Isa si Jeanne Nicci Cuevas Orcena, 23, tubong Tagum, Davao Del Norte, sa mga kandidata sa Miss Universe Philippines 2022.
Top 32 siya sa kumpetisyon, at nakakuha ng mga awards, gaya ng Top 4 Interview Challenge Winner, Kumu Livestream Challenge Winner, at Kumu's Choice Awardee.
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Nagtapos si Nicci ng Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science noong May 30, 2023, sa Tagum Doctors College, Inc. bilang class valedictorian at magna cum laude.
Top 5 naman siya sa August 2023 Medical Technologists Licensure Examination, at may rating na 92.2 percent.
Nakapanayam si Nicci ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) last September 27 via Facebook Messenger.
Read: Tina Dimas, may bagsak na grades, 9 years sa college, Top 6 sa board exam
WORKING STUDENT IN COLLEGE
Pagbabahagi ni Nicci, Microbiology sana ang gusto niyang kuning course.
“Pero walang school near our home in Davao del Norte that offers a course sa Microbiology.
“Na-discover ko na Medical Technology ang course na near sa interests ko in the field of science.”
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Nahirapan siya sa buhay-college dahil simula first year college ay nagtatrabaho rin siya bilang public speaking and modeling coach.
“So that I could sustain my daily allowance for school.
“I would accept projects like judging beauty pageants, hosting.”
Aminado si Nicci na mahirap pagsabayin ang pag-aaral at pagtatrabaho.
“Dumating sa punto na gusto ko nang sumuko. I think napagod ako. Nagkasakit ako, at dahil dito, nag-nosedive ang aking grades.”
Gayunpaman, pinilit niyang lumaban dahil wala siyang choice.
Dugtong ng dalaga, “Kasi alam kong hindi ako kayang pag-aralin ng aking family by our own financial means.”
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PARENTS' SUPPORT
Third year college si Nicci nang sumali sa Miss Universe Philippines 2022.
At dahil naging busy sa pageant, “I was very behind when I came back home and had to take special exams and projects and study on my own while my batchmates were already having their summer vacation.
“I ended up learning the lessons prematurely.”
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Ani Nicci, napakalaki ng suportang nakuha niya sa kanyang pamilya.
Laging ipinapaalala sa kanya ng ama na huwag pababayaan ang kanyang scholarship.
“Araw-araw niyang kinukumusta ang studies ko. There were times na kailangan niyang umalis sa mga meetings niya para lang ako mahatid or masundo.”
Lagi naman siyang sinasamahan ng kanyang ina sa gabi.
“Kasi nakakalulang mag-aral, gumawa ng projects, or tapusin ang research ko kapag ako na lang mag-isa ang gising sa bahay.
“Nagtitiyaga ang Mom ko na samahan ako at magpuyat din.”
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CHALLENGES DURING REVIEW AND BOARD EXAM
Noong nag-enroll siya sa isang review center, na-realize niyang hindi pa siya handa sa board exam.
Sa pre-board exams, hindi raw maganda ang naging performance niya.
"I had scores that were lower than our required grade in college. I had just barely passed with those scores.
“Days before the board exam, we took more evaluation examinations, and there was one exam where I had already studied most of the topics back in June [this exam took place in August], and I suddenly hardly remembered anything anymore.
“I was so frustrated with myself, and the board exam was only days away.”
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Nakadagdag din sa stress niya na under processing pa ang kanyang requirements for board exam dahil fresh graduate siya.
Inakala nga niyang sa March 2024 na siya makakakuha ng board exam.
“However, by the mercies of God alone, the requirements were suddenly settled and completed on the exact day of the deadline of the filing of applications.”
DID NOT EXPECT MAKING IT TO TOP 5
Nangarap siyang maging topnotcher, "and I prepared for it.”
Pero aminado si Nicci na nahirapan sa board exam.
“Kasi mostly, real-life application and related to the laboratory setting ang mga tanong.
“Some of the questions were ones you would never think could be asked in the board exam.”
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Nakulangan din daw siya sa two months and a week na ginugol sa pagre-review.
“I kept wondering if someone like me who only had a limited time to review for the board exam could actually top it.”
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Kaya nang makita niya ang pangalan sa list of passers, “Talagang para akong natanggalan ng tinik sa sobrang tuwa and relieved.
“I was thinking, ‘Finally, tapos na ang laban.’”
Na-curious naman siyang tingnan ang Top 10 nang makatanggap ng congratulatory message.
“As soon as I saw my school and my name, natulala lang ako kasi ayaw ma-absorb ng utak ko na nasa Top 5 ako!
“Hindi ako nag-review ng answers ko during the days following the board exam kaya hindi ko alam ang standing ko in terms of correct answers, pero to see my name in the Top 10 was surreal.
“It took me more than two weeks for it all to really sink in.”
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Inialay ni Nicci ang tagumpay sa Panginoon.
“He made all this possible and it is all for His glory alone. I was amazed when I saw the test papers and saw almost all the things that I was able to study during review season, and I praise God because He alone guided me through it all.”
Sa ngayon ay nagtatrabaho si Nicci sa school kung saan siya nag-graduate.
“Since I am their President's Scholar, I have two years of return service to render as a Medical Laboratory Science department teacher.”
Plano naman niyang mag-aral muli at kumuha ng medisina.
Payo niya sa mga kabataan na gustong makatapos ng pag-aaral sa kabila ng mga pagsubok.
“Study hard, give your best, pour out your all, and focus with all that you are.
“Read, read, and read. The more you read, the more you can master and understand the topics.
“There is no second to waste. Dedicate every moment of your life to your goal and faithfully claim the victory.”
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