The Board Exam

The air inside the testing hall was heavy with nervous anticipation. Rows upon rows of desks stretched across the large room, each occupied by an aspiring engineer armed with pencils, erasers, and a burning determination to pass the grueling licensure exam. Matthew sat at his desk, taking slow, deep breaths to steady his nerves. Around him, other examinees wore the same expression of quiet intensity, a mixture of anxiety and focus.

This was the moment he had spent months preparing for—the culmination of sleepless nights, group study sessions, and countless cups of coffee. Matthew adjusted his chair, glanced at the clock, and mentally prepared himself.

When the proctor announced the start of the exam, Matthew flipped open the first section of the booklet. The topics ranged from basic engineering principles to advanced concepts. As he read each question, he felt his training and preparation take over, guiding him through solutions.

The first section tested general engineering knowledge. Matthew worked through topics like mechanics, thermodynamics, and material properties, his pencil moving steadily across the answer sheet. The pressure was immense, but he remained calm, reminding himself of the hours he had spent drilling these subjects.

The second section focused on his specialization—mechanical engineering. The questions were more technical, diving deep into design principles, heat transfer, and machine dynamics. These were the areas Matthew had always excelled in, and he approached each question methodically, relying on both logic and memory. He knew he wasn't alone in this; Samantha, Saimon, and Leo were somewhere in the hall, battling the same questions, pushing through the same challenges.

Hours passed, and fatigue began to set in. Matthew stretched his hands and rolled his shoulders, trying to stay alert. The exam was mentally draining, but he pushed through, reminding himself of the stakes. This wasn't just a test—it was the gateway to a future he had worked tirelessly to build.

When the proctor announced the end of the session, Matthew placed his pencil down and let out a long exhale. The room buzzed with muted chatter as examinees gathered their belongings, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and relief.

The days following the board exam were some of the longest of Matthew's life. The initial relief of finishing the test had quickly given way to a gnawing uncertainty about the results. He tried to distract himself by catching up on sleep, binge-watching TV shows, and even cleaning his apartment, but the anticipation lingered in the back of his mind.

The group stayed in touch during the wait, their conversations a mix of reassurance and shared anxiety.

"You think we made it?" Leo asked during one of their calls.

"We gave it our best," Samantha replied. "That's all we can do now."

Matthew appreciated their optimism, but he couldn't help running through the questions in his mind, second-guessing his answers.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) was scheduled to release the results five days after the exam. On the morning of the announcement, Matthew woke up early, unable to sleep any longer. His heart pounded as he refreshed the PRC website, the page loading agonizingly slowly under the strain of thousands of other examinees doing the same.

When the list of passers finally appeared, he scrolled through it with trembling hands, scanning for his name.

Borja, Matthew C.

His breath caught, and for a moment, he just stared at the screen, letting the reality sink in. He had passed.

Quickly, he checked for his friends:

Samantha Cruz—PASS

Saimon Reyes—PASS

Leo Fernandez—PASS

Relief and joy flooded through him. He immediately grabbed his phone and called Samantha.

"Matt?" she answered, her voice tense.

"We did it!" he exclaimed.

"You're kidding," she said, her voice rising with excitement.

"Check for yourself," Matthew replied, laughing.

A scream erupted from her end of the line, followed by muffled shouting as she told her family. Soon, Saimon and Leo were added to the call, their voices overlapping in a chaotic mix of celebration and disbelief.

That evening, the group gathered at their favorite café to celebrate. The mood was electric, their earlier anxieties replaced with a newfound confidence.

"We're engineers now," Saimon said, raising his cup of coffee like a toast. "Thank god we passed that test in just one take!" 

"Certified," Leo added with a grin. "Looks like we are going to the BYD now."

Samantha smiled, her eyes shining. "All those sleepless nights finally paid off. I can't believe it's over."

Matthew looked around at his friends, a deep sense of pride and gratitude welling up inside him. They had faced this challenge together, supported each other through the toughest moments, and came out victorious.

"This is just the beginning," he said, lifting his cup. "To us—and to everything we'll achieve from here."

They clinked their cups together, the sound a quiet reminder of how far they'd come.

As Matthew walked home that night, the cool breeze carrying the sounds of the bustling city, he allowed himself a moment of quiet reflection. The journey to becoming an engineer had been anything but easy. It had tested his limits, forced him to confront his doubts, and demanded sacrifices.

But through it all, he had grown—not just as a student, but as a person. He thought of his mother's proud smile at graduation, his friends' unwavering support, and the long nights spent chasing a dream that had once seemed impossible.

He was no longer just a student with big aspirations. He was an engineer—a title he had earned through hard work, resilience, and determination.

And as he looked up at the starry sky, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. This was only the beginning. Now armed with a degree and license as a mechanical engineer, he now has to make a name for himself in this world. 

Though the electric vehicle could be a start but—BYD can have that. He has something better—one that has a huge demand in the future, a tool where everyone would rely on, and where the money is coming from. That is—Artificial Intelligence.