Louise Tan Theunis was both happy and shocked to learn that she topped this year's Pharmacy Board Exam.
The 19-year-old Belgian-Filipina just finished working out at the gym when she found out about the good news.
In an interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) via Facebook Messenger, Louise recalled the memorable moment.
"I didn't wanna check the results but my best friend did," she said. "So she looked it up on her phone and suddenly screamed, saying I was top 1. And we just stood there in the crowd crying. Haha!"
Louise, who graduated magna cum laude from Cebu Doctors' University, scored 91.55 percent in the 2018 Pharmacy Board Exam.
Louise told PEP.ph that it was her parents, Wilfried and Beng, that inspired her to do great in her studies.
She said, "They're both really smart. My mom, despite her hard life, was able to graduate as magna cum laude. My dad has a PhD in entomology."
The board topnotcher, who's also into fitness and eating healthy, is the youngest among three siblings.
Louise is also a beauty queen.
She was crowned first runner-up in the Miss Mandaue pageant in Cebu in 2016. She also placed first runner-up in their school's Miss Intramurals.
Asked if she has plans to join national competitions like Binibining Pilipinas in the future, Louise answered, "Possibly, I'll see how things go."
For now, the BS Pharmacy graduate and board topnotcher is exploring her options. "I'm going to take a break. See where life leads me."
Her message to other teens and students? Keep your eye on the prize.
Louise said, "You have to have a passion for learning, a motivation for studying. Always believe in yourself and push yourself to be the best you can be for the ones you love."