Watching Grey's Anatomy has become our benchmark with our QLC dilemna. These medical interns also go through a lot beyond their actual med work in the hospital: confusing relationships, responsibilities at home, work relationship with colleagues, and many many more. That's when my high school karbarkada and I started realizing so many things about our lives in our mid-20's:

• Career - Is this really the right job for me? Can I actually do this for the rest my life?
• Finance - Agh when will the bills stop coming? For instance, credit cards, celphone bills, personal loans, etc etc etc....
• Boys, The Dating Hoopla - Ahh a bit complicated... My dating life gets really crazy, when will the whole situation become pretty smooth like a calm ocean or something? When is my knight and shining armor coming? When will I settle down kaya?
• Friends - When can I see my friends and have fun just like before? (Coz some of them are either married or out of the country or perpetual students: law and med school and 2nd degree peeps)
• Self - Am I actually happy? If everything is fine with me, well then why do I feel empty? Confused? Scared?

While we were looking at our high school pictures we thought that being a kid was so much fun, no worries and no fuss. It was like before, all we cared were grades, prom dates, crushes, bands and other juvenile things. Now, things get more serious and confusing at the same time. There are nights when we get to have these anxiety attacks. I dunno, probably because we just think too much. Then we got an email from our friend about QLC or Quarter Life Crisis. After reading it, my friend and I cried. We can so relate naman kasi. Go on, read it!

They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis." It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now. You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. 

What you don't recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you. You look at your job... and it is not even close to what you thought you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you. Your opinions have gotten stronger.You see what others are doing and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn't. One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure.

You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward. You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you. Or you lie in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or maybe you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you know that you aren't a bad person. 

One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap. Getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision.

You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life for yourself... and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender! 

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.

Send this to your twenty something friends.... maybe it will help someone feel like they aren't alone in their state of confusion.....

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF US!!

Hah goodluck talaga to us! The best of times and our worst of times are the avenues of learning. Hence, as the years go on, we will probably become wiser individuals.... Sana!!

Another realization, in 5 years (and they say time flies really fast) we will be in our 30's... HOLY F****IN S**T!!!!  

For my friends who will be reading this, well most of you are in your early 20's, three words: JUST ENJOY COLLEGE. It may be scary, but it's one hell of an amazing ride. =D

  

"Maybe mistakes are what make our fate...without them what would shape our lives? Maybe if we had never veered off course we wouldn't fall in love, have babies, or be who we are. After all things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. But it's comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart...and if you're very lucky, a plane ride away"- Carrie Bradshaw

WHoa! It's been a while since I updated my LJ's. I miss "THE LIFE"

Three weeks of a totally whirlwind, crazy, stressful and most of all, toxifying moment, I NEED TO CHILLAX BIG TIME! I've been going home really late because of the taxing workload everyday (since our deadline to 2 of our clients were fast approaching). In addition, I had to work on weekends just to have a quality output for both of my clients. It really tested my time management: which client to prioritize first and what assignment to place at item # 1 in my task list. In other words, nakakawindang ang mga araw na dumaan!! 

I may not have 100% delivered a quality output. I have committed minor mistakes, which decreased the expectations of my managers. I wasn't "OC" enough to check and validate my work. But I am thankful to Kuya Jess that I have managers who have considered me more than just a subordinate but a little sister and a friend. We talked and assessed the "lil gliches" but at the same time they affirmed me for some good things I did in the process. I may not be a perfect corporate worker but I was brave enough to admit and accept my mistakes. At the end of this, I have learned so much and I hope and pray that these incidents will serve me as an avenue to be a better worker, a fine person. So to assess what I've learned, well here are my realizations:

• Time Management - You gotta know what to prioritize base on the deadlines, even if they all occur at the same time.
• Saying YES all the time may be damaging - There's nothing wrong in saying yes and believing that you can do it. But sometimes, we get so overwhelmed with work that we over promise but we under deliver. Gotta know and be brave enough when to say "I can't to this at this moment because I have to do this and the deadline is F***ing tight. It is human nature that managers understand your situation.
• Time is gold. Every minute must not be wasted, not only for work but for family and friends. Every second we have to be productive. If we need to rest, hahaha... there's Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
• The corporate world is not a cruel and bitchy place to live in. There are still some people who understand your imperfections and are open to talk about what went wrong. At the end of the day, they are our yellow brick road to become a better person. Actually, they are sent by Jess and guides us to go to the right direction.
• Time for Jess - aaahhh damn, haven't been regularly going to mass or even visit the disco (adoration chapel) because of the toxicity of work.... I think I'll do that when I take my leave. =D

I NEED MY NORMAL LIFE BACK: Going home early, hang out with my dear family and my totally fabulous friends, relax, roam around the mall and SLEEP!!!

But after this week, I can't wait to bum around at home, fix my stuff and other personal obligations, have a dvd marathon of Desperate Housewives, read a good novel (or at least read my textbooks for MBA) and have a major beauty rest and recharge for total rejuvination!

I can't wait to see my high school friends on Saturday: mongolian barbeque, raclette dinner, fondue, wine, marble potatoes and cheese and eternal chismax of what's up with our other batchmates. After all, my friends are I are known as AC_2-3_chismosas. Ah, my high school friends... Second year section three (2-3) SY 1996-1997.

Argh, I hope we'll do good in our presentation at a big account client... seven hours and counting.... wwaaahhh!!! BIL lang...

TO CAMILLE, TIMMY, CAMPS, NINA, DANGGAY, CESS, THERESA, HANNA, RIANNA, HAYDEE AND THOSE WHO ARE IN MY LJ's.... I MISS YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!