Perhaps the biggest blow to my self-esteem (to date) is missing graduating cum laude by .005. I never aspired to graduate with honors; a UP diploma—and loads of life lessons courtesy of State U—was enough for me. :) But thank God, even if I just cruised through college life (I was never grade conscious; I was focused on learning and on enjoying the college experience), I managed to get decent grades that made me this close to getting that laude title. I didn’t though (Hello, 1.755! haha).

Getting over that heartbreak was pretty easy for me—-landing a job was way harder. Along with thousands of other graduates in 2010, I braved the job market, only to get turned down by companies I didn’t even want to work for (I just applied either for convenience, or for the sake of applying). Haha. I was eyeing the PR/advertising industry for a change of scenery, since I was mostly involved in feature/fashion/sports writing in school. I was technically unemployed for almost four months (I did have a short stint with a sports website though, where I also learned so much), and I wondered more than once “What on earth is wrong with me, why don’t I have a job yet?”

But being the God-centered person and the existentialist that I am, I believed in my heart that there was a reason why I still hadn’t found a job when it was mid-UAAP Season 73 (yes, that was my benchmark) already. And I was right: God indeed had great plans. :) He always does. :)

I got a text from the HR person of ABS-CBN Publishing one Friday, and completed the whole interview/exam/application/screening process in about two weeks. And because everything fell into place, I knew this job is God’s will for me. :)

It has been a year since I first set foot in API as the first new editorial assistant of its flagship title in eight years. I wouldn’t lie and say it’s all fun, but I can say that it’s pretty much worth it. Being an EA teaches you a lot of things: patience, humility, resourcefulness—it also makes you re-think things about yourself and the world. I’m very thankful that I have really nice editors (not Devil Wears Prada-ish); I’m grateful for their trust in me and the lessons they so generously impart (both consciously and unconsciously). I have really long days, nothing’s a walk in the park, but I can say that everything has made me a better person—-and that’s one of my ultimate goals anyway. :)

Happy first birthday to my EA life! :)

Here’s the first issue I worked on. :) Cover girl Mariel Rodriguez was so much fun to work with! #walkdownmemorylane