This Complicated Thing Called Life

Having graduated last December 2015 from my undergraduate degree in Uni, I decided to work for awhile before going into med school. After all, the extra money that I get to earn would be helpful in paying off med school tuition fees and other pertinent things I might need to buy. Little did I know that life would hit me hard.

When a stranger would view my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts, you'd perceive me for an adventurous young adult. After all my recent posts often consist of me travelling, diving and going to the beach. Behind the adventurous facade however is an over-worked and pressured young adult just trying to make it big in the industry I'm currently in. Indeed life is such a complicated thing. Sometimes I find myself wondering if I'm genuinely happy with the way I'm living life or I'm just leading myself to believing that I'm happy. My social media self tells me that I'm happy because I get to earn money and, at the same time, be able to travel. On the other hand, my working self tells me that my body is tired and over-worked, at the same time, under-compensated and under-appreciated. Which one do I believe?

For quite sometime, I led by myself to believe my working self. I led myself to believe that I indeed deserve something better and that I needed to be compensated more and appreciated more in the work force. After all, who works continuous 9 hour work shifts and sometimes 12 hour work shifts? Who works on midnights, or weekends, or even on holidays? Who works on priority tasks with within the day or urgent deadlines on an almost daily basis? I was jealous of my friends who are still finishing up their units in college because they get to have time to rest and go out with friends and org mates. I was jealous of my friends who get to make mistakes and not have to face dire consequences for it. I was jealous of my friends who have the freewill to cram requirements and still meet the deadlines. Well, after 6 months in the work force, I realized I was wrong to complain because, after all, this is what they call life.

Life is indeed complicated. They say most young adults are "opinionated without knowledge, entitled without wealth, and demanding yet dependent." That is true... Just in some way. Let me explain. After 6 months of being in the work force, I learned not to complain because that is how we learn and gain experience. I realized that sometimes it is okay (and also necessary) to pick up that wood and hammer tool and be the one to hammer and build your own set stage, even if it goes beyond your job description. I realized that it is okay to be the one to carry boxes and boxes of items to and from different places, even if it is also beyond your job description. It is okay because I get to experience the hard times. At some point in the future, I would get the chance to be able to ask someone else to do that for me but, for now, I have to suck it up. For now, I'd have to learn and get through the ropes before having that chance to be the one to give out orders. Humility, they say.

In another light, I say that it is okay to be opinionated, entitled and demanding. We are the movers and shakers of this generation! We have the right to challenge and defy norms. Society progresses with proper discourse. Proper discourse starts with respectful and open discussion about matters important to society.

Do I have to follow? Or do I stand up and say that something is not right? I came to learn how to properly place myself in different situations. Different situations call for different measures. However, what do I know? HA! Life indeed is complicated!