A Monarch Not Just in Name

I am a Monarch. Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. A regular third-year college student is claiming that he is in fact a monarch. Now, it’s understandable that from an outsider’s point of view, this statement may seem a tad bit confusing. And to be honest, roughly three years ago, I too was unsure of what this statement actually meant.

When the pandemic hit back in 2020, I was at the latter end of my senior high school stint. Seeing how schools, or the world in general, tried adjusting to the so-called new normal, I decided that it was better for me to take a year break or at least until things were back to normal. Considering that I was about to enter a crucial part of my life, college, I didn’t want to take an important step during a time when schools were still trying to properly grasp the concept of online classes.

A year later, society was still in a rough state. The pandemic was still ongoing and the idea of face-to-face classes was still far from reality. Knowing that I couldn’t delay things for another year, I decided to go through with this unfamiliar learning system. That’s when my journey with Southville began. At that time I barely knew anything about Southville. I just heard that a former classmate of my sister graduated from said School and took the same course that I wanted to take, Multimedia Arts.

Now, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t enter this new institution half-heartedly. It had nothing to do with the image of the school or the school itself. At that time, my heart just wasn’t there anymore. Thus, Southville ended up welcoming this unmotivated, disinterested freshman. They welcomed me with open arms and yet there I was ready to waver at any given moment.

A couple of online classes and events later, I discovered and understood why Southville managed to maintain a good reputation in spite of tough circumstances. Quality of education aside, the first thing that I noticed was how committed the institution was, and still is, when it comes to connecting students to not just each other, but to each and every single member of the Southville community. Yes, I expected that I would naturally discover new and interesting multimedia arts concepts. What I didn’t see coming, however, was discovering and creating new bonds and relationships in spite of the online setting.

By the time my freshman year ended, I concluded that it was the correct decision for me to take that first step alongside Southville. Was the year perfect? No, by no means was it perfect, there were some rough patches here and there, but the positives, by far, outweighed the negatives. I found myself looking forward to what’s to follow in the proceeding year. Fast forward to said proceeding year, hybrid classes were at last implemented.

My second year with Southville was undoubtedly one of my most challenging years in recent memory. Our tasks took me by surprise as to how much more difficult they were compared to the year prior. Adding to the fact that I was still trying to adapt to attending classes onsite again, for the first time in a long while, I felt a genuine heavy burden on my shoulders. Now, don’t get me wrong, yes it was tough, and yes it was challenging, however, I do believe that it was necessary. I’m glad that Southville provided said challenge and I’m thankful to the whole Southville community for imparting me with the necessary resources and assistance to overcome the hurdles in front of me and my classmates. By the end of it all, I know for certain that I am better in multiple aspects compared to how I was before it all started.

Fast forward to the present, I no longer share the same sentiment that I had back in 2021. My experiences these past few years allowed me to fully integrate myself into the institution and its community. It took me a second, but I can now confidently say that I am a Monarch, not just in name only.