The Melodrama of Leaving the University
Monday, July 3rd, 2006
Ever since my waning college student days, i’ve always envisioned myself beeing a total geek in the technical world of the computer and electronic hardware and software industry, being holed up in a dexter’s lab like office, doing research and development on whatever cockamamie contraption or software thats put on board.. (nerd alert!).. well, kidding aside, I’ve always been a techie at heart.
My path, however brought me elsewhere. I remained at the university and took a career in teaching, being hired by the institute wherst I graduated from and started teaching physics and the more geeky applied physics to the eager young minds of the University of the Philippines at Los Banos. Even though, we as government employees, received pathetic compensation for our services, the prestige and honor of being a public servant to the country’s premier university was the true purpose of our servitude. Sacrifice… the true heroes of our country are the one that give truly, with little regard for reward. Well, it also helped that our residence being right next to the university swayed me into taking the post. Before that, I’ve always been fascinated in teaching(in college that is, the rambunctious nature of our primary and secondary school youth is not for me), being the boss of the classroom and being able to impart knowlege and influence to a multitude of people coming from all corners in the philippines.
It really was a marvelous experience… the anxiety(hehe, I love high anxiety situations, sarap ng feeling sa tiyan.=P) and apprehension of facing a whole lecture class of students(about 80 kids per lecture), the delighful use of verbal communication(public speaking), the attention, the state of being known to a lot of people, and most of all the respect. And I also didn’t drift far from my interests. I still became the afformentioned geek doing research and development on nerd stuff on my dexter’s lab desk like desk(see gallery for details) and I got promoted to Instructor3, weehee!
Alas, reality smacks me hard in the face. I can’t be a teacher forever. New paths beckon me to take them.. the IT world or the post-graduate studies in business perhaps? But in anyway you put it, it’s always difficult leaving something you’ve been attached to for so long. I’m just happy to think of back then, recalling gratifying memories of my extended college life. Goodbye, my beloved university. Who knows?.. maybe when I achieve my farfetched goal of getting a masters and doctorate in physics and engineering before culinary school, I might just go back to the starting line of my professional life and retire as a professor, wahaha, nerd! Wehehe, small % lang, pang nice guy high to.=P
