For first-time Bar passer Armand Hernandez, a digital notification was not enough to mark the culmination of his four-year journey.

Hernandez visited DAILY TRIBUNE (dt) on Monday to purchase a copy of the 11 January issue, which printed the complete roster of successful candidates from the most recent Bar examinations.

“I learned about DAILY TRIBUNE’s list of passers by chance on X,” Hernandez said, referring to a post by a fellow passer. “I understand that other papers no longer publish the full list, only the topnotchers. So I really wanted to get a copy for remembrance.”

A graduate of the Far Eastern University Institute of Law, Hernandez began his legal education in 2020. His journey was shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic, moving from entirely online classes to a hybrid model and eventually back to full face-to-face instruction by his final year.

While he comes from a family of lawyers, Hernandez said the choice was his own.

“Even if you have a background in law or people behind you who are lawyers, the decision should still be inherent,” he said. “It should be a conscious decision.”

Reflecting on his experience, Hernandez said the most taxing part of the process was not the exam itself, but the four-month wait for the results. He chose not to work during that time, describing the period as one of intense anxiety where “everything was already out of your control.”

After four months of uncertainty, Hernandez found his name on the list he now holds in print.