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My biggest influences and inspirations are my family and my girlfriend. My family has made a lot of sacrifices just to support me, and even when I feel like giving up, I always think about them. I want to make them proud and prove that everything they’ve done for me is worth it.

My girlfriend also inspires me a lot. She’s been with me through my ups and downs, and just knowing that someone believes in me helps me keep going. She makes me want to be better not just for myself, but for the future I want to build with her. They’re the reason why I try my best. They’re the people I think of whenever I feel like giving up.

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My philosophy in life is to live your life to the fullest. You only live once, drop your s***t and have fun. Life’s already messy and unpredictable, so why make it harder by overthinking everything? Laugh more, take risks and do whatever makes you feel alive. Surround yourself with good people, chase what makes you happy, and let go of things that drain you. At the end of the day, we’re all just figuring it out– so enjoy the damn ride.

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I'm an astrophile, as they say. I’ve always been a big fan of stars. If I’m not busy at night, I usually go up to the rooftop to stargaze and just stare at the sky for hours. There's something about it that makes me feel calm, like everything around me just slows down.

I also enjoy walking at night, alone or someone I am close with. I like it when everything is quiet and peaceful. Just hearing the sound of the wind, the leaves, and insects helps me feel at ease. It’s in those quiet moments that I feel most relaxed.

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One of my goals in life is to become a successful, licensed civil engineer. Even though it wasn't my original choice, I still want to get that license. I want to show my family that all of their sacrifices won't go to waste. I want to make them proud, not just to my family but also to the people who believe in me and think I can actually make it. I also want to fulfill one of my childhood dreams: to design and build my own house. Just the thought of living in a home I designed myself sounds pretty cool to me.

But more than anything, what I really want is to live a simple and peaceful life together with the love of my life. That’s the one thing I truly look forward to. I want to build a home where we both feel safe and loved. No shouting, no walking out, no silent treatment. Just a place full of comfort, support, and peace. I don’t need a big house or a fancy life, just a small space with the right person, where we can grow, laugh, and go through everything together.

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All of this has taught me a lot, mainly patience and persistence. Even though I don’t learn as fast as others, I’ve realized that showing up and trying matters more than being quick. It has helped me become more disciplined, or at least I’m trying to be, and it pushes me to work harder even when everything feels overwhelming. I’ve come to understand that struggling doesn’t mean failing. It just means I have to keep going at my own pace. Slowly, this whole journey is shaping me into someone more resilient, someone who doesn’t give up when things get hard.

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As a civil engineering student and someone who’s a slow learner, getting through this program is probably one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced so far. I mean, who in their right mind would take one of the hardest programs out there while not even being good at math? lol kidding aside.

Anyway, It's really hard to pass through every major subject. I have to sacrifice a lot of time, energy, and sleep just to barely pass or even fail. It honestly takes me twice as long just to understand the basic concepts of some topics. Mastering even one could take me a whole week of non-stop studying. And what makes it worse, I am a procrastinator, so I really struggle a lot with managing my time and balancing everything like school, rest, and life. There are days when I feel completely burned out, but keep going because I know giving up won't make things easier.

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I’ve always been grateful for all of my achievements, big or small. But one thing I’m especially proud of is the fact that I'm still here– still alive, still standing– after everything I've been through. What can I say legends never die!🤷

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I’m into horror movies, especially the slasher genre. I don’t know why, but I just enjoy watching them with my girlfriend. Call me weird, but I actually find them satisfying and relaxing. And when I have a long stretch of free time, I usually go for a bike ride to help clear my mind. I’m also a lazy artist. I like drawing, but most of the time I either don’t have the motivation to start or I just don’t finish what I started. After a long day, I usually scroll through social media and watch ASMR videos to help me relax. Sometimes, playing Roblox with my girlfriend could also ease my mind.

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I started going to school at Buanoy Daycare Center when I was around 5 years old. For elementary, I started at Buanoy Central School and stayed there until third grade, then I transferred and finished the rest at Abucayan Elementary School. After that, I spent all my high school years from junior to senior high at Buanoy National High School. Right now, I’m a third-year college student at Cebu Technological University – Tuburan Campus, taking up Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and hoping to graduate on time.

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My parents are originally from Bohol, but I was born and raised here in Cebu. Since they are not from here, we don't have permanent address, we’ve always rented apartments and frequently moved from one barangay to another. We are now currently residing in Abucayan, Balamban, Cebu.

Because of our constant moving, I lost contact with most of my childhood friends. On the brighter side, I got meet many people from different places. Despite the changes and relocations, I can still truly say that I had a good childhood, and I genuinely enjoyed those early years of my life.

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My name is Mekha Ela, but I go by many nicknames depending on who’s calling me and how close we are. My family calls me Mekai. Some of my friends call me Mekha, and a few of my classmates call me Meks. And my favorite nickname where only a few people outside my family are allowed to use—is Kai.

I am an inverter. I don’t speak unless someone talks to me first. I may appear reserved at first but once you get to know me, you’ll see a completely different side of me. Even when I’m already comfortable, I still don’t talk a lot. I can be loud sometimes, but most of the time I’d rather listen. I tend to joke a lot and say some weirdest stuff but only to people I trust.

I'm also the type who doesn’t take things too seriously. Even when the situation is heavy, I still find a way to make jokes. It’s not always to make others laugh, it’s just how I cope with things.