This year brings renewed hope for all of us, with people wishing that the future will be brighter, happier and less stressful.

Challenges are inevitable in life. Yet, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” No matter what the world throws at us, one must not lose courage to be able to endure.

Here are the hopes of some UST Journalism students for 2025.

2024 wasn’t my best year, but it’s the year that brought the most growth out of me and gave me the hardest challenges. My hope for 2025 is that I’ll be able to use these lessons as a reminder to get back on my feet whenever I fall, and to take life slowly in a world that keeps moving.

— Liam Thomas Recacho, BA Journalism, 4th year, 21

Undoubtedly, this year has been a time of both loss and gain, as I experienced some regrettable losses. However, I also gained new friendships, experiences, food and beautiful places, leading to overall personal growth.

As I move into 2025, I aspire to continue on this path of growth and self-fulfillment. My goal is to stay focused on my long-term objectives while resisting the distractions of short-term temptations and self-doubt. With this, I hope to become a much better version of myself in 2025, and experience more things that I will be happy about looking back on.

— Erika Gayle Sibucao, BA in Journalism, 4th Year, 22

Looking back at the volume of hardships this year, 2024 easily became the worst year for me. It’s one marked by heavy losses, grief, and stagnation. I hope that 2025 will bring me the drive to overcome the remnants of the obstacles and delays I witnessed, including more opportunities to learn, grow, and heal so I could emerge as the best version of myself.

— Katrina Reyes, BA in Journalism, 4th year, 22

2024 brought about new opportunities and challenges. It also brought me new friends and new memories. But of course nothing is ever easy. There will always be hurdles and I faced them head on. There was also a dark point where I wanted to end it all, but life goes on. In 2025 I hope to spend time with the people I love most and enjoy my life. I hope for many more new opportunities and experiences life has to offer. As I go into the new year I hope to grow more and achieve my goals one step at a time.

— Eliana Lacap, BA in Journalism, 4th year, 22

2024 was a year filled with challenges, testing me both mentally and emotionally. Despite the difficulties, I chose to face them head-on and push through. As I step into 2025, I hope to let go of all negativity and focus on living a peaceful, fulfilling life. I look forward to cherishing time with my family and continuing to grow with confidence and purpose.

— Glorie Tejerero, BA in Journalism, 4th year, 21.