Reflections on graduation [editorial]

Title

Language

English

Year

1952

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Published by the students of the University of Son Carlos Cebu City Philippines Zdro/inidn LeMJI'WI'USTUDENTS EMILIO IL ALLER. crf.Ior; VICENTE N. L1M. uwriale; F1DELIZA F. GAR CIA, literary; LEONIE I.IANZA. feature; BUDDY QUITORIO. Fenture: JESUS G. RAMA, military; BENJAMIN CABAILO. JR., art; JOSE DE LA RIARTE. reporter. i'esus C. FAIGAO CARMEN O. GONZALEZ Rev. LUIS E. SCHOENFELD, SVD Moderator ________________ 34 . 35 3 5 7 8 9 • Sditetfal • Reflections On Graduation So you’re graduating. You are sure you have made the grade. And the glorious day is etched in big letters of red on the calendar pinned on your favorite wall. You should be happy. At least you are supposed to be. But there are people ivho, speaking from experience, believe that grad uation to the student should not be merely donning on of the cap, gown, hood, accompanied by accolades of triumph from satisfied parents. There is more to graduation than all these, they say. And the light-hearted graduate who thinks that his graduation is all there is for him to achieve, the summum bonum of his efforts, is due for a big disillusionment. The rainbow-colored bubble of this chimeric event would profit him better if it should sooner spend itself out and literally burst into void reality across his face. For he may wake up blinking one fine morning only to realize too late that emptiness is staring him from space. It might be a little late for him to shake himself off from this haunting graduation dream. For graduation is not everything. It surely is not enough to merely graduate. This graduation dream is just a breathing spell. For it marks the prelude to the commencement of impending trials and tribulations, which, on the main, are much more real, more vivid and more pulsating than the hallucinations of a dream or of what ever was encountered in the study halls of theory. Embarrassing problems and trying questions set in to blur his pet and perfect picture of himself amidst ease, leisure and contentment. For he must move and work. And the things he must put up against are plenty and varied — how to make a good start in his chosen profes sion — how to make a real go of it in actual practice — how to maintain this career-momentum necessary for a decent livelihood. What the graduate acquires in the classroom and his conduct and sincerely in his studies will be reflected in him acutely and correspondingly when he is put to the test. If he has applied him self diligently to learning, all ivill be well. If otherwise, nobody but himself and his pride suffers. Whatever he may bring unto himself will be of his own doing; a simple application of the theory of cause and effect. It would be a better attitude to consider graduation as a means to mark time for another beginning. But whatever this graduation dream might evoke in anybody’s contemplations, graduates are usually swept away in the tide of praise, applause, and congratulations, which we usually join in under the irresistible urge of the moment, we congratulate them. We wish them all the luck in the world. They will surely need it in their struggle for down-to-earth existence. But though they should leave to face the world single-handed while carving out for themselves their chosen paths, they will not be entirely alone. For San Carlos ivill always be with them as a memory and an inspiration. They know that their Alma Mater hopes and prays the best for them. In turn, they will strive to bring mote honor and renown to her as loyal sons and daughters who rec ognize in this success a matter of duty, obligation, lore and respect for their Alma Mater.

Media