By Rona Canlas (UPCM 2024)
This article series is a collaboration between UP Medics and the UP MSC Sports and Wellness Committee aimed to feature UPCM’s very own athletes.
A mentor, according to the dictionary, is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In life, there will always be at least one person that you find inspiring, admirable, and exemplary. You may find them notable because of their role, experiences, wit, or even their everyday personality. When you look at their ideas and opinions as a whole, it’s likely that you agree with them wholeheartedly or that these ideas have impacted you extensively. No matter who you are or what position you hold in life, one way or another, there will be one person that you strive to emulate in some form or shape.
Admittedly, it took some time for me to realize that I have so many mentors around me, and they actually all come from different backgrounds and upbringings. I thought back to both my high school and early college days and appreciated all those who I have had along the way. I saw how my classmates and teachers back then nurtured me, not just academically, but in other aspects as well — emotionally, mentally, and socially. Not only that, I’ve also remembered how my teammates and coaches both in high school and college taught me to aspire for the best and to continue reaching my goals. Along the way, it was a hard fight; however, from my standpoint, I see that I am now at a place that I had only dreamed of before. I am proud of that, and I thank my mentors for it.
The most prominent among all of my mentors are, of course, my parents. Between the both of them, they encompass all the mentors I met so far. Ranging from knowledge about medical school to athletics, most of who I am and what I do right now are because of and for them. They continue to encourage and challenge me in all ways possible so that I keep up in shape and do my best in all my endeavors. I am eternally grateful for them. I am glad to have found these people throughout my life, and they are definitely the reason behind who I am today. Hopefully, I could be as inspiring as they are and become a mentor to others in the future.