Post-graduate

    When I first graduated from my undergrad, I didn’t really get the taste of post-grad syndrome. I got employed right out of college and one employment leads to another, until I got into grad school. I was lucky to have jobs. But I didn’t realized it then. 

Grad school was tough, mentally straining and challenging. I enjoyed my two years, and have never lived fuller in my life before. Each day was packed with schedules, library hours, part-time jobs, assignments, to a point that my sense of time became so vague, it seems like some of the events that happened this morning happened some time yesterday or the day before. I would miss (now, can't say when I started working officially) the vicious cycles of translation due dates, that kept me going week after week without having any sense of weekends. Monday, Tuesday....Friday, Monday, Tuesday... TGIF doesn't apply. Why? Because Saturdays and Sundays are part of the cycle!! Basically I spent loads of time at the library, be it studying or working.

The good news is, I graduated. Hooray!!! 

Now, "What’s next?" would be the question.

Looking at my classmates, not many, just 9 of us in this batch, 7 of us went (back) to Japan.Only one secured a job at a government department, which was pretty awesome, and the rest were just moving there and looking to apply for jobs. Some got married, some planning on getting married, things seem to work out pretty well for them. They are all moving to their next destination. 

For me, I plan on staying for a little, since I have the opportunity to do so. 

I submitted endless application through online job boards, and things were just stagnant after an interview or two in the beginning. Sometimes I wonder if I was simply blocked by the systems because I just don't hear anything from them! I was even happy to receive a letter of rejection, I mean, that shows that it recognized my application. Know that feeling of recognition? 

And then there was (well, is) my housing situation. After cutting ties with my previous housing (crazy woman who made my life more interesting.), I got into a new place with help from a friend. And I moved. That was during the semester, in the middle of my roller-coaster ride. Luckily, I got help from Marty, who was nice enough to help me move my stuff. And then I stayed for a month or so. And I moved again. Not because I want to, because I had to. And this time, I get to stay till the 14^th of June which is like another 12 or 13 days? 

Moral of the story: You should really be grateful to have shelter, and even better, warm food to come home to. 

What happens after the 14^th is still a mystery. Hopefully by then I would know where to go, I know, I said that in Feb, March, April and May too. Had a couple of interviews and exams lately, those were worse than finals. Sight trans, consec and simul both ways took all my energy after each interview. Wonder how am I ever going to survive with my current brain stamina if I ever got accepted. Have another one coming up this Friday. Well, two actually. One just requested me to stop by while I am in LA. And two more translation test tomorrow. 

I am just exhausted. What will happen if I start working?

…That is if I get a job!

All in all, things were pretty hectic after graduation. Our career advisors prepared us during school time for job hunts and job expectation, but none of them turned out according to the timeline they laid out for us. Felt hopeless, but you have to do what you have to do to survive. Fail, get up, try again. Fail again, get up, try again. ...The cycle of life.