Happy 2nd of March! Gee, I’m about to bid my goodbye to my teenage years in a day! Anyway I want to let you guys know that I am finally and officially out of school! Yes, I am officially unemployed. And yes, I now consider myself as a “grown up”. SUCKS.
The commencement exercise was held at PICC Complex in Pasay the other day (28th of Feb). Feels weird, now that I am already done with school stuff. I still cannot believe that the next thing I’m supposed to do is look for a job. I kinda miss school, yeah, that quick. I miss the feeling of getting up early for morning classes, seeing your friends everyday, asking for allowance from your parents, studying for exams/quizzes; basically everything about school. And it is kind of sad to think that those days are over now.
Going up on stage and receiving my (fake) diploma didn’t feel as “magical” as everyone thinks. It felt normal (aside from feeling anxious, well that is a given); there was really nothing astonishing about it. It felt good though, to think that you are fortunate enough to finish studies unlike other people. Also the fact that you are finally done with school. I was never really thrilled by thought of me graduating, maybe because I am not excited about the next chapter of my life, I don’t really know.
Looking back at high school; high school life was so easy going, well compared to college. And if I were to choose which do I like more, I’d say 50/50. There are moments in high school that are incomparable to college and vice versa, you could tell. My high school life was filled with lots of entertainment. I was untroubled back then, though; I didn’t worry much about anything aside from keeping “good” marks. All I ever did was to simply have fun and make the most out of my high school years.
I was never the studious type of student; I was more like the happy-go-lucky one. The happy-go-lucky type that (still) studies but never really aimed to get the highest mark in class. (..In my dreams?)
Junior year was the best year of my high school life; and it wouldn’t be that fun if I had a different set of classmates and a different class adviser. Me and my friends were always in trouble; and I didn’t regret getting in trouble back then for those turned out to be the best moments of my high school life. It is just so nice to look back and reminisce all the good times with good old friends. 🙂 A lot has changed when I entered college, though.
When I started college, getting up in the morning felt like dragging myself out of bed. I am two hours away from school so I have to get up three hours before class to prepare and everything. I hated waking up early. The first year of my college life was the worst; freshmen students are normally given the earliest class schedule there is (in which we got to deal with).
The freshmen year somehow felt like an extension of high school; you have the same set of classmates in every subject, and I’d say that was the only thing I liked about being a freshman student. But as the saying goes, nothing is permanent; block sections were gone on the second year. But, you are now eligible of constructing your own class schedule that go with your preference. You are lucky if you got the schedule you want, and if your friends were able to take the same section as yours. Which is in most times (unfortunately) does not happen.
There was a time where I was fortunate to be included in the dean’s list so I was able to enlist my subjects ahead of time; I was so glad because I got my desired schedule. Unfortunately, my friends didn’t get the same schedule as mine.. most of the sections that I chose were already full by the time they enlisted. So what happened was, I had the most convenient schedule among my friends, but I was alone in every class for four months. The only advantage of knowing no one in a class is you get to meet, interact and be friends with other people.
My college life was plain simple (and somehow boring). I was never active at school; I was never a part of any organization, clubs and such. There were also a couple of (cooking) competitions but I never bothered participating at any… I just don’t want to involve myself in such kind of affairs; I was totally contented with just attending classes.. nothing more.
But I do have a regret as a student..
And that is for not studying/trying enough. I mean, I wish I studied hard back in high school so I could at least achieved something greater than merely finishing college; I wish I had a chance to study at my “dream” university. I wish I had a medal for something I am good at. I wish I was active in clubs that could’ve piqued my interest. I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish. Though I did get fairly decent marks, I feel as if there was so much more that I could have done, school-wise. And if I could turn back time and re-do everything, (now that I know how shitty it feels to achieve nothing) I definitely would. 
Everyone is capable of doing whatever everyone else is capable of, that is a fact; it is just a matter of choice and motivation. And I regret not motivating myself to do well and give my best shot in what I am doing; I regret settling for just “good”. That, as I’ve mentioned earlier, has got to be my biggest regret as a student. I hate how I only realize all of these just now.. now that I am finally done with school. Ugh.
If I were to give an advice to students, that would be to do more academically and aim high. Wouldn’t it be nice to graduate with honors and other awards? Be active in school, join clubs, participate in competitions/activities etc. Grab all the opportunities that you could, acquire all the knowledge and skills that you could. Never stop learning and improving. Never settle for just “good/fair”, challenge yourself to do more. Kaya n’yo yan! Kung kaya ng iba, kaya niyo rin!
Take my advice, I didn’t use it anyway.
Now that we’re on to the next chapter of my life, I wish myself good luck and all the best. I may not know what I want to do for the rest of my life (yet!), but I will never stop seeking. I know in time, all my questions will be answered. I know I am meant to do something and be something, it is just at the moment I am having a difficult time in figuring what that is. I am still quite young and I still have enough time to know myself more and discover what else life has to offer.
All I know for sure is cooking and Culinary track is not (meant) for me. I don’t want to say I misspent 4 years of my life, but.. yeah, basically.
Ciao, student life. ID 11165138, signing off.
(meganon?!)
My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was entirely right.
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Wow at last nababasa kuna ang blog mu
Kasi boring ako now for almost 2monts lagi ku tinatry yung blog pero laging traffic.
ewan ku magmula ng makita kita sa is naging avid fan talaga ako na never kong naging fan ng I sang artist now lng talaga.now mas lalo kitang nakikilala.love u maine always.
very well said.
can’t find the words to express how i feel reading or rather backreading your blog. so surreal.
you really inspiring me Maine 🙂
by reading this story i cant explain what feelings that i feel right now, even i read your website often Maine i really prove to my self that i made a good choice to love ,idolize you as a fan i mean #1 fan 🙂 but this MaineMendoza.com really helps me to know you alot that you are true person a good friend a nice ,funny,caring easy to be with and loving daughter. That’s the reason why i really admire you Maine …i’m hoping to see you soon ..:) here in Bacolod i hope you read this and i hope you appreciate my compliments God Bless po …… i keep following your tweets and post 🙂
I am a college student today and a freshmen to be exact and I don’t know why but this just hit me so hard. Honestly. i am a fan that’s why I came to stop at your blog and never thought it would turn out finding something like this. It;s so freaking hard to wake up at an extra early time and I may say it’s extremely difficult. I also have that feeling that it’s not the path for me but I pursue it anyway so I wake up every morning asking myself what to do with my life and check if it’s just another dream and be disappointed to figure out that it’s not. I do too, don’t like joining and socializing because I prefer being contented with ”passing” and it’s perfectly fine (i guess) and then suddenly it happened to be changing my perception with it just by reading your blog and it’s so amazing how your words change a person. If you happen to read this, I just want to say THANK YOU ATE MENG!
Love your honesty.
Hello Meng! (feeling close lang? haha) I super love your blog. Sobra! You are my inspiration why I started writing again. I used to write using tumblr when I was in college. But I started to drift away (from writing/blogging) after graduation. I became so busy with work and sleep became my priority everyday; even during restdays. Haha! I know you can relate with me. (Well, except about being a phenomenal star. haha *wink*) It was when I became a part of ADN when I have learned about your blog site. You are an amazing writer/blogger. Please continue making people happy. Know that we, the whole ADN, will always have your back. Kayo ni Kissoy. *wink* XOXO 🙂
Relate much to this! If we can only turn back time. I’m also happy go lucky student even not establishing study habits, once and HR told me you have good grades! That’s the fact that I even told myself silently I could have done better… And maybe that’s the reason also that I don’t want to give lower marks/grades to my student .
Thank you young lady for this amazing blogs. You keep saying from what I have read you do not have any hidden talent, well, let me tell you this…this writing of yours is one amazing talent that not every one in your age can do…God gave this talent without you knowing it, so please keep it up don’t give up on it. As for school, yes you are done, you have your 4yrs. degree. Maine, it’s not to late to do what you may want to do in college to be part of some clubs and still achieve a much deserve high marks, you can still go back and continue your masters degree…maybe in writing??? God Bless you Maine, keep safe always. And to all young people out there, nothing is too late just keep believing and your faith.