CPA Story: Oh, it’s the pink sunset!

It is not a great way to start by saying being a CPA was never easy. But guess what, I just did!

So, please allow me to rephrase. Nothing worth it comes easy.

Being a teacher, a fine arts major, and a forensic expert were my dreams throughout my school days. Basically, I thought of overly random job files. Also, I grew up believing that I belong at the arts field where I get to express myself and not be contained in a box of standards and policies. Never once in my life have I dreamt of being an auditor. I wasn’t even aware of the existence of CPAs!

So how did I end up in Accountancy? Simple. My mom told me to take it.

Why? Because every business needs one. Because it isn’t expensive to take. No laboratory expenses, no multiple uniforms. And people really have the notion that a CPA earns wads of cash.

The very first time I stepped into an accounting class, my mind fainted. Everything was so foreign. All I knew was the dictionary definition of balance and sheet but have no knowledge of a balance sheet.

Since I was aware that I am at a disadvantage by not having any accounting or bookkeeping class in highschool, I studied hard for my first major exam. Surprisingly, I scored the highest among all my batchmates! But this didn’t last. I have been on both extremities of the spectrum. On my second year, I was accolated with the complete opposite. Reason? FIBA Asia. It was once in a lifetime moment for me to watch this epic basketball game of our national team the day right before the midterms. Also resulting from my basketball fandom, I needed to take the comprehensive exam to prove my worth in staying in the program.

The road to PICC was really eventful and challenging. I was captain of the basketball team, an executive officer of JPIA, and a roam-around friendly gal. Oh, also, there was feasibility and thesis. But it did happen, reaching PICC.

Then I met Morayta and Recto. The buzzling streets were so different from the daily scene of Manila’s Walled City. There I had to compress five years’ worth of should haves and supposed to bes knowledge within 5 months to arm myself in battling the boards. I studied all day, every day to make up on all the things I didn’t learn back in college. I did pass both pre-board exams but knew that these could never guarantee me of the license I badly wanted to get hold of.

To tell you frankly, though I was months into taking up the review classes, I was still wondering back then why the heck am I a graduate of accountancy. To put it simply, I had no dream and do not see myself doing accounting and auditing jobs. This was true until I met Sir Ireneo. In fact, for all the times that I felt so tired and thought that what I was doing was meaningless, I play and replay what he once said, “Because very soon, you will become auditors!”

November 2 came and the results were finally out. Hurriedly, I woke my mother up and asked her to take a look and confirm whether it really is my name written on the roll. I could not believe it myself.

And so I was welcomed to the world of unemployment.

Monday right after the release of results, I went on a job hunt. I personally went to KPMG to give a copy of my curriculum vitae and was surprised that at that exact moment I needed to take their exams. I was nervous for all the learnings I had flew away immediately after the boards. Precisely after the last day to be exact! I had a call back for interview and next thing I knew, I am one of the associates trying their best to have sheets sanitized and get replies of bank confirmations.

It has been ten months since I first stepped into the world of coffee and numbers and excel files and overtime. I believe I still am full of the drive I had since day one. I am glad that up to this day, I get to uphold my promise to serve through public practice wholeheartedly.

Before I end this narrative, just a few quick reminders for y’all. It is okay if up until the last minute, you are undecided. It is okay to have no concrete plans. It is okay to change minds. Things will be right where they are supposed to be. Just be there as long as you find happiness unselfishly. However, don’t be left still. Take steps, even small ones. You have to keep moving because time is. Look forward. Always.

I can’t wait for what else are there to learn and experience. What more issues am I about to walk into? In all that’ve done and about to do, my thinking will always be, “Oh, it’s the pink sunset!”

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