A long journey starts with the first step.

This motto aptly describes the life of a young man as he started to pursue his ambition to become a successful medical doctor someday.

With his dream of building a career medicine, Carl Kasten A. Cocson decided to take up BS Pharmacy at MMSU in 2014. Never did he imagine that after four years, he would be graduating flying colors -- and the top graduate of his class. 

Carl is the first BS Pharmacy graduate to be class valedictorian. He will lead the 2,553 graduating students in the university’s 40th commencement exercises today being the top magna cum laude garnering a general weighted average of 1.2583.

A native of Brgy. Palompong in the City of Batac, Carl is the youngest in the brood of eight born to Froilan and Emma Cocson. Froilan is a retired police officer.

This active 20-year old is no stranger to academic awards and excellence. He graduated Valedictorian at the Benigno Macadaeg Memorial Elementary School in Batac City in 2010 and Salutatorian from the MMSU Laboratory High School in 2014.

Carl also excelled in extra-curricular activities. He was the president of MMSU’s Junior Pharmacist Society, and one of the pioneers of Project GeriaTRICKS, the MMSU’s entry to the Ideas Positive Run 8 of UniLab Foundation last year. Ideas Positive is the organization’s youth engagement program which aims to craft innovative solutions to community health concerns.

Asked how he felt when he learned he was going to graduate magna cum laude, Carl said he didn’t believe at first until he saw his name on top of the list of honor graduates that the chair of the Pharmacy Department gave him. 

Two days later when he could no longer conceal delight, he informed his parents about his achievement. To his surprise, his parents told him they already knew about it.

“I am very happy with this achievement,” he said, admitting that he is going through a lot of pressure because people have high expectations of him. Despite that, he still manages to handle them and uses these to motivate himself even more.

Although all courses in MMSU are challenging, Carl believes that health science courses, such as pharmacy, are among the hardest fields, considering the very rigid lectures and laboratory sessions that usually happen at the same time.

“The struggle of being a student at CHS is totally different, considering the number of hours that one should spend daily, and the unforeseen activities that suddenly happen. It is really stressful and exhausting,” he said.

At CHS, every regular pharmacy student takes eight hours of daily combined laboratory and lecture sessions, including internship activities during summer. Students are also required to participate in activities in the college and in the university. 

Carl said, “anyone would find it hard to cope even if proper time management is applied.”

“In spite of having those loads, I still managed to spend quality time with my family and friends,” he added.

As Carl pursued his college degree, there were times he wanted to stop due financial constraints and misunderstanding with his classmates, especially during the conduct of their undergraduate thesis.

Instead of giving up, Carl reminded himself that it was the last challenge he needed to hurdle in order to graduate. 

And so today, he will lead his class in the proverbial ceremonies at the sunken garden.

Carl intends to prepare for the National Medical Admission Test and pursue a medical course  in any reputable medical school in the country.

He is determined to take a giant step forward because he believes that once he achieved something, he should not stop but continue toward greater achievement. For him, a dream does not become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. 

Addressing CHS class of 2018, Carl exhorted them to “continue racing the track called life.”

Anyone can dream, because every great dream begins with the dreamer. And the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

One writer said that the biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams and keep them alive.

For Carl, his dream contains adventure and life. And it is a beautiful one.