Why are you worth knowing?

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Wednesday, 15 January 2025


That one question really pondered me a lot. As we began our second semester yesterday, that question was asked by our new teacher, and I was really inspired by him because he's very adventurous. He's from the Bicol region and moved here to Iloilo City, taking a risk to start a new chapter of his life, and I was in awe of it. Within that first meeting, he taught us a lot about how life works and different perspectives on dealing with problems—lessons that seemed to transcend the boundaries of environmental science.

What was even more interesting is that he's not even our major subject teacher—he's our environmental science teacher. Personally, he said that he doesn't know why he went into the science field because he loves English more, poetry, movies, and anything about art. His story was a reminder that our paths are rarely linear, that passion can lead us through unexpected territories. So, going back to when he tells us to introduce ourselves, he said that we should answer this question at the end of our introduction: 'Why are you worth knowing?' He answered it first, saying he is worth knowing because he wants to be remembered and It was inspired by the movie Banshees of Inisherein, and that struck deep into my heart. I couldn't think of anything more beautiful than that answer—a declaration of significance, a desire to leave an imprint on the world.

When it was my turn to answer, I said, "I am worth knowing because I am a very deep person full of complexities. Knowing me is like knowing different perspectives, and I think that's very worth it to dig." But part of me felt like I didn't answer that question truthfully. I want people to know me as who I am because I am tired of pretending to be a person I am not. To answer that question wholeheartedly, I am worth knowing because I want to be known. I want to leave an impact on the life of every person that I love and have met. I want to show them that I am worth their time because I can show them the real me. The real me who's full of essence—vulnerable, evolving, and unafraid to be authentically myself.

In that moment, surrounded by the quiet anticipation of my classmates, I realized that being worth knowing isn't about impressing others, but about being genuine. It's about having the courage to peel back the layers, to show the world not just who you want to be, but who you truly are.



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