LOOKING BACK 2YEARS AGO(2018-2019) "MY FIRST YEAR IN THE UNIVERSITY" BY @lazbless 10% PAYOUT TO @steemalive

Greetings my fellow steemians, hope we're all having good time. I'm happy to participate in this contest, thank you @steemalive for giving us this opportunity to share our story with each other. I'm giving a short story of my life during my first year in school.

I was born and raised in the rural community so as well Spent all my early childhood there, I only got the opportunity of changing my environment when I finished my secondary school. While growing up, since the environment wasn't really good, I was restricted from socializing with other people. The only friend I had was my siblings and the only place I was always going to was school, market and church. I grew up being told what to do Everytime, I never made decision on my own. I didn't really see all these as a big deal untill I got admitted into the University of Uyo in 2018

On Around September 2018 when I got admitted, I didn't know it was time for me to start making decisions for myself or time for me to start mingling. I was still waiting for directions from my parents, how was this possible when they didn't even go through the four walls of the tertiary institution, they had no idea of what was going on there and here I am, waiting for them. I almost missed my first screening, thank God I didn't.

On the day of my first screening, when I entered school, gosh,the crowd alone could have drove me back. Thank God for my brother who came with me but he later left me after showing me the venue of my screening. Before we could locate the hall, we were going from one location to the other and I was saying to myself how will I know all these places and I was also praying within my heart that my brother shouldn't leave me but the prayer wasn't answered. Lolz.

When I got the the screening hall I went straight to the back because I didn't want anybody to look at me. The situation I was in was like that of a caged bird whom they just released to fly. I was entirely in a different world. But in that same hall, I saw other students chatting, playing, interacting with others and here was I alone. I didn't care anyways because I was used to living in isolation. The screening took place for hours and at the end my name wasn't in the list, I was to come back the second day. This was enough problem for me on my first day In School.

I noticed that I wasn't the only one who wasn't screened that day, we were two in number and she was a lady so she came and ask for my name and number, I was happy that finally I have a friend who's in my department. After we were finally screened, we went back to prepare for lectures. But something happened when lectures resume that broke my heart

The Same girl who got my number on the day of screening, the same girl who made me believe she was my friend started avoiding me, this was really hurting and she didn't give me any reason for her actions, I know I didn't offend her maybe it's because I was looking too local or too dull for her liking. She made new friends who were her class, She kept pushing me away each time I tried going closer and it was so obvious that people were noticing it.

I was somehow frustrated because I didn't know anywhere in school and at least I wanted someone to give me some guidelines and direction but there I was facing reality. There was this particular day I heard her telling her new friends that she's going to the department to sign her courseform so I decided to follow her to sign mine too but she told me she wasn't going to the department and they started laughing. This was the height of it that I was able to take, I left them and asked a passerby student where my department is and he directed me.

From that day onward, I cared less about making friends. I was now totally on my own. I didn't like it though but I didn't have a choice

Days moved to weeks, weeks moved to months and it was now time for examination. I didn't know how they operate, there was no senior Colleague to guide and no mentor so my own was that, I read everything in my note just like I was doing In secondary school. I didn't know I was to study my course outline like I'm studying a text book and research on topics that wasy treated. I only read my notes and in my mind, I was ready for exams.

I was shocked when I saw that question 1c Which was a compulsory question was something I never saw in my book and it was 12marks, that was when my eyes got opened. I tried answering the rest correctly and I'm happy I passed.

Although I didn't want to mingle but I realized that it's necessary, in a social gathering, we need each other for survival but how was I going to do it? Since I didn't have any idea of how to start, I continued minding my business until one day after exams, I saw a young girl crying, I knew she was my colleague so I walked up to her and asked what the problem was, she told me she didn't as answer a question well. I laughed and told her my experience too, she realized mine was worse than hers and she asked how I was able to control myself. I told her crying won't solve anything that was has happened has happened.

I don't know what I was telling her or where I got the words I was telling her but I noticed she stopped crying, asked for my name, got my number and she left. The next day, she introduced me to two of her friends and that's how the four of us became friends till date.

Before I knew what was happening, people began talking to me, calling my name and I started socializing small small. That's how life in school started being interesting.

My first year in school was filled with many things both good and bad, it was filled with hurts, loneliness, adventures, happiness and everything. I learnt to be strong and independent, I learnt that I can't force people to stay in my life because people who want to stay will always stay even when we are not perfect. I learnt how to go about my academic career Successfully and I'm happy for those experiences I had. I thank God who saw me through it all

Best regards to @steeamalive, @focusnow

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