The Thirty Year Old Freshman

After classes, my friends and I would hop off to the grassy lot under the trees, just in front of the St. Therese Chapel, to dream. It was the year before the closure of our school (but we didn’t know that yet), and us geek sophies love to frolic an hour or two before heading home.

Sometimes I told them I wanted to be a scientist (I suppose, I was inspired by our Biology classes- while back in my Elementary days I had wanted to become a priest because of the heavy Catholic influence of my school), the next day, I would change my mind and wanted to be a lawyer instead- since we passed the Law building everyday, and the students looked so sharp and so important. I happened to love drawing too, so I also leaned towards Architecture, but never, ever would I imagine myself working in the field of Health Sciences- I was terrified of blood and needles.

In hindsight, I realized we were just being silly. None of us turned exactly the way we dreamed we would be- who would have known some of us would work in a Call Center or Business Process Outsourcing company, or work for minimal pay at Commission on Audit, or just stay home and be devoted Moms and Dads, or work abroad as accountants? It was as if Fate played tricks on us and never really disclosed a clue to our future occupations.

My philosophy had always been “do what makes you happy”. But even happiness, for me, had changed meaning over the years. Since the start of my college days until the time I worked my first job, it was all fun and games. I never really bothered thinking what I wanted to do in the long run (I guess this would explain my constant meandering, career-wise), I just lived in the moment. I suppose I always assumed I’d be young forever- until I turned 26 and left my old job.

I found myself back in Tacloban. Seeing some of my old high school friends made me realize how much they’ve grown, while I remained at a standstill. I was exactly the same when we last saw each other a couple of years ago- still going to the same clubs, traveling, and partying like there’s no tomorrow. The biggest surprise was that it was our classmates who stayed in the background during our high school days who were now doctors and lawyers. Have I been in limbo all these years?

I’ll be in my senior year in Nursing for CY 2009-2010, and have been contemplating on taking the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) sometime this year. There is only one medical school here, and if I do well in the exam and be accepted in the Doctors for the Barrios program of the DOH, I might be a freshman med student by 2010- at age 30.

This decision might have come a little late, but that’s okay with me. I wouldn’t exchange the wealth of experiences I had in my heyday- I can’t imagine doing things any other way. At some point during those times, I was living my life exactly the way I wanted.

It is never too late to find a job that, even though requires eons of studying and memorizing, makes an impact on people’s lives (especially in the rural setting where health care services are scarce). Besides, I don’t look a day over 24- my supposed Friendster age. Haha!