Fahad R. Aquino C.E.E.

51 Homework #1:

Engr. Reyes December 1, 2012

My Path to Greatness

Greatness is what everyone wanted, greatness is different to everyone. Others see it as being popular, being successful in their career, being rich and famous, having a happy family and others see greatness as all of these. But for me greatness is being successful in ones career and having a family bonded by God and love.

I look up into my yearbooks in pre-school, grade school and high school and what a surprise to me that the career that i would want to take was to be a civil engineer since then, just like my dad. But when I was about to go to college my dad suddenly decided for me to take up nursing for it was at boom at those years(particularly 2005-2006). I was at shock that day but i cant refuse but to follow my dads decision for he is the one who supports me for my education. I gave up opprtunities in other good schools like U.S.T. and U.P.L.B for i had passed on their entrance examinitations for the course of Civil Engineering. Even U.S.T. was willing to give me a scholarship grant just to enroll at there school. But my Dads decision was final, so i was forced to take up nursing.

So I entered my 1st yr in college as a Nursing student, at first I was not interested on the subjects, for this is not what i want and never did I imagine myself as a nurse. But as

time flys by, I was challenged by the fact that Im not leading my class on each subject, and then I was motivated to study hard and bypass my classmates. And at the end of the 1st semester, my grades was good enough to be inculded at the Deans List, so was my grades for the 2nd semester. After finishing the 1st year of Nursing education, i told myself that this isnt bad at all, i can excel if I will just put my effort on everything. Then suddenly, by the time I was loving the course and starting to welcome nursing wholeheartedly. Again my dad had a change of heart, I was at my 2 nd year at Nursing when my dad told me to take Civil Engineering and asked me to shift as soon as possible. So again I was down and forced to follow him but this time Its my dream course and my dream job so there were no more arguments between us. So i transferred here at De La Salle University Dasmarias and started to pursue my dream career. Everything was smooth flowing on the first two years of my college life here, It wasnt that hard for me to gain new friends and meet new colleaugues for Im flexible enough to any type of personalities. Im doing good at my subjects for I am an above average student, and my habits on studying and reading was still there. But when 3 rd year came the first time i fail to a subject really made me feel down. My easy go lucky attitude was one reason im blaming myself for failing that subject. But it was some kind of a wake up call and turning point in my life, it made me realize that my efforts was short and I was under achieving compared to my other classmates. After that, I made a decision to not fail anymore and always give my 100 percent on any task given to me. But of course, as an ordinary student, Ive experienced tons of temptations on my way to finishing my college education. There were times when I wouldnt be attending classes because a

friend of mine has a birthday, we are going to play basketball or computer games, or just that we woudnt want to. But still I thank God for never leaving me and still hes by my side protecting me and guiding me, although i took a few steps back and take a turn on my way to Greatness, Im still on track and maybe only a huge step away of my career.

This is where I stand now, Im on my 5th year at civil engineering, although i wont be graduating this semester I still can feel that im only a few steps away on graduating. It has been a tough battle for me to just be on this particular spot and there will be nothing who can stop me on achieving my goal and to pursue my career. I wil even exert more effort just to prove everyone that I deserve this spot. Some see me as a whacky kind of person outside the classroom, but when its time to study, listen to lectures and doing assignments, I make it sure that my focus is on and that I will give my best to any task at hand. And by that time that I graduate with Gods help, it is just the first step for me on achieving Greatness.

Next would be passing the civil engineering board exams. It is one crucial step that I need to take for as everyone know board examinations are not your typical exam, therefore it is hard and needs lot of effort in order to pass or even top the exams. I would enroll myself to a known review center for me to gain more knowledge and to know the trends on the previous exams and probably to my exam also. And as I pass the Board Examinations, I would be garnering experience/s here in the Philippines in

different construction firms and government organizations for about 2-5 years before joining my dad at Saudi Arabia. The reason why my Dad is still in Saudi Arabia even though he is nearing retirement age, is for the reason that he wants me to work on his company, because of the good salary and benefits. I will work there for about 2 years minimum and 10 years maximum depending if I will enjoy my work there and If I will be able to get my girlfriend/fiancee with me there. But of course I will be doing my stay there at Saudi Arabia as a means of saving up money for i want to have my own construction firm here in the Philippines. I would love to venture into some kind of build and sell type of business. And amidst of all that maybe at the age of 28-35 I would be getting married to my girlfriend, for all of my success will be nothing if I wouldnt be able to share all the happiness to someone special to me. And for me success in a career is only one side of real success, the other side would be to have a family, because having a wife and a child gives us a different happiness no one can explain. Im planning to have at least one boy and one girl.

And by the age of 40-50, I would try teaching in order to impart my knowledge to the other future engineers, but only as part-time. Because i still have to run my own business(build and sell) and maybe other businesses me and my wife would be having, and of course I would love to spend my time with my children more than anything else. For my family is whats most important to me, I can enjoy myself with all the luxury in life but moments with your children and wife and other extended family is considered priceless.

And by the ongoing years, I dont know what the future holds me for, but one thing I know for sure is that I will have no regrets in everything I have done, I am doing, and what I have about to do in my life. With God in the center of my every action, I know he will not let me fall for the traps of Evil. And in each mistake and achievement I have made, It made me into who I am, Fahad R. Aquino, a good son of God, a future father, a future civil engineer, a good follower, a great leader, a person who will reach his greatness by all cost.