School Finale

Tonight is my last night at dorm. Packing has been more painful, since I have to pack things accumulated within 4 years. I think I'm going to discard some. Sometimes we try to be sentimental and keep some things, until we eventually realize that some are actually just trash. I remember when I was in first year, I brought home to Baguio my exam papers. Now, I realize that I didn't have to bring that much scrap paper.

Yep. It's final. I am going to graduate! woohoo! Even though I only had 3 units this semester, I still had a hard time with the subject. This was because the exams were too hard; actually it was ok but getting points was the hard part. Virtually it was like a zero-or-nothing type of exam. It was hard to mass up points. Good thing I did good in the MP part which comprised 30% of the grade.

The feeling of finally graduating is great! Priceless. 6 years. Not bad. My delayed year was just 8 units actually, and I had enjoyed a great deal with those extra time. I will graduate. Sweet.

If I were to turn back time and choose between graduating on time and now, I'd choose now. I am quite proud of myself, that even though I got delayed for one year, I was able to convert it into something productive to me. I guess the only thing that I lost during that one year was financial opportunity.

Because of my 1 year delay, I was able to prove and improve myself. This is a Recap:

I had the experience of working in a call center (even for just 10days). Bought my own laptop. I took Jap12-13 and a UC-Berkeley course in Computer Architecture as extra units during my first semester. My thesis group got a 1.25 grade, and we were 1 of 4 nominated for Best Paper at the 7th National ECE Conference. I passed the JLPT Level 4. I made more friends. I taught professors from different universities (UB, USC, CIT, MSU-IIT, etc.) how to use VHDL in FPGAs. I was able to 'enjoy' the job fairs re: applications to different companies. Got to play tennis. Got a sideline (IEEE SA). Got lots of pictures (inhinyero). 1 of 13 Filipinos sent to Japan for the Toshiba Final interviews (and I made it up to the very final interview, way past the laglagan phase). I now have a passport. I am very quite familiar with other places in Metro Manila such as Makati/Ayala. whoo! dami pa, di ko na ipopost ang iba!

If I had graduated on time, it would have meant that I was able to cramp all my subjects into those remaining sems. I would have rushed job applications and perhaps accept the very first offer that I could get. My resume would say that I had graduated on time. Period. I'm not a candidate for honors anyway.

Now, that I am graduating it is very nice to see and look back at what I had accomplished. I now had received a total of 3 job offers, and now 4 more applications are in active status.

Job Offers:
1. Astra Philippines Inc. - was invited for the job offer interview but I did not go. haha. During that time, I was already busy (and hopeful) with Toshiba. :D It's a software design company having the Japanese as its major clients.
2. BiT Micro Networks, Inc. - Subsidiary of the company in Silicon Valley. Sort of like a 'default' place for IMLers like me. Deals with Digital Design, I got the offer for ASIC Engineer which would deal in RTL design up to the testing and verification level.
3. SMART Communications, Inc. - Got it 1 day after the Toshiba results came out. I would be included in the Convergent Processes Group specifically in the Networks division. This would lead me to a shift from hardware programming to software.

Active:
1. Chevron - Bought up Caltex and UNOCAL. Just recently, they gave away free parker ballpens and 512MB thumb drives to invited IE students. Means: they have money. IT Career.
2. Canon Information Technologies, Inc. - Just had my HR interview today. Hardware Engineers deal mostly with Testing and Verification.
3. Intel Philippines - Got referred to by Ma'amTata. Position: Senior IC Layout Engineer. Inside info: will be trained outside, high salary grade. I just don't know how high is 'high' in Intel Philippines.
4. Soluziona - Status: no offer yet, but currently being considered. I had been invited to attend boot camps. One was the Informatica training (last week of March) and the next would be COBOL(starting april 23). Chance to work in Spain.

** If I had graduated on time, I would not have this kind of dilemma, choosing over what company I should go to. Not bad being a 'delayed' student ei? Before, I thought that not graduating on time was a sign of my misfortune. It just turns out that God has better plans for us. He gave me a chance to prove myself. Good thing I did not waste the opportunity He gave me. (Reflection: The Parable of the Talents Mat 25:14-30)

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Last day of dorm, last day of unlimited internet access. Hopefully, once I would be able to find a new place to stay and be quite stable about it, I'd subscribe for my very own internet access. But I know it would take some time. Expect for less posts these coming days. I may not be online most of the time, but I'm still just a text away.

Outing!