because of technology. It has a lot of advantages and disadvantages which affect our daily living. On the brighter side, we must go with the flow, continue to live with positivity, radiate inner and outer peace, and cherish God’s existence.
