Exactly two years ago, I came up to the PICC stage to get my college diploma.

"Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life." ~ Confucius

March 28, 2009. The day my parents and I had waited for... I wore my black toga, waited for my name to be called, came up to the stage and received my diploma. Finally, I graduated from college.

Before I start this, I'd like my parents to know how thankful I am for their undying support from the day that I was born until now that I'm already starting to live my own life. Without them, getting what I have right now would not be possible.

1994-2001 Prep to 6th Grade (Roosevelt College Sumulong)
2001-2005 1st to 4th Year High School (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College)
2005-2009 1st to 4th Year College (University of Santo Tomas)

I was in the star section from Prep to Grade 6. I didn't get honors but I can say that I was really good at school. I did my own homeworks and never copied from my seatmates. Computer, Math and Science were my favorite subjects. I was always late even if my house was just a few steps away. I never had any grade lower than 80-85%. I hated GMRC when I failed one of my homeworks that my dad taught me. I used to wear knee-high socks. I learned to go to home at night just to play 10-20. I loved our sung-by-Leah-Salonga graduation song. I was a Loyalty Awardee. I wanted to be a class officer but wasn't that lucky to get any position.

My parents allowed to choose the school where I wanted to study after I graduated from elementary. I chose OLOPSC simple because of the castle in the facade and the long-sleeved uniform, I felt like a girl. Haha. I was so happy when I got qualified, and was even told that my general average was way higher than they expected. I assumed I'd still be in the star section but I never was. Classes started in the morning until the afternoon. I had to climb the stairs up to the 4th floor just to attend my classes. I followed my old dream to be a scientist and joined the Science Club. I joined intersection/interlevel dance and cheering competitions. I got the first place in a Spelling Bee and was never recognized. Basic Math, Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus were my babies. Math quiz bees would not be possible without my presence. I had a child with my 2nd year high school classmate (during our Biology class). I learned how to cheat in History. I didn't like my CVE teachers. I hated my Accounting teacher when she embarassed me to the whole class while eating choco crinkles. I experienced a military-like life with my 4th-year-high-school adviser. I got a grade of 79 in Engligh 3 and became the saddest student in the world. I didn't cry during the graduation ceremony until I realized I wouldn't be in the same school with my best friends anymore. High school was fun. Really fun.

I wanted to study in Ateneo de Manila University for college. My dad supported me. But I backed out. I realized I still have a little brother who would be studying in elementary, high school and later on, college. I chose to study at the second school on my list: UST. It's where my mom graduated with a four-year degree in Chemistry. I was supposed to take Computer Engineering but there's none there. I preferred Computer Science than Information Technology. I wanted to wear white uniform and go to the Main Building and everything was a dream. I wore the gray janitor-like uniform and stayed in the old full-of-ghosts building along Espana-Lacson. I knew how to ride the LRT. I ate in carinderias. I became a member of Information and Computer Organization and was offered but declined the Secretary position of the Computer Science Society, planned to join one of the committees of the Engineering Student Council, was a deputy member of the Engineering COMELEC and soon became the ICS Chairman and Publicity Information Officer, was a deputy member of TomasinoWeb where I was able to use DSLR for the first time. Grades were seen online. I failed my first programming lab subject. I had one summer class in second year. Multimedia Technologies was one of my most favorite subjects. I always had a feeling of "I will fail" since second year. I planned to shift to Nursing but didn't push it through. I almost had nervous breakdown for a million times. I thought I wouldn't graduate on time. I loved Calculus, Statistics and Physics teachers but never the subjects. We re-defensed our thesis for 3 times. I had my internship at UST Data Center. I didn't actually love programming. I didn't know how I passed my Assembly Language subject. I learned to cut minor classes just to finish a project in a major class. I had a day where it started at 7AM and ended at 9PM. I had seen how UST wasted our tuition fees for an extravagant fireworks display for 4 years. I had so much to tell. I learned a lot of things in college in preparation for the reality.

The ideal job for me:

• wearing business attire
• a company located somewhere in Ayala, Ortigas, Eastwood
• salary range of P20,000-30,000

I never thought that life outside school would be this hard. Earning money and getting the job you really like were never as easy as how I thought of it when I was still in elementary... After a few months of going to job fairs, undergoing interviews, walking in to different companies in Makati and Quezon City, I ended up being a call center agent. I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't want to stay at home and wait for someone from HR of the company where I passed my resume to call me and schedule me for another interview. I got this job in a one-day process. But honestly, no matter how lucky I was with the salary, I never felt the fulfilment. I was never happy with the work schedule, though traffic wasn't in my vocabulary that time. I got to give help and receive Fuck You's and Bullshit's in return from Americans I didn't even see. I decided to resign when I got rejected by this company in Eastwood because I wouldn't be available by the time that they would be needing me, and when I got hospitalized due to acute gastroenteritis.

I stopped working for 5 months. Waiting for the right opportunity for me. I didn't know how I survived. I was never lucky. Again. I applied for another call center agent position and got hired in 2 hours. It was easier because the office was just 5 minutes away from our house. Still the same feeling: not fulfilled.

My classmate in college offered me a job and I took the risk of transferring to this company where I am working now even though I had opportunities to get promoted in the call center where I worked for. Just read my previous blogs... I don't want to repeat myself.

"The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson."

In this life, you should be ready for any exam that God will be giving you. It may be easy; it may be hard. Whatever the result is, take it as a lesson. So the next time that you'll be getting the same challenges, you'll know what to do.

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Batch 2009! :)
And Congratulations to Batch 2011!