Michelle Joy Lim, Top 3: “Pinangarap ko lang, never kong in-expect.”

Ang pangarap ni Michelle Joy Ledoma Lim ay maging medical technologist.

Nagkaroon lang ng pagbabago sa plano ng 22 anyos na tubong Concepcion, Tarlac, noong high school senior na siya.

Pagbabahagi ni Michelle nang makakuwentuhan ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) noong January 11, 2023 via Facebook Messenger, “I was immersed into the nursing profession during a subject in SHS [senior high school].

“I felt like I was called for this profession—to be in service for those who are in need and to somehow bring differences in their lives through nursing.”

Aniya, marami siyang natanggap na discouragements. Huwag umano siyang kumuha ng nursing.

“I still pushed through since, for me, it is very fulfilling to help and serve people who are in need, to bring differences to the lives of people with different walks of life, and to see life on a deeper level since we are able to take care of people from womb to tomb.”

Bunso siya sa dalawang magkapatid.

Ang kanyang ama ay isang overseas Filipino worker (OFW) for almost 35 years.

“Bilang lang sa daliri ang mga pagkakataon na umuuwi siya rito dahil kailangan niyang magtrabaho para masuportahan kami sa pang-araw-araw at masiguradong mabigyan ng magandang kinabukasan.

“My mother was also once an OFW. After giving birth to me, she decided to dedicate her life to caring for me and my kuya.”

Nagtapos si Michelle Joy ng Bachelor of Science in Nursing sa Tarlac State University noong July 21, 2022.

Top 3 siya sa November 2022 Nursing Licensure Examination.

May rating siya na 89.60 percent.

VERY RELATABLE COLLEGE LIFE

Pagbabahagi ni Michelle, “Honestly, aside from the pandemic, I only have those typical and very relatable challenges in college life—yung pagod sa biyahe, araw-araw na puyat, mahahabang listahan ng requirements, checklists at exams, mabababang scores, mga strict na professors, and pagkawala ng social life.”

Ngayon umano niya naunawaan kung bakit ang isang nursing student ay kailangang dumaan sa ganitong rite of passage.

“We dedicate those hours of our lives so we may be able to extend it to others once we become a nurse.

“Kasi sa nursing, people’s lives are at stake. Therefore, we should really do our best as we go along with this profession despite the struggles and challenges.”

Naging support system niya ang pamilya na nakapa-supportive sa kanya.

“Aside from my family, my classmates-turned-to-friends are also those people who really helped me survive the college years.”

NA-INSECURE SA MGA KAKLASE SA ONLINE REVIEW

Ayon kay Michelle, ang nursing ay isang very skill-based profession.

At dahil produkto siya ng online class, “It became insecurity, but I fully know that having online classes was the best option that we had at that time.

“Hence, during the review, I felt like there are things that I should have already known, only if we had our hospital duties.”

Itinuring niya ito bilang learning opportunities noong nagre-review para sa board exam.

“Hindi na baleng hindi ko alam ngayon, ang mahalaga ay alam ko na pagdating sa boards.”

Online din ang kinuha niyang paraan ng pagre-review.

“It was very convenient for me, but it really took a lot of discipline to be able to attend and finish online classes.”

Paalala niya lagi sa sarili, “If I want this to be my first and last NLE, I should really focus and keep on pulling myself together.”

At dahil online ang kanyang review, may mga nakaklase siya mula sa iba’t ibang universities from Luzon to Mindanao.

“It was very diverse. I had a phase wherein I can’t stop myself from comparing how good they were, or how high their scores were compared to mine.

“And yes, as they said, the comparison is the thief of joy!

“I have dealt with it for a while and it has burdened me with unnecessary pressure and doubts; until I realized that I should not really mind the scores because it is about what I have learned after all.”

“YOU’LL NEVER BE FULLY PREPARED”

Tuwing may mag-uusisa kay Michelle kung kumusta ang board exam, ang laging sambit niya, “Parang ang dali ng tanong, pero parang ang hirap hanapin ng sagot.

“Totoo nga po yung sinasabi nila na even on days, or day, before the exam, sometimes you’ll feel na hindi ka pa rin prepared.

“Pero that’s the thing, you’ll never be fully prepared. Hindi mo naman maaaral lahat, hindi mo naman mame-memorize talaga lahat.

“Pero along with those lines, alam ko naman na inaral ko po ang kursong ito sa loob ng apat na taon, and nag-review po ako for 5 months under TopRank Review Academy.”

Kaya ang mindset niya noong mga panahong iyon, “Mahirap man pero kakayanin din.”

At sa tanong kung nag-wish siyang maging topnotcher, ani Michelle, “Nangarap, pero hindi umasa. Libre lang naman mangarap.”

Hindi umano siya umasa noong nasa review center pa siya.

“Bihira lang akong makasama sa Top 10 ng section namin, tapos never din naman akong nakasama sa national ranking ng review center na pinasukan ko.

“So, doon pa lang, parang malabo nang mangyari.”

“PINANGARAP KO LANG, PERO NEVER KONG IN-EXPECT”

Kaya nang lumabas ang resulta—at kagigising pa lang ni Michelle—para siyang nananaginip lang.

“Kasi pinangarap ko lang, pero never kong in-expect…

“Whenever I see my name on the topnotchers’ list, I am filled with overflowing joy and gratefulness because I am reminded that in order to achieve that, there was a whole village behind me who believed in me and prayed for me.”

Agad niyang ibinahagi ang good news sa kanyang mom.

Ani Michele, “I dedicate this achievement to the wind beneath my wings—my family, friends, clinical instructors and professors of Tarlac State University-Nursing Department, and TopRank Review Academy.”

Kasalukuyang staff nurse si Michelle sa The Medical City Clark.

“For now, I don’t have any very detailed or mapped-out future plans. I do intend to seek greener pastures abroad, but not anytime soon.”

Payo niya sa mga gustong mag-nursing, “As they said, nursing is more than just a profession. It will really take a lot of heart, dedication, and passion for being a nurse.

“Laging tandaan, people’s lives are at stake. Sa kursong ito, hindi lang libro, scalpel, charts, sphygmomanometer, o thermometer ang hahawakan mo, dahil buhay ng mga tao ang hahawakan mo.

“You should ready your mind and most of all your heart. Siguradong magiging mahirap, pero nothing worth having will ever come easy.

“LabaRN!”