Kaori Oinuma graduates after years of balancing school and showbiz
By Ian Ureta
Former "Pinoy Big Brother: Otso" housemate Kaori Oinuma has added another milestone to her growing list of achievements after earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from Philippine Women's University.
Her graduation comes after years of balancing her studies with an active career in the entertainment industry. Earlier this year, she also shared photos from her college pinning ceremony, marking the start of her internship.
Kaori previously opened up about the challenges of completing her thesis and internship while fulfilling her showbiz commitments, even joking that she had gone "MIA" on social media because of her academic workload.
In 2023, she revealed that she had finally completed high school after a decade marked by interruptions and setbacks.
"After 10 years of finishing my high school... This journey hasn't been easy," she wrote at the time. She also shared one of the lessons she learned from the experience: "Life is not a race, but embracing your own pace and defining your own success."
Kaori has also previously credited veteran TV host Boy Abunda for helping her continue her education through his scholarship program. In a video message for Abunda in 2023, she thanked him for supporting her studies and recalled his request that his scholars "pay it forward" by helping another student once they graduate.
With her psychology degree now in hand, Kaori has fulfilled one of the goals she set during that message. She has also shared that one of her personal dreams is to bring her mother back to the Philippines from Japan, adding another milestone to both her personal life and continuing career in show business.