Nearly three years back, a freshman batch took their first steps on an uphill climb, entering the unfamiliar blue-blooded territory where they were greeted with dance, costumes, and cheer amidst the roar of a multi-colored and vibrant crowd. While OrSem did provide a uniquely warm welcome to the new Atenean, the newfound identity came with a perpetual and painful cycle of academics, stress, and (of course) magis.

But past the nerve-wracking oral exams, terror professors, and I.D. violations that plague the average student, the truth eventually dawns on the graduating senior that he is far from the bumbling freshman who first set foot on campus. On a similarly surreal note, it takes a moment (or quite a few) to process how quickly the last three years have zipped by, and the student realizes that he is about to descend from the hill just as quickly as he has reached its peak.

The view from the summit is both breathtaking and terrifying. While the vantage point offers an appreciative and retrospective glance at the product of semesters of studious character, the same perspective can offer a panoramic glimpse into a future of independence and uncertainty. The sight of the finish line may be a comfort to some, but those avoiding the “delaying tactics” of graduate school may find themselves facing the challenges of working-class competition, armed with only an Ateneo education in their arsenal.

When today’s scramble for slots at enlistment will become a mad hunt for employment and job interviews tomorrow, the most practical course of action could be to refine the resume and bump up the QPI, but I think a more appropriate plan is just to savor the rest of the trek down the hill. Nothing can stop the sun from setting on Ateneo’s day, but preoccupation with the imminence of a new beginning often prevents the Atenean from living out the tears and the laughing years that precede the last goodbye.

Focusing solely on the unknown that lies ahead often keeps one from enjoying the magic of the present, and although there is all the time in the world to be an adult after graduation, the truth is that there is only so much time that one has to live in the here and the now. As cliché as it sounds, there is no denying that we will never be as young as we are at this very moment; and in no time at all, index cards will turn into income statements, classrooms into offices, and allowances will be coming out of our own paycheck.

So inasmuch as our present academic endeavors shape the prospects of our future, it is our experiences that determine the mark of our character beyond the college degree. So make mistakes, learn from them, and become more than just your major, because grades and the diploma can only carry you so far in life after your first job. It is your human character built upon genuine human experiences that will take you the extra mile. And that’s what the tears and the laughing years are for.