For years, perseverance and hard work are all a student has. Starting from the walls of a classroom, achieving greater things takes self-belief, especially when facing the challenges along the way. But when the time comes that such a belief is tested and demanded, it’s either you take a step forward or take a step back. And with a head held high, Engr. Klyde Nathaniel Nical took the step that forever changed his life.
Just like any other EVSUnista, Engr. Nical’s journey in college wasn’t a smooth ride. Wanting to pursue a different path before, he had his heart set on taking the path towards Aeronautical Engineering. But given that such a program is offered by universities outside his home city, he chose to go in a different direction. And that is when he decided to take up Geodetic Engineering at Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) – Main Campus. A redirection, indeed, leading him towards a successful future unbeknownst to him at that time.
In the long run, his path in GE eventually took his heart, inspiring him to be a student who is not just pursuing a future career, but an individual who believes in the core purpose of becoming a Geodetic Engineer; that is, to be part of the greater community that serves the nation sustainably and serves the people in need of the service he would gladly provide.
“I have grown to love geodetic engineering because of the people I met in college. Having a support system that helps me keep going even when times are hard creates an environment where growth is inevitable. I stayed because I enjoy the work. I enjoy how it is a profession that involves both book smarts and street smarts. The way you have to constantly use your brain in every little situation,” Nical shared.
But to become someone who is licensed and can be able to professionally be of help, he needed to conquer first the challenges of being a student. To be disciplined, focused, and move forward amidst the burnout and the tiresome work of climbing the ladder of passing different course programs is a challenge that pushed him to work harder. And fortunately, with all the lessons his on-the-job training taught him, he conquered every one of these.
“I truly felt the challenge of being a student during my On-the-Job training experience. Living in a vastly different environment from what I was accustomed to was an alien experience to me. Applying my theoretical knowledge in real-world situations, adjusting to a new environment with an entirely different culture, [and] co-existing with people who constantly taught me how to become a better person. It truly was the most humbling experience in my undergraduate years,” he said.
Overcoming the academic challenges he faced was one thing, but to triumph over the board examinations was another mountain he had to face. To do so, he knew that he had to give it his best shot and keep his eye centered on his goal. One thing he did was to keep track and jot down a list of the topics he needed to study. And with this list, he shared as well as an advice for the people who plan on taking any exam, as this can also be applied whether it is for the board examination or for academics.
“Compiling every single topic in an excel sheet and monitoring which topics I still needed to work on is a board exam hack I recommend to anyone taking any exam. Get rid of the “alay” mindset, this is something I didn’t do and I regretted later in my review because I tried learning everything I didn’t want to learn at first because of the effort it required me to put in,” Nical emphasized.
Focusing on studying is essential in taking up the board examinations. To be successful in doing so lies not only in his ability to be disciplined, but also rooted in the support from the people in his life who continued to show up and pushed him beyond his limits. An advice he wants people to learn, especially those on the journey of taking the board exams.
“The last hack I want to share is surrounding yourself with people who share the same goals as you. Topping the board exam is easier when you surround yourself with people who you can verify and compare the materials you are digesting so you can achieve a deeper understanding in those specific topics,” the topnotcher said. “Now that I look back, I have seen that it is only right that I was able to attain this glory because of the people around me. From my supportive parents, my loving girlfriend, my numerous supportive friend groups, it would be unfair to them if I didn’t obtain this achievement and share it with them. I would have never gotten this achievement if I didn’t have people who believed in me more than I believed in myself,” he further shared.
In line with his support system, he notably shared how one person changed his perspective in studying, not just during his academic life, but on how he viewed the time he had, how to make use of it productively, and how to see the value of the months he had when he was still in college leading up to the month he planned to take the boards. And it was because of his words, their department head, Dr. Gabino Hilvano, that he was able to go through the months of studying with more ease.
“During one of our classes in second year of college, he said, “You have 34 months left before your board exam, START NOW.” Way before that day, it has already been evident with my grades that I strived to be the best at everything I did. But hearing those words changed something within me. I kept studying with the board exam in my mind. I tackled most topics thrown at us like I was studying for the board exam except for a few that I really didn’t like. This allowed me to put in less work compared to others during my actual review,” Engr. Nical expressed.
With all the work he had done, the fruition of these efforts did not disappoint him and took him to a place that he dared to dream: clinching the 3rd spot among the thousands of takers with his rating of 89.40% during the Geodetic Engineers Licensure Examination (GELE). A success story that did not just happen overnight, but rather from years of hard work, discipline, and belief, even in times when such are doubted. A journey that serves as a lasting testimony proving that dreams are reachable if you set your mind and heart to it and just give the best that you can.
Engr. Klyde had always been the student who strove to do better in the things he did because he went beyond the satisfaction of simply passing his majors and became more immersed in every learning opportunity he had. And he hopes that every current undergraduate Geodetic student can learn from the kind of journey he had and not hesitate to excel in the field they are walking in.
“My advice to those students currently taking their undergraduate studies in Geodetic Engineering is to immerse yourself in every activity. Learning the theories is one thing, but applying them in real-life will help you remember them. Do not be satisfied with simply passing your courses, excel in them. Question everything you don’t understand, then find the answers to those questions no matter how absurd they are.” Engr. Klyde explains.
Achieving great feats in life will require a heavy step in the beginning, taking you on a journey that is certainly not a smooth ride. But it is in this journey that you learn the most important things in life, and the experiences that will shape the future. And, indeed, it is only through it that these dreams can become reality, and that these feats can be within reach.
“The significance of this achievement to me is that of a springboard. It is only the beginning. We were all born to achieve greater and greater things. I wish to leave ripples in this world, and this is my first step towards that goal,” said Engr. Nical, ranked 3rd during the September 2026 Geodetic Engineers Licensure Examination (GELE).
Article by Princess Adona & Francine Kaye Resilla