Graduation blues

Dear Dr. Jao,

Just call me Goldie. I’m graduating this March from dental school. I have been looking forward to graduating from dentistry all my life. I come from a middle-class family and I have seven siblings. I was lucky to be accepted in college as a scholar. Graduation is just a few days away. I cannot seem to believe that my lifetime dream will soon come true. How come I don’t seem to feel happy about graduating? Am I suffering from a psychological disorder?

Goldie of Class 2004

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Dear Goldie,

First of all, I’d like to congratulate you for your coming graduation.

You know, Goldie, a lot of graduating students have ambivalent or ambiguous feelings about graduation. They feel some kind of nervousness and uncertainty. But this is quite a normal reaction, Goldie. So better stop thinking and worrying that you may have a psychological disorder and making yourself feel worse. I assure you that this is a normal occurrence.

Your life as a dental student will soon come to an end and then you will begin your life as a professional. This transition in your life can give you a scary or anxious feeling. There are some things you can do to relax and lessen the anxiety.

• Why don’t you take a break from your schedule and go malling with your close friends? Talking with your friends about your ambivalent or anxious feelings will lessen your anxiety about graduation especially if you hear that they are experiencing the same feelings.

• Go play badminton with your peers or family members. Exercise is another way of relaxing.

• Go enjoy a movie. It’s also relaxing.

• Pamper yourself. Go to the parlor and have an aromatic massage or a foot spa.

• Have a talk with your mom or dad. You will find out that they too felt a bit nervous during their graduation.

•Don’t forget to attend your graduation practices. Knowing exactly what you need to do during the actual graduation will make you feel more relaxed and confident. You should be organized for your graduation.

• Ask for tips from older friends on how they coped during their transition from dental school to reviewing for the board exams and then to their actual dental practice. Ask them how they reviewed for the board exams and what review class they attended. Ask them how they got an apprenticeship and how they eventually put up their own dental clinic.

• Attending stress management seminars may be of help, too.

• Relaxation and meditation techniques may also be beneficial to lessen your graduation blues. A very simple relaxation technique is doing the breathing exercise. Assume a comfortable position. Just sit comfortably in a chair or lie down on a couch and close your eyes. Breathe normally and concentrate on the air coming in and out of your nostrils for at least five to 10 minutes. While doing this, think how good it feels to be alive, how you are ending a chapter in your life and moving on to a new chapter. Feel the breath of life and relax. Life must go on for you and you must be ready for this transition.

Goldie, I hope these tips will help you through your graduation blues.

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Sometime ago, I featured in an article entitled, A Tale of Hope an ex-convict, Tranquilino Tabile Jr. Luckily, his siblings were able to read that article. They had contacted me at the Philippine General Hospital to inform me that they had been looking for him. I hope Tranquilino is able to read this article. You may contact your brother Randolf at 0920-7898418. Your parole officers were likewise able to read that article. They told it was an eye-opener to them about the plight of prisoners after being set free. They are now looking into ways of assisting newly-released prisoners in their life outside prison. They have expressed their desire to help you, Tranquilino. Please get in touch with Senior Parole and Probation Officer Adelino Suyu Jr. or your Supervising Parole and Probation Officer Florence Pre, Department of Justice/Parole and Probation Administration, Manila Office at tel. no. 716-6978.

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The Philippine Board of Psychiatry, Inc. is accepting applications for the written and oral examinations. For inquiries, please call Jing Mistica at tel. no. 635-9858; Dr. Imelda Batar at tel. no. 631-6961 or Dr. Nina Halili-Jao at tel. no. 633-3893. The written portion of the specialty board exam in Psychiatry will be on Sept. 4, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the USTH Department of Neurology and Psychiatry amphitheater, second floor, Clinical Division.