Research and scholarship

I got a clue on what my calling could be last Thursday, while waiting for my brother to fetch me. Because class got dismissed 15 minutes early and I had nothing better to do, I checked the bulletin boards around Leong Hall and realized what exciting intellectual, artistic, and cultural lives the people of the Sociology and Anthropology Department leads.

The entire faculty have particular fields of interest. It seems like they devote their lives to research, to finding what makes their passions flow. Most of the people in the pics are smiling, so it proves how happy they are in their work.

Being a researcher is not something I considered before. But as I think about, it seems like a good fit for me.

For one, I am a thinker. My first ever boss, back when I worked in a magazine, pointed this out. I had good ideas, and my creativity showed, but felt short on implementation. I would rather think and dream, rather than get my hands dirty. My former boss also said I tend to be a happy-go-lucky person like him.

This brings me to reason number 2: I love being out and about. Sure, I am the silent type. I may be quiet on the outside but I have a lot of things brewing inside. The things brewing inside me force me to think. And for me to think, I need silence and lots of space. Open space. That's why I love walking around Ateneo when I have writer's block or when I need to conceptualize something in my head.

I love to travel and explore different places and cultures. I love museums and history. I love going through piles of books, audiotapes and what-not for the sheer thrill of discovery. I love technology and all the snazzy promises it holds for the future. I love seeking the how's and why's of things. I love learning about everything around me.

Three, after the answers have been found, I'd love to write about my experiences and findings in the most eloquent, passionate and engaging way that I can. I'd love to write about it both in scholarly and literary forms. I can do it.

Four, embracing my strength as a thinker is the best way to live.

So there. That’s another path to consider. Hello, world.