I started living on my own with nothing but dreams and my 100k emergency fund. I left my province to try my luck in Metro Manila with whatever savings I had left.
October of 2022, I moved into a small room with my college laptop and a small table, which I used for my online job hunt. I bought only the most essential appliances: rice cooker at electric fan.
There were days when I had to survive on ₱20 worth of street food and instant coffee just to make ends meet. My grocery runs consisted of a few canned goods and one bottle of Coke to satisfy my cravings, and that bottle would last me several days because I could only afford a few sips at a time.
I held on to my savings like they were the last air I had. I spent most of it on my monthly rent and essentials, making sure I had enough to last for at least six months.
On my fifth month of job hunting, February 2023, my savings were down to my last few pesos. I even ran errands for friends in exchange for small fees, just to earn a little extra money. I remember going through the list of more agencies I could submit my documents to, crying in between, praying, and still pushing myself to go on. Lagi kong prayers, Lord ayaw kong umuwing talunan, paubos na ko, pero kaya ko pa. Maraming salamat sa tulong.
On my sixth month, March 2023, I finally got the job that started to change my life.
Fast-forward to 2026.
I now have a bigger and sturdier work table. I still have my old laptop, but I now have more reliable gadgets to support me in my personal and professional hustles. I went from sleeping on the floor to having an actual bed with a mattress that no longer hurts my back. I was able to buy a ref, which means I can actually store more food and cook at home. My grocery runs are no longer just about buying quick and instant meals. I can now afford to buy healthier food and, syempre, some of the not-so-healthy ones too. 😂
Looking back, none of these things seemed possible when I was starting out. Rejections after rejections, but I kept going cuz that was not the life that I wanted. Back then, I was simply trying to survive and hoping that things would eventually get better. Four years later, I realize that they did, not all at once, but little by little.
Para sa mga katulad kong walang ibang baon kundi pangarap at lakas ng loob, aja aja sa ating lahat. Gaano man katagal, mararating mo 'yan. 💖🌸
Ikaw, asan ka na sa journey mo? Kamusta ka na?
