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"Who am I?" I've been on this earth for 21 years, yet I could never give a definite answer to that question. I'm a student, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. I've lived in Cebu my whole life, and I like art. What else is there? My dreams? My aspirations? Do I have aspirations? I feel like the questions regarding my identity just go on, and I don't always have an answer to all of them. But even though I still have a lot of years to live to truly know, I have also lived long enough to understand certain parts of myself already.

To start, I'm a 21-year-old girl living in Tabuelan, Cebu. I'm an introvert; I could appear shy at first, but I can be loud if I get comfortable enough around people. I'm the eldest of four siblings, and I'm taking up a Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Mathematics at Cebu Technological University. I've lived through a lot of life events that shaped the kind of person I am today. Discovering anime made me practice drawing, and my short experience living in the city has made me realize just how nice provincial life is. Growing up as someone always being pushed to participate in contests and competitions has made me realize that, as much as I like discovering my capabilities, I don't have much desire to always be the best.

The world moves fast, and people like the grind, but I like to take things slow and enjoy the little things. When I was younger and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say "architect" or "engineer," but if someone were to ask me what I wanted to be a few years from now, I'd simply say: I hope I am happy. I still have ambition in me, like I still want a nice house and car and international trips, but I'm also fine if I don't get to have it right away. I've learned to practice contentment with the things that I already have and to be hopeful for the things that are yet to come.

Life wasn't that smooth sailing for me either, but I'm grateful for all the experiences, good and bad, and for the people I've met who shaped the person that I am today. We are just mosaics of the people we met and the places we've been to. From here on out, I'll meet more people and go to more places, so my identity will also not remain stagnant. But that's the beauty of life, isn't it? We always have the chance to create an even better version of ourselves, as long as we open ourselves to change and vulnerability. I'm not perfect, but I'm quite happy with who I am today, and I'm hopeful that I'll grow into a kinder, more successful, and more loving version of myself someday.

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Some fears are bigger than others. Some people can't wrap their minds around the concept of death, while others become pale when they see a cockroach. What is harmless to you could be a threat to some, and what is insignificant to them could mean a lot to you. My biggest fear is not that concrete; it's more like a concept or possibility, but it's there. I think my biggest fear is living a life unfulfilled, especially knowing that I am solely responsible for the choices that I make.

From a young age, people expected a lot from me. I was a consistent honor student—promising and adaptive. Yet, I didn't feel like living up to their expectations. My achievements make me believe in myself, but I don't want to be defined by them alone. What made me realize that I wanted to go with whatever felt right for me was the time when I had to decide which course and school to go to for college. I think people expected more from me, but I didn't want to live a specific life just because that's what people expected. So I chose a path where I was comfortable, and I have no regrets whatsoever. However, the 'what ifs' do occur to me sometimes. What if I had chosen differently? Who could I have met? What kind of person would I be instead? As I said, I don't have any regrets, but the gnawing feeling that it might not work out that well is there.

Though it's a fear of mine, I don't let it consume me. I don't let it get in the way of letting myself fully enjoy the present. I've learned to adapt to such negativity and have developed a sort of 'whatever happens, happens' mindset. Maybe not all the choices I made and will make are the best, but they are my own choices regardless. Even if they don't turn out that well, life truly does go on, and I'll recover. I'll probably be stuck with this fear for the rest of my life, but I know that it is always up to me to create a fulfilling life, and I'd rather focus on that than let myself drown in the misery of a tiny possibility.

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People are motivated by different things, and no matter how small or big they are, they are significant enough to push people to go on with life. "What keeps me going?" I am motivated by many things: family, friends, financial security, being able to go places, and many more. However, if I were to pick my number one driving force to go on despite everything, it would be myself.

I used to have very low self-confidence, and I would just base my personality on other people because I felt like being myself was not enough. It took a lot of time, effort, and coming out of my comfort zone to be comfortable with who I am and to be confident with the things I want. Now, with everything I pursue, I do it because I feel like I owe it to myself to do what's good for me to make up for the times I've spent hating myself. Of course, I get a lot of support from the people in my life, and they inspire me to keep going, too. I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for them, and as much as I pursue my dreams for myself, I find it meaningless if I don't have anyone to share them with.

Whenever I have a hard time, I tell myself that it will turn out okay in the end, that it's normal to have bad days, and that it is human to not always be the best version of myself every day. Prioritizing my well-being did wonders when it came to gaining the mindset to pursue my long-term goals. Not to mention that it helped me develop a healthier relationship with myself, thus helping me connect better with other people as well. Knowing that I can positively impact other people motivates me, too. Why are we here on this earth, if not to lessen each other's burden? Knowing that the things I do serve a greater purpose besides fulfilling my aspirations inspires me to continue going on. Therefore, as much as I see myself as the primary thing that keeps me going, I highly value the people who also made it possible for me to dream.