The bus slowed to a stop.
He exhaled, eyes fixed on the city outside.
Buildings stretched high into the sky, lights flickered along the streets, and people moved in every direction. The air buzzed with energy, cars honking, vendors calling out, conversations overlapping. It was nothing like home.
Stepping off the bus, he adjusted the strap of his bag and glanced at his phone.
Find a place to stay first.
He wandered the streets for a while, weaving through alleys and passing rows of small eateries, convenience stores, and apartment buildings. Eventually, he spotted a wooden sign hanging above a narrow doorway:
Rooms for Rent.
It wasn't much, but it was enough.
An older woman greeted him at the door. "Looking for a place?"
"Yes," he nodded. "Something affordable."
She led him upstairs to a small room, a bed, a desk, a window overlooking the street below. Simple, quiet.
"This will do," he murmured.
He paid the rent, set his bag down, and let out a long breath.
It was strange. The excitement of arriving had faded, replaced by the weight of reality.
He was here.
Alone.
His phone vibrated.
He answered. "Ma."
"You arrived?"
"Yeah. Just got a place to stay."
A pause. Then a sigh of relief. "Good. Do you have enough money?"
"I'll manage," he assured her.
Another pause. Then, softly.
"I miss you."
His fingers tightened around the phone. "I miss you too, Ma."
A silence stretched between them, then.
"Take care of yourself, anak."
"I will."
The call ended.
He stared at the phone for a moment before tucking it away.
There was no time to dwell.
He had things to do.
The next day, he walked through the city, searching.
He wasn't just here to start over, he had a goal.
He needed a university.
After an hour of walking and checking directions, he found himself in front of a large campus.
Tall buildings, tree-lined walkways, students in uniform moving between halls. The emblem of the university was carved into the stone at the main entrance. It was well-known, not just in the city, but across the country.
Many of the country's most respected politicians, businessmen, and leaders had walked through these halls. It had a reputation for producing some of the brightest minds.
And yet, standing there, he felt… distant from it.
It was prestigious. Expensive. A place built for people who already had a path set for them.
He wasn't one of them.
But maybe… he didn't need to be.
If he could prove himself.
If he could earn a place here.
He pulled out his phone and started searching.
Scholarships.
He knew he couldn't afford full tuition, but maybe, just maybe, he could find a way in.
He spent the next few hours gathering information, reading through requirements, and listing what he needed.
His academic records. His achievements from senior high school. His recommendation letters.
If there was a chance, he would take it.
This wasn't just about getting in.
It was about building a future.
That evening, he sat at his small desk, flipping through his old certificates and report cards.
But as he wrote down the requirements, another problem weighed on him.
"What course should I take?"
He had thought about this before, but now that he was actually applying, it felt heavier.
His fingers tapped against the desk as he stared at the blank section on the application form.
"Civil Engineering? It was a stable path, a high-paying career. I liked structures, buildings, the idea of creating something that would last."
"Political Science? I had always been interested in society, in governance. My mother even joked me that I could become a lawyer or even the country's president one day."
"Geology?"
His eyes lingered on the word.
He had always been fascinated by landscapes, by the earth itself, its hidden history, the way time shaped it, how it carried secrets beneath its surface.
It wasn't as common of a choice. It wasn't as stable as engineering or as prestigious as law.
But it felt right.
Slowly, he picked up his pen.
And in the blank space next to Course Choice, he wrote:
"BS in Geology."
There was still a long way to go.
But he had started.
And that was enough for now.