A decade after

10 years ago I graduated from DLSU. 10 years ago I would never imagine that I would be doing what I am doing today. Yes, it has been a decade since and there were a lot of life lessons learned, expectations that were not met, disappointments, and of course successes too. 10 years ago, I was this idealistic graduate ready to conquer the corporate world and thought I could do a lot of things and make a difference but 10 years later it made me realize my limitations and my strengths as well. I am still idealistic but at the same time pragmatic, and tempered by my experiences. I can’t say I have a perfect life as I am still work-in-progress too but let me share with you 10 things to consider before you embark on a life after college.

Enjoy your University Experience

When you start working, you will miss the carefree life of being a student -the parties, the college traditions, UAAP games, group works, attending classes and meeting other students. I know you will dread the pressures of exams and deadlines now but that is part of the experience, make the most of it while you can as it gives you the discipline and proper foundation to succeed in life after college.

Do not plan too far ahead, be ready for detours

Since I pursued Economics and Finance as my degree, I thought that I would become a banker and excel in that field. In 2006, I was working for a third party research firm for New York that was outsourcing the work to Mumbai, then suddenly it closes shop. I ended up in the Animation Industry and my career took of in a field that is entirely new to me. You might be pursuing a particular course right now but you’ll end up in something that is totally new. It’s the life lessons and the discipline that you learned while in college that will help you a lot, not the subject matter.

Make mistakes, discover your strengths

Being in college affords you the luxury to make mistakes to find out what your real strengths are. Try and explore different things and see what works for you. There are different ways to go from point A to point B and sometimes it’s not the linear way, there would be bumps along the way. When you begin your career you won’t have much leeway to make mistakes or you’ll get fired unless you pursue entrepreneurship.

Failure in college doesn’t make who you are

I am not a Dean’s Lister nor did I finish with Latin honors. I failed in my subjects, and it’s embarrassing to say that there was one subject that I had to take four times. These failures didn’t hamper me from succeeding because I learned how to persevere and not give up despite my limitations and work harder.

Establish lifelong friendships

My co-founders in the company I co-founded were my college orgmates from The LaSallian. We had diverse backgrounds and we didn’t belong to the same college. This diversity gave me a good network of friends whom I can lean to in times of trouble and when I needed a friend. You will meet lots of people after college but those who you become good friends in college can truly help you in good times and in bad times. You may never know that one day the classmate you sat with will someday become somebody. Invest in friendships without expecting getting anything in return. People always remember the little things that you’ve done for them.

Do extra-curricular activities and summer internships

Don’t just be a typical student. Try to join different organizations and find out what interests you. It’s the experiences in running a college organization that will help you after college because it gives you the necessary skills in working with different kinds of people coming from different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. Try developing different skillsets too by doing internships outside of college even if it is not required by the University.

Take good care of your health

It’s your body, take good care of it. Eat healthy foods. Do not abuse it from partying or drinking hard or smoking a lot. There will come a day of reckoning when your health deteriorates. Try to do a lot of sports activities, run, swim and bike. Being fit affords you to accomplish a lot of things. One day sleep will be as precious as it can be especially when you start working.

Be yourself, do not let others dictate who you are

Do things because you like them, not because others think it is cool or it is the trend. Be who you are because at the end of the day you are only accountable to yourself and to no one else. If people don’t accept you to their clique or barkada or doesn’t befriend you because you are not like them, it’s their loss not yours, because you are an interesting person in your own way. Do not become part of the crowd who falls to a stereotype. When you start working, it’s those who standout often gets hired, aside from having a good resume, it’s important to be yourself and show who you are rather than be like all of the applicants.

Do travel a lot

Travel broadens your horizons and knowledge about the world we live in. There are cheap ways to travel around the Philippines such as buses and budget airlines. Try backpacking and learn about history, arts and culture. There is more to life than just studying. Experience travelling while you still have time because when you start working your time will be limited.

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Benedict Carandang was a former Managing Editor of The LaSallian from 2001-2002. He finished his double degree in Applied Economics and Management of Financial Institutions at DLSU in 2003. In 2011, he was chosen as a Chevening Scholar by the British Embassy and the World Economic Forum named him as one of its Young Global Leaders for 2012.