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FUTURE CHOICES
March 2002

"Here's to another important stage in our life…" is the usual line heard from a valedictory address during commencement exercises. Indeed, graduating from college marks a new phase in a young person's existence, when choices that most often dictate a graduate's future are weighed and decided upon.

Below are some "choices" that new grads ponder on after taking their graduation rites. Read on, think about your own option and smile (or sulk) about it…

CHOICE #1: Work

Not surprisingly, this is the most common option that new grads take, as most of them just can't wait to get hold of their hard-earned money and make all their material dreams a reality. These aspiring yuppies spend their time job-hunting, distributing their resumes to all companies of various nature, and also to their relatives for referrals. Others feel lucky to be employed even before graduation, and will not need to apply in every nook and cranny of the corporate world.

They will engage themselves in all kinds of interviews, and exams, and will get extremely very excited when a job offer comes. Several months after they are employed, they will usually realize that they will have to spend some 40 more years of their life working their heads off. This may sometimes make them feel not so lucky after all.

CHOICE#2: Study

As if four to seven (sometimes eight? Nine?) years of studying isn't enough to wear out a student with schoolwork, some new grads take even more formal classes. Because of the very competitive nature of the employment world, they take graduate studies to get better job opportunities than what they can reach with just a college degree.

They continue their journey into books and paperwork and more professors. Some learn to love these books and professors so much that they continue studying till they get a PhD or a post doctorate course for that matter. Like those who start working after graduation, they will also find themselves busier than ants. Some of them end up as academicians, public servants, business executives, or find greener pastures abroad.

CHOICE #3: Vacation

Since some graduates take the "lifetime busy schedule" into account, they don't engage in any form of employment just yet. Instead, they pamper themselves with a long vacation, usually out of town or out of the country. They feel deserving of a relaxing vacation after surviving 4-8 years of classes, papers, projects, theses and psycho professors.

Others stay on "vacation mode" for as long as 1 year, leisurely killing their time in different parts of the Philippines. Those with rich parents have the privilege of touring the world for as long as they wish. Soon after, (or maybe 2 years after) they will also want to join the work force, only to realize that all the good jobs back home have been taken by those new grads that are just itching to earn their first paychecks.

CHOICE #4: Get Married

These lovebirds wait painstakingly for graduation day so that they can finally take their marriage vows and settle down. They will manage the family business or their own business (where the capital was taken from daddy's bank account), or probably rely on daddy and mommy to shoulder their expenses for their first few years until they can fend for themselves. Although not always the case, the bride to be is either pregnant or... pregnant.

CHOICE #5: Bum Around

Some graduates consider this as the best reward they can give themselves for getting through four (sometimes even seven) long years of hard work in college. Imagine an indefinite time off from any form of work, not a 2-week sem-break, summer or Christmas break. Not just some three-day holiday from work. No rush with class enlistments or job-hunting, or any wedding preparations. Just days and days of lying on the couch, watching TV and just plain bumming around.

Still, others do something productive during this period, like ridding their rooms from other living creatures that have inhabited under their beds, behind their headboards, or in their closets and drawers. When they get tired of sleeping and watching TV and cleaning and rearranging their entire house, and when they're already too fat to fit in their door, that's when they will finally consider getting a job.

CHOICE #6: Duo

A combination of two options at a time, like working and studying, is also another choice for the eager graduate. And there are those lucky enough who get married and bum around. =)

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