For the longest time, walking by the tranquil seas and quiet scenery of a thriving town in northern Cebu were all Niña Joana Marie M. Perez had ever known.
Bounded by her thirst to seek life beyond Medellin’s boundaries, she took a brave step and studied at a prestigious university in the city, which brought her life to a different pasture.
After several hurdles and small wins, she can proudly say that she achieved a momentous feat by graduating summa cum laude at the top of her college class in the College of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
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This Cebuana woman, beyond the acclaim, shares in an interview with CDN Digital every step she took between being raised as a girl from the province and graduating with flying colors, carrying no more than honor and excellence in her inspirational journey.
First Step: Stepping Out of Medellin
Niña grew up in the town of Medellin, Cebu, where her family chose to raise her. She was brought up with several childhood friends along a backdrop of luscious greeneries and calming seas. She claimed that the familiarity comforted her.
In the interview, she also narrated her close relationship with her family and how they value celebrating occasions and achievements together, which she missed when she chose to step out from the comforts of her beloved town.
Niña Joana Marie Perez in her dorm and with her friends while studying business management at the University of the Philippines Cebu | Photo from UPC SOM, Contributed Photos
She chose to study for a business management degree in 2019 at a local constituent university of UP in Cebu, where she spent her first school year. Apart from temporarily leaving her hometown, she believed it was a practical choice for her to study business in the long run.
Leaving Medellin was also what allowed me to grow into the person I am today. I was able to find my footing in a place that couldn’t have been more different from the familiar sceneries of my childhood town.
Niña did not regret leaving Medellin. She detailed how what once was a familiar town for her became a temple of refuge and a place she returned to when she needed to rest.
Even so, she soon realized that while stepping out suited her well, the same was not true with the degree program she initially thought would be best for her.
Second Step: Taking a Calculated Leap of Faith
By the time the pandemic hit in 2020, Niña was almost finished with two semesters of business management classes, but the longer she stayed, the more she realized that the program was not best suited for what she wanted to study.
Her initial plan was to shift to a fine arts program in the same school, but they did not offer the program she preferred. Guided by her usual action plan, she looked beyond her comfort zone and sought available fine arts courses in other universities that suited her skills and expectations.
Niña Joana Marie Perez and her hands-on experience with photography. | Contributed photos
The shift to online classes also helped broaden her choices. That’s when she stumbled upon the visual communication program at UP Diliman. She realized that it covered almost every topic she was interested in, such as typography, illustration, and digital media.
I think what made me set on the program was that it teaches students how to ‘develop design solutions and execute their ideas’ to effectively reach a target audience. It’s an arts course but also grounded in the modern world and that’s something I’m really interested in.
Niña said that she partly knew that fine arts was always her dream career, but with practicality, she believed that taking up this course was the best choice for her.
She fortunately secured a slot after a series of online talent determination tests and interviews. It felt like the stars aligned for her to be exactly where she was, as she claimed.
She started studying through online classes until face-to-face classes were re-implemented, which forced her to leave her hometown once again to study at an even farther university.
Third Step: Jumping Over Hurdles
As she was miles away from home without any inch of familiarity with the place and people she was surrounded by, Niña decided to carry on for the sake of her dream.
Of course, she was bound to face challenges that appeared to be difficult hurdles she should surpass as she studied to secure an arts degree at the university. One that hit her the hardest was homesickness.
Niña Joana Marie Perez (left and right) with her friends while studying visual communication at the University of the Philippines Diliman and (center) presenting her final thesis paper, inspired by her grandmother. | Contributed photos
She even recalled a specific instance when she longed for home as she juggled her school responsibilities during her senior year. She put her body to work with all-nighters and stressful exams until they took a toll on her health, recalling a time when she was on the brink of passing out.
Back home, her parents would have assisted and taken good care of her, but she was alone. As such, she remained resilient as she dragged her way to the health center, fetched medicines, and passed out on her bed.
I know it’s part of growing up and learning to take care of myself, but I think it’s normal to miss your family, too.
Being away from her family, Niña said that her friends became her second family and helped her surpass the hurdles, most especially when she felt homesick from being far from Medellin and anxious about her class deliverables.
Fourth Step: Stepping on Stage to Claim Her Feat
With her natural skills and perseverance, she managed to top her graduating college class. She secured her bachelor’s degree in fine arts, majoring in visual communication, with a general weighted average of 1.130, capping her journey as a summa cum laude graduate.
In an interview with CDN Digital, Niña claimed that her achievement felt unreal. It was never her goal to top her graduating class, which, in some ways, helped her relieve herself from the pressure of wanting to excel in her deliverables.
The entire time, I was just super grateful to be able to study what I’m passionate about, to be able to learn from professionals from various creative fields, to be able to gain insight from very talented people I call my classmates and friends, to be able to pet the college pets around campus, to be able to walk into art exhibits in the Parola Arts Gallery, and to be able to be surrounded by art all the time.
She dedicates her achievements to her parents––her Papa Randy and Mama Marivic––who worked tirelessly to support her and her siblings’ lives and education, as well as her siblings, cousins, and friends who genuinely cared and supported her in her journey.
Niña Joana Marie Perez with her family during her graduation. | Contributed photos
Above all, she dedicates her achievement to her grandmother––her Lola Guela––who always rooted for her and prayed for her safety and success. Niña even developed and named her final thesis on an intergenerational activity kit after her relationship with her grandmother.
Niña claimed that she did not feel special from this distinction, but she is comforted by the idea that she made some of the most important people in her life happy and proud, including her grandmother, who proudly placed her summa cum laude ribbon by her television set.
Fifth Step: Standing Still
With this achievement, Niña decides to take her time before choosing a career to enter. She spent most of her time away from home for the past few years and wants to compensate for that lost time.
As she caps her academic journey, she reminds college students that having a failing grade is not the end of the world. The best part of college is not finishing the school responsibilities but how a person chooses to spend time outside their classes doing things they find enjoyable.
Looking back now, I don’t really remember the numerous all-nighters nor the breakdowns I’ve had but instead, I vividly remember laughing with my friends, visiting art museums, working in libraries, and sharing stressful moments as we relied on one another
As she headed home to the beautiful town of Medellin, she carried these special memories from college and the acclaim from excelling in her class as she took a step back and enjoyed her well-deserved break.
Niña Joana Marie Perez with her friend in Medellin, Cebu. | Contributed photo
Finally, she is back in the hometown where she was raised, which later became her comfort place, and now a town forever etched in her life story, with a little more to take pride in for herself.