Everyone is familiar with hard work and the concept of “burning the midnight oil”; To strive and be hungry to heighten your chances of success in life. The bright lights of city life may shine with vibrant promises of opportunity, but behind it is a lesser-discussed reality of people and what they needed to leave behind.
The main way to advance is to be educated, and it is no surprise that students from the province move hundreds of miles away from the comfort of their homes to attend college in the city. In the province, life tends to be slower, and full of familiar faces, lush greenery and noisy but endearing livestock, family dinners, casual hangouts with friends—these are the moments you give up when you leave.
There’s an uptick of videos in TikTok with the caption “Sure ka na sa Manila, bawal umiiyak dito pag nilalagnat” or “Sure ka na sa Makati, hindi uso dito ang kumakain sa tamang oras” or something along those lines, it basically forewarns people that living in Manila is tough, especially when it’s your first time to live independently.
@dyelmi_♬ original sound – budang.
Aside from the emotional and social sacrifice, there is also the financial strain it puts people in; Compared to the city, provincial living prices are expected, however, your allowance or salary can only rent and basic necessities. Some students even joke that their only meal sometimes is a 20-Peso pastil they buy from the street vendor, or that they have memorized the taste of every canned meat and tuna.
The point is, why go through the rigorous years of living in the city, when you can also attend college near your provincial home? Well, for those familiar with the anime Fullmetal Alchemist, it poses the idea that in order to create something, something of equal value must be given, hence the term, equivalent exchange.
The sacrifices may seem daunting, but they are part of a larger process of growth; where you give something to gain something greater, the discomfort and challenges of city life are the price you pay for the opportunities that will lie ahead for you.
But hey, blood, sweat, and tears, right?