I am Kristel Keith of House Nieva,
The eldest of two siblings,
Beloved princess of King Ricardo and Queen Meliza,
Survivor of UP College of Pharmacy,
Scholar of the National University,
Conqueror of endless lectures and wet laboratories,
Defeated the desire for sleep in five years,
Master of Procrastination,
Warrior of Honor and Excellence,
Future Industrial Pharmacist in the realm, and
Protector of Patients.
Personally, I fear irrelevance the most. But let me quote UP President Alfredo Pascual in his investiture speech, “We must succeed not because we have a reputation to keep but because we have a country to serve.” Hence, as our journey in the national university ends, service to our country becomes both a duty and a responsibility. We are now part of the force actively working towards making this country a better place to live in. Should we face challenges as we find our place in nation building, let’s remember two core values we must live upon–service to the people, and social responsibility. Social relevance. I guess this is the biggest lesson UP has taught me through the years, that is true intelligence goes beyond the classroom borders. True intelligence is inspiring people to be better. True intelligence is living not just for yourself, but most importantly, for other people. Let’s always keep in mind that we owe our UP education to the masses. It is now the time to give back.
To my parents and family in Marinduque, thank you for making everything possible. Thank you for letting me grow, giving me the freedom to decide for my own and make mistakes. Thank you for all the support you’ve generously given throughout my college years.
To BBB, Big group, close friends, and the people who made college more interesting and a lot easier, thank you for the relationships we’ve built. Ito na, sa wakas, natapos na rin.
To the College of Pharmacy, and the University, thank you for accepting that UPCAT application way back 2011. Thank you for opening your doors and enriching us with learnings and experiences we’ll never forget in our lifetime.
To Class 2016 of the UP College of Pharmacy, padayon! Serve the people!