#006 – Ten More Life Lessons After College Graduation

Generation Y Chronicles

Generation Y Chronicles Episode No. 6

Isang bagong episode na naman!

In this episode, I talk about Ten More Life Lessons after college Graduation. Here’s the Transcript of the show.

Right click to download the mp3.

Ga-graduate ka na sa college, nakahanda ka na bang humarap sa bagong yugto ng buhay mo? Anong mga lessons ang dapat mong matutunan upang harapin ang buhay pagkatapos ng graduation.

Naimbag a rabii gagayyem ken kakabsat. Nagkasama-sama na naman tayong muli para sa isang episode ng Generation Y Chronicles. Ako si Kuya Mighty, ang host ninyo at ang katropa ninyo dito sa ating programa. For this week, itinutuloy natin ang ating episode specially for our college graduates. Siguro by this time, since it’s the 2nd week of March, or 2nd, yeah, it’s the 2nd week of March. So, I’m sure na marami na sa inyo ang excited magsuot ng toga. At siguro marami rin sa inyo ang ninenerbyos, wondering kung saan kukuha ng pambayad nung toga, pambayad ng mga graduation requirements, yung pampaprint ng mga thesis, yung defense, at yung, naku, napakaraming gastos. But mga tropa, hang in there, malapit nang matapos. So don’t worry, keep calm and just do it! Come on, just do it!

Yeah, malapit na. Malapit na yan! At pagkatapos ng college ninyo, iisipin ninyo… “sana college pa rin ako.” Why? kasi once na grumaduate ka ng College, wala ka nang sure sueldo mula sa mga parents mo. Tapos hindi mo na rin pwedeng idahilan na “Nay, meron kasi kaming project.” Yun pala, magreresort lang diyan sa malapit na resort. Magsswimming lang pala eh, tinawag pang project. Kayo talaga. But in any case, Kung talagang ga-graduate ka na, and I really hope you do. And I’m sure na you’re parents are also wishing, hoping, praying na grumaduate ka na talaga. Eto no, Eto kelangan paghandaan ninyo ang inyong kinabukasa. O baka naman pagkatapos ng graduation ninyo eh magpakasal na kayo kaagad. O, may mga kilala rin akong ganyan a. In fact, yung iba kong mga friends back in College, pagkatapos na pagkatapos ng College, eh ayun, nagsipag-asawa na. Kasi naman, baka meron silang kontrata sa mga parents nila na “Anak, utang na loob, huwag ka munang magpapakasal. Magtapos ka muna sa kolehio.” O eh, natapos naman di ba?

For this week’s episode, pag-uusapan uli natin some of the life lessons that we need to learn after college graduation. Oh, by the way, kung na-miss ninyo ang ating previous episode, wag kayong mag-alala, you can still listen to those episodes. Pwedeng pwede ninyong idownload, at kung iPod ka o kaya iPad, mahirap talaga ipronounce yun eh no? at meron kang Smartphone or mp3 player, pwedeng pwede mong idownload ang mga yun. And you can listen to those habang ikaw ay nagbibiyahe sa van, sa bus, o kaya sa jeep. Wag ka lang tumawa mag-isa kasi baka pagtinginan ka, mahirap naman yun, baka isipin nababaliw ka na.

Anyways, just go to PinoyYouth.org/GenerationY. Pwede na ninyong idownload ang ating mga previous episodes doon. And while you’re at it, punta ka na rin sa Facebook.com/PinoyYouth o kaya sa Twitter.com/PinoyYouth, gamitin na rin ang hash tag na #PinoyYouth kung magti-tweet ka about our program.

And I’m really hoping no, na makareceive naman ng feedback sa inyo. Kumusta naman ang programa natin, is it making an impact on you? Do you have any questions, may gusto ka bang sabihin meron ka bang gustong isuggest or meron kang problema na gustong ihingi ng payo, well of course, it should be youth related, no? Pwedeng pwde ka talagang mag-text sa akin, 09266889902.

At ayun, icongratulate natin ang mga gagraduate na ngayon ano. It’s not an easy task and I’m really glad na you’re doing all that you can matapos lang ang college ninyo.

SONG: Tag-Araw by Wency Cornejo

At ito, let’s get right into the ten more life lessons after graduation.

No. 1. Dreams sometimes need to be put on hold.

May mga pagkakataon na yung mga pangarap natin, yung mga personal dreams natin, kelangan natin i-pause, itigil muna. Yun tipong ilalagay mo muna sa drawer, itatabi mo, itatago mo. Kasi there are some things you need to do. Alam nyo, ito yung isa sa mga pinakaimportanteng malaman nung mga kabataan kasi minsan sinasabi nila, tayong mga kabataan, napakarami nating mga potentials. And it’s true. At napakarami nating mga pangarap. Kaya lang, we also need to deal with the realities of life, especially kung panganay ka o kaya inaasahan ka ng mga magulang mo to help them in their life. halimbawa na, kelangan magpaaral ng mga kapatid or merong pinagkautangan ang family and you need to help out. Nangyayari yan. At kung isasantabi man ninyo ang inyong mga pangarap, you really need to make sure na hindi ninyo ito wawalain. Kasi, yung mga pangarap na yun ang kailangan nating panghawakan.

Meron akong mga kaibigan na naging breadwinner at dumating yung point na parang “Bakit ko ba to ginagawa” and they’re asking themselves, tinutulangan nila yung mga parents, mga kapatid nila, pero paano naman yung mga pangarap nila. I hope na huwag kayong dumating sa point na yun and that if magsasakripisyo man kayo para sa pamilya ninyo, sa kapatid ninyo, is you do it out of love, out of the sense na kailangan ninyong tumulong but you should also take into account your dreams and your passions.

Pangalawa, If you believe in your dreams strongly enough, it will come back at you.

Sabi natin sa first di ba, minsan kelangan mong itago yung dreams mo. But here’s the thing, even if itago mo yun, if you really believe in that dream, it will come back at you! It will come back at you. I think that also happened in my case. Kasi nung college ako, Political Science ako di ba, I wanted to transfer to English or Creative Writing kasi nahanap ko yung sarili na gusto ko pala talagang magsulat, kaya lang there was a catch. Meron akong agreement sa parents ko na four years lang ako sa College. And I did that and then ang nangyari, after some years. So 2003 ako grumaduate, nung 2008 I pursued Master in Communications. So you see, it was a way for me to get back to my dreams, di ba? Ayun, and I’m hoping, too na yung dreams ninyo, even if you set aside that ngayon, eh babalik at babalik doon sa heart ninyo yung dreams talaga ninyo.

Pangatlo, To make a difference inthe world, you need a jumping board.

Karamihan sa ating mga kabataan, we want to make a difference in our lives. Hindi lang sa lives natin actually, even sa life ng ating community, ng ating society, yung tipong pag tinitingnan mo yung mundo, andaming mali at gusto mong itama di ba? Kaya lang minsan, hindi mo alam kung saan ka mag-uumpisa. Kaya yun, if you want to make a change, you need a jumping board. Eh ano ba tong jumping board na to. Pwede siyang set of friends na tumutulong sa yo, na gawin ito. Pwede rin namang financers di ba? O kaya a system that will help you accomplish your dream or your vision.

Pang-apat, the world is a messed up place.

Manood lang kayo ng balita every night. O kaya magbasa lang kayo ng mga newspapers o kaya kahit tabloid, makikita mo na, andaming brokenness in this world. Andaming broken families, andaming broken hearts, andaming brokenness! and it’s true. Andami talagang mali sa mundo. KAsama tayo dun. Kasama ka dun dude. Pero titigil ka na lang ba dun? Are you going to stop being a mess? Hahayaan mo ba yung brokenness na ganyan na lang. Dude, meron kang magagawa to help make a change. Bilang mga kabataan, may tendency tayo, lalo na kung magtatrabaho na tayo to just look at kung ano ang makukuha natin, salary, benefits, money. Meron pa nga diyan nagtataya ng lotto eh, lagi-lagi. But you know, if you see the brokenness, the messed-upness, walang word na ganun ha? Yung pagiging messed up ng mundong ito, and it breaks your heart, you know you really need to do something man! Kelangan natin gumawa ng paraan to at least help ourselvse, help other people overcome their brokenness.

Minsan mahirap ano, but you know, it starts with the heart. It starts with the heart. At kapag nadevelop mo yung heart na yun, you will find ways to help other people.

Pang-lima, Time passes so swiftly!

Ambilis lang ng panahot mga tropa. Feeling ko nung bata ako, nung high school ako, parang napakabagal ng panahon. Lagi kong inaantay ang bakasyon, lagi kong inaantay yung rAh, piecess, lagi kong inaantay yung favorite kong TV show. Pero nung tumanda tanda na ko, pagkatapos ng graduation, ambilis. Parang kelan lang ano, 2003 lang, kakagraduate ko lang. Now what? I’m 30! I can’t believe it. Di ba? Kayo din, you know, tatanda rin kayo! And knowing that, alam nyo, merong verse sa Bible. Nakalimutan ko lang yung actual verse eh. Sabi niya: prayer ito ha “Teach us to number our days.” And if we realize na time passes so swiftly, ibig sabihin kelangan nating gawin lahat ng kelangan nating gawin. Lahat ng mabuting pwede nating gawin while we still can.

Song: Umagang Kay Ganda by Bamboo

Pinag-uusapan nga natin ang Ten More Life Lessons after College Graduation. Yung naunang ten life lessons ay pinag-usapan natin last episode. And if you missed that, pwede nyo pong idownload, just go to PinoyYouth.org/GenerationY. And while you’re at it at online ka na rin lang naman, punta ka sa Facebook, makipagconnect ka sa amin tropa. Facebook.com/PinoyYouth or if you’re on TWitter, gamitin ang hash tag #PinoyYouth.

At ito nga yung mga pinag-uusapan natin, mga life lessons learned after college graduation. And I’m hoping ngayon pa lang na pa-graduate pa lang kayo, you will already hear these lessons para maihanda nyo yung mga sarili ninyo.

Pang-anim. It’s good to pursue your passion. Kung saan ka passionate, ano yung interes mo, ano yung gustung-gusto mong gawin. But the thing is, if you want to pursue your passion, you need to make adjustmens and sacrifices along the way.

Halimbawa na, if you feel na ikaw yung next Ely Buendia, kasi love na love mo gumawa ng kanta, Love na love mo maggitara at kumanta, pero are you serious enough? Do you think that pursuing your passion can be sustainable? Mahalaga yun ah. Kasi I really believe that passion can change the world. Yung tipong, if you really really really love what you’re doing. Alam mo, kayang baguhin niyan ang mundo. At dito sa generation natin, you are being given the tools and also the network para gawin yan!

Anong ibig kong sabihin. Meron kasi nagsabi, si Rob Salkowitz yung author ng Young World Rising, ano? Sabi niya, there are three forces shaping the world today. At ang number one doon, guess what? Youth! Kayo. Tayo. Pangalawa, Information and Communications Technology. Yung mga gadgets nyo, yung internet, yung Web, and all these technologies available to us. that’s changing the world. And pangatlo, entrepreneurship. Parang hirap bigkasin ulit no. Entrepreneurship. Yan ang tamang bigkas diyan.

Ibig sabihin that we, young people, have the chance, we do have the power, to help make a change! Kaya ang challenge ko sa inyo, pursue your passion dude. Kaya lang, there’s a catch. And ito yung next diyan.

I have to eat and pay my bills, too.

Your passion is good. Pero is it sustainable? Pwede ka bang kumita ng pera diyan. Hindi man siguro yumaman, pero kaya mo ang maging sustainable just by pursuing your passion? So if you will pursuie your passion, make sure na meron kang pagkukunan ng pangkain at pambayad ng mga bills mo.

Number 8. Start saving money early on.

Alam nyo, kung meron akong something na pinagsisisihan, eh yung hindi ako nag-ipon ng mas maaga. Kung nag-ipon lang ako ng 1,000 pesos per month mula nung nagtrabaho ako. Isipin mo yun ha. Teka lang, magcompute tayo ng konti. P1,000 times 12 that’s P12,000 ano? So 12,000 per year times since 2003 ako grumaduate, 10 years. So, 12,000 times 10. That’s 120,000 Pesos! Isipin mo yun! Well, I’m sure na I would have saved more than P1,000 nung mga time na umakyat na yung sweldo ko ano. But, that’s the thing, kung nag-umpisa ako ng mas maaga, siguro mas okay yung financial status ko ngayon. And so, kung gagraduate kayo at magkatrabaho kayo, even if you are a breadwinner, make it a point to save money.

Ika-9. So many things to buy, so little money!

Eto minsan yung problema sa society natin eh. Andami daming nilalabas na pwedeng bilhin. iPod, iPad, iPhone, Android phone, Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Note, Blackberry. Gusto ko ring bumili ng magandang gitara, gusto kong bumili ng kotse, gusto kong bumili ng bahay. What?! Andami di ba? but the thing is, there’s just so much money! At hindi naman nag-uumapaw ang pera sa mundo ano. Well, ang sagot diyan, it’s for us not to fall into the trap of consumerism! Kung tutuusin, ano lang naman yung kailangan natin para mabuhay. Di ba? Sometimes it’s the simple life that counts!

Lastly, have some time for romance.

Yihee! Teka, bumabalik na naman tayo sa love ha? Pinag-usapan na natin yan nung nakaraang buwan. Puro lovelife pinag-usapan natin eh no. But seriously, may mga times na, especially, yung mga workaholic. Ako, kasi may tendency ako na maging workaholic eh. you really need to have time for romance. Of course, wag mo namang bibiglain, wag namang super bilis, super… anong tawag dun? may tawag dun eh. Super… eh parang tornado romance eh, sobrang bilis. Ah, whirlwind! Yun, whirldwind romance. Wag namang ganun. Yun tipong isang linggong pag-ibig. What I’m saying is, take time to have friends. Take time to know somebody deeply. Until such time na pwede mong sabihin na, ah… ito pala yung ibinibigay ni Lord sa akin. Before kang maging super busy sa buhay, I’m hoping na magkaroon ka rin naman ng time for some romance.

At ito, sampu yung sinabi ko no. We have a bonus lesson. And this is something na I’ve learned also. Madalas sinasabi sa atin na ano, you should seek God’s will for your life. Kasi kung iga-guide ka ni Lord, you will not fail no. Pero ito, this is what I’ve learned, in my ten years after college.

God’s direction sometimes is not what you expect it to be. For one, nung katatapos ko ng high school, I was expecting na pupunta ako sa law school, magiging lawyer ako. But something happened nung nag-college ako. I realized na hindi pala doon ang aking calling. So I wanted to be a writer instead. And then, I felt a call sa youth ministries ng United Methodist Church, and so I served as a youth minister. At hanggang ngayon, yun pa rin ang ginagawa ko ano. At hindi lang yan, I’m also writing. Hindi lang writing poetry, I’m also writing blogs and gues what, I’m also in a radio program now. And I think eto yung plano ng Dios para sa akin.

Hanapin nyo yung plano ng Dios para sa inyo. I know it’s not easy ano. But if you spend time in it, at kung irecognize ninyo yung mga strengths ninyo, mga passion at skills ninyo. I’m sure that you will find it. Wag na wag lang ninyong isasabotahe ang inyong buhay. Wag kayong maglalaro ng apoy. Fire prevention month ngayon. Kung naglaro kayo ng apoy, baka masunog kayo. At kung nasunog kayo, in terms of your experiences and mistakes, baka mahirapan kayong makabawi. Di ba?

So, ga-graduate na kayo, malapit na yan, kung sumablay man kayo, may konting sablay this sem, don’t worry. Kung nadapa ka man, bangon, dude! Try again. Try and try until you die, sabi nga nila di ba? But, well, matatapos din yan, one way or another. Let me just tell you na noong last semester ko sa UP, gustong gusto ko ring mag-leave of absence. I had a feeling na hindi ko na kaya! But thankfully, meron akong mga friends na nagsupport sa akin, and eventually, nagawa ko naman. Grumaduate ako. Hindi man bilang isang cum laude, but I did it within 4 years. Ang time, pagkatapos ng college graduation ninyo, you will experience some disorientation, medyo PMA mode muna. Pahinga Muna Anak. But take some time to have some rest. Take some time to have a rest. I-seek ninyo yung plano ng Panginoon para sa inyong buhay. And at the same time, planuhin na ninyo kung anong gusto ninyong mangyari.

Parang nakakatakot minsan eh, kasi Uy, college graduate ka na, you’re expected to earn money and all that. But, it will all happen. And if you know what you want, naku, hinding hindi ka kakabahan. Or kung kakabahan ka man, at least you still know which direction to take.

Mga tropa, ayan patapos na naman tayo. I’m hoping na meron kayong napulot sa kaka-ngawa ko dito. Kung meron kang reactions, or whatever, you just want to communicate with me, meron kayong iba-ibang options. Punta lang kayo sa Facebook.com/PinoyYouth, sa Twitter, gamitin ang hashtag na #PinoyYouth. Pwede ka ring magtext sa akin 09266889902. So, sa mga gagraduate, congratulations mga tropa! I can’t wait to see you succeed. Sa mga hindi pa ga-graduate dahil may sablay o kaya kelangan pang maghintay, hinay hinay lang. You can do it, maybe not today but tomorrow.

So, ito si Kuya Mighty para sa Generation Y Chronicles wishing you God bless sa mga susunod na yugto ng buhay after this graduation. Dahil ang buhay kabataan minsan madrama, minsan comedy, minsan hindi mo lang talaga maintindihan. Kaya pag-usapan natin katropa hanggang sa muli nating pagkikita.

Ang programang ito ay hatid sa inyo ng Young People’s Ministries ng United Methodist Church at ng himpilang ito.