college.. is it preparing me for life?
Looking beyond the vast edifice in front of me and imagining what might be years from now, watching people come and go leaving a mark in our society, gazing up to people who made it to the top from billboards to newspapers, I sit here on one corner thinking, yesterday was full of hopes and dreams, of ambitions and aspirations. It was not so long ago when I had visions of going to a very prestigious school and earning my degree. I could still remember the time when I had to choose what course to take and which path to set forth but in the end felt like I didn’t have any choice at all. Perhaps, others might say it’s cruel but on the second thought, things can be negotiated and somehow, we can always adjust and adapt. College was never that easy in the beginning, trust me. From being in a comfort zone for quite some time, abruptly, you are placed in an arena with beasts and lions and all you have is yourself and the armor you never imagined you might use one of those days. But at least, I somehow managed, struggled at first but somehow, managed. Being in college taught me the lessons I never learned years back but the learning I have was never confined in the four corners of the classroom neither within the huge walls that surround me. It exceeded beyond that, far more than what I have ever expected. College gave me a glimpse of the life out there as they say. Somehow, it gave me a preview of what might be in the near future. But I know that it’s far more than what I have witnessed, after all, life has its own surprises. The problems I have encountered during college were twice the problems I had when I was still in high school. Back then, I was pampered and everything was given to me. I never had the chance to provide solutions, make amends and stand up for what I believe is right. And those things I never did before, I had firsthand experience during college and I believe that it will help me through life. College taught me to be independent and how to have discipline. People come and go to deceive and lure me to temptation and eventually to sin, and I have learned to fight back the urge and say no. I have learned to set my limits straight and learned to choose my friends. I have learned how to deal with other people and realized that every action that I make has consequences of its own thus decisions should be carefully thought of. I realized that life is not just all about fun and games like before; it’s about committing mistakes and eventually learning from them and standing up in every defeat that we encounter. College opened me to situations that I have never experienced before. It has opened doors to possibilities that might happen and opportunities that I may grasp or drop. Abilities that were dormant for quite some time were brought alive and were used not only for the sake of personal gain but also for the benefit of other people. With that, joy and contentment were felt even with the simplest of gestures. Perhaps, as I may firmly say, college is the start of our preparation, but it will never be the end. It has established a foundation of our faith that will be honed for the rest of our lives. We are in a process of building our lives and with each day that God has given, we are offered with a chance to do the best that we can and to make the most out of it. We may never know what will happen next, but with wisdom, courage and faith, we may be able to seek for answers, find solutions and see the light beyond the tunnel..
