There are many types of relationships that we go into in every part of our lives. It doesn’t take two to make a relationship. Sometimes, devoting all those emotions that are commonly expected in a two-people relationship can also be lavished in a relationship with yourself. There is also a kind of relationship wherein you choose to give your time and being to the Almighty like our dedicated holy brothers and sisters. Overall, the emotions given and received are all that matters in a relationship.

A relationship is like choosing a smartphone that comes by each year advertising itself to you until such time you pick one and indulge yourself into it. Smartphones have different features that make them stand out. But at the same time, their top of the shelf flairs are becoming enticing as ever which makes it harder to resist than usual. And to make it officially yours (aside from actually buying it), you buy mobile accessories that are compatible with the model of smartphone you own. Similarly in becoming involved in any kind of relationship, they say if you want it then you should put a ring on it. That’s the only way you can say it’s yours for the taking.

Women love gifts. Rings are their favorite. Presenting a lady a gift like a ring will immediately mean you’re serious about the relationship. So men, be very careful of the accessories you get the ladies. Always put a label on everything.

Friendship Ring

Unlike the many iPhone accessories readily available in stores, a friendship ring is no longer that much acknowledged today. A friendship ring symbolizes a bond between two or more individuals who value each other that they become like family. The friendship ring is equated with a promise ring for those who decide to give it to their best friends of the opposite sex. Nevertheless, for friends who have found their true companions, a friendship ring is never outdated.

Purity Ring

On the other hand, a purity ring or a chastity ring is worn to imply one’s abstinence to sex before marriage or simply to swear to be chaste. This is quite common in Christian families as they give great importance to the essence of marriage where the two people, especially the bride, should remain pure to each other as they are presented in front of the Lord. In some countries, young adults are expected to take a manifesto or a pledge to withhold sex.

Promise Ring

Some say that a promise ring is an engagement ring. To avoid the confusion, a promise ring is called a pre-engagement ring – a ring that signifies one’s commitment to his or her romantic power until such time they reached the stage where an engagement ring is fitted. Because promise rings are often confused with engagement rings, these are worn by their owners on either their left middle finger or the right ring finger.

There are other known rings like the engagement and wedding rings that all the same denote a person’s confinement in sickness and in health to the giver, that only in death can they be parted. This should also be exercised in relationships. Until the device itself wears out, it should never be replaced.

I still have a clear picture on my mind of the time when I was about to graduate college. It was a great and momentous feeling for me, especially for my family because I am the eldest child; therefore I am the first one to finish school among my other siblings. I felt a bit nostalgic of all the pains, struggles, and joy that I experienced in my two decades in school.

                To any student, school has always been their life, their whole world, their reality. As a student, your only responsibility is to study well and deliver. The transition from a student to a bona fide proletariat isn’t as smooth as I hope it to be. I remember our professors and guidance counsellors bombarding us with last minute notes on professionalism. Way back when I was younger, my understanding of professionalism is very superficial, but now that I have experienced working myself, I realized that professionalism goes a long way than showing up to the office on time, donning a sharp looking suit and tie, or having a complete attendance.

Be Competent

                The moment you get the job, it follows that you have the proper tools and skill to get the job done.  All you have to do is prove your superiors that they did not make a mistake in hiring you. Always put your best foot forward, you’ll see in the end that all your efforts and hard work will not be put to waste.

Be Reliable

                One common denominator of the student life and professional life is having deadlines. In the real world, deadlines are more crucial than what you have in school. In school, when you do not meet your deadline, the worst scenario would be getting reprimanded by your professor, or maybe have a failing grade thus the need to take the subject again. But when you’re in the professional world, not meeting the deadline might cost you your bread and butter. Time should be taken serious and must always be included in your top priorities. Invest on a trusty and reliable smartphone to help you organize your schedules and meetings, and tasks to be accomplished.

Be a Team player

                As the famous adage says, No man is an island. No matter how highly intellectual or how sterling your credentials are, you sure need other people to accomplish your tasks. Be nice to your colleagues and maintain a good relationship with them no matter how high or low his or her position may be. You’ll never know when you will need their help. Establish rapport to your colleagues, maybe you can start by opening a conversation topic that interests them all, like maybe the latest gadgets or the new mobile accessories in the market, or your favorite online mobile stores that they can visit too.

Improve your Craft

                If opportunities rise, don’t hesitate to take it if it means increasing your market value. This may pave the way to promotions or having to take more responsibilities for the company. Having more responsibilities means that your superior puts more trust in you than the others.

                As mature individuals, we must take care of our careers and behave the way that professionals are.  The world is not all clouds and chocolates, the real world is cruel, so we must do our best to take care of our reputation and our careers.

Imagine touching a pile of poo with your hands, then rubbing it on your face, and eventually putting your hands in your mouth. Now that’s disgusting. The truth of the matter is a number of us unconsciously do this every now and then in a micro level with the help of our handheld devices.

As handheld devices are now being considered as indispensable materials in our professional and social aspects of life, these things lead to the transmission of diseases, hence are called fomites. Fomites are inanimate objects that are capable of harbouring infectious microorganisms such as germs and parasites. Not only that the germs in our hands are being transferred to our mobile phones, the heat that is produced by the devices even makes it viable for them to multiply at a faster pace. These germs may also be found in mobile accessories, protective cases, and portable charger that come with our mobile phones.

A study conducted by the researchers from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Queen Mary, University of London from 400 samples in 12 British cities shows that 16% or 1 out of 6 cell phones or smartphones is contaminated with E. coli bacteria from faecal material. The most likely reason for this is because people fail to wash their hands properly with a germicidal solution after going to the toilet. The numbers are already alarming. What’s even more disturbing is the fact that this practice is associated with cases of stomach upsets and has been implicated in cases of severe food poisoning. Hand washing is such a simple thing to do that can help prevent the occurrence of a number of illnesses or even save lives.

Even if people are claiming that they do wash their hands with soap after going to the toilet, a much more interesting question is, “Are they doing it right?” A standard procedure being considered globally to effectively observe hand hygiene is to use any type of soap, then apply friction by rubbing your hands with the soap lather while singing two Happy Birthday songs which will take you around 15-20 seconds. Do not forget to rub the areas of your hands that are seldom cleaned like the back of the hands, fingers, thumb, and finger nails. Wash away the soap suds thoroughly and dry them correctly by lightly patting a clean paper towel on your hands or through a warm hand dryer.

An international effort is now taking place to teach people of this practice. Global Handwashing Day is a campaign to motivate millions of people around the world to wash their hands properly. This annual event is done every 15th of October. It aims to raise awareness especially to school children that soap and water are key elements in preventing diseases. This movement is now being practiced in more than 100 participating countries all over the world. It won’t be long till people start to live healthier lives.