Signed Blooms

The milk tea craze in Manila started a few years ago. Until now, it really is a very popular drink/dessert in the metro, especially for young people like me who are not that much fond of coffee.

From the tea-est to the milkiest, here are some of the popular milk tea fixes that have branches all over Manila.

Happy Lemon

Happy Lemon's might not be that of a big hit now compare to its earlier days but seriously who tasted a drink from their Rock Salt and Cheese series and wasn't delighted by it? A sip to that heavenly cheese cream always made my day. I just can't get enough of it that I always ask for extra.

Happy Lemon's Cocoa Rock Salt and Cheese with Black Pearl Sago and Bubble Waffle

The photo was way back last February when I got the pearl for free as part of their Valentine's promo. It was also the time when they just introduced the bubble waffle (inspired by the popular egg waffle in Hing Kong) on their menu.

If milk is not your thing, their Special Lemon Cooler (with QQ Jelly) is a must try too!

Dakasi

Dakasi offers sweeter milk tea versions in large portions. My sister is a fan but it's a bit too sweet for me. Their drinks are more on the milky side which I think is deliberately done to target the millenials.

Gong Cha

Chatime

Moon Leaf

Tokyo Bubble Milk Tea

Graduating at the age of 19 felt like I was being thrown to the world of adulthood so abruptly.



Few weeks after the commencement ceremony, my batchmates started going to work one by one. I was pressured to hurry up and get a job too, asap.

It took me two months to receive a job offer from a pretty decent company that provides above average salary for an entry-level position. Graduating with honors meant getting a much higher paying job than your batchmates–or I, at least, had to make up for that expectation.

My first day of work is also my last day as a teen. It's just so cliché that I wrapped up my teenage years with a confused, thrown-in-a-new-world self who felt all the difference of being in her twenties.

I can say it started well. I, together with other fresh grad new hires had to undergo training for like the first three months before doing "billable" work. The training rooms were just like classrooms with a smaller number of enrollees. The familiar feeling of studying and excelling comforted me for quite a while.

Things started to get boring just after a few weeks I started getting formal tasks. That time I realized how the nature of my job pisses me off. I so much hated their process. Despite of being good, even receiving bonuses, I can't feel any fulfillment. That's the point I told myself I can't grow here. I'll just get stuck with these robots who hide under the name of this giant, multinational company. Every morning I walk to work and catch my weary reflection in a corporate attire, I hear a little voice inside me saying this is so not you. You should be out somewhere else where you can explore new things, a place where you can be more happy at.

That winter I turned in my first resignation letter. It wasn't that hard as it seems. During my last day, I went out to dinner with my colleagues whom I already built a good relationship with, given that short period of time. They were actually the only reason I find it a bit sad to leave. The thing I could never forget that night is when one of them says I look brighter that time than she'd ever seen me.

But of course, I didn't want to end up on streets and disappoint the people who believe and support me. Before I resigned, I already accepted a new offer from a company I think I'll fit in.

It's been a bit more than a year since then and I can still say that I'm happy with my job. I love how I'm surrounded with intelligent, cool people. The atmosphere and culture is very similar to that of my university–passion-driven people whom you get intimidated to but also admire, friendly environment where you always feel welcome, and a home to learn more knowledge, to grow.

It felt so great to stop doing work for that shitty, compatible-only-with-IE application and start catching up with new technologies the ever-changing and innovating world of computing science has to offer!

Yes, I despised my first job but I can understand why people are hanging in there, especially those breadwinners who have family to support. Even though the pay is not that really high, especially if you started in an entry-level position, the company offers great benefits. I always joke that when I come to "pera-pera na lang" (work only for money) stage, I might come back there, demand a higher salary and just find happiness from other things aside from work.

But for young people like you (and me), let's not get stressed out with a job we don't like. Don't work just for the sake of it (or for money). You should learn from my mistake. Don't get pressured to get a job right away after grad. Also, failing a job application doesn't always mean your lesser competent than those who passed. It's either impressing others is just their thing or the job doesn't really suit you. You should never get upset because of that.

I do envy one of my friends who says she'll work for her company until her retirement. How happy she might be to be able to say that! I hope, someday, I can also tell myself that and be like "This is it! This is what I want to do. This is SO me. Dream job, indeed!". But not that I want to be an employee forever, ah.

Summer just kicks off here in Manila and it's been really hot for these past few weeks. T'is is indeed the perfect season for some coolers!