There comes a point in life when people stop asking, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Instead, they ask, "Why would you go back to school?"
When we shared that both of us would be starting the Master of Arts in Philosophy program at the University of the Philippines Diliman this August, we were met with many of the same questions.
"Why philosophy?"
"Why now?"
"Why study together?"
The truth is, our decision wasn't made overnight. It was the result of years of curiosity, countless conversations, and a shared love for learning.
A Love for Learning
Learning has always been part of who we are.
It's one of the reasons we chose to homeschool our children. It's why books are scattered around our home, why dinner conversations can shift from current events to history, language, faith, or technology, and why we're never afraid to ask questions we don't yet have the answers to.
For us, education has never been about collecting diplomas or adding letters after our names. It has always been about becoming better thinkers, better communicators, and better people.
Perhaps that's why going back to school doesn't feel like starting over.
It feels like continuing a journey we've always been on.
Why Philosophy?
Among all academic disciplines, philosophy has always been the one that draws us back.
For Royce, philosophy isn't new. During his undergraduate years at UP Diliman, where he earned his BA in Journalism, he took philosophy courses that left a lasting impression. Those classes didn't simply teach theories—they taught him how to think more carefully, ask better questions, and examine ideas from different perspectives.
For Karen, the journey looked a little different. She completed her postgraduate studies in Language and Literacy Education at UP Open University. The program provides a strong foundation in language and literacy education by bringing together knowledge of literacy and language arts—including oral and written communication, reading, second language learning, and literacy practices in diverse contexts—from various disciplines such as cognitive psychology, linguistics, anthropology, and literary and cultural studies.
Studying the program felt like looking at language through many different lenses. Each discipline offered a unique way of understanding how people learn, communicate, and make meaning. But every time the conversation turned to the deeper questions—What is language? How do words carry meaning? How do we know we truly understand one another?—Karen found herself drawn to philosophy.
It wasn't that philosophy was "better" than the other disciplines. Rather, it became the discipline that resonated most deeply. It challenged her to think beyond methods and theories and to examine the assumptions that shape language, literacy, knowledge, and human understanding. The more she studied, the more she realized that philosophy wasn't simply another subject within the curriculum—it was the one that kept inviting her to ask deeper questions.
Looking back, it almost feels as though philosophy had been quietly waiting for us all along.
Finding Our Intellectual Community
One of the things we're looking forward to most is being surrounded by people who enjoy thinking deeply.
In everyday life, it's not always easy to find opportunities for long conversations about ideas. Graduate school offers something different. It's a place where questions are welcomed, assumptions are challenged, and learning happens not only through reading but also through thoughtful discussion.
We're excited to meet classmates who are just as curious as we are—people who enjoy asking difficult questions, exploring different perspectives, and exercising their minds. We don't expect everyone to think exactly like we do, but we do hope to learn alongside people who value thoughtful dialogue and intellectual curiosity.
Why After Years of Working?
Some people go straight from college to graduate school.
Our path was different.
We built our careers. We served in our communities. We raised our family. We are homeschooling our children. Along the way, we gained experiences that no classroom could have taught us.
Those years weren't a detour from education. They became part of it.
Today, we're returning to the classroom with a greater appreciation for learning and a clearer understanding of why we want to study philosophy.
Sometimes the best time isn't the earliest opportunity.
Sometimes the right time is simply now.
Why Study Together?
People often ask what it's like for a husband and wife to pursue the same graduate degree.
Our answer is simple.
Some couples enjoy hiking together. Others train for marathons or work out at the gym.
This is our version of working out together.
We're choosing to exercise our minds.
We know there will be demanding readings, difficult concepts, lively discussions, and moments when we'll challenge each other's thinking. We also know that learning together has always strengthened our relationship.
We're looking forward to studying side by side, sharing ideas over meals, comparing insights after class, and encouraging one another through every assignment and every semester.
Why UP Diliman?
When we decided to pursue a Master of Arts in Philosophy, there was only one university we seriously considered.
UP Diliman has long been recognized as one of the country's premier institutions for higher learning, with a strong tradition of academic excellence and rigorous scholarship.
For Royce, it also feels like coming home. As a graduate of UP Diliman, he experienced firsthand how the university encourages students to think critically, engage with diverse ideas, and pursue knowledge with intellectual honesty.
For both of us, if we were going to immerse ourselves in philosophy, we wanted to do so in an environment that would challenge us to grow—not only academically, but personally as well.
Why Now?
The timing simply feels right.
Our children are older and more independent. We've established our careers. We've accumulated years of professional experience, life lessons, and questions that continue to spark our curiosity.
We're not returning to school because we feel behind.
We're returning because we're still eager to learn.
This isn't about starting over.
It's about continuing a lifelong commitment to education.
As we begin this journey toward a Master of Arts in Philosophy, we hope to share not only what we're learning in the classroom but also how philosophy influences our conversations, our work, our faith, our family life, and the way we understand the world around us.
We hope you'll join us on this journey.
After all, every great adventure begins with a question.
Ours simply happens to begin with: Why philosophy?
— Royce & Karen