MANILA, Philippines — Kapamilya star Awra Briguela is putting her acting career on hold to focus on achieving a long-time goal: earning a college diploma.

In a recent vlog by social media influencer Michelle Dy, the former child star shared that she is ready to dedicate her time and energy to her studies after graduating from the Humanities and Social Sciences strand of the University of the East’s Senior High School program.

Awra candidly explained why it took her years to complete high school. “Marami kasing nagtatanong kung bakit grade 12 pa daw ako. Akala nila college na yung inaaral ko. A lot of you guys [may] not know, nag stop ako for five years since pandemic kasi hindi ko talaga kaya yung online school,” she said.

She added that after pandemic restrictions eased, work commitments became overwhelming. “Nung naging okay na lahat after pandemic, super kayod naman si bakla sa trabaho. Unlike before na kaya ko pa siya pag sabayin–– yung school and work ko–– after pandemic, hindi ko na kaya talaga kaya nag stop ako mag school,” she admitted.

Now determined to prioritize education, Awra has taken a full break from showbiz to focus on her studies. “This time I need to focus on my studies and get my diploma… Ngayon ko talaga na realize yung kahalagahan ng studies. This time around, they know na full student ako [and] walang excuses,” she said.

While she has yet to reveal which university she will attend, Awra said she is considering a degree in either Mass Communications or Multimedia Arts — programs she believes are closely tied to her current career path. “Kasi yun yung feeling ko connected na sa career path na meron ako ngayon at hindi ako mahihirapan iconnect yung magiging course ko sa kung ano meron ako ngayon,” she explained.

After a five-year break from studying, Awra admitted she is still adjusting to academic life but remains confident in her capabilities. “Walang mag popost sa akin na wala akong ambag sa mga groupings and research kasi diyan naman ako magaling… I’m a very good speaker, wala na akong kakaba-kaba pag mag rerecite na ako sa harap,” she said.