1. Remember when all I was worrying about back then was “What time will my favorite shows air on TV? Ahh good times. 

2. What about when I was terrified when the teacher would give me a parent notification slip every time I fail a quiz? That meant I had to hide those letters from mommy at daddy so that I don’t get into trouble.

3. I miss the days when summer vacation was my favorite time of the year. 3 months of zero responsibilities were fun. 

4. It’s hard to believe that I barely spoke in the classroom all throughout my elementary and high school years yet I still made it out alive. I don’t think I ever opened my mouth ‘till I was like 4.

5. As each year passed, the responsibilities were beginning to pile up for me. Indeed, I wasn’t a kid anymore. Slowly, I was becoming a man even though I’m baby-faced.

6. Remember the first time I drove along EDSA? I should’ve seen the paranoid look on my mom’s face. Her toes were shaking and her whole body was shivering.

7. Look at me now though. Coasting through the SLEX highway and drifting along C-5 with ease.

8. Completing my thesis is absolutely the greatest accomplishment of my young life. I honestly forgot about my other papers, exams and school requirements. 

9. Just like that, I’ve graduated College. I’m done with school. It’s too early to tell, but I’m not sure if I’m up for the challenge to pursue both an MA and PhD. All I know is I must and will find work soon.

10. But of course I can’t forget ALL the girl rejections, right? Remember them? Y’all know who you are.

11. Remember the times I would try to flirt with them one by one by pretending to have casual conversations with them? What about when you escorted them to their classrooms?

12. All those resulted in them eventually dating other guys. I guess those boys were better jowas (boyfriends) to my previous crushes more than I was. They exceeded expectations I couldn’t seem to match. 

13. And yes, I’ll never ever forget the time I actually expressed my feelings to one of my long-time crushes. Yes, of all the girls out there, my infatuation for this particular one lasted for a good 2-3 years of my college life.

14. The build-up leading to that very moment still gives me goosebumps to this day. Sadly, I didn’t get the ending I wanted for the both of us. It just goes to show that even if I love someone so much, that person may not reciprocate it back to me. 

15. Which is why next time, don’t be too marupok (clingy). Be patient in waiting for the right one because the next time I say “I LOVE YOU” to someone not counting my parents and relatives, it will be to the mystery girl of my dreams. Ergo, it won’t be all for naught because it will be worth it this time.  

16. On that same token, go ahead and SHOOT YOUR SHOT. You didn’t break the “No Girlfriend Rule” in College, so it’s only fitting that I’m “allowed” to start dating now until I find the ideal person for me. To whoever will end up being mine, you’ll be the luckiest girl on Earth. I guarantee that. 

17. It also goes to show that no matter how many times I want to resist my parents, their rules and pieces of advice, they’re always gonna be right no matter what. To their credit, at least they’re not the type who say “I TOLD YOU SO” after all the mistakes I’ve made. 

18. This and so much more just goes to show that at the end of the day, my family will always bail me out no matter how dire the circumstances are and no matter how many times you want to prove your independence in this world.

19. However, as much as I want to keep being the “good son” that I am, I’m also at a point in my life where I’ve got to make my own decisions. I don’t wanna be a complete rebel all of a sudden, but my parents aren’t getting any younger, so now would be a good time to practice making my own decisions in life. 

20. But, if there’s one piece of parental advice I should still take to heart, it is to avoid living up to the world’s expectations. As Gordon Ramsay would always say to aspiring head chefs, “You run the kitchen, or it runs you”. The same can be applied in real life.   

21. As you grow a year older, don’t be completely selfish and close-minded with others. Be happy, yes. Plan out my life, definitely. But I never know what might just happen. I may find my true joys and passions either right in front of me, or in the places I least expect them. Speaking of joys and passions, wherever I go, always spread and share them with others. 

22. Last, but not least, trust in God. As cliche as it sounds, the uncertainties currently surrounding me will have direction soon. He will give me the ideal job, the right set of friends, the perfect girl and a life well-lived. After all, these are all I ask for as I grow older and older by the day. I’m never the type to ask for too much, but I shouldn’t feel guilty. It’s only right that I desire and deserve these blessings as I enter Year 22.