May 2025. Bulacan State University. 2:47 PM.
"Ram Christian Franco. Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. Magna Cum Laude."
I heard my name over the speakers, stood up in my toga, and walked toward the stage.
And for exactly seven seconds, everything was quiet.
No imposter syndrome. No anxiety about the next deadline. Just... silence.
Then my mom started crying. Loudly. Like, other parents were staring.
My dad—
Actually, my dad wasn't there.
He had already passed. But I like to think he was watching somehow. Probably critiquing my posture. He would've done that.
And then, as I walked, I felt the weight of what I was wearing. The toga. The sash. The medal.
But wait. Where was—
🎓 The Toga Cap Incident
Let me tell you about the moment I almost ruined my own graduation.
6:00 AM: I'm packing meticulously. Toga? Check. Sash? Check. Medal? Check. Confidence? High. 7:40 AM: 40km away from home.
And then the thought hits me like a bug in production at 5 PM on a Friday.
"Where is my toga cap?"
It was on my bed. 40 kilometers away. Judging me. 🎩💀
Options:
- Turn back? Miss the ceremony. (No.)
- Buy a new one? At the 24/7 Toga Cap Emporium? (Doesn't exist.)
- Walk up capless? My mom would literally never forgive me. (Fatal.)
Time to be an engineer.
Step 1: Panic briefly. Step 2: Book Lalamove. Step 3: Call sibling. "Hand the rider the cap. THE ONLY CAP ON THE BED. Please."
2:45 PM: I'm in line, looking cool and collected. (Narrator: He was sweating profusely.) 2:46 PM: The rider arrives. 2:47 PM: "Ram Christian Franco. Magna Cum Laude."
Did you know? Lalamove's real-time tracker is the most stressful video game I have ever played. Shoutout to that rider. You are the real Magna Cum Laude here.
The Weight of "Magna Cum Laude"
I didn't set out for honors. I set out to survive.
Transferring from National University to BulSU was a financial decision. The honors were just a side effect of me being terrified of failing.
The Sleepless Reality
People think "Magna Cum Laude" means you're smart. Mostly, it means you have a caffeine dependency and poor boundaries.
My schedule for 3 years:
- 6 AM: Reply to US clients. Coffee #1.
- 8 AM: Classes. Secretly fixing bugs under the desk. (Sorry, Prof.)
- 6 PM: Freelance work. Deploy features.
- 2 AM: Study for exams. Question life choices. Google "can humans hibernate."
- 4 AM: Sleep. Maybe.
Did you know? Missing Summa Cum Laude by 0.08 points sounds painful. It is. I think about it every time I see a decimal point. It's fine. I'm fine. (I am not fine.)
The Person Who Wasn't There
My father passed before graduation. He never saw the medal.
But he's the reason I took the freelance sabbatical. The reason I pivoted instead of quitting. I hope he saw it. And I hope he noticed I had the cap. That was a close one.
What I Learned (The Short Version)
- Grades < Portfolio. Nobody hired me for the Latin honors. They hired me because I could ship code. The degree opens the door; the GitHub graph keeps you in the room.
- Pivoting is Valid. Transferring wasn't a step back. It was a strategic retreat.
- Lalamove Saves Lives. Seriously.
The Photo
I have a photo on my desk. It's not the studio shot. It's a candid one where I'm wearing the cap.
The cap that took a 40km motorcycle ride to get there.
Use the engineering mindset. Solve the problem. Even if the problem is your own forgetfulness.
And if you're graduating soon: Double-check your bag. 🎓
Just remember: Lalamove has express delivery. 🥰
