by CORHEINNE JOYCE B. COLENDRES
I have always had everything planned. I knew what I wanted to do since the beginning; I had a planner that detailed my entire day and how I should go through it, I rarely made split-second decisions because I have had everything laid out since dawn broke in. I had a lot of things figured out until the time’s ticking reminded me that we are nearing the end of a journey.
I know that I am one of the many people who have not quite figured out what to do once we exit the Arch. There is a choice to take up a master’s degree, or perhaps, I can build my way up toward becoming a corporate slave. I can also take a much-needed rest, around one or two months. The possibilities have become endless, and as a person who has planned out her entire life, this is new. Experiencing the ‘new’ is always a terrifying ordeal.
It all seemed to be quite abrupt: the world expects us to know the next step to take when we have not fully absorbed that we have reached the end of a journey. We are all expected to be something and to be someone when most of us do not know where to go from where we are now. It is quite ironic that we have waited to graduate for so long, and yet, as we near the occasion, we are lost in a trance caused by the uncertainty of tomorrow.
However, I have realized that all of this might be okay; that we must not place too much pressure on our future and avoid all the worrying because we do not have concrete plans and strategies. It is okay to take our time and gather up the courage to take a soft first step into the space of spontaneity and leave our plans in the corner. It is okay to be clueless because, ultimately, we will figure things out.
Although everything seems to be in a rush, we must all remember that there was never a race to be won. Time is a luxury that not everyone could afford, and yet, it is something that everyone needs. We must take our next steps carefully and wisely, whether with doubt or with confidence, because every step is crucial in shaping us to become the person we have always wanted to be.
Once we shed our uniforms for the last time and enter a world that we have often imagined but never truly understood, I urge you to still find yourself amid the noise and the clamor. I urge you to take all the time that you need. I urge you to go ahead and try doing anything and everything until you learn what suits you best. I urge you to continuously learn and discover every piece and crevice of yourself—no matter how long it takes.
Take your time. We will all move forward, as how all things should be. F
Editor’s Note: This column was originally published in Vol. 54, Issue No. 4 of the Flame. View the entire issue through this link.
