No no, I didn't take any postgraduate study and I am not graduating this year. My boyfriend is graduating (finally) as he finished his Ph.D. last year.
It made me reflect on my own graduation (see this post on my reflection one year before and after my commencement). I love the fact that it's called "commencement", it's a beginning. I am not excited or overly-happy about his commencement (neither is he). For me, it's a beginning of his looooonggggg journey in his academic career. I told him a few times that if at the end he really stays in academia, he will be my first 'friend' who stays in academia as two great friends of mine who worked as post-doc researchers decided not to continue walking on this path (because of other important priorities).
I was laughing at myself when I looked back how I thought my research job (my first job) was a stagnant job. I was wrong! I was totally wrong. I grew a lot with great people in my lab. I need to admit that I am not so passionate in analysing the data, but I love the time spent with my research subjects (i.e., the preschoolers). I love every moment spent with my ex-colleagues that I could proudly call friend!
When I transitioned to early childhood & special needs education sector, people said "Wow, you finally get into your dream job!" (they all know that I was quite desperate to look for a hands-on job with children). However, my first response was I did believe that each job has plus and minus. Luckily I already had that mentality. It was indeed not a flowery job. It's truly a path to sanctity, just like my research job, as I enjoyed every second spent with my students, but I do feel much more tired at the end of the day compared to my research job. It is a path of roses and with thorns too (especially when you got complaints from parents, oops!) =P But I love it. I love the eureka moments that I have when I walk or sit in the toilet and suddenly I get some teaching ideas! I love the moments when I'm so happy that my student finishes her milk or when another student says "hug" to request a hug from me.
I'm looking forward to learning more things and discerning if this is the path for me. I pray now that as I resign from my current job, God gives me the humility to want to be guided in my next job and perseverance as the new job will be more demanding too! I told myself the same message, there's no dream job. Each job has plus and minus and it's a process of understanding myself better too. At the end of the day, who knows I'll end up doing Ph.D? I already have some research questions now. HAHAHAHA *please no...*
As I reflect for my past university life and my short working experience, I thank God for the journey. Seriously, although the news that NUS is the best university in Asia now keeps popping up in my newsfeed, it is not that important. Yes, you need to study well and study smart, but wherever you are now, it's your outlook in life that is important. That's why every time I meet some people who somehow have good spiritual formation at a young age, I always tell them, "Wow, you're lucky because you know that the most important thing is to be a saint and to help people to be saints - and you know these two facts since you are young, as I only knew that in high school (a bit) and only knew the practical means in university". Even now when there are uncertainties here and there (come on, the only certain thing is uncertainty right?), I have to remind myself of these essential facts. It's okay if at the end of the day, perhaps my real passion is not in education. It's also okay if at the end of the day, I found that education is indeed my passion. In fact, my boyfriend has been encouraging me to pursue something in Arts and Southeast Asian studies, so I always keep that in my mind as I love that field too (just that I don't know how to pursue it yet).
So one day, regardless whether my boyfriend will stay in academia or not, I will look back and smile and say that his Ph.D process was a nice learning journey for both of us! Commencement is truly a beginning.
It made me reflect on my own graduation (see this post on my reflection one year before and after my commencement). I love the fact that it's called "commencement", it's a beginning. I am not excited or overly-happy about his commencement (neither is he). For me, it's a beginning of his looooonggggg journey in his academic career. I told him a few times that if at the end he really stays in academia, he will be my first 'friend' who stays in academia as two great friends of mine who worked as post-doc researchers decided not to continue walking on this path (because of other important priorities).
I was laughing at myself when I looked back how I thought my research job (my first job) was a stagnant job. I was wrong! I was totally wrong. I grew a lot with great people in my lab. I need to admit that I am not so passionate in analysing the data, but I love the time spent with my research subjects (i.e., the preschoolers). I love every moment spent with my ex-colleagues that I could proudly call friend!
When I transitioned to early childhood & special needs education sector, people said "Wow, you finally get into your dream job!" (they all know that I was quite desperate to look for a hands-on job with children). However, my first response was I did believe that each job has plus and minus. Luckily I already had that mentality. It was indeed not a flowery job. It's truly a path to sanctity, just like my research job, as I enjoyed every second spent with my students, but I do feel much more tired at the end of the day compared to my research job. It is a path of roses and with thorns too (especially when you got complaints from parents, oops!) =P But I love it. I love the eureka moments that I have when I walk or sit in the toilet and suddenly I get some teaching ideas! I love the moments when I'm so happy that my student finishes her milk or when another student says "hug" to request a hug from me.
I'm looking forward to learning more things and discerning if this is the path for me. I pray now that as I resign from my current job, God gives me the humility to want to be guided in my next job and perseverance as the new job will be more demanding too! I told myself the same message, there's no dream job. Each job has plus and minus and it's a process of understanding myself better too. At the end of the day, who knows I'll end up doing Ph.D? I already have some research questions now. HAHAHAHA *please no...*
As I reflect for my past university life and my short working experience, I thank God for the journey. Seriously, although the news that NUS is the best university in Asia now keeps popping up in my newsfeed, it is not that important. Yes, you need to study well and study smart, but wherever you are now, it's your outlook in life that is important. That's why every time I meet some people who somehow have good spiritual formation at a young age, I always tell them, "Wow, you're lucky because you know that the most important thing is to be a saint and to help people to be saints - and you know these two facts since you are young, as I only knew that in high school (a bit) and only knew the practical means in university". Even now when there are uncertainties here and there (come on, the only certain thing is uncertainty right?), I have to remind myself of these essential facts. It's okay if at the end of the day, perhaps my real passion is not in education. It's also okay if at the end of the day, I found that education is indeed my passion. In fact, my boyfriend has been encouraging me to pursue something in Arts and Southeast Asian studies, so I always keep that in my mind as I love that field too (just that I don't know how to pursue it yet).
So one day, regardless whether my boyfriend will stay in academia or not, I will look back and smile and say that his Ph.D process was a nice learning journey for both of us! Commencement is truly a beginning.
