MANILA, Philippines – Engr. Crisdenmar S. Dela Cruz passed the February 2025 Mechanical Engineers Licensure Exam (MELE). While that’s a great achievement, considering that not everyone who took it passed, he also felt a bit sad that he didn’t make it to the top 10. He shared on Facebook his ‘bittersweet’ experience of being ‘one question away’ from being a topnotcher.
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| Photo courtesy: Facebook/Engr. Crisdenmar S. Dela Cruz |
According to Dela Cruz, he aimed to become among the topnotchers of the board exams after graduation. It was a promise he made to himself. After all he graduated magna cum laude in BS Mechanical Engineering.
Of course, he knows that it’s a ‘near-impossible’ dream, considering that there are thousands of other mechanical engineering graduates who might also be aiming for the same thing. Still, he hoped that he would make it.
He made sure to study hard, keeping himself determined to reach for his dream. To achieve his goal, he developed the right mindset, created the right study routine, and instilled the right discipline.
On the day of the exams, he felt confident that he was ready for it. He felt ready for it, but would later realize that life had other plans for him.
Sadly, he was sick with fever on the first day of the board exams. He was so sick, in fact, that the proctor had to stop him after the fifth hour to send him to the medic. It was frustrating for Dela Cruz as he felt that every second away from the test was like a ticking time bomb.
Despite the difficulties, he managed to continue taking the rest of the tests. Thankfully, despite the challenge, he was able to pass. At this point, he knew that he was unlikely to be close to the top because he felt that he missed too much. It was quite amazing that he actually did!
What surprised Dela Cruz, though, is that when he checked his scores on the PRC website, he was ‘one item away’ from being a topnotcher – one question away from his dream. He felt that it was bittersweet; though he joked that it hurt more than if your crush didn’t like you back. LOL. But he did feel that it hurt more than any failure he’s ever experienced.
See also: Brand new car or Php 500,000 cash? Top 1 of Mechanical Engineer board exam chooses cash prize
Thankfully, he didn’t give up - and he isn’t doing that anytime soon.
“I may not be a topnotcher, but I am not defeated. I built myself through discipline, grit, and hard work. I became a beast in my own right,” Dela Cruz said.
“This isn’t the end… it’s a beginning. A new chapter. A new goal. Because while I was one question away from my dream, I am only one step away from something even greater.”
Congratulations, Engr. Crisdenmar S. Dela Cruz!
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
