Celebrating My 22nd Birthday: Challenges, Achievements, and Lessons Learned

This morning, I skipped breakfast and worked on the screenplay for an hour before rushing to school. My first class is with a very time-conscious teacher. At the gate, the school security guard stopped me, suspicious of my bonnet, long hair, and earrings. He told me I needed to cut my hair due to new rules, but according to the posted dress code, there’s no specific haircut requirement since the school is gender-equal. He even mentioned that as a fourth-year student, I should know the policy better and that I was not complying.

I tried to reason with him but decided not to let it ruin my birthday and just wrote down my name and the alleged violation in the logbook. A classmate later told me that there’s no policy about haircuts and that many students, including some who are gay, have long hair. In the classroom, my classmates supported me, and one even joked about asking the guard, "Are you homophobic?"

Today was also our pre-oral defense. We wanted to urgently invite one of the teachers to serve as a panelist, but we were met with an unhelpful cashier/assistant who told us the Dean was unavailable and has to travel later. We hadn’t received this information firsthand from the college Dean, so I doubted the situation and tried to find a way for her to come. I contacted the Dean and our adviser for help.

After class, our adviser assured us that he would find a way for us to present and finish on time.

On a positive note, I received birthday greetings from my parents and my best friends from high school early in the morning. Before starting my no-Facebook challenge, I removed the public visibility of my birthday. I used to get a dopamine rush from birthday greetings on social media and tried to get as much attention as possible by replying to each message. Looking back, it seems silly. Now, having only special people greet me feels more authentic and genuine.

Google Assistant even wished me a happy birthday—part of their strategy to make users feel appreciated. It’s strange how a birthday, in reality, is just another day, but the essence of the celebration makes it feel special.

I’m 22 now, still dependent, which is normal in the Philippines. I’m determined that before this decade ends, I’ll be a well-known personality in my country with at least one million in assets.

At 11 PM, I submitted all the requirements for the Puregold Cinepanalo, including the crucial screenplay. Everything went smoothly, and I hope we get the grant since only 25 entries will be selected.

Tita O, Dimpol, Inday, and Tilin prepared a mini surprise celebration for me with pizza, noodles, and cake. They wrapped up my day perfectly, marking the start of my 22nd year on this blue ball