Welcome to the real world
T WAS 9 A.M., I WOKE up to my message alert tone. ?Who could be texting this early on a Saturday?? I grunted.

?Hey, guys! I?m selling corn in front of Petron, Katipunan Avenue today. Please buy from me,? my friend texted. I was half-asleep, so it didn?t dawn on me that she was actually selling corn on the streets.

?Why are you selling corn? Wala ka ng allowance?? I joked.

My friend was among the 2,000 college students in the Junior Engagement Program (JEEP). It was tied to their Philosophy classes.

The program enables Ateneans to engage themselves in the real world?beyond the familiar walls of the university. Juniors must take four-hour shifts a week, and are highly advised to use public transportation.

One can choose to work as a fish vendor, a street sweeper, a jeepney barker, a parking attendant, and a grocery bagger, among others, for three consecutive weeks. It sounds like tedious work, but surprisingly, a lot of them enjoyed doing it.

Corn vendor

For management major Ryan Catabijan, selling corn on the street gave him a different perspective on the lives of people he had taken for granted. ?It?s basically a battle between their livelihood, and the authorities. Sometimes, the police would raid and get their corn. Sometimes, the authorities would even get their personal belongings,? he said.

?When I was working as a corn vendor, a police car came over to our stall, and the vendor automatically gave him corn, for payment. The policemen were embarrassed when they saw us there,? he said.

But not all the police officers were cruel. ?The good cops run after the thieving police officers who steal the vendors? corn,? he said.

?Kuya, pa-xerox po??

Working in a photocopying place and manning the computers weren?t as boring as Karlo Domondon, a Developmental Studies major, expected. ?I had fun because I chose to really interact with the other workers. I wouldn?t mind going back. I actually thought the hours were pretty short,? he said.

Working as assistant enabled Karlo to see a different side of commerce. ?I learned that you could earn in that business. I asked for figures and I found out that it is very profitable,? he said.

Chicken misfit

Psychology major Mikki Reyes found it enriching working in the grocery store. ?I worked in the customer service area, was tasked to page the chicken merchandiser back to office twice! When I pressed the microphone, I spaced out and said: ?Chicken merchandiser to back office. Uh, chicken, uh, chicken!? Mikki said. ?The real grocery workers were all: ?Yung manok daw!? she laughed.

Moviehouse porter

Communications major Carla Hernandez worked for a small moviehouse in the south. ?It was fun because it?s one of those jobs where you always kind of wonder what the experience is actually like,? she said. ?But it was hard too because you must be patient with the customers. And you must be disciplined that you can?t fall asleep!? she said.

I?m not going to experience JEEP until next month. I?m still choosing between grocery cashier, and market vendor. But I don?t mind selling corn on the street either. So if you happen to pass by Katipunan Avenue, and see someone waving to sell corn, I hope you don?t just drive away. They might actually be students, like me, trying to learn about the real world.