Of Flying Caps and Golden Tassles

It's graduation time once again. I can't help but feel excited and happy for my friends who will finally reap the labors of their four (or five) years of sacrifice. I bet that there's going to be a lot of thank you's, I made it and congratulations post on facebook and twitter. Mothers and fathers will again shed tears of joy and pride seeing their sons and daughters receive that long coveted diploma. It's definitely a time for celebration of success and sacrifices.

But beyond all these celebration is the feeling of uncertainty and anxiousness. I know how it feels to  be put in a situation where you finally finish something you have worked for 14 years. I am definitely familiar to the feeling of finally achieving something that you and your family have aspired for for many years. Of course, beyond the achievement and the cheers you also have that feeling of fear because you are sudeenly thrown into a world you are quite unfamiliar with. That is what the graduation speakers always refer to as the "real world". Fear not! The "real world" is not as bad as they say it is and I am sure that just like what you did for fourteen long years you are going to get through and triumph over the real world.

Looking back at my own graduation, I realize that a lot of things have changed. Before, I rely heavily on my parents for my allowance. Now that I am earning for my self, I am in control of how I spend my money and what kind of lifestyle I want to have. Occasionally though, I still ask for money from my parents but that's very rare, only if I have really gone over-budget. ;). Before, there was a sort of control over my decisions and my actions but now, I am thankful that my parents regard me as a young adult capable of making decisions for myself and capable of being accountable for the consequences of these actions might have.

I know that I am just starting out with my life as a young adult in the real world but I have already learned a lot. The funny things is, the things that our teachers and professors have been teaching us when we were in the classroom appeared to be true. That is why, I am telling you that the so-called real world is not that hard because the problems and the challenges that you will be facing are almost the same as the problems and challenges that you have been facing during your years as a student.When you go into the real world, you realize that you are not completely unarmed. You have fourteen years of wisdom and experience backing you up. Even though the problems may not be completely similar, but at least you know that you are not a complete newbie.

I remember what Ms. Cheche Lazaro, our graduation speaker, said during our commemncement exercises a year ago. She said that those who have better education have more choices.As graduates, we would be diving in a world of choices. A year after graduation, I realize that this seem to be true. Everyday, I am faced with different sort of choices, and as a young adult I am expected to arrive at an awful load of decisions about what I want to do, who I want to be and how I want to be remembered by. The choices that I make everyday affect, in one way or another, how things and how the future will work out for me.

It is definitely not easy. However, looking back, I tell myself that I have also made choices as a student. I made a choice when I decided to take up education as my course. I made a choice when I decided to take nation-building as an advocacy. I made a choice when I decided to study in Naga and stay in Naga where I can make a lot of difference in my field. I made a choice when I decided to graduate rather than drop-out of school. These choices that I have made in the past have brought me to the where I am now. Without me saying it, these decisions are one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

After my graduation, the choices never stop and will never stop. There will definitely be more choices to come and harder ones at that. The good thing about is we are guided. Whatever choices we have made in the past must be a cornerstone to the choices we will make in thee future. We may deviate from them or choose to stick by them. The important thing is that we stand by these choices and be culpable for their results.

To my friends who are graduating, do not be afraid of your life after graduation. School is just a microcosm of the real world you will be in. All this time, you were being prepared for this moment. Do not ever think that you are unprepared because you have been trained for fourteen long years. Do not ever think that you are new in this dog eats dog world because you have been part of it all this time. Just trust in what you have and go by what your gut is telling you.

Congratulations and carry on!