#adulthings

Entering early adulthood brings a host of new experiences, challenges, and milestones that shape our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. For John, working as an IT professional in a BPO company, this stage of life has brought unexpected change in daily routines, a new understanding of responsibility, and the emotional growth needed to manage relationships and career challenges. Let us take a look at John’s journey and the lessons that he learned along the way. 

Before starting his job, John enjoyed a laid-back lifestyle. Basketball, workouts, and free time were a regular part of his routine. However, everything changed when he joined a BPO company. The shift to working nights and sleeping during the day required John to adapt quickly to a much more structured lifestyle. In the beginning, adjusting to night shifts was particularly tough. His body struggled with the new schedule, and he felt the physical toll of long hours at work. “I felt like I was losing weight because my body was adjusting to this new schedule,” he shared. The exhaustion from his job meant that all he could do after work was go home and sleep. His usual activities like working out, playing basketball, and enjoying time with friends were put on hold. The biggest lesson from this experience was the importance of time management. John realized that maintaining a healthy work-life balance would require him to make tough choices, even if it meant sacrificing some of the things he once enjoyed.

John’s transition into adulthood was not just a physical adjustment but it was also a mental and emotional one. One of the biggest mental challenges he faced was the pressure to graduate on time. As an irregular student, John had to extend his studies by a year, which made him feel like he was falling behind compared to his peers. “After I graduated, the pressure didn’t end. It took me three months to get hired, which made me feel even more stressed,” he explained. Watching his siblings already working while he struggled to find a job only increased his anxiety.  

When he finally secured a position as an IT professional, the reality of full-time work hit hard. The expectations were higher, and he had to learn quickly, juggling new responsibilities, working under pressure, and managing his time carefully. “Time management became more important. If I had a 30-minute task, I had to finish it in exactly 30 minutes—no more, no less,” John shared. This experience taught him that adulthood is a balancing act between responsibility and discipline, lessons that are important for success in both personal and professional life.

John’s journey into adulthood has not been without its emotional challenges. One of the most difficult experience that tests his emotional strength, was in a form of a painful breakup. He had been in a relationship where trust was compromised, and his ex-partner's insecurities caused constant tension. “It felt suffocating, like there was no trust,” he said. The situation worsened with jealousy over his friendships and social media interactions, and eventually, John discovered that his partner had been unfaithful.

The emotional aftermath was tough, but John’s family was there for him, showing support and reminding him to focus on his own well-being. “I learned that it’s important to love yourself and take care of your emotional health,” he said. Instead of seeking revenge, he chose healing, learning that moving forward and focusing on self-love was the most empowering response.

In addition to his romantic relationship, John has also faced challenges in friendships, particularly with friends who are sensitive and require extra patience. Through these experiences, he learned the importance of understanding and empathy, recognizing that we cannot always control how others feel, but we can offer support when needed.

When it comes to priorities right now, John's career is one of the things he is very focused on. Since this is his first time in a full-time role, having only done extra jobs before, he is eager to continue learning, tackle new challenges, and find ways to make a meaningful impact through his work. Looking to the future, John holds onto the dream of marriage and starting a family. He hopes to become a good father someday and feels he has a lot to experience and build in himself to prepare for that moment.

As John experiences the challenges of early adulthood, he’s learning that this stage is about much more than just growing up. It’s about adapting, evolving, and finding balance between work, personal growth, and relationships. From adjusting to the physical and mental demands of a full-time job to managing the emotional challenges that come with life’s ups and downs, early adulthood has proven to be a time of significant personal development.

After graduating from college, I immediately started job hunting. After a month, I finally got hired, but it was a project-based job. Having a contract job felt quite embarrassing for me, so I didn’t share much about it. I just told people I had a job.

A week into working onsite at the office, I got a glimpse of the environment and the people I would be working with. I told myself right away: Don’t lose yourself. I saw my coworkers getting angry and talking down about applicants who weren’t in front of them. I felt like they looked down on the applicants, and I made it my daily mantra to not lose my principles and not become like them.

However, one month into the job, I found myself adopting their behavior, becoming the person I had tried my best not to become. Like them, I started talking down about applicants behind their backs. Since I only interacted with them online, as soon as the mic was muted or the phone call ended, I’d call them "dumb" or other derogatory terms. I became toxic.

Although the pay is good and it allows us to have unlimited paid overtime hours, I believe that allowing your employees to work overtime without reminding them to slow down or rest, and just letting them be overworked, is not good. It feels like the company is more focused on getting the job done, rather than ensuring that we are healthy and not burning out.

Even though I’ve made friends with my colleagues, who are also on a project-based contract, and we bond and laugh together, it’s not enough to make an employee happy. I know it's not, because I know myself. And I try my best to romanticize life and find good things beyond all the bad things. But lately, I don’t even have the time, energy, or motivation to find something beautiful. I don’t even feel like taking pictures or sharing the good things anymore.

And although I understand that this behavior was caused by stress and the ramping season, which made the job more fast-paced than it should have been, I still believe that kind of behavior is wrong and unacceptable. I’m part of the Human Resources department—the people that employees should be able to rely on. I always imagined being in the applicants’ shoes, and I know I wouldn’t like it if my recruiter was badmouthing me behind my back.

This job is ruining me.

It’s also making me lose my principles and ethics. How can I push an applicant to continue the employment process when they give me reasons like not having enough money for the fare or dealing with a family emergency? But I still do it, because if I don’t, it will affect my job performance. One month in, and I’ve already gone through a roller coaster of emotions and experiences in the company.

How can I offer an applicant the option to move to the next batch and contact them about receiving their equipment when, just a few minutes ago, they informed me they couldn’t proceed with onboarding because they had just lost their brother?

This job is making me sick.

Now, after a month and a half, I can proudly accept and say that it’s a good thing I’m not permanent in this company. My contract is about to end, and with that, I will have my freedom.

My job is ruining me.

The workload is tolerable, and I can manage it, but the culture in this workplace is something I do not want to be part of. It is toxic and makes people spiteful. I even brought the spite I had from work home, and my mom noticed it.

My colleagues and I are tired and angry.

We understand the situation, and we accepted this job, but the superiors who should be supporting us aren’t doing anything. The tenured people in the company have adapted to the toxic environment and culture, and they’ve just tolerated it, making it the norm.

Funny how the universe seems to send you random signs to continue no?

I was rewatching the videos I took from my first ever concert (Twice) and this song really resonated with me for some reason.

Nocturne Diaries Entry No. ??

I am repulsed by people with excessive PDA.

Especially those who inconvenience people around them.

May time na may nakasabay ako na couple sa jeep. Katabi ko. My God. Grabe sila magharutan! To the point na yung tulakan nila, damay ako. Like, makatarungan ba yun?

I was about to call them out kasi nakatingin sa kanila lahat yung ibang pasahero but I stopped when I saw how Kuya's eyes sparkled as he looks at his SO.

First time ko ata makakita ng ganun. Napatigil na lang ako and I let them be. I mean, sino ba naman ako para sumira sa moment na yun diba?

Fast forward, pumunta kami ng Mt. Makiling two weeks ago.

My friend insisted on taking photos of me and B. I hesitantly obliged.

"Alaaa. Ka-cute mo dito Louie. Kilig na kilig eh."

When I heard that, pumasok sa isip ko si Kuya sa jeep. Naisip ko, may time kaya na may napatigil kami sa kalandian namin? Charot.