People see the "Cum Laude" medal and the "Support Lead" job title and assume it was a straight path. It wasn't. It was a messy, exhausting fight for survival that started with a sudden financial crash.
Living in the Philippines, I used to live a comfortable life. I was the student who had a budget from Mom and Dad. I didn't worry about where my next meal came from; I only worried about exams.
But one day, life pulled the rug out from under me. A family crisis hit, and overnight, the financial support stopped. No more allowance. No more budget for school projects. No more safety net.
Being a top student is hard. Trying to maintain high grades from 1st to 4th year while your stomach is growling is nearly impossible. I was tired of comparing myself to others. I just wanted to survive.
Phase 1: The Hustle (Blume Pastries)
I didn't have tech skills yet. But I had an oven. I started Blume Pastries, a small baking business, just to fund my daily commute and lunch.
I would wake up at 4 AM to bake cakes, go to school for 8 hours, and then sell pastries to my classmates. It was exhausting, but it gave me something money couldn't buy: Dignity. I could finally buy my own lunch and sit comfortably with my friends again.
Pride doesn't pay the bills. I learned early that there is no shame in honest work. Whether it's baking cakes or writing code, the hustle is the same.
Phase 2: The Failure (My First Tech Jobs)
Baking paid for food, but it wouldn't pay for tuition. I saw people online making money as "Virtual Assistants," so I dove in. I landed a US client managing credit repair. It felt like I had finally made it until that client decided to retire his business.
Just like that, I was back to square one.
I scrambled. I took white-label tasks, I built small websites, and eventually, I landed a job at a Marketing Agency. I thought I was safe. But the truth? I was drowning.
The Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
I was trying to balance school, the agency, and my business. Something had to give. My performance at the agency dropped. I wasn't hitting marketing targets because, deep down, I wasn't a marketer.
Then came the email every employee fears: You are being put on a Performance Improvement Plan.
I felt like a failure. I was an honor student at school, but in the real world, I was barely hanging on. I thought I was going to be fired. But that PIP turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
My managers saw that while I lack at marketing (not in the SEO part), I was actually really good at fixing their website issues. They moved me from Marketing to Web Development & Support. I stopped fighting my nature and started leaning into my strengths.
Failure is often just redirection. That PIP wasn't the end of my career; it was the start of my true career as a Developer.
Phase 3: The "Cum Laude" System
So, how did I manage two agency jobs, a freelance business, and a full-time Computer Science degree to graduate Cum Laude?
The answer isn't "motivation." Motivation dies when you are tired at 2 AM. The answer was a System.
I was lucky to work with a CEO who loved reading business books. He taught me concepts that saved my life:
1. Maker vs. Manager Time
I stopped trying to multitask. I divided my day strictly:
- Maker Time (Mornings): This was for Deep Work. Coding, complex school projects. No emails. No chats. Just focus.
- Manager Time (Afternoons): This was for the "noise." Client meetings, admin tasks, emails.
2. The Pomodoro Technique
When you are overwhelmed by 4 different jobs, you freeze. The Pomodoro technique (25 minutes work, 5 minutes break) broke that paralysis. I didn't have to finish the whole project; I just had to survive the next 25 minutes.
The Result
It was hard. There were nights I cried from exhaustion. There were days I wanted to quit school to focus on money, and days I wanted to quit work to focus on school.
But I prevailed.
I graduated Cum Laude. I kept my job. I built a career I am proud of.
If you are reading this and you feel like you are drowning, whether it's financial struggles, academic pressure, or work stress, know that you are capable of more than you think. You just need a system, and the grit to keep going when the lights go out.
