BYE BELLS, HELLO WORLD

THE BEGINNING OF BECOMING.

Five years ago, I finished secondary school and I was confused. Not confused confused, just the type where you know you can actually do anything, but everyone around you has a different dream for you.

My grandma already scripted my whole future. With the writing competitions I used to win, I’d say law. With my tech dreams and unbeatable Carl 6 inventions, everyone said engineering. But my grandma? She said medicine, and if you know me well, you already know what I picked. I picked medicine at Babcock University. JAMB form filled. Second choice? Another medicine.

Results came out. I was about to start registration fully. Until my aunt called and said, “Are you sure you’re doing the right thing?” And me that trusted her with my full chest, I said okay. Off to A Levels.

So yes, I packed my bags and went to Kwara State. Then Crown Hill University. And as much as I try to sugarcoat it, I struggled. Not just with the environment, but with people. With routine. With my own brain working against me. But I got it done.

And when I was almost finishing A Levels, I started looking for universities. I found schools I liked, but they didn’t have the almighty course. My father said I should just pick anywhere since I wouldn’t even be there all through. Side eye. That “anywhere” school turned out to be Bells University.

Now let me confess. I almost never read my books in Bells. In fact, I didn’t. Not until 400 level. Why? Because up until 300 level summer break, I was still trying to leave that school. Every year, I tried to transfer. Every year, something would block it. I didn’t care about being called an olodo. I just wanted to leave.

At the final lap of trying, the school I wanted said I’d have to start again from 300 level when I was supposed to enter 400. Me? I wanted to do Engr At 19 pleaseeeeee, So I stayed in Bells.

And since I wasn’t leaving anymore, I decided to be present. I made friends. I started reading my books properly, Joined communities, beautiful ones, made a debate team, had a little bit of fun, made several colleagues, But even that didn’t change one truth about me. I had always been working. I’m naturally career driven. I’m the type that knows to be extremely successful, doing ten things at once. But I wasn’t reading because I hated the place.

And here’s the crazy part. I still hate that my degree is from there. Not even because of the school, but because it doesn’t feel like me. The grade isn’t bad. It’s just not a me grade. It’s almost the lowest thing I’ve ever gotten in my life. You know when something is good but it’s still not your standard? That’s the feeling.

But, I’m not someone that beats myself up for so long, but i’m putting this out there to a lottttt of people that may find themselves in my situation, whatever has your name on it, make honey out of stinging bees, side eyeeee.

I’ve worked actively for three years now. I have offer letters that date back to 2022. I still want to work with Tesla. I still want to be that woman whose name rings bells everywhere. But the biggest thing I learned from all of this is that whatever is worth doing is worth doing well.

Undergraduates( I can finally give you people advice ), listen well. If you find yourself somewhere, do your best. If I was active in school the way I should have been, I would have taken on so many courses. I would have joined communities, both local and international. I would have invested earlier, worked remotely earlier, built my own financial independence earlier.

You need people. But forget the crowd. The quality of your friends matters way more than the quantity. And sometimes, blood is not thicker than water. Or maybe the phrase has been misunderstood all these years. Sometimes the family you choose becomes more real than the family that birthed you.

everything I wanted to write in this piece, I have forgotten it, but I took an extra effort to leave my house to a cafe, and im writing this and sending it out at 8;44pm! watch this spaceeeeeee!( I think I have writers block too ).

LOVE;

ENGR. NANA-HIDAYA TIJANI, GMNSE, COREN (P.E)