Out of Limbo

And into what? My first job.

Whether it's going to be heaven or hell I am yet to find out, haha. But most likely it will be a mix of the two. Or if it's gonna be heaven (i.e. if it proves to actually be a good decision to have taken this job), I know it's still going to require a lot of hard work. After all, I don't believe heaven is populated by angels sitting on clouds playing their harps for all eternity.

Funny enough how the first part of this article posted by a friend friends in Facebook accurately describes what my life has been like the past few weeks: in a smart-casual attire along Makati Avenue, clutching a brown envelope containing my resume and other papers, about to go on my first job interview. A fresh grad ready to change the world. Full of passion, full of zeal. But to add to what the writer said, I was (still am) also full of nervous energy, that feeling of uncertainty as you stand on the brink of life as (gasp) an adult, a working girl. There is that fear of the unknown. Fear of stepping out of your comfort zone. New people, new environment, new everything.

And then the writer goes on to describe how it will be like actually being at work. There will be mistakes. There will be things you never expected. There will be disappointments. But yes, bahagi naman talaga yun ng buhay. I can only trust God to provide me with the strength to face these challenges and to learn from them.

So yeah, in two days' time my two-month bum spell will be broken, and I shall be one of the many thousands who flock to their work every morning, working hard, pursuing their dreams, making a living, changing the world.

"So stand up straight, clutch your résumés, hold on to your dreams, and stay glowing as long as you can." says the ex-grad writer. That would be my prayer, too, that I would "stay glowing" as long as I can, haha. Meaning, I don't want to be coming to work just for the sake of it, just so I can earn, or just to have something better to do than to do nothing at home.

I don't want to be a robot, going through the routines of lab work everyday without even thinking, "Why am I doing this?"

I want to do things with a purpose, with passion, with joy, with the knowledge that I am using the gifts God gave me the best way that I can. Colossians 3:23. "Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people."

"The truth is, you will never be as passionate as your Fresh Grad self ever again. Make the most of your youth. I swear, you’ll miss it when it’s gone, and by that time, you will only be able to write about it," she finishes. Fresh Grad passion. I am writing about it right now while I have it and not when it's gone, because I am hoping that there will never come a time when it will be gone. Yes, I will not be a fresh grad forever, but hopefully I will always be passionate about what I do. One cannot really live if he does not live with passion, don't you think?

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EDIT:

Apparently the article mentioned here is trending right now in my FB newsfeed (malamang siguro kasi maraming nakaka-relate sa aking batchmates na fresh grads din), and some people have been giving it negative reviews.

I'd like very much to react to their comments with these points:

(1) When you write, you write for a certain audience, and it happens that this writer is addressing fresh grads applying for [corporate] jobs in Makati because that is most probably where she can relate to the most, and this scenario is really very common these days (witness the sea of people traveling to work via MRT every morning). Therefore the writer would be most effective in writing about fresh grad life in this particular setting.

(2) What she described are most probably her experiences as a fresh grad herself. In my opinion, what she would like to accomplish is not to successfully motivate and doubt people, but to open the minds of fresh grads to the reality of what they are about to face. You cannot go to war without knowing your enemy first. Therefore if you want to change the world, don't try to without first knowing what the world is actually like. The article is a challenge to all fresh grads out there, both those taking corporate jobs and those who are taking different career paths.

(3) The writer depicts generalized scenarios wherein when you are already in your late 20's or so you would forget your dreams and just be focused on paying the bills, etc. Again, for me this is a challenge to the fresh grad readers that these things could very well happen to you if you're not careful. The challenge is to not lose sight of your dreams and keep pursuing them long after your fresh grad days. Keep the fire burning.

(4) Everyone has the means to change the world for the better from wherever he/she is coming from. Corporate jobs. Government work. Self-employed. Medicine. Wherever.

And with that, I rest my case.