By ISYROSE B. SURRIGA
I hate saying goodbye to my friends every time we part ways because it only breaks my heart seeing them leaving not knowing where our journey will be taking us. I remember when I graduated in elementary, I was young then but it pained my heart so much when a week before my graduation day, my mom told me that I'll be taking my secondary school in Manila, for a reason that everybody in the family is based there already. I want to resist my mom's idea but for so many years, I was longing for my brothers and sister already. And so, even if going to Manila means leaving the most precious place and people of my life, I left.
I kept myself busy in school not to feel homesick. However, I had a big difficulty in mingling with the “Manila girls and boys” who finds satisfaction in bullying other people around. Moreover, I'm a bit frustrated when I was assigned into a lower section despite of my good grades. It took me a couple of months before I finally got used with the kind of lifestyle, the traffic, and the new-found friends but then, I learned to be alone most of the time.
Ironic that after four years and for the second momentous time around, here I go again saying goodbye with a great fear in my heart and with so many questions in my mind like 'what's the best school to get college education?' 'what's the best course to take?' 'how would I do it alone?' or 'where am I going after this day?'. Even if the embrace of my friends and my teachers touches me, I feel like the most insensitive person around. I don't even try to say the word 'goodbye' because I'll be alone and will no one to consider as my best friend and friends to hang out with. Although going to college means having the complete freedom from home, it still it bothers me a lot. If saying goodbye means leaving all the good things and the good people, then I conclude there's no good in it.
My teacher once told me, “you can leave the people, the places that you used to hang out, the things that you love to do and even the pretty little conflicts that seem to be usual to you, but remember, that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Leave those things behind and bring the memories you gained.”
Yes, she's right…but memories are often forgotten. Anyway, I guess graduating from high school somehow is less shaky than graduating from college. A year from now, my college life will end (God, help me do it!) and I'm looking forward to the feelings I'll surely have days and weeks before I receive my diploma. I can't picture myself where will I be weeks or months after college 'would I be studying again?' and 'who are the people I'll be working with?' and who knows? I'll be getting married right after my graduation? ( I keep my fingers crossed regarding that matter).
On the other hand, somehow I'm trying to think positively because after earning my college degree, I could face the world without any hesitation and I could apply for any work related with my course.
Then, graduating will really be the prelude of my maturity. Yes, I'll be leaving behind those people and things that I used to spend my life with for the past four years. But then I realized that leaving all those means I've done something good in life. I'll be a part of what of what people calls “industry”; working and doing things that would benefit not only the common good but the entire country as well. Moreover, what if I'll find opportunity outside this country? Well, that's something to think about and an another career to start with. On the other hand, being abroad will also help our country opposite to other people's opinion that working overseas after college is one way of rejecting nationalism (hello?! where in the world will the economy of our country be if not for the foreign currencies brought by overseas workers?!) Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that, graduating in college doesn't mean the whole world is against you or will be taking everything from you. Rather, it's a new big step in the sp-called 'real world.' Being should not be the issue after leaving those four corners of your school. It's all about being brave to face the all challenges of being a young professional after going through a tough journey of job hunting. Who says you're alone anyway when you have your achievements, your dignity, and your worth as a young citizen with you?
All these makes me remember Vitamin C's song entitled 'Graduation' with the lyrics: “As we go on, we remember, all the times we have together, and as our lives changed, come whatever, we will still be friends forever” because it talks about assuring our friends and the people we used to spend our days in school that no matter how far and how long we'll be apart, in the end, friendship will always be there. No matter how time will change us, if memories are treasured inside our hearts, our friends will always be our friends. Let those things we had be our inspiration to move on to the better place under the sun and discover what's more to life that we haven't discovered before.
So, cast those fears aside and be ready to face the real world. Don't hesitate because you guys–who are about to wave goodbye from college–are fully armed with education that you could use with your heart. Then at the end, you could somehow say that there's something good in saying goodbye.
(The author is a third year BS Computer Science student from Adamson University. She is the Features assistant editor of UGNAYAN, Recognized Student Organization's official publication. She is also elected as the NCR chair of Network of Campus Journalist of the Philippines (NCJP) and the executive secretary of the local chapter of NYC in Adamson.)
