My Self

         

       Hi! My name is Rutchel Bantilan Sabulao. I was born in a far-flung barangay in Dagami, Leyte named Sto. Domingo. I just turned 35 last February 2023. I am married to my loving husband Jason for 10 years now and we are blessed with 2 sons. Currently enrolled as a second year BEEd student at VSU Tolosa, probably the oldest student in the university at present. I was born and raised by a farmer father and local politician mother. Probably, this was the reason why I became an extrovert person. At a young age, I became socially oriented since our house seems to be an office as well a free eat-all-you-can cafeteria. Our life became more complicated yet meaningful thereafter.

        Being surrounded by diverse people in our locality, it influenced and developed my personality as an extrovert. I am an outgoing person and I really love to mingle with people at an early age. During my elementary days I spent a lot of time talking with my classmates than doing my activities, or I would rather help them first finish their activities before doing mine. Then I started having passion talking, singing, and dancing in front of many people, I don’t know but it did give me a feeling of fulfillment when I started performing in front of the class and audiences. As a youngest child in the family, I always wanted to be heard, I wanted that my ideas and opinion be considered by my older siblings inside our house, especially when our parents were out. That’s why my family kept on telling me then that I should take broadcasting course and be a media practitioner since I always find ways to reason our and talk. But for me, that was not a compliment, it felt that they are mocking me instead. Well so far, I finished my elementary grades as an honor student. Imagine that feeling being so empowered when the master of the ceremony finally uttered my full name as I walked up on stage during our graduation day. It’s priceless. Then my mother was calling some photographer whose actually took multiple pictures of us already. I wished for a cake that time, as to what I heard from my other classmates, and they called it “blowout” but then my mother bought “puding” instead. Well, not bad, it was my favorite too.

        Fast forward, I graduated as a valedictorian in high school. Then I started to feel the pressure on my shoulder, I didn’t feel like rejoicing at all, all want is to stop schooling and I even wished to become a barangay official and serve our locals. People started to decide for myself, they kept on telling me to this, to do that, I should take this, I should follow my sister’s footstep which was then a fresh graduate in LNU as BEEd student. Of course, I didn’t do it, I took up ABCommunication, pursuing my dream, to become a media practitioner. Then nightmare came, due to all pressures leaning upon me, I got sick and my physician advised me to quit school since I had severe anemia. Yes, even I appeared healthy from the outside because of my rounded-shaped body, I happened to be sickly since birth. Thereafter, I had depression, I suffered series of anxiety attack that time. Knowing that my high school classmates were on their way to their graduation events already but there I was lying helpless and feeling invalid. I didn’t want to go out in our house since I felt like I was a huge frustration to my family, to my classmates and to my teachers, thinking that their class valedictorian didn’t make it in college. 

        After so many pushes and firm motivations from my friends and my better half, they convinced me to reenroll college. I was reluctant at first, considering the idea that I am too old to fit in a teenager-packed classroom and besides, I have kids already and they are too young to be left alone. But I ended up taking admission test online hoping VSU Tolosa would be the institution that would finally pave ways for me towards success. I managed my studies during my first since, it was in online or distance learning anyway, as part of the government campaign to persist education amidst a COVID pandemic. This mode of learning was favorable for a student mother like me. I was able to attend my classes, took care of my children, and finished m errands all at the same time at the comfort of my home. I was able to be in the college honor list which some people raised their eyebrows and said “Katas la iton hit online”. I laughed at it. Am I not too old for this kind of competitions and comparison thing? I never wished to be in an honor list, having completed and passed all my academic subjects is more than enough for me, being an honor student is just a bonus. Well, I am just doing my part as a student in a free education system and I will be forever grateful to the government. Moreover, I know for myself that whatever my grades and achievements would be, I would always be thankful for all the supports and motivations of the people closest to my heart especially my family, because they are my true inspiration and I do all of these strivings for them.