Masochists

After taking four exams Friday morning—a harrowing experience but only the tip of the iceberg, I was told—I needed a break. I figured Saturday evening was a great time to meet up with my high school classmates, so I reserved my schedule for a dinner engagement.

It turned out that everyone was busy. Christopher Sorongon had a dinner meeting in his accounting firm. Michelle Tolosa had a big exam for med school she had to prepare for. Ronnel Dela Cruz had to accompany his depressed boss from the party list he's working for—after the final tally of votes, they didn't qualify. And we didn't get to contact Shean Chiva or Rowena Salanga.

So I was left with Vanessa Gumban, my seatmate in the front row and my partner-in-crime (our Social Studies teacher walked out because we made fun of his pronunciation—I got so tense I vomited), and we ate at an Italian restaurant.

Vanessa, who's studying at UP Law, told me how tired she has been from all the cases she had to remember. Law students have fewer subjects, they take less exams, but they have to put up with daily rounds of graded recitations, facing dreaded professors who do not hesitate to give a 5.0 for stupid answers.

In med school, we can sleep in class. But the catch is that we have exams on almost on a weekly basis, with more subjects to study. But which path is harder to take is something my brother and I have yet to settle.

"We're masochists," Vanessa said, laughing.

"We pay thousands of pesos to torture ourselves with studying," I said, echoing a professor who lectured in our Art of Medicine class.

"But I can't imagine living any other life."

I said I had exactly the same sentiments. "All our efforts will pay off, for as long as we find meaning in what we're doing."

We then got a message from Ronnel who was asking if we could arrange another reunion next week.

Vanessa said, "Oh no. I can't. Not on a Wednesday."

I said I was going to be busy with school as well, and that night was probably going to be my only free time for the next months or so.

"What's happening to us? Our social lives are dead. My life goes something like go-to-class, go-back-home, and study."

I just laughed. "I have orgs to keep myself busy, but I know how that feels like."

Sometimes I envy friends who are earning their own money, ascending into the corporate ladder, and going places for work-related meetings because here I am, still stuck in school, relying on my parents for my allowance, refusing to go to reunions and meet ups in 9 out of 10 times.

But the more I think about it, the more I remember that God called me to this life. And while that entails a lot of sacrifices, didn't He promise that He will see me through?

What a glorious comfort to know that God is my strength and joy.