It has been more than a year since I graduated from college and transitioned into the “real” world. At first it was quite overwhelming. After years of being a student, I was faced with a different kind of freedom. There were no course outlines, no subject syllabuses, no class schedules, and no extra hours of homework (do I hear a yay? hahaha). I was faced with a blank sheet and it was up to me to create my own path. This time, it was not just about a college diploma but the whole course of my life. While some of my batch mates entered the academe again to earn their master’s degree, I jumped into the bandwagon of the corporate world. As I write this, I am currently an employee in my “dream company”, which took two months of applications and interviews ‘til I finally landed the spot.
As I continue on this journey of mine, I have discovered that learning doesn’t stop in the four walls of the classroom. I may not be enrolled in a class but I became I student of life. The world is now my new platform. The lessons have become more practical for daily life as well. Nowadays, it is about computing my budget, learning how to make ends meet, savings and investments, balancing time between family and friends. Whenever time permits, I take part in extra-curricular activities such as Calligraphy and other art related activities. I admit I may have neglected cultivating my passions when I was too focused on finishing my studies.
In every aspect of my life, I have come to see that learning never stops. Each season of our lives brings us different things to learn; it is up to us how we master each. Learning is not confined in a course syllabus or a class schedule. It goes beyond the university. In fact, it is endless as long as we are alive because these lessons are the ones that allow us to grow as persons. As the famous quote goes: Once you stop learning, you stop growing.
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The essay above was submitted as an entry for the Feature Writing 101 workshop contest of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf along with Writer’s Block Philippines.
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