An Unfinished Story in a Coloring Book

"Walang makakalimot after graduation, ha?"

All these years in college felt like an unfinished coloring book. The ones we once had as kids with different designs and characters, each page waiting for our favorite colors. Still, most of us never really got to finish coloring. Thinking about it, perhaps some of us were still figuring out how each color can compliment each other, just as we were choosing the right program to take.

Starting as freshmen, everything looked blank while we were waiting for the seats in the classroom to be filled. The semesters went by and the colors were already falling into place, but we were still learning how to avoid going over the lines. The colors we used were vibrant, representing the excitement we felt over the new experiences. However, there were days when the colors didn't match, when everything still looked too messy, when the page felt off and dull.

But we kept coloring anyway.

Naturally, a few pages were light and easy. Like the long breaks in between classes, the celebration after finals, or going to your favorite food stall along Pureza. It was the contrast for the pages where we used darker shades, because there were breakdowns during midterms and finals. Some days, we also doubted if we were in the right department. But even then, we were looking forward to a page meant for brighter colors.

Now, the seats that we once had are sitting empty. We will be pursuing greater and more intricate coloring books that still seem like sketches, leaving behind incomplete outlines. But perhaps that's the whole point. Because our life was never meant to be neat, and it doesn't necessarily have to be a perfectly colored book. What matters is that we chose the colors that we used, and we filled the seats as we filled the outlines.

There are more pages waiting and larger outlines where we can color further and bolder than we're accustomed to in our community within PUP. Perhaps, we will use sharp colored pencils while we chase deliberate careers with steady hands. There are also crayons that are soft and will leave marks to always be remembered. And we could end up using oil pastels that are unpredictable, but can easily blend into new spaces. Whatever kind of coloring we choose, we'll keep doing it.

All in all, our stories don't end with empty seats. In fact, they will continue somewhere else. Until one day, when we want to remember how we felt during this time of our lives, this unfinished colored book will show pages that aren't perfect nor complete, but are true. All the colors we left on these pages will stay as a reminder that we will and we can keep going.

And this could just be the best kind of memory: unfinished, but unforgettable. Article: Franchesca Grace Adriano Graphics: Cathlyn De Raya