People say that graduation is an ending but also a start of a new beginning. It is a time when students are very excited to wear their black toga, walk down that aisle, and then get the hell out of the university or college where they have enjoyed and (maybe) suffered a lot. Yes, that’s how I feel when I graduated almost a year ago. But behind all these trivialities, deep thoughts are at the back of my mind. Graduation is more than just a ceremonious event; it is a point where a young person have to realize that they are “crossing the threshold from learning the basic to learning for life”. It is indeed a step toward the goal, a step toward success.
A lot of things happened to me after graduation. But even before I graduated, I had done things that a normal graduating student would not have done. A normal candidate for graduation would start printing a lot of copies of his or her curriculum vitae then pass it to several companies, or school in my case, and then wait for any one of them to call. That’s the normal deal, but mine is different.
A month before my graduation, I had to process my SSS, Philhealth, PAG-IBIG, and other requirements for work since I was hired two months prior to the commencement exercises. It was a bit awkward doing these things with experienced and age-advanced individuals. What I meant was there were a lot of older people out there eagerly waiting for their names to be called while in queues. Sometimes I felt out of place but I just considered myself in that situation as a neophyte, and that was a part of my initiation rites. (And just to clear things up, I was not bothered by the queues; I was bothered by the experience.)
Aside from the absurdity of that experience, it was also discomforting that I didn’t look for work after graduation. (How come?) The school where I had my internship forcefully convinced me to pass my CV and take the aptitude test. A week after, the school principal told me to process all my requirements as soon as possible. Currently, I am very blessed to have been working at St. Thomas Academy for a year now, and let me just say that I am indebted to the administration of the school for welcoming me with open arms even when I have nothing to offer but my inexperienced service.
In addition to the pre- and post-graduation experiences I had, I also have had a ton of teaching involvement already. Ten months of teaching ninth and tenth graders was one hell of an experience. It was as if they were just my siblings and peers. There were students who are taller, making me feel like a hobbit. There were also students who pushed my patience to its limits and students who tested me in every way possible. These experiences of me being in the teaching profession were something I can consider worth keeping and worth remembering because these things molded me into the teacher that I am today. Good catch!
Career-wise, I can say I’m good. I can’t say I’m better because I have not experienced other work environments at the moment. But I realized that it’s hard to build a harmonious relationship with your co-workers. Different people, different ages, different races, different beliefs, and different personalities - you have to deal with these things despite of all the pressures your profession has put on your shoulders.
On another note, I have also pondered about the people who came in and out of my life. There were people whom I have lost along the way and people who have come to share the ride. When I started to live outside my world, I have met a lot of people and I am coinciding with their worlds right now. But as I drift away from the world I used to know and I used to share with a lot of people back then, I realized that our worlds are now lying in different planes - almost side by side but never overlapping again. This is the reality. The person you are close to when you’re in college might be the same person you are not talking to right now. The person who used to switch worlds with you might be the same person who just talks to you when he or she needs something right now. The person who used to be always by your side back then might be the same person who just seldom checks on you right now. I guess that’s how it is - gravity pulls you closer to one then lets you lose the other.
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| Cape Bojeador Lighthouse. Burgos, Ilocos Norte |
I will be always grateful to where I am right now. There may be regrets and what ifs but I just have to deal with the now and just learn from the then. Things will be better in due time. In due time.
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