MARAWI CITY (June 1) — Behind every new lawyer’s name on the Bar passers list is a story rarely told in courtrooms or commencement speeches — one marked by self-doubt, sleepless nights, failure, and the determination to begin again.
For several women graduates of the Mindanao State University College of Law who passed the 2025 Bar Examinations, earning the title “Attorney” was not simply an academic achievement. It was the culmination of years spent battling fear, pressure, exhaustion, and uncertainty.
Speaking during the MSU Purplehood and 2025 Bar Passers Testimonial on May 24, the new lawyers offered candid accounts of the emotional and mental struggles behind their success, reminding future examinees that resilience may matter as much as legal knowledge.
For Attorney Sittie Hedaya S. Pansar, valedictorian of the Class of 2024, law school often felt like an exercise in survival.
Despite graduating at the top of her class, Pansar said she spent many nights questioning her abilities while carrying the weight of expectations. When her journey to the Bar took longer than anticipated, she learned that success does not always arrive on schedule.
“It took me a bit longer to get here, and I have learned the greatest lesson of all: that a title doesn’t define a lawyer, resilience does. Delayed success is still success,” she said.
Rather than pushing through fear during her second bar review, Pansar said she learned to practice self-compassion, allowing herself to rest, acknowledge her anxieties, and seek help when needed.
“Passing the bar is not just about stuffing your brain with laws. It’s about protecting your heart and mind,” she said.
Attorney Aniah D. Dumpa, first honorable mention of the Class of 2024, said the Bar review tested more than her mastery of legal doctrines.
Despite meticulous planning, physical and emotional exhaustion repeatedly challenged her preparations.
“There was even a time when I stayed awake for almost 48 hours because my mind simply refused to rest,” Dumpa recalled.
The experience taught her that the Bar Examination is as much a test of endurance and faith as it is of knowledge.
Today, she said, every sacrifice, sleepless night, tear, and prayer feels justified.
For Attorney Dayamon P. Macalnas-Bubong, one of the most important lessons from law school concerns how society responds to failure.
She recounted the experience of a high-achieving student who encountered failure for the first time and subsequently faced judgment from those around her.
“Sometimes, failure is not proof of weakness,” Macalnas-Bubong said. “Sometimes, it is simply the first time life teaches humility, endurance, and recovery.”
She urged future lawyers to be mindful of the power of language, particularly toward those navigating setbacks.
“In a profession where words are our tools, we must remember that words can defend, but they can also destroy.”
Although their experiences differed, the women shared a common message: the path to becoming a lawyer is not defined solely by grades, honors, or rankings.
Their stories challenge the popular image of success as a straight climb upward. Instead, they reveal a journey marked by detours, disappointments, and moments of vulnerability that often remain unseen.
For the new lawyers, the Bar Examination was not merely an assessment of legal competence. It was a lesson in perseverance — proof that success belongs not only to the brilliant, but also to those who keep going when success seems farthest away.
And for many future bar examinees, that may be the most important lesson of all.
