Summer is almost coming and for more than half of my life, I've always looked forward to it because it meant more free time to do the things I want and of course, to travel away from school. To clarify, first, I've already graduated from college haha. Once a few years ago, they gave me a kiddie coloring kit on a plane! (and that's another story to tell) hehehe. I graduated 2006 with an AB Economics degree from Ateneo de Manila and a minor in Chinese Studies. Today, I'd like to tell you about some of the things I graduated from ever since I started this travel blog Guiltless Getaways (circa 2009) as part of our blog carnival in the Pinoy Travel Bloggers group =)
- looking forward to summers (coz I look forward to every month now haha)
- mindless traveling (all those trips that I don't remember what I did anymore serve as a reminder to learn as much as possible from trips)
- planning everything to the OC level (imagine just winning trips a few days before, exciting! haha)
- buying unnecessary stuff or shopping with sky as the limit (I'd rather spend it for travel now)
- dreaming to climb the corporate ladder (I work with them now and I'm happy with my fun projects)
- saying that I'll wait until I retire before I travel (kung gusto, laging may paraan) =)
- thinking that the world is dangerous and I should always stay inside
- letting fear come over me and stopping myself from doing crazy things (things I have never imagined me doing, e.g. traveling alone or simply trying out diving)
- being shy and quiet all of the time (I used to say that I don't have any stories to tell and my life is uneventful, now I find stories wherever I go)
- thinking that I cannot write
- trying to look nice all the time (my feet are one of my greatest assets now and I want to take care of it by wearing comfy shoes haha)
- letting opportunities pass by (I even said let's go to Pulag and surfing in Zambales hahahaha)
- being a cheapskate for travel, thinking that everything has to be budget travel (the motto I live by today is: it doesn't matter whether you save or splurge, as long as the trip is worth it for you and you make it count, that's where the term "Guiltless" in Guiltless Getaways came from and that's how I travel in this blog)
One habit at a time, I am graduating from:
- looking at report cards as a basis of performance (I'd rather spend that time writing now and appreciating your love and support)
So from me to you, dear Graduates, congratulations! *Pat on the back.
It's time to experience the world
with ALL of your heart and soul!
Follow your dreams to travel whenever you can.
with ALL of your heart and soul!
Follow your dreams to travel whenever you can.
Don't forget to give back, yah? =)
This is my fifth contribution to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival. Kaiz Galang (of Miss Backpacker) is currently compiling other Pinoy bloggers' travel graduation list this month.
My first ever contribution to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival was a 3D2N and 4D3N itinerary to El Nido, Palawan. Click here for other 3D2N Suggestions for destinations all over the Philippines.
My second contribution to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival was an 11D10N itinerary to Seoul, Korea under the compilation of Leap of Faith: When Traveling Changed My Life stories from Travel Bloggers all over the Philippines.
My third contribution to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival was a dream itinerary to Barcelona and my pledge to turn it into reality. Click here for other ultimate dream destinations and travel wish lists from other Pinoy travel bloggers.
My fourth contribution to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival was about a walking tour of Intramuros, compiled under Philippine walking tours.
Click here to know more about the Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival and the past Blog Carnival topics and link compilation: http://langyaw.com/pinoy-travel-bloggerss-blog-carnival/
If you haven't graduated yet, I'd like to leave you with this message that someone passed on to me:
If you haven't graduated yet, I'd like to leave you with this message that someone passed on to me:
College is about learning. It's not as simple as learning whatever it is that's being taught in your required classes, though.
It's about learning how to listen, how to speak, how to think. Learning who you are, who your friends are, and the type of people you want as friends.
Learning how to trust your innermost feelings, and how to find those feelings in the first place. It's about learning what's really important to you, and learning what you really don't give a damn about.
College is about learning how to tolerate, how to accept, how to like and how to love. Learning how to give as well as you receive, and how to trust that everything will work itself out on its own (you buy a pizza one night, your roommate will the next night).
It's about learning that your mom and dad actually do have the right answers sometimes, and that your kid sister isn't such a dumb little kid anymore. College is about learning how to treat people as people, not as stereotypes.
Learning that a kiss isn't just a kiss, that sometimes it means more, and that sometimes it means less. Learning how to achieve, how to succeed, how to accomplish.
It's about learning how to not come in first place and still be proud, and about coming in last and learning how to admit that you could have done better. College is about learning that loud parties don't necessarily mean a good time. Learning that loneliness doesn't go away in a crowd, and that sometimes it's okay to be by yourself on a Friday or Saturday night.
It's about learning that your lunchtime crowd doesn't constitute your popularity, and that popularity is all a matter of perspective. It's about learning that boredom is simply laziness of the mind, and that watching three hours of Thursday night NBC is not quality relaxation time.
College is about learning how to pack a bag, how to pack a car, and how to pack a room full of way too much stuff. Learning that people like you a whole lot more than they'll ever tell you and that it's your responsibility to make sure your friends know how much you appreciate them.
It's about learning that doing simply what you're supposed to do isn't enough. You need to put forth twice that much in order to fully grasp whatever it is that's sitting in front of you. It's about learning how to make people smile.
College is about learning how to love people enough not to stick them in the past, and how to not miss them so much that it keeps you from moving into the future. Learning how to motivate yourself and how to motivate others.
Learning what the phrase "make do" means, and how to use it to make it seem as if you're not simply "making do". It's about learning 25 different ways of saying "we made out" and how to swear in all the different languages of your class/floor/dorm/housemates.
COLLEGE IS ABOUT LEARNING. LEARNING HOW TO LIVE.
