Fifth year ako nang magtie-up ang school ko sa NMRSA, a new and emerging Review School in Malabon, for the first time. Its aim is to strengthen the integrated review for the students to be equipped in taking the board exam right after graduation. I do not know anyone na gumawa na nun. I mean, halos lahat 6 months review muna after graduation tapos saka magte-take. But come to think of it, kapag nagawa yun maraming matitipid -- time, effort, and most especially pera. (Sorry struggling kasi kami financially kaya yun talaga pinakamahalagang factor sakin 😂) ) 

So nag-start na kong mag-imagine ng mga pwedeng mangyari. I was so positive at the start. But my imaginations were a lot different than reality. Ang hirap mag-focus, president ako ng JPIA so andami ko pang responsibilities. Active ako sa kapilya, kailangan rin ipasa yung minor subjects bukod pa sa napakaraming acctg, tax at law subjects ko. May grades na katumbas yung bawat exam ko kung san nakataya yung pag-graduate ko kaya mas pressured, unlike sa nakagraduate na na nagrereview nalang talaga. Natapos ang first sem muntik pa ko mag-alanganin. Paano ako nito papasa? Six months na lang CPA Board Exam na, andami ko pang di alam! Like many of you, di rin matatag ang foundation ko. Kung nung una positive ako, this time napakalabo nang pumasa ako. I called it 'Suicide Mission'. Pero sayang lahat ng naging pagod ko mula simula hanggang maka-graduate ako kapag di ko sinubukan.

 At dahil mananampalataya ako, I did what I always do everytime I am so conflicted. I prayed to God to give me a sign, anything, para malaman ko kung kaya ko bang ipasa yung board kapag tinuloy ko to. The day after that night, noon break nun, pinatawag ako ng director ng review center. He talked to me regarding taking the board exam. Ang mga natatandaan ko sa sinabi nya 'Salmae, imagine, pag-graduate mo May 2017 CPA ka na!' I took that conversation as the sign that I was looking for so gora na to! Di pa rin madaling mag-focus sa review nalang dahil same issues pa din -- JPIA, minor subejcts, other extracurricular activities -- pero nadagdagan na yung motivation ko. Because I know and I have faith that this mission is with my God.

Sa review I just tried to focus lang sa mga reviewers galing samin, di na ko nangongolekta ng handout galing ibang review centers. Sometimes I visit iCPA kasi you can answer questions which is also a great help dahil nga wala ako masyado resources. Kulang rin ako sa books. I visited other FB pages din for motivational quotes and stories. Maraming nakapost na kung anek anek sa wall kaharap ng study table ko 😊 Fast forward to 2nd preboard, I don't really know what happened to me that time but I lost all the drive to study. A week before day ng PB, di ako nag-aaral, di ako nag-rereview. Imagine my anxiety when I faced that exam, I did not study! After ng lahat ng subjects, dama ko na. Damang dama ko na ang pagbagsak ko. Hirap na hirap akong sagutan. I cried so hard that night for my impending failure but I cried my fears to God and prayed that He help me to pass this exam for nothing is impossible to Him. Gabi gabi nagpapanata ako nun sa kapilya hanggang sa lumabas yung result ng PB. Oh My Gosh! God is so Good! Di Niya lang ako ipinasa, inilagay nya pa ako sa unahan. Di lang ibinigay ng Ama ang panalangin ko, hinigitan pa Nya.

 Papalapit na ng papalapit ang Actual, kinakabahan pero hindi todo. Lagi ko kasi inaaalala yung pangako Niya simula palang. Hiniling ko sa kanya tong mission na to at ibinigay Niya sakin. Then come Actual Board Exam, yung take ko ng bawat subject para yung 3 hours na panalangin. Habang nagsasagot ako kausap ko Sya. Pag di ako sigurado sa isasagot 'Ama parang awa Mo na po sana ito yung tamang sagot' then shade. After ng board may mga nag-uusap tungkol sa sagot daw sa mga tanong, ang mga naririnig kong sagot laging di yun ang naging sagot ko. Hahahaha. Kaya tinigil ko na ang pakikinig at pagbabasa ng mga ganun klaseng convo. I stayed positive, everytime may lingering negative thoughts sa isip ko I prayed kaagad 'Ama please tulungan Mo po ako makapasa' in my head. Anywhere yan, anytime. Ayoko kasi mag-doubt. The whole waiting period yan palagi ang pangontra ko sa negative spirits. Hahaha.

 Results came, and one of the happiest moment in my life happened. CPA NA AKO! Very hagulgol ang lola nyo, gabing gabi na nun. Hahaha.

 What I'm trying to say here is God is so good. He gives to those who pray with faith and with works. Show him that you are dedicated to become a CPA but show him that you are much MORE DEDICATED IN SERVING HIM. I never stopped serving Him kahit na di ako makapag-aral sa gabi na yun dahil kailangan ko madaling araw tumupad. You see, I have a lot of distractions also but don't let those distractions hinder you from achieving your dreams. And don't be afraid to make sacrifices. Tinitiis ko makita yung mga magulang ko hirap na hirap na magpaaral sakin pero tuloy lang, di ko kayang magtrabaho para makatulong kasi mahahati nanaman ang atensyon ko. Ang mga kaklase namin nun nagbabakasyon na, kami pabalik balik pa rin sa NMRS, very puyat pa rin kaaaral ng mga handout. Habang sila naggagradball, kami tinatapos sagutan yung preweek sa Law dahil one week nalang bago yung board exam. Habang sila ang gaganda fresh na fresh nung graduation kami lutang na sabaw pa dahil katatapos lang namin mag-exam sa Auditing muntik pa kami malate 😂

 But everything indeed is worth it. EVERYTHING. One of the happiest moments of my life (I think I've said that already hahaha).

 You will act like it's you against the world, but it's really just you against yourself. Once you conquer yourself, once you put your mind into something everything is possible THROUGH GOD'S GRACE AND MERCY. I did not lose faith ever. Kahit na parang imposible na sa tao, ginawa pa ring posible ng Ama. Have faith. Having faith is believing in something though you cannot see it 😃

 If what's ahead scares you and what's behind hurts you, then look up above, God will guide you 😇

 Godbless future CPAs. I really really hope the best for all of you 😃

Salmae Jane Sianson, CPA