When you’re inspired, you have more motivation to get things done. Despite the demands of the university and the alluring world of Korean Pop, Julie Villafuerte managed to graduate university with honors and a Best Thesis award.
As she concluded her university life last weekend during the commencement exercises, she couldn’t help but acknowledge her family, friends, EXO and SVT for her achievements. Other than that, she also dignified the “possibility of fangirling while excelling in academics”, plus KPOP not being “a distraction”, but “an inspiration”.
Despite being a fangirl, I managed to become a Deans Lister 8 times, get the Best Thesis Award (Political Science) & also graduate w/ honors
Its possible to fangirl while excelling in acads. Kpop isnt a distraction, its an inspiration
Family, Friends, EXO & SVT, this is for you pic.twitter.com/XbWpLoNrQX
— juℓie (@jacvillafuerte) February 10, 2018
WHEN IN MANILA was able to reach out to Villafuerte for further details.
When I was in PICC for my graduation, I went in the middle of the hall and held up my Eribong (EXO Lightstick) and Caratbong (Seventeen Lightstick) proudly. People were looking at me, graduates, parents and the other guests. They probably thought I was doing something childish but I didn’t care. I stood there, proud of having brought these lightsticks to the hall where I graduated because both groups were there with me during my highs and lows. I wanted to bring them with me during my special day because I couldn’t have done this without my inspirations.
My point is, people tend to have a prejudice towards K-pop fans but I didn’t let that dishearten me. In fact, I used that as a motivation for me to strive hard so in the end, I could wave my lightsticks to their faces and sarcastically say, “I did it, whilst listening to the songs I ‘couldn’t understand’!”
Villafuerte was an 8-time Dean’s Lister.
Villafuerte featuring her KPOP Collection.
Villafuerte was also able to see SM entertainment (EXO’s company) and Pledis entertainment grounds (Saventeen’s company) in during her visit to Seoul, South Korea.
Just like her hard-earned medals in school, Villafuerte takes pride in her eribong and carat bong who have helped her through life in university.
For the photos on my post, I have planned the shots as soon as my final CGPA was out. Given that I was able to be part of the Honors List, I wanted to share something to the K-pop community. I wanted to prove to everyone that a K-pop fan could make it too. It’s nice to see that many of my co-fans are taking my post positively, saying that I somehow motivated them to strive hard too; that in itself is a big achievement for me.
Being a student and a fan is hard because your attention will always be divided. Most of the time, K-pop could indeed be a distraction to students and even to those who are working already. However, I believe that the reason why we get distracted is because the said “distraction” makes us happy. We enjoy doing/having it and so we tend to focus more on it instead of the more important things. But as soon as we’re able to turn that distraction into our inspiration, good things will come. I believe that doing the things you don’t exactly love (come on, let’s face it, studying sucks) for the people you love and for the things you love would bring out the excellence you thought you never had in you.
With this, I want to say thank you for the two groups which served as an inspiration to me throughout the years. I couldn’t have done this without them and I believe that things would have been different if I didn’t stan EXO and Seventeen. I’d like to think that I made the right choice by letting these wonderful and talented men be a part of my life.”
Congratulations and more power to you!
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Disclaimer: WheninManila.com does not own the photos above. Credits go to Julie Villafuerte.
