Lessons from My 16-Year-Old Self – My Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET) Essay

It’s completely normal to feel troubled, especially during uncertain times. Six years ago, I was a senior in high school, navigating one of the toughest moments in my teenage life. I was worried about my future, particularly about where I’d end up for college.

I’d always dreamed of attending Ateneo de Manila University, but the fear of not getting in was real. Writing an essay in English was part of the application, and that was definitely not my strong suit. I felt like the odds were slim, but I studied hard and gave it my best shot. For my essay, I wrote about an experience that shaped me — my journey as a dancer in high school. 

Fast forward to now: it’s been a year and a half since I graduated from Ateneo. I’m working abroad, doing a job that’s fulfilling, and I’ve managed to achieve things I’m proud of along the way. But, despite all that, I still find myself facing the same feelings of fear and uncertainty.

As a newbie in the workplace, I’m constantly thrown into situations I’ve never dealt with before. It’s like I’m always questioning whether I’m making the right decisions. And then there’s that nagging thought: am I on the right path? Am I growing fast enough?

It’s overwhelming to think about how much there is to do, and how little time there seems to be.
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So, in the words of my 16-year-old self, here’s a reminder to my present self (and to anyone else feeling the same way) on how to deal with worries, disappointments, and self-doubt—especially when it feels like your passion is running on empty:

My ACET Essay (Written 31 July 2010)

These past few years of my high school life were never easy for me. I had taken roads of failures and successes which had brought me to where I am now. I met strangers, friends, and enemies along my journey.

​Through the years I can say that life was simply imperfect. Sometimes, I would even consider changing the past because of my regrets. However, that is the reality of life. Every one of us makes mistakes. All of us hurt others too. We all make decisions that we later regret.

When I was a freshman, I became very complacent towards the club I joined – the High School Dance Club. It was arguably one of the most popular clubs in school and to have been affiliated to it was like a dream come true to students like me.
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​At that time, I did not have a sense of commitment. I actually lack focus which is why it was always been hard for me to catch up with the choreography.

​​I love to dance ever since I was little. Dancing had actually shaped the confidence in me. Seeing people entertained –  seeing them smile, clap, laugh and cheer – inspires me to dance. It's what keeps me going. However, my enthusiasm for dancing and for the Dance Club had been driven away by my addiction to online games. I became so fond of spending my time and allowance on computer games that I ended up missing trainings and practices.

​At that time, I did not have a sense of commitment. I actually lack focus which is why it was always been hard for me to catch up with the choreography. Because of that, I would always be the reason for the delay of the whole group. Since our club moderator would have nothing but perfection, if we did not move in sync then it wasn’t good enough. We would end up repeating the whole piece over and over again while there are mistakes.

​Because of this, my club mates started to dislike me. A lot of people hated me and talked about me behind my back. The worst of all is that my membership for the Dance Club was not renewed for the next school year. As a result, I ended up having no choice but to look for another club.

I decided to take this experience as an opportunity. I chose the path to move on and grow.

​​I felt frustrated during that time. I wanted to stay in the Dance Club but the actions I showed revealed that I am unworthy. 
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It was truly hard for me to accept that I failed to keep up. Because of the shame of getting "kicked out" of the dance club, I was tempted to just give up dancing. But I did not allow that to happen. With faith and determination, I realised that this is not the time to stop; instead, this is the time to learn. And so I decided to take this experience as an opportunity. I chose the path to move on and grow. I worked hard and attended dance workshops for my improvement. I learned so many things including the value of discipline and hard work.
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I never really imagined that this experience could become a life-changing experience for me. I learned the value of sticking to my commitments. Even though it was a terrible mistake to have neglected my priorities in the past, I realized that I should be grateful for these mistakes. For in fact, it is through this experience that I have become who I am today. And that is actually the best part of it.

​Now, I can say that I had changed for the better. I did not only turn into a better dancer, but a better person as well. I was able to rise up from my failure and realise what I am capable of. As the great Chinese philosopher have put it: “Our greatest glory in life is not in never falling; but in rising up every time we fall.”

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Moving forward...

Six years down the road, staying in the Dance Club is obviously not a big deal anymore. But I saw how this experience made an impact in me, especially in terms of how I deal with my work and commitments.

Even though that chapter of my life is over, new challenges will always pop up, and there will always be moments where I feel unsure. Spending a year as a working professional has shown me that life’s challenges never really stop—they just change form. And with every new challenge, there’s always room to grow.

Mistakes and failures are all part of the growing process. And so my advice to anyone feeling the weight of self-doubt: when things aren’t going as planned, don’t stress. If you’re questioning whether you’re on the right track or achieving enough, take a breath. You’re not alone. Some things take time, sometimes a year or two, to fall into place. Remember, great things take time.

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