@BYCOLEMAN $45 SBD STEEMIT WRITING CONTEST - WHY I NEVER GIVE UP

A TRUE LIFE STORY
I used to be a boy "timid, low self esteem but brilliant, cowering away from life and its’ challenges, never willing to take risk; that was my early childhood days. Then, I had this mindset that things will always work out fine for me. My thought was “what could possibly go wrong?” I have a working father and mother, always trying their best to ensure that our needs are met on time. Things were very smooth until my third year in the Junior Secondary School, life showed to my family it’s ugly side.

I had never known until then, what it means or how it feels to want something and not get it, it was as though the world is closing in on me. My father’s appointment was unjustly terminated at his place of work, I could still remember that night vividly and all seems to me like a bad joke. I and my siblings were summoned in a room by our parents and were told that we would have to manage things till dad’s issue is solved. Manage?! It sounded like a bombshell, cutting off the extras and wastages in foodstuffs, books, clothing and pocket money.

It wasn’t easy adapting, and it affected me negatively. I couldn’t focus effectively; I sat for my Junior School Certification Examination (JSCE) amidst mixed feelings. Though I passed, but was very much below expectation. I developed a passion for fixing electrical gadgets at a tender age after which I joined Science class as the thought of becoming an Electrical Engineer filled my head. Most people are often surprised at my ability while some chose to believe that I learnt it from someone perhaps. But the truth is I didn’t, it came natural to me.

All through my Secondary School education, I was revered to be a brilliant boy and perhaps extra-ordinary. Even when I did a lot of playing compared to reading, I still succeeded in getting one of the best results in the class. A lot of things happened during my Senior Secondary School days but the most important is Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). I dedicated more of my time in preparing for the examination so as to obtain the best result possible. I also sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which is essential in gaining admission to any University Nigeria. It was a 2 1/2 hours examination, on getting to the UTME centre, I noticed fear on most faces but I assured myself that all would be fine.

The OMR sheet was distributed and because of my rigidness to one plan, cost me my resolve; that I would never be amongst those that will be writing the UTME a second time or so. The registered courses are; Use of English, Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics. My plan was to dedicate one hour to Use of English and distributing the remaining 1 1/2 hours evenly to the others, the plan would have been successful but was sabotaged by something as small as a misplacement of answer. Here is what I mean; when I got to number 11 out of the 100 questions present in Use of English, I answered question 13 by ticking on the options available from (A-E) in question 12 by mistake as I left the former to be reviewed after finishing the rest. I spent an hour as planned on my Use of English and by the time I noticed my error it was late as I had answered all question yet was incomplete due to the misplacement, I eventually traced the error but was late. My whole body system was disrupted as I had to redo my Use of English and eventually spent like 40 minutes attending to the rest. I was very disappointed and it took me some time before I made peace with myself.

NOTE: Overconfidence can bring about a man’s doom and failure.

After sitting for the examination I awaited the result in confidence and when it was out, I rushed to an internet centre to print it out. I met with disappointment especially as regards one of my best subject “Economics”, I had high hopes for an “A” but instead got a “D”, It broke the confidence and trust in my ability, frustration sets in as that was the first time I will do an examination especially on a subject like economics and fail. For the very first time, I considered myself a failure. No day passes without me being lost in thought on the result, sometimes I hold it with both hands and stare awkwardly at the result as if it changes anything. I did that for months, until it became lost eventually.

A year at home after my SSCE taught me a lot of things; I read and write articles, poetry, stories (fiction and non-fiction) watched movies such as; Empire, Teenwolf etc. listen to songs that are motivational and inspiration such as; fight till the end-jack savoretti, conqueror-jussie smollet ft estella, powerful-Alicia keys ft jussie smollet etc.

Anytime I feel dejected, I play those songs especially “conqueror”, it was superb and if you ask me of my favourite lines, I would say;

Life is like a big merry-go-round,
You up and then down,
Sitting in the same old place just faces in the crowd………….

I will rather stand tall, than live on my knees
Cos’ I am a conqueror, I am a conqueror………………..

We all make mistake, you might fall on your face
Don’t you ever give up, up……………….

After playing it, it is like I found renewed strength and assurance once again, I started believing in myself, I was able to bury my pain in the past and move on. “fight till the end, Powerful and others” were sources of inspiration and still is.

NOTE: Emotional instability can play a deadly role in a man’s life serving as pathway to failure and destruction but with the right inspiration and people, effect can be reversed.

#Stay positive
#Never give up

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