I am 22 years old, single, and presently working in an adjustment company in Cebu City, Philippines. I would like to share my experience, my life when I was still a student, a typical university student.

Before, I really thought that professional life would be that easy. Who will disagree if I say that students really wish to finish school just to stay away from struggle with books, worry about assignments, unfinished projects, kilometer long examinations and terrifying quizzes. And wait, not only that, there’s infinitely more. Who would have forgotten our sarcastic and impatient instructors and our classmates who always have the will to create conflict inside the classroom.

When I was on my fourth and last year, I really told myself that that would be the last year for battles, for headaches, for stress and the end of my struggle with unending schoolworks. I convinced myself that I should strive hard to avoid delay of my graduation and that my parents would be proud of me as they were for my elder siblings.

At last, the day for me to receive the fruit of my strife came: my graduation, my long awaited moment. Like anybody graduating, I was very happy that time, contented and proud. I feel as if the there is no tomorrow and my feeling will find no space in the universe.

So there I came. After receiving my university diploma, I immediately sailed to the city to find the perfect job for me, a greener pasture. But that moment is not as enjoyable as I thought. At first, I enjoyed the job-seeking battle. I did not feel nervous when I was interviewed, in other words, very confident. My first job interview went well, very well, but because I’m so young and I don’t have any experience yet, the chose another applicant over me. But it’s okay. Life is really like that, and it is a challenge that I have to face. Anyway, who wouldn’t enjoy new places, new faces, uncountable allowances and outings after each day of triumph with different company managers and HR personnel. I just won’t forget those times when we went on malling and bar hopping. Very fascinating.

I really enjoyed staying in the city and do all I wanted to do. Being alone made me feel independent and at the same time, happy. But as the days went by, on and on, here comes Mondays then Thursdays and Sundays, I found that staying in the city and having independence has a responsibility attached to it. It was on that very moment I realized that I was not sent by my parents just to satisfy my wants and to do all the things I wanted to do and that I haven’t done before. I realized that I have to set limits, wake up with the reality that I am from a poor family and that I should have to do the right thing, be able to recover, move up and strive hard to reach the top.