Along the way in Life”-Your Life Experiences (14/07/24)

Introduction

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Life is a complex yet beautiful journey, filled with trials and triumphs that teaches us resilience, empathy, and the importance of self-reliance.

In today’s post, I will be talking about one of my many experiences in life’s journey, and I would love to invite @alli001, @vickyson, and @databae.

Early Years

During the early years of my life, both in secondary school and university, life seemed as if everything was going according to plan. My dad was working in a big company, and my mum was working as a State Secret Service (S.S.S.) agent.

Academic Decline

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My mum always wanted me to be her replacement once she retired from active service. Unknown to us, life had its own twisted game. During the early days in university, I was an “A” student and never failed any course. However, somewhere along the line, I noticed that students were engaging in all sorts of malpractice to pass their exams, and somehow, it affected my studies negatively.

Leaving School for Work

It didn’t take long before my cousin called me to work with him at sea. I obliged, believing I could use the money to sort myself out. My parents were unaware that I had left school to start working. I was making good money to the point I forgot I was a student. I was living a flamboyant lifestyle whenever I was around school, paying students to write exams for me while I was away at sea.

Confrontation and Return to School

My cousin’s mum saw me and asked, “Why are you no longer going to school?” I couldn’t give her any reasonable answer. Immediately, she called my dad, and he was so angry with me for leaving school to chase money. I had to resign from work and go back to school, but it was already too late.

Facing the Consequences

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The failures I accumulated were so many that it was hard to redeem all of them. Even the guys I paid to write exams for me, who claimed to know the courses, still failed. The funny part was that I wasn’t really bothered because I thought I had a job already waiting for me on a platter of gold once I was done with school.

Postgraduate Challenges

In my final year, I tried my best to do all I could with the short time I had left and came out with a poor grade. My mum had already told me that with my grades, she doubted if I would get a job in her department, but she had to give it a try since it was close to her retirement. As expected, I was rejected but given a second chance to redeem myself by going back to the university to run a postgraduate degree program for one year, and I had to come out with an excellent result.

Struggles After Graduation

I knew that wouldn’t be a problem. I quickly registered and resumed school. Unfortunately, life happened. I lost my mum to a strange sickness. A year later, my dad lost his job. Things were now difficult because my younger siblings were all in the university, and I had less attention. All those rosy days had taken a different turn.

The postgraduate program, which was supposed to end in one year, was delayed due to a lecturer strike that lasted for a year. This, combined with unnecessary delays, extended the program to two years and six months. I did everything to come out with the best grades, hoping I could redeem myself, but I didn’t have anyone to help me this time since my mum was no longer alive. Gaining access to such secure quarters was like forcing a camel through the eye of a needle.

Failed Attempts at a Secret Service Job

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All my mum’s colleagues who came to her burial and promised to help us out in case of any challenges all disappointed. A friend of mine who worked close to the S.S.S. office overheard some officers talking about people submitting job applications and informed me. I did my little investigation and found out it was true. When it was time for the exams, I was rejected because my age was beyond the required limit.

All those years, I prayed for God to link me to my mum’s best friend, who was also her colleague. I was finally lucky to see her although she was already retired. I explained to her how things had been all these years and asked if, with her influence, she could help me get the job since she was also a high-ranking officer when my mum was alive. She promised to help, but that was the last time I ever heard from her. She stopped picking up my calls.

Moving On

That was my last attempt at trying to get a job in the secret service. After much persuasion from my dad, I moved on and applied for my master’s. I got a job, although not what I wished for, but it was better than doing nothing.

Lessons Learned

Can I blame anyone for what happened to me? Definitely not. The fault was mine by skipping classes and chasing money. It finally showed in my performance. Sometimes, when I see some of my childhood friends on Facebook who I lived with in the S.S.S. quarters and who are now young and vibrant officers, I feel so sad for not taking my academics seriously. I know I could have done better, but I thought I had everything sorted out for me on a bed of roses. However, life happens.

I’ve learned my lessons and have moved on!