Every Setback is a Setup for God’s Master Plan

When most people say, “college life,” they often mean four years. For me, it took twelve.

Back in 2013, I was a hopeful freshman, dreaming of taking BS Psychology. But like many young dreamers, practicality got in the way. My father asked me to choose a more affordable course—so I enrolled in my second choice, BSED-MAPEH at St. John Paul II College of Davao. But as fate would have it, the program was about to close, and I was redirected to BSED-English.

I spent the next few years shifting not just courses, but cities, homes, and even dreams. In 2016, I transferred to Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology (DOSCST) in Mati City and lived at my Auntie Violy’s house after my parents decided to separate. I initially intended to continue BSED-English, but when I arrived, I was told that there were no available slots left in that program. With no other option and no desire to delay further, I had to shift to BEED-Generalist and start all over again as a freshman. But that too was short-lived. My mother and I returned to Davao and lived again under the same roof with my father—one of the many emotional whirlwinds I had to survive.

In 2019, a kind priest recognized the burden my mother and I were carrying and offered me a scholarship, along with a part-time job at the San Pablo Parish office as an encoder. I was asked which school I wanted to study in—and without hesitation, I chose to pursue the dream I had set aside for years: BS Psychology.

By then, I had already gone through multiple shifts and transfers, and I was told once again that I had to start from scratch because of the new curriculum. That’s when it hit me—if I had to begin all over again anyway, why not take the program I truly wanted from the start? It felt like a door finally opening. Even more perfectly, Philippine Women’s College (PWC) of Davao, which offered BS Psychology, was just behind the Parish.

Just for context, I chose this course not just out of interest in the human mind, but because of something deeper. After all I had endured, I longed to understand people more—and to understand myself. I wanted to become someone who listens with empathy, someone who helps others process pain, because I knew exactly how it feels to carry it alone. Psychology, for me, is not just a degree. It’s a calling born from wounds; a mission rooted in healing.

Things were going well… then the pandemic hit. I stopped working at the Parish, and my schooling shifted online. I returned to the corporate world while studying—commuting during graveyard shifts, renting a room near work, juggling survival and education. For years, I pushed through exhaustion, loneliness, and spiritual dryness. I drifted away from ministry. I became suicidal. I was barely living.

Then came February 2025—our internship began and by April, we had our retreat.

That night was life-changing. I broke down. I confessed everything. I cried out loud to God, begging Him to save me… to bring me back. That night, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. And from that moment, I prayed every day for strength. I went back to serving Him—just like I had since I was 12.

Then came Parish Youth Leader Conference 2025. Organizing and gathering young people for something greater than I reignited the light in me. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Now, I proudly say that I am a graduate of BS Psychology at Philippine Women’s College of Davao.

To everyone who became a part of this long, winding, grace-filled journey—AG&T, TP, CNX, VXI, TCAP, COMPRE, my classmates & teachers in SJP2CD, DOSCST, PWC, my Ecoland friends, Carmelite Missionaries, Zone 12 family, San Pablo Youth Apostolate, the San Pablo Parish family, and PWC for the scholarship—thank you.

To all the institutions and professionals who guided me during my internship—thank you for helping mold me into the Psychology graduate I am today. Your openness, mentorship, and real-life lessons made a lasting impact.

To my best friends—Hannah, Gennyca, Shayne, & Angel—my safe space, thank you for standing by me.

To my relatives and family—Papa, Ate, my brother, and Mama, who wiped the Church floor while praying for me: This is for you.

And most of all, to God—who never left me, even when I left Him—Thank You.

If there’s one thing this 12-year journey has taught me, it’s this: God’s timing is never late, even when it feels delayed.

There were countless moments I questioned why things kept falling apart—why I had to start over again and again, why my path seemed longer and messier than everyone else’s. But looking back now, I realize that every detour, every delay, every breakdown was a setup for a deeper kind of growth. I wasn’t just earning a degree—I was being refined.

If I had rushed things, I wouldn’t have found my real purpose. If things had gone according to my plan, I would have missed the people, the healing, and the faith I found along the way.

So, to anyone who feels behind, stuck, or forgotten—trust His timing. You are not late. You are being led.

It’s not about how fast you finish—it’s about how much you grow and who you become in the process. And no matter how long it takes, God will always finish what He started in you.

Always remember: ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ (Diane L. Saniel)