In describing the nature of life, many people often use the metaphor of a game.

Every day, many newborn babies enter the world and click the start button. Slowly, they grow and reach various phases as they explore their environment. In interacting with many other players, they discover intricate social webs and vast resources for their inventories. Obstacles and challenges pop up, but it becomes manageable with the help of upgrades and experience points.

Through each level, players try to achieve their goals and navigate their way through life — no cheat codes, no fixed finish line, and only one lifeline — and hopefully, make the game worth playing.

This is the story of my progress so far.

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When I made the decision to shift from campus life to online studies, I thought I had it figured out. After experiencing two years of UP culture in two different campuses, walking through the transfer process two times, and juggling online and non-online work, I thought that I’d be able to quickly navigate the new territory — but it looks like I’m still learning the ropes.

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