By Femme Angela C. Armamento
In law school, we always see people thriving, growing, and discovering a part of themselves as they continue to brave the highs and lows in getting that coveted “Atty.” before their names. It’s amazing how this journey could change a person’s life as they move forward. Law students have yet to learn how to unbridle themselves from what’s holding them back from their potential and becoming the lawyers they all aspire to be. But evidently, there are people who, even before law school, have already made a mark in other fields, yet they still continue towards their pursuit of the study of law. These life stories shared by our resident “game changers” hope to inspire the rest of the student body to continue to strive in achieving our goals and aspirations.
Janina R. Gonzales
Janina is in her fourth year at San Beda College Alabang – School of Law (SBCA – SOL). Aside from her hard work in studying the law, she has always been a singer by heart. “I’m a singer. I know that and I’ve been that person since I was six years old,” Janina says with gusto. She said that her parents started enrolling her in several music schools when she was still young to hone her talent in singing. To see the results thereof, she braved different singing contests, but barely won any award. Despite the fear of losing again, that did not discourage the dreamer that she is. She persevered and pursued her singing until she became part of ‘The Clash’ Season Two, a reality singing competition aired by the GMA Network where she placed 6th in the competition. For her, that opened a lot of doors for her singing career.
She has been driven by the fact that she can also do what others told her she couldn’t. Her father, who is a lawyer, inspired her the most to continue breaking barriers. In balancing her time for singing and studying, she manages her goals by setting a timeframe. Her routine is to make sure that she gets eight to ten hours of sleep, as it affects the quality of her voice. The rest is for studying and rehearsals, according to her schedule.
Law school is not a walk in the park and balancing it with another passion is exacting and exhausting, which pushes a person to think about giving up. For Janina, having the best of both worlds would not be possible without the help of prayer. Aside from that, she also learned to filter out the unnecessary factors which may affect her studies and deal with the important ones with ease. One of the principles that she holds on to is the saying “huwag kang yayakap ng punong hindi mo kayang yakapin”. The same boils down to prioritizing and knowing her limitations. In this world where she can be anything, Janina chooses to be kind every day. She wishes to see the same in every one of us.
As of now, she is prioritizing to finish her study of law, to graduate, pass the bar, and make her six-year-old self the proudest of them all.
“Find your passion and do what you love. Whatever that passion is, make sure to put a hundred percent in it because if you don’t, then what’s the point of it all?” Janina says with conviction.
Sherlyn Manlangit, M.D.
Sherlyn Manlangit is a consultant dermatologist, currently taking up a mix of second and third year subjects.
She graduated college back in 2000 and continued studying until she started her residency training by 2006. Before law school, she was already a practicing dermatologist. She’s also a painter, tennis player, singer, and a writer of fiction. Unquestionably, she’s a woman of beauty, talent, and intellect.
Doctor Sherlyn describes herself as a woman who fancies knowledge. However, the study of law is something she never thought would be beneficial to her in all aspects. According to her, one must love something so much to always find and make time for the same. A person must have that kind of urgency and intense need to do and express her passion in any way possible.
In her case, being a dermatologist and law student means having to divide and conquer. Meaning, she must go to work for hours and then take up units only as much as she can fit into her schedule.
The doctor reads in between patients and after work hours, which she would spend in the library. Her work demands her utmost attention even on Sundays, which most law students use as a spare time.
At times when she is daunted by the overwhelming pressure and load of her work, she would go out and spend her time either doing voice lessons or working out at the gym. She also learned the “art of deadma” which means not to mind the unnecessary negativity of those people who would try to deter or demoralize her spirit.
Being a doctor and having the privilege of studying again doesn’t stop Sherlyn from striving for more. In her words, “I wouldn’t mind being here whether it would take ten more years of my life because that’s how I ought to learn again.” In the end, Doctor Manlangit says that it will always be her—the doctor that she is—that will most likely prevail and practice her profession.
She was once a girl who is afraid of everything, even the tiniest bit, which causes her angst. The woman she is now is a proud product of genuine prayer and hard work. “The moment you learn how to embrace the person that you are, can, and will be, the moment where you will feel like you can do anything”, she assured.
Kathleen Lagman Capulong
Kathleen L. Capulong, fondly called as “Mama Kate”, is a first year law student of SBCA-SOL.
Before law school, she was a strategic consultant and a management professor. On the side, owns a business based on commissions and catering services. Her expertise is mainly on human resource and organizational development on the entrepreneurial aspect.
She currently holds three Master’s degrees which she took at the De La Salle Graduate School of Business, De La Salle University School of Professional and Continuing Education, and the Asian Institute of Management, respectively- all of which she finished with the highest marks. In 2012, she studied at the Ritz Carlton Leadership Center in San Francisco, U.S.A. under the executive class program. She also has a culinary degree from the Center for Culinary Arts Manila (CCA Manila).
But before earning all her titles and starting another journey to add another one, KLC started as a simple brand manager for Rustan’s Cosmetics. F or the past eighteen years, she became versatile with her ability to cater to different fields of businesses. She also became the President of the prestigious CCA Manila. Beyond these, her heart for helping also led her to become one of the directors of ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.
For Kate, her priorities are very clear- her children and her time with them are always non-negotiable. That is why everything she has to do would depend on the schedule of her children. According to her, she manages her time through (1) knowing your priorities; (2) training the people around you which can help you; (3) learning how to delegate; and (4) feeling not guilty when you’re not able to do things like other people can.
On her study habits, she shares that she only studies the moment her youngest is asleep, or that she would study in the car or in between meeting. With no steady routine, she finds ways to study efficiently.
According to Kate, she holds onto the saying of being the best in everything one chooses to do and becoming the best of wherever we are. Kate reminds her friends and families that being the best means being the best for yourself and not for other people, not for the situation, and definitely not for what society expects from you; it must be from you, learning you- your weakness and strengths. She says to surround yourself with the people who compliment your skills and find a team to be one with.
She built herself out of her character as a person and honed herself as her own business masterpiece. But what could be more inspiring than to know that her story doesn’t end here?
We ought to remember that just because other people carry it so well, does not mean they are not burned by the baggage they carry. In this struggle we are facing, it is important to be each other’s “kaya mo yan” regardless of how heavy our lives may be. We wouldn’t know how much a simple phrase can change one’s perspective of life. So keep going, just like Janina, Sherlyn, and Kate, don’t just play the game—change it.◾