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A week ago at this very time (on an extremely hot Saturday, I should add) I was doing a victory dance on our front lawn while fielding calls and texts on my cellphones. And I loved every minute of it.

Thank you Lord (and Buddha and Ganesh) for including me in the roster of successful examinees for the 2007 Bar. I can now die and have “ATTY.” inscribed on my tombstone.

I purposely delayed making this entry to ensure that I would be cool, calm and composed while making what I consider to be the most memorable entry in my blog. Yet to this very day, I find myself kinikilig while sitting alone in the jeep. Friends who have gone through this were right. The euphoria of passing the Bar takes a long time to get used to, and even longer to wear off. I swear, it’s also a good cure for cough and colds – I had the world’s worst virus since the Holy Week and it disappeared when the results came out.

Taking the Bar has got to be the most pressure-inducing business of all time. Maybe it’s because everything about it is so publicized. From the day I graduated from Beda to the morning I hit Taft Avenue, I felt as though someone was secretly running a commentary on my movements. Relatives would call to say good luck while people I didn’t know embraced me as I entered La Salle. When the exams were over, I would receive felicitations even when I went to the office bathroom. On the day the results were due to come out, I wanted to strangle the TV reporters who gleefully announced, “2007 Bar Results, lalabas na…anumang sandali…maya-maya na…” every ten minutes.

It didn’t help that the 2007 Bar has been rendered controversial due to the raising of the passers from 5% to 22.91%. To sourgrapers from past batches (whether you are lawyers or not), I do not believe we are a weak batch. If you doubt our abilities, try taking the 2007 Bar if you want to confront Political Law in the subjective, Labor Law in the objective (“What is co-determination?” “What is the Globe Doctrine?” “What is the retirement age for miners?”), and Taxation Law (the questions of which even my Mom felt was already for practitioners). And I refuse to discuss the trauma which Criminal Law and Civil Law inflicted on me.

But on the whole, I’m too happy for now to argue with those who want to steal my sunshine. I’ll just concentrate my energies on the trip to the Supreme Court, Manaoag, and the mall (for my attire for the oathtaking…yihee!).

For four and a half years I stayed in a cave that was my dorm to devour books and legal gobbledygook. I turned down so many gimmicks and took a leave of absence from my choir. Now I can take KC Concepcion’s words to heart…it’s my time to shine!

I thank my family, friends, schoolmates, officemates, choirmates, the nuns of St. Clare, and everyone else who prayed for me, bore with my hysteria (especially in the last month), and called or texted their congratulations. You have been, and will always be part of my success. And to my comrades who have not been blessed this time, my prayers are still with you. I hope you’ll make it next time.