College graduation marks the end of some people’s student lives. It is a day where students commemorate all their hard work and fun times during their college lives. It also signifies that they are now a step closer to take on the real world. However, with the current pandemic, mass gatherings all over the country are banned. Hence, graduation rites are called off for the time being.
Fresh graduates’ plans, just like ours, are also brought to a pause. Although it’s a bummer, these Chinoy fresh graduates made sure that they still continue learning to prepare for the real world once all this is over. Despite the cancelled or rescheduled plans, they manifest grit in a distressing time like this. So to help you remove the graduation blues and inspire you to be back on track, here are 5 Chinoys who are going to share: what’s next.
1) Steffi Kay Yuquimpo, University of the Philippines Diliman
Course: BS Interior Design
Initial Plan: I wanted to learn as much as I can in an interior design firm while preparing for the board exams. After hopefully passing the boards, I could slowly gain experience as an interior designer and also learn the #adulting life.
Current Plan: With so many things happening in our world today, I’ve learned that it’s okay and perfectly normal to slow down as the world goes on a pause for the meantime. Taking a break made me realize that the fast and busy life we were so accustomed to made us miss out on so much. I’m fortunate enough to now be able to focus on those things “I didn’t have time for” before like spending real quality time with family, having reunions and reconnecting with old friends, and often forgotten: giving time for self. So I am currently learning a new skill (photoshop) to help me in my career, attempting to grow a plant (I named her Cello but is actually dying), doing things that make me happy (my food blog on Instagram please follow @steffirooooeats), and really just taking life day by day while I have the chance to take it slow.
Future Plan: Once life eventually goes on, I’ll take the board exam, practice interior design, and do usual adulting stuff. I will be able to look back at this quarantine time for the realizations I’ve learned and make sure to spend time with the people I love.
2) Dorothy Tseng, Ateneo de Manila University
Course: BS Psychology
Initial Plan:The plan after grad was to go out of the country with some friends. We have been planning it for months but we couldn’t pin down a date because of our med school applications but we really wanted to take a break and chill before we go to med school. The long term plan on the other hand was to really go to med school.
Current Plan: After a few months of resting, tying up loose ends for org works and acads, reading books and binge-watching shows on netflix, I’m currently advance studying with a few of my friends for med school. I’m trying to find out what study style would be the most optimal for me and I’m also brushing up on some concepts that I had a hard time with so that I could be somewhat prepared when school starts again.
Future Plan: I’ll be attending my first year of medical school this august and hopefully become a doctor in 5 years. After med school, I aim to help people in any way that I can because this pandemic has indeed affected everyone’s lives in more ways than one.
3) Kyle Cheng, De La Salle University
Course: BS Industrial Management Engineering Minor in Information Technology
Initial Plan: Graduated on February 29, 2020 and my initial plan was to take a few months off of responsibilities and spend time doing the things that will make me happy like travelling, hanging out with friends and learning something new, particularly, photography and photo editing. People always tell me that the job application process takes a long time anyway and that it takes months to actually get a job after graduation. So I applied to every Management Training Program available on all Job Search platforms with the expectation that I will get a concrete job offer after 2-3 months. I started applying on the 3rd week of January so that I can get a job in March or April. However, I received a Management Trainee Position just 2 weeks into applying for a job and they wanted me to start on Feb 17 which was 2 weeks prior to graduation but I did it anyway because I was not going to let an amazing opportunity go to waste.
Current Plan: So I found an amazing job as a Management Trainee in a prominent Tech Company and I had a 2 month training schedule before the actual work started but 3 weeks into the training, the lockdown started and we were forced to work from home. My training could no longer continue so I had to perform actual work and handle projects with a shortened training, all while working from home. It is tough to learn the ropes and perform well at the same time but it is a challenge that I accepted. My plan now is to do my best and excel in the work that was given to me especially because I have a big opportunity to create tremendous value in the company. My goal is also to learn as much as I can about the business, especially because I work in a tech logistics company. What I learn here will help tremendously when I decide to start my own business in the future. Lastly, I started a side Instagram Business with a close partner where we look to sell home gym equipment. The personal business is actually just a passion project where I get to learn how to operate a small online retail store. In summary, what I look to achieve during the pandemic is to be more productive than I ever was and try to create as much value as I can and take in new learnings while everyone else is waiting for the storm to pass to get an upper edge when it all goes back to normal.
Future Plan: It has been a pretty hectic and tiring quarantine for me so far so when it all goes back to normal, I would really like to just go out hang out with friends and travel because we don’t know when the next pandemic will come. The plan is to move around, visit new places and create new experiences after the pandemic.
4) Sherwin So, University of Santo Tomas
Course: BS Civil Engineering
Initial Plan: My initial plan after graduation is to take the Civil Engineer Licensure Examination in November 2020 to become a fully licensed civil engineer, and to practice my profession as the year 2021 starts. After which, if possible, attain a Master’s Degree.
Current Plan: Due to the pandemic, my initial plan to take the licensure exam in November 2020 would move to May 2021. Not much significant change, my initial plan would simply be delayed. For now, I will just continue studying for the boards.
Future Plan: Assuming the pandemic would be over by the time I obtain my professional license, I would simply carry out my initial plan of finding a job where I could dedicate my time in improving both myself and the company. However, if the pandemic persists and acquiring a job would not be possible, I would still continue on finding alternative ways to enhance and widen my skills and knowledge that I may benefit and use someday.
5) Vince Ong, University of Santo Tomas
Course: BS Civil Engineering
Initial Plan: Attend review center and take the board exam in November 2020
Current Plan: Still reviewing and awaiting further announcements from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), whether the board exam will still continue. If not I will probably still continue with the review, in preparation for the May 2020 Board Exam.
Future Plan: I would go for some medical check-ups since the COVID event made it not possible. I would also go out to eat some food that I really missed after more than 3 months at home.
How about you- what is your quarantine story? Be sure to tell us in the comments section down below!
