This study explored the opportunities and challenges encountered by graduate students in research paper writing at the University of Saint Anthony (USANT), Iriga City, using narrative inquiry. Guided by Academic Literacies Theory, Bandura‘s SelfEfficacy Theory, and Vygotsky‘s Sociocultural Theory, the study sought to understand how personal, institutional, and policy-related factors shaped graduate students‘ writing trajectories. Five purposively selected participants, referred to as Emma, Juan, Maria, Veron, and Lucia (pseudonyms), shared their stories through in-depth interviews conducted in August 2025. Their narratives revealed that research writing created opportunities for resilience, confidence-building, and identity formation, supported by peer collaboration, supervision, and institutional resources. At the same time, challenges emerged in the form of time constraints, writing anxiety, selfdoubt, unclear supervisory feedback, and the pressures of complying with CHED Memorandum Order No. 15 (2019). Cross-case analysis showed that while institutional resources such as libraries and databases supported productivity, national policy requirements often heightened pressure for working professionals. The study concludes that research writing is not merely a technical task but a socially and emotionally embedded process requiring holistic support. It recommends clearer supervisory feedback, stronger institutional scaffolding, and policy adjustments that balance productivity with student realities.