MANILA, Philippines – A brilliant student from Davao City who excelled in high school, fell hard in college, and rose again to claim a topnotcher title, this is the remarkable journey of 25-year-old Jan Razz D. Awid, whose story proves that failure is not the opposite of success but a stepping stone to success.
 |
| Photo courtesy: Jan Razz Awid |
Awid still vividly remembers checking the results of the 2025 Food Technologist Licensure Exam (FTLE) and seeing his name at Top 9.
In a story exclusively shared with The Summit Express, Awid opened up about his highs and lows—from honor student in high school to irregular student in college, and eventually a cum laude graduate.
“I was certain I would fail,” he said, recalling how he “cried after the first day of board exam,” went home, and faced the second day “with zero sleep.”
But at 2 a.m., when the FTLE results were released, he screamed, jumped, and woke his family. “Definitely, ito po yung biggest plot twist ng buhay ko so far,” he said.
His path to Food Technology was not even his first dream. Coming from a Tech-Voc Track–Home Economics Strand in senior high school (SHS), he originally wanted to take Hospitality Management, but when he passed the UPCAT and qualified for University of the Philippines (UP)-Mindanao’s Food Technology program, a free-tuition opportunity close to home, he seized it. “I wanted to grab this once in a blue moon opportunity,” he said.
Yet the transition to college proved brutal. “Agad-agad, everything went downhill,” he recalled. He failed Algebra and Trigonometry, his first failing grade ever, and barely passed Chemistry, which pushed him into irregular status and extended his stay to five years. “Lost po talaga ako most of the time and parang hindi ko po alam anong ginagawa ko, leading me to fail Algebra and Trig during my first year, spent 5 years in college as an irregular student, and for the longest time, I got discouraged and stopped trying and caring about school,” he said.
“I spent many a day questioning my place in the university, and I felt that everyone was 10 steps ahead of me, kasi hindi po talaga ako naka keep up that well with my coursemates. I felt like the smallest fish swimming along the vast ocean,” he admitted.
The struggle was especially heavy for someone who grew up excelling. “I was the type of person who would set unrealistic expectations, and admittedly, made being an honor student my personality,” he said. “I was afraid to lose that part of my life kasi in my head, inisip ko po na I would be nothing or nobody without those achievements.”
However, he also found motivation to push forward. “Inisip ko po na I went through this because I value education and completing my degree will open a lot of doors, gusto ko pong suklian ang sacrifices ng parents ko, and I wanted to prove to myself na I can finish what I started,” he said.
Even as he slowly regained his footing, Awid never imagined graduating with honors. “I wasn’t expecting to graduate with Latin Honors kasi hindi po talaga consistent ang aking grades,” he shared. “My transcript is full of different remarks, even INC.” The experience reshaped his perspective. “College is a different battlefield,” he said. “Doon na po ako nakarelate sa seniors/alumni na to have a passing grade is already a win.”
Still, those difficulties became defining moments. “During that lowest point, that was when I learned the most about myself,” he said.
Awid pushed back, rose again, and eventually graduated cum laude. Awid devoted months to intensive board exam review, following strict schedules and repeated mock exams, a commitment he credited for his Top 9 finish. He even followed superstitions like “wearing red underwear” and “not looking back after kicking the chair.”
Then came the triumph he thought impossible. “Back then, to be a board passer was already a dream,” he said. “Being a topnotcher was out of reach.”
Now, he hopes his redemption arc inspires students who feel lost or left behind. “Kahit may tres o may singko, kahit delayed o irreg student, success will never leave you,” he said.
If he could speak to his 19-year-old self, his message is simple. “You did it. You redeemed yourself.”
— The Summit Express