You see, I got admission to school at a time when I was no longer interested in going to school. For someone who doesn't joke with academics, I struggled with getting admission for five years. I wrote JAMB five times,after four failed attempts with excellent results, and one final attempt where my course was switched to Mass Communication. Gosh! I cried for days because I had wanted to study Law. What the hell would I do with Mass Communication? I'm dedicated and passionate about my dreams and ambitions, so this felt like a stain on my aspirations. But I had to go; there was no time.
Everyone kept saying, "Peace, you'll have to go this time around. Any course would do at this point. You're not getting any younger, and of course, no one wants you to be an illiterate."
That's how I left for Nsukka. I wasn't hopeful, but I was determined to pass my courses. I like being excellent,this is an innate trait. So, whether I liked the course or not, I would still have to read in order to pass.
In all honesty, I won't say I'm truly proud of my schooling experience. I came here with zero expectations and held on to that so tightly that I didn't make any impact. For context, I am someone who is very active, shy but active. I didn't join any organizations in school and hated it so much that I didn't want to be seen outside. I didn't actively go to church until my final year.
The few friendships I made along the way happened only by luck. If it were based on my ability and availability, I wouldn't have made any friends at all. (Shout-out to all the friends I made in school; y'all are the realest.) I was rigid and uptight, which restricted a lot of the impact I could have made and limited what I would have gained by being active and flexible. I am not known for being redundant, so this is not something I'm proud of. I still wish I had been a little more open-minded,maybe I would have had a different schooling experience. But there's no need crying over spilled milk; it's all in the past.
As a Nigerian student, the sad reality is that our degrees might not be enough to take us very far, especially if you're ambitious. So, if you're not a trust fund kid, it's essential to know that this certificate alone might not serve you in becoming who you want to be. You have to be extra, which includes extra studying to gain certifications and upskilling to compete in the outside world.
I have no interest in journalism. In fact, if you ask me what I want to do with the course, my answer would be, "I don't know." Recently, my friend sent me some courses in business communication. It's related to finance, and this is the only part I find interesting.
I'm done with school now, and what lies ahead is far greater than what is behind. I don't have any regrets; I just wish I had done better in socialising. I'm grateful, very grateful. I will miss school, and by school, I don't mean the institution but the memories I hold so dear and the people I crossed paths with.
The next few months are not going to be easy. I'm not even banking on it to be. I'm mostly scared and excited about the intense amount of work I'll have to put in in pursuit of my destiny. Like they say, "Your life is in your hands." What I do with my time in this next phase will determine how happy and fulfilled I will be in the coming years.
As we all know the world is made of up of two kinds of people. People who are doing something and others who are not, there's no in-between. So even if you're doing something and you think you're failing at it,or you're not perfect,as long as you're doing that thing, you'd still be classified under people who are doing something. It's therefore paramount that we all get busy.
By the time you're reading this, I will no longer be in Nsukka. Like I said, Nsukka owes me nothing, it was just a phase and I'm glad that it's over.
