Setbacks Into Triumphs

Life is just a big maze with many obstacles or, in short, a big obstacle course. Obstacles, which many people had gone through and some are still going through, are the parts of our lives which some of them have made us better, stronger and mainly made us learn from them. These obstacles I’m referring to are problems. And some of these problems are regrets. Regrets, setbacks; setbacks, regrets. For me, regrets are setbacks. Setbacks, because if you regret something, it means that you had done wrong rather than doing the right thing, and which makes a delay for you to your success. May I just share my own regret.

It happened when I was in Grade 6. From Grade 1 to Grade 5, I had always ranked first in my elementary school, OLHRS. I had always ranked first in our School Quiz Bees. I always was highest scorer both in CEM test and Achievement Test in our school. I had always got high scores and most of the time the highest scores in our tests and quizzes especially Math. I am good in Math and it is my favorite subject. I used to make some equations of my own to solve faster in Math problems; practice more in Math to excel in that subject; and review sincerely my lessons before I’ll take an exam. I was undefeated.

Until, I reached the 6^th Grade, became over confident, and took it all easy. I thought I was still undefeated. I didn’t take reviewing my lessons seriously; exert my best effort in making projects and sometimes, I passed my projects late. I still got high scores in my exams but not the highest anymore. The sign of failure started to appear; yet, I ignored it.

Extra-curricular activities also became the reason of my failure. I became a Math quizzer, as usual. So, I was excused from my classes to review for the contest for few days but I didn’t give time to cope up with the current lessons in our class.

Our Basketball couch took me to join his Varsity team. I was excused again for few days for practices. Our team won 1^st place and I also won gold medal in my TKD (Tae Kwon Do) tournament in the Tanza District Meet. So, we will play in the WCSU (West Cavite Sports Unit) Meet. I was excused again for our practices for few days. Our team lost in the said Meet but I won gold medal again in my TKD tournament. So, the winning team in TKD took me and trained me in their gym for the Provincial Meet. So, I was excused again for few days. Still, I wasn’t coping in our current lessons in class.

I graduated salutatorian and I realized that no matter how good I am; I can still fail if I will not give my best; I should balance everything. I should be effective. That’s my regret. But for my perspective, setbacks are triumphs in disguise. The question is, what is my triumph?

From that experience, my regret is not balancing my life specifically my school life. That’s why from then on, I always do my best and balance everything. In my high school life now, in CNSHS (Cavite National Science High School), I was able to go to the top section from my 1^st year to 2^nd year. I was able to go to the top 10 of the batch from my 2^nd year to 3^rd year. I always try to improve, do my best and balance everything. In short, I am trying to make myself effective.

I told you so, setbacks are triumphs in disguise.