One Year After Graduation, My Thoughts
Plugs Headphones 🎧 -Top of the World x Imagine Dragons 🎶 🎶 🎶
*💡…📷 … action*
*Shouts… Screams… Selfies*
*Flips Tassel to the right* 🎓
*Berets in the air* 🎓
*Wave your hand like you just don’t care*
“I present to you the class of 2015; the admirable set”
I felt on top of the world and rightly so, graduation especially in Nigeria, in Covenant University is no easy feat. It is a day many would hold dear for a long time. Parents are proud, goals are achieved, your dress sense is on fleek, Jollof rice is present and celebrations are the order of the day.
That was 365 days ago since then life has happened. It didn’t take long before the euphoria died and I swam to a different reality. In this reality; I had no job, no work, no savings, nothing expect my degree. In this reality I found myself alone more often. In this reality friends could only be heard not felt. This reality brought certain components that were scrawny in my school days to life; I was confronted with tribalism, ill ideologies and nothing was on a platter of gold no more. In this reality I felt stuck; most of my dreams, plans felt hindered, it became clouded after I began the mandatory youth “suffering” service.
Life after graduation wasn’t what I thought it would be; don’t get me wrong it’s been both rosy and murky; there have been the ups and downs, the highs and the lows, the good and the not so good. I had great moments and there have been awful ones. I have made new friends and I have lost touch with many friends (Including the friends for life ones). I have made new experiences; I miss so many experiences. I have made mistakes and I have learnt lessons — I guess that is the beauty of life
If there is anything I have learnt and I need to keep in mind constantly is that “Its OK to not have it all figured out” as a matter of fact- stop trying to having it all figured out- Get rid of that pressure
I spent the early weeks after my convocation feeding myself with off beam information; I was consuming all those “You need a five year plan” “Get a Job” “Start a family” “5 Things” “Get married” “10 keys” and everything in-between. I would spend long night hours up — restless, worrying, thinking —I would finish books and think I could run Google or Apple. In one corner of my head I felt immediately after my degree I would somehow immediately be on the Forbes #30by30 list. That I would be worth certain zeros by now or as Davido said “have two million dollars no be asset” and the worst part was spending more than four(4) months at home doing nothing, running around looking for internships, job offers etc very frustrating I tell you. I wanted to be busy but “busyness doesn’t equate success”. Nonetheless I thank God I got rid and I am still getting rid of that pressure.
It is OK to not have a master plan; it’s OK to not have your future life planned out. It is OK to not know what you will be in five years’ time- because the truth is no one knows, we only hope, speculate and dream dreams and that is OK. It is OK to still be a dreamer. Dear friend it is OK; get rid of pressure.
You are not weird and not having a five year plan doesn’t mean you will fail, not everyone has it all figured out including your idols, mentors or role-models. This thing called life takes time and you have to accept that, remember Usain Bolt doesn’t have the fastest start, yet he still wins the race. Life is a building; Rome wasn’t built in a day
One year later I am counting down to another milestone, one exclusive to Nigerians- the almighty NYSC discharge certificate and in less than three months all those uncles/aunties better come through with the job they promised me😂.
I do have certain dreams I would love to happen “post nysc” but one key element is different from my post convocation plans- There is no pressure and if they don’t work out “We gon be alright”
Life is an on-going process; it’s one we are all still navigating and we would never have it all figured out; SO LET GO AND LET BE, Open yourself and let your mind bring in new experiences, new friends, new relationships and see where the next phase of your life goes. Let’s be clear I am in no way promoting lackadaisical or lethargic behaviour. I am not saying don’t set goals and plans for your life (It’s great to have plans) but what happens when you don’t land that dream job, can’t tick off that summer body off your goal book?
I am saying that in life shit always happens and things don’t go as planned and that’s OK…get rid of the pressure, dust yourself up and get going again. Lastly the most toxic medication you can give yourself is insalubrious comparison and competition…GET RID OF THAT PRESSURE, life is a journey, stay in your lane so you don’t get hit.
Maybe IDK x Jon Bellion 🎶 🎶 🎶
Unplugs Headphones….. 🎧
Cheers 😊😊😄
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