Diary of a Born Thief: My Life, My Becoming

They say all writers are born, and for most of our history, that seems true. But on a little summer morning in 2011, I did myself a favor—I stole a pile of books from a library.

I’m certain you’ve already read many of the introductory articles from local users on this platform, so I doubt you’ll skip mine. To kick off this narrative, let me share a short biography that led me to who I’ve become.

I am Whosee, a citizen of my beloved Cebu Northern Province, where life, as I see it, is slow, and nothing feels like a race. I am currently residing in Poblacion, San Remigio, Cebu—the heart of this brilliant municipality. I seldom leave this place, for it is the very home of my growth, culture, and belonging. I live with a family of eight and am a middle child, which means I embody more of the characteristics of the adult figures in our home rather than being an adult for my younger siblings. However, I couldn’t settle for just that—I paved a way toward maturity. I take every available opportunity to help sustain our family’s needs. Fortunately, this platform didn't hide when I searched for it. I grind, I take on as many extras as I can, and alongside the hustle of being a 20-year-old, I am currently a second-year psychology student at Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges.

My affection for psychology grew louder when I was in high school. The coming years started to feel vivid as I fell in love with its concepts through reading different books and theories—a habit I built thirteen years ago. For me, life inside the academe is entirely different from life outside it. But one thing remains the same: it is an era of growth and maturity.

College life demands hoarding books and finding their actual meaning, along with the acceptance of failure. To tell you the truth, these years are stressful, anxiety-provoking, and pressure-filled. From the introductory speech I gave in first year to this very month that I still stand on campus ground, I saw life crawl like a fig on a tree. And no words—beyond standard—can define college life for students with nerves running wild.

My college life would be empty without passion. That childish crime I committed in 2011 led me to the very door of The New Clarion—the student publication of Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges. To help you understand how that single day changed me, let me crawl into your skin and whisper how it all began.

In a perfect mornings of 2011, I hated playing with loud kids and wide school grounds. I usually kept my doors locked, and—ridiculously—I locked almost every door in our school library, where I started to read. But honestly, I began as a fake reader. Then one day, I heard the books singing the song of my heart. I stole them—mostly children’s books—and read them at home under the scorching heat of the sun. You see, when you really love to travel the world through different authors, you start doing weird things. And through reading it led me to become the author of the stories I wanted to see in the world.

Fast forward—I realized I had made myself a writer, and it shed light on the field of journalism. I am now the Senior Literary Writer in this award-winning publication, but that didn’t stop me from exploring other fields. I really enjoy writing literature and always return to those childhood years for motivation. Because of my passion for journalism, I also take part as a photojournalist, contribute to other writing categories, and lead the team during activities. By weaving parts of myself into everything, I’ve slowly found relief from the heaviness of college. Writing and delivering facts became my top priority—so much so that I’m willing to sacrifice my course work just to fulfill my duties as a journalist. And that’s just a subtle peak into my passion.

Woven into that passion are hobbies that help me explore the true meaning of life. As much as I enjoy the picturesque horizon of the sea, the forest and mountains have a special place in my heart. I love hiking and trekking. I also spend daily time with my dogs—you can see how much I love animals. That’s why I initially pursued veterinary studies, though I failed. Since then, I’ve just hoped that one day I’ll own a farm lot and sleep beside chickens.

I read any kind of book and take weekly breaks through meditation. I also volunteer in community drives and actively participate in church. These hobbies may seem few, but they offer more than I can imagine. They’ve opened many opportunities—and joining Hive is one of them.

Primarily, I joined Hive to make a profit from my works, honestly speaking. But more than that, I joined because I know writers gather here—and I’m lucky to find many. I’m excited to share and read stories from different communities and learn writing techniques from respected writers. I want to witness an expansive community preserving the heritage of literature. And this very first column is my first step toward what I hope to find.

Now that I’m officially a Hiver, I cannot end this article without sharing my goals in this space: to contribute informative narratives and facts, and to help fellow writers uphold the integrity of blogging. It’s important to prioritize fact-based information and life stories that help readers visualize the life they may be missing. That’s why I’m thankful to @jeannmazing for this opportunity—to share my story, from the orientation to the very end of this journey, as promised. This writing endeavor will surely be full of excitement, joy, and lessons as we all transcend to the beauty of life.

As much as I want to share everything, this column is bound to end. Yet, I promise to bring you closer with every future narrative—to show you what it means to live.

My dearest reader, I hope you’ll keep listening to my words, as I breathe them into the air—and someday, see you in the pages of your own narrative.

For now, this is Whosee—a writer, a journalist, a passionate individual, and a friend. And to end this, let me remind you: your words and ideas, when transcends, can change a world. .