Screengrabs from a video posted by Geneva Cruz on Facebook (genevacruzofficial via Facebook)
Actress-singer Geneva Cruz shared that she almost did not attend her college graduation after finishing her degree 33 years after she stopped schooling to work.
On Friday, March 13, the showbiz personality shared her graduation photo and proudly proclaimed that she is now a college graduate after previously dropping out of school to work in show business.
“As I approach my golden age in less than a month, I realize that some of my dreams are still coming true. Thirty-three years in the making, but I finally did it! Look, ma, I’m now a college graduate!!!” the actress wrote on Facebook.
“This is for nineteen-year-old Gen, who had to grow up fast and work hard after choosing to become a young mom. Thank you for being brave and for finally learning to love yourself,” Geneva added.
She also thanked those who congratulated her in the comments section.
“Thank you very much to my family, former classmates, close friends, and Facebook friends! I read all your comments, and they truly touched my heart,” Geneva commented.
“Congratulations to all who also went back to school and finished and to those who can’t, it’s okay too. Kaya rin ako ‘di bumalik at nakatapos agad kasi kailangan ko din mag-trabaho. ‘Di nasusukat sa diploma ang husay ng tao, nasa sipag ito at tiyaga. Thank you!” she added.
The actress also shared a video of herself at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), where the graduation ceremony was held.
She admitted that she almost did not attend because she felt “a bit ‘dyahe’ to march.”
“Dyahe” is an expression that means “awkward” and is used to describe an uncomfortable situation or feeling. The term is also said to have originated from the reversed word “hiya,” which means “shame.”
“Thank you all for your comments and messages. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. I almost didn’t go to the graduation because I felt like college was already over anyway, so why still attend, and I was a bit ‘dyahe’ to march,” Geneva said in another post.
“My boyfriend @deanroxasbjj was the one who gave me a reason to go — because my angel mama would have wanted me to; and so would my papa. He was right, and I’m so glad I went because it was worth the wait! Thank you, my love, for your unconditional love, inspiration, and encouragement to keep growing,” she added, referring to Dean Roxas.
“Thank you, my love, for your unconditional love, inspiration, and encouragement to keep growing. I dedicate this diploma to my loving parents, my wonderful children, and to all the single moms and dads out there who had to make the hard choice of stopping school to support their families by earning a living,” the actress said.
“There’s indeed a perfect time for everything, and it’s never too late to finish what you already started… no matter how long it takes,” she concluded.
Geneva graduated from the Philippine Christian University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
In 2024, she initially enrolled in AB Literature at the University of Santo Tomas but had to pause her studies to prioritize motherhood.