Family, School, and

Me: A Scholar’s
Story
(Autobiography)

By: Vince Louie S. Abad

Grade 11 (HUMSS) – St. Francis of Assisi

 My name is Vince Louie S. Abad and I’m 16 years old. I was born on

September 2, 2007 in Dipolog City, Philippines. I’m a grade 11 student that

took the academic track in the strand of Humanities and Social Sciences

(HUMSS) at Saint Michael’s College, Basic Education Department (SMC-BED).

My mother’s name is Nancy Abad and my father’s name is Ezlier Abad. My

father is working locally as a skilled worker to provide a financial support for

the family while my mother is the one that takes good care of the house and

guides me and my brother. I have one older brother, his name is Ezlier S.

Abad Jr. and he’s currently graduating at Saint Michael’s College, Basic

Education Department in the academic track of Humanities and Social

Sciences (HUMSS). We basically got enrolled in the same school for

convenience and the same academic track since it aligns more in our career

aspirations.

I first attend school at the age of 2 and my mother enrolled me as a

nursery at the Day Care Center near our old home at Dapitan City. During my

childhood, I eagerly persuaded my parents to enroll me in school. I got

inspired by observing my brother’s daily routine before and after school, I

envisioned school as a joyful playground where one could both learn and

forge friendships. Over time, my school experience proved to be rich in

different encounters and experiences. I began to cherish moments shared

with classmates, teachers, and friends, who became akin to a second family,
creating cherished memories year after year. Despite being occasionally

tired, the sense of belonging and the pursuit of my dreams fueled my

excitement for school. It is within the school environment that I discovered

my passion and embarked on the journey to fulfill my aspirations which is to

lift my family out of poverty through my chosen career and path.

There is also a lot of things that I like and a few things that I don’t like.

I like having fun with my friends and going somewhere with them during

weekends. During school days, I just love to hangout at the library to chill

with my brother because it is so tiring to be an academically aware student. I

also love playing badminton with him together with my friends at school

because it comforts my mind. I also love watching badminton tournament,

tutorials and lifestyle videos on YouTube as it is part of my interest and also I

can apply those knowledge to myself. The thing that I don’t like the most is

when someone bothers me while I’m doing an important paper works and

any academic activities for school compliance, that’s the thing that really

gets me mad. I can say that our family is in a good condition and I’m lucky to

have a complete family even though we’re not that financially stable. We

have experienced many challenges in life together but we never let them to

break the bond of our family.

During the pandemic era, I’ve been bored all alone at home. I always

keep playing mobile games and I think it destroyed me a lot. It started to

influence my habits and behavior especially towards my parents. I’ve

become more rebellious and disrespectful towards them because of that

addiction from mobile games. However, as time goes by, I started to realize

my wrong doings and started to change for my family. During that era, there,

my brother comes back in Iligan City after spending his time studying in

Dapitan City National High School (DCNHS). I introduced him to my fellow

altar server friends because at that time, I was also an inactive member of

altar servers. My brother have gained interest in serving the altar because he

feels motivated. Seeing him interested in it, it also made my enthusiasm in

altar serving come back. Through him, I have become more active in the

church.

During my time in altar serving, I’ve become much closer to God since

I’m always there serving the church. It made me meet so many people and

find new friends to be with. During that time, I felt so happy to have like-

minded people surrounding me. My falling relationship to God have started

growing and building again. It was all thanks to my brother that he made me

feel reconnected to the beautiful essence of this life again. I also found my

talent that I can actually play instruments during my time in serving the

church. I’ve learned how to play guitar and also a little bit of piano. My

favorite songs to play in my guitar is the instrumentals of worship songs. My

life became Christ-centered because of my brother that brings back the fire

of my heart in serving God. I was so thankful to my family because they did

decide to make my brother continue his study here in Iligan City.

The pandemic era has ended, the public is now opened and face to

face lectures on school is back again. I was able to continue my senior high
school days at my current school which is the St. Michael’s College together

with my brother. I was able to meet new people and find good friends

throughout the school year. In that year, I was also able to discover my

strengths and excellence especially in academics. I was able to achieve

things that I’ve never achieved before. I became a consistent honor student

throughout the semester and I felt so happy about myself. My parents were

also happy that I’m currently doing good at school. In my excellence, I was

able to impress this girl and also developed feelings for her. We started

talking and getting to know each other. We become much more closer and

comfortable to each other and started dating. I was so happy that she

entered in my life.

With the happy people that I met along the way, I was able to become

a much more better person. I started developing my principles to become a

much more quality kind of man. I become more appreciative in every little

things that has happened to me as they serve a purpose for my future. My

love for God had started to grow and especially my love for other people. I

always treasure them and gives them a big space in my heart because they

are the ones that made me feel alive in this world. They always fuel me to

wake up and spread some love in this world. From the different aspects in my

life, everything becomes more meaningful and happy with them. Although, I

as a human being experience some hardships and difficulties in this trying

life of mine, it does not stop me from keeping me to aim for the future and
strive for my goals. I, as a student who moves for survival, will always strive

for excellence for my family.

Throughout my academic journey, I was also able to learn on how I

should stand in my own two feet since as time goes by, I keep realizing on

how I should strive and excel in the field to fulfill my aspirations. I’m still

having a dilemma on what college program I should choose after my journey

in senior high school. I would love to become a criminologist if I’ve been

given the opportunity to become so because I love providing services to

people and upholding justice in the community to protect locals. The other

choice is taking the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy program because I also

love philosophy and discussing about it with other people. Moreover, I can

also become a teacher with this program since it aligns somehow in some

academic curriculums for instance, senior high school curriculums. My

brother is the one that inspired me to take interest in the field of philosophy

since he also loves it so much and always discusses about it with me.

I have decided for myself to take my time in choosing my path and

future career goals as long as I can achieve my aspiration which is to give

my family the life they’ve always wanted. Family and school will always be

the things that fires me up to always strive for tomorrow and look for the

opportunities and betterment of myself. It is within them that I’ve found my

purpose and meaning of life in this unsure journey of mine.

- THE END –