After 5 years and multiple stab wounds, working student becomes a lawyer

After signing the roll of the attorneys at the Supreme Court, a new lawyer shared the sacrifices he had to make just to reach his dream.

In an interview with GMA News Online, Ryan Omar Ching said that being a working student was difficult as "the responsibilities at work and in school are both very demanding and will really take a toll on you."

"Two hours of sleep would already be a privilege," he said. "On exam days, I really needed to pull (almost) all-nighters to catch up."

However, he couldn't let go of his job as a bank employee because he needed to support his family and finance his studies. He had to be careful with his budget and finances.

Ryan shared that he was unable to study at home so he would stay out to study for long hours "to the point of danger."

"When I had to pull an almost all-nighter, [I got] held-up in a jeepney as I was commuting home at past 3 a.m.," he shared.

He said he was stabbed at least thrice in the left hand during the terrifying incident as he tried and failed to hold on to his bag. He also lost all his readings and materials, and was only able to leave the hospital at about 7 a.m., so he failed to make it to his midterm exams.

Luckily, his professor gave him the option to take an all-in final exam.

"There are many days that you would question why you did this to yourself, bakit mo pinahihirapan ang sarili mo. When things would get overwhelming, you would think of giving up one or the other — will it be law school or work. But you had a dream that you wanted to pursue, so push mo 'yan," he said.

He said that he was blessed to have been surrounded by people who supported his goals, from his family, to his blockmates, and even his workmates. 

In the end, Ryan was victorious as he signed the roll of attorneys earlier this week.

"Ang haba ng pinagdaanan, ang daming nangyari. Five years in law school while juggling work, then almost one year more for review and then anxiety while waiting for the results — it was a wild ride, to say the least. Siguro may miminsang parang 'di ka makapaniwala na ito na, natapos na," he said.

A few days after he had signed, he said it "still hasn't sunk in, probably because the waiting was really too long, the journey too difficult but also too memorable."

He shared that the most important lessons he learned in the past five years is that "it really takes a village."

"'Di ka makakalabas doon nang ikaw at ikaw lang. Having been finally admitted into the Philippine bar might look like a personal achievement, but a large part of it is contributed by the 'village'," he said.

"At sana, magamit ko itong pagkakasapi ko sa isang ekslusibong propesyon sa makabuluhang paraan para makapag-ambag tungo sa ikabubuti ng lipunan, maibalik ko man lang 'yung mga kabutihan at pagpapalang naranasan ko habang inaabot ang pangarap na ito," he added.

—JCB, GMA News