To reach our dream is never an easy thing. It's like a long journey to ride on. It takes a lot of determination and courage.
I remember those days,when i was still on my younger years.... After I graduated college, it's been a different and hard journey for me. It is not anymore all about going to school and studying your lessons to pass your subjects.Everything is different.
I graduated in one of the Universities in Central Luzon where I finished my degree in BS in Accountancy back in 2007. After graduation,my ultimate goal is to become a CPA. My family is not from a well off one and it is very hard for my parents to still support me after I graduate. Because of that, I need to park my dream behind and start working to help my family.
I was hired at a lending company in our province as an accounting clerk. I worked there for a year. I was able to help my parents with our expenses and my brother's tuition fee. Yes it was a fulfilling one and yet I have a goal that I still want to achieve. After a year, I decided to go to Manila. I have to be brave at that time because its really different from where i came from. I will be going to a place where I have no relatives to go to in case of emergency. Luckily, I have friends and one of them became my buddy. With the last pay we had from our previous job, we both go to Manila having the same reasons which were 1.) To help and provide for our family in the province and 2.) To save for the review and take the CPA board exam.
It was May 2008,when i started my journey in Manila. With my friend,I remember that long walk in applying for work then another long walk upon going home. After 3 days,we got the job as an accounting assistant but from different companies. Initially we rented a bed space just to have a place to sleep but after a few months,we rented a small room where we can cook our food. And if you may ask, why don't we just buy cooked food, well, some of you may relate, but we know that we can save more if we will cook our own food instead of eating out. Our everyday journey was not easy. We have to wake up early to prepare our food,commute and go to work everyday. I remember those days when I need to walk under the rain just to get home. I remember also the time when I used to eat dinner around 10pm because I was stucked in traffic due to rain. It was never easy adapting to new environment, to new people and to somehow new culture than what we experienced in the province.
After a year,we finally enrolled in a review school. We were so happy that time because we are getting closer to our dreams. However,we cannot support our expenses if we will take a full time review. We need to work and study at the same time. We work during weekdays and attend the whole day class during weekends. In addition,we need to attend our other activities like cooking our food,washing our clothes,etc. Everyday we went home from work around 8 to 9pm then cook our food for tomorrow's work. Our study time was around 10-11pm and need to wake up by 5am the next day. To be honest,it was really hard for me to review because I end up sleeping due to a very tiring day I had at work. For 6months,that was our daily routine. Can you imagine? Then the examination day came, I was really nervous. Then the result came... We were not surprised upon checking out the result. We both failed... I see myself crying because I am ashamed of my family, the feeling that I disappointed them.
My friend immediately retake the exam and luckily she passed. She got married,had her family and went back to province. On the other hand,it was a different story for me. I cannot afford to retake the exam immediately after that failed experience. I was left alone in Manila and faced my new journey all by myself. Still thankful that I had a stable job. It took me 3 years to finally decide to enroll again. That time i know,i need to do a different approach. The review duration is for 6 months. For the first 3 months,I work and study at the same time. That time I was able to save enough funds to support my review. For the last 3 months,I resigned from my work and had my review full time. Everyday,i go to school,answer materials and attend classes. I am not a nocturnal person that's why my study habit is to wake up early and sleep early. I also had time to play and relax. It was still hard but definitely not harder than the first time.
The examination day came. I know i am more prepared and confident this time. That was my second take and i told myself "I have to pass this!"
Then the result were released..Yes! I got it! Finally,after 5 years after I graduated,I became a CPA. It took me longer to achieved that very first goal I had. But with the journey I gone through to attained it ,it gave me more satisfaction and fulfillment. Truly hardships will pay off in God's perfect time.
https://www.accountingverse.com/articles/how-to-become-a-cpa.html
We may have different journeys,we may have different paths and we may have different timelines but we should always remember to BE BRAVE,BE POSITIVE AND BE HAPPY!
If I made it,I'm sure you can also do it!
-Lanie0607
