Graduated during the pandemic: Now what?

The world has been turned upside-down by the COVID-19 virus, disrupting day-to-day life and businesses. But amidst unprecedented times, graduating college students still had to face one thing: life after graduation. Thinking about life post-graduation is already enough to cause stress and anxiety. However, the added uncertainties brought on by the pandemic may leave newly-minted graduates in a state of limbo. 

Meet Yumi Briones, Alexandra Hulog, and Daniela Villegas. In their own words, these young alumnae share how they are growing and starting their post-college life in a pandemic–infusing their Ignatian values into everything they do. They are inspiring reminders of the impact of an Ateneo education to adapt to the challenges and find new inspirations to survive and serve. 

Yumi Briones

BS Chemistry 2020, MS Chemistry 2021
Co-founder and CEO of Savon Cleaning Solutions, a startup that sells sustainable, refillable hand soap

Pre-pandemic, I was set to dive straight into taking a PhD abroad. I saw myself working in a lab in a white coat- the classic chemistry route. But when the pandemic hit, I learned that I loved working on chemistry from my computer, which got me into the growing field of bioinformatics. The pandemic also inspired my friends and me to start Savon Cleaning Solutions; it is our way of responding to the health and climate crises. My current position in Savon [as CEO] is a perfect marriage of my passions for science, business, and leadership. Furthermore, I was able to teach online classes in Ateneo for a semester, which turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. Looking back, I'm thankful that the pandemic threw a wrench into my original plans; it all turned out for the better.

Ateneo taught me that the most important life skill is learning how to learn. Taking theology, philosophy, and all of Ateneo's formative subjects could initially be seen as a distraction from learning my major, chemistry. But if I had focused solely on learning chemistry, I would not be where I am now. Because I had mastered the art (and science) of learning, I was able to adapt to the changing times and find my path to success.

Most of the things I achieved in the past two years were never part of my original plans. Of course, I have goals for myself — I want to grow Savon, I want to continue doing research, and somewhere down the line, I still want to take my PhD abroad and experience the world. But because I've experienced the joy of unexpected learning, I'm also keeping myself open to whatever surprises life has in store for me.

Alexandra Hulog

BS Chemistry 2020, BS Materials Science and Engineering 2021
Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering

The pandemic and how it affected my family really changed what I thought I would do after graduation. Instead of taking the very straightforward path of taking the chemistry licensure exam and diving into either a post-graduate program or getting a job as a researcher, I realized that I was allowed to breathe. I realized that the pandemic was a good enough reason to sit down and take a year just to reevaluate. It didn't take long for me to notice that the path I was dreaming about was not the same dream I had pre-pandemic.

My Ateneo education taught me that it's okay to change based on what you learn. My professors instilled in me that what I want to do may change because who I am, what I know, and what I need are not static. At first, it was challenging to adapt to the life of being stuck in the pandemic and no longer being a student; but after noticing that I was holding myself back, I allowed myself to change. Another lesson I learned from my Ateneo education is that failure is more acceptable than stagnancy. So, instead of letting myself be comfortable in the path I originally wanted to take, I decided that it was no longer what was best for me, and it was also no longer the best way for me to help others.

I am currently preparing for the chemistry licensure exam and the NMAT. I plan to pursue higher education, either a master's degree in chemistry or medical school. 

Daniela Villegas

AB Management Economics, 2020
Associate Software Engineer

None of the majors I've been through in college could've predicted that I'll be in software engineering after graduation. But, overall, the pandemic has given me more time to explore my current interests and those that I have never tried before. 

However, recently, I realized that this pandemic had affected us more deeply than we think. My priorities have changed. For example, pre-pandemic me would've accepted the offer from Vogue. But now, I'll have to think about whether an opportunity keeps me stable and healthy in the long run. Sadly, the passions I had before that were not the biggest money-making fields are now even more unstable and unattainable for me, given my set of priorities.

I think it's not exactly what I know that grants me great opportunities, but it's really how I learn. It's how you take in information, process it, and communicate it. Ateneo taught us so well how to learn, and I take that with me wherever I go, whichever path I wish to take, given now that it's all in my hands. Life after graduation truly is much harsher than student life. You add a pandemic to that, and it's chaos. But knowing how and what to prioritize and how to navigate have been significant parts of the foundation of my way of life now.

Honestly, I hit some version of existential crisis regularly. Sometimes it's from thinking, 'What should I do differently tomorrow?' to 'What do I really want to do in life?" 

Don't get me wrong; some cornerstones hold up this scenario in my head of where I want to be in 5, 10, or 50 years. That's my map. But the future changes a lot these days. So, presently, I want to get better at what I do, and I also want to do what I love outside of work. I'm just grateful that I realized this early that what's important to me really is family. So, yes, I'll pursue my passions and whatever else I have to do to live. But never at the expense of my time with them. Cheesy, I know, but I'm getting older. It comes with the territory.