On November 22, 2023, the University Student Government had an event entitled “Beyond

the Cap and Gown: Life after College”. Just judging by the name, I thought to myself, “Why
would I want to attend this?” after all, I’m just a first-year student. There’s still so much to do, so
much to experience, so much to suffer through; I won’t lie by saying that the event being
incentivized did not have a big role in swaying my decision. I figured, “Why not?” as I could fit
it into my schedule, and I joined. Going into the event, I did not know exactly what to expect; I
knew it was about the future, but what exactly about it? As the event started, we were introduced
to Mr. XX and Mr. X Jr., both prominent individuals within the professional field with a lot of
experience. Mr. XX, who is currently working at Shopee Philippines as a Key Accounts
Management Planner, and Mr. X Jr., a current assistant professor, and a chief marketing officer,
all the while pursuing a Ph.D.; Needless to say, I was impressed. I knew they were able to impart
a lot of knowledge to the student body.

Honestly, the speakers echoed what I’ve known for a long time. You need to make
connections, and you need to hash out your CV, you need to start now, etc… Which I think just
reiterates the importance of those aspects; applying it to who I am now is very hard. I’m
currently taking a more laid-back approach toward my college life; I used to want to graduate
with a Latin honor, but the first term is really humbling me. I keep my mouth shut in class, keep
quiet, and just try to get through the day. I’ve joined an org, but I’m not participating. I’ve settled
on being content with just the achievement of graduating from a prestigious university. But as
the panelists exhibited and talked about this is not an adequate course of action to take. I’m
wasting so much potential to be so much more, that I’m lacking the hard work and dedication of
Mr. XX and Mr. X Jr.; they did not reach those highs in their careers just without following their
pieces of advice. I learned that I need to strengthen my profile, my skills, and my character. The
panelists focused more on the now, what I, as a student, should be doing. They focused on all the
management functions: planning ahead towards your future, leading yourself towards that future
that you want, organizing yourself into an effective unit, and eventually looking to see if you in
fact, achieved your goals.

In a way, the topics discussed in FDNMANP reflect those discussed by the panelists, as the
topics discussed in FDNMANP not only apply to a business setting but also to a setting where
units need to work together. As Organization and Management not only teaches students to be
good business leaders but also good people, as exhibited in the RVRCOB Code of Ethics and
echoed through The Covenant for Shared Prosperity.

This event allowed me to realize that I need to change, I need to be more. I need to make my
college life worthwhile, not only to have fun but also to allow myself to succeed after university
and into the later stages of my life through my career.