AFTER GRADUATION; WHAT NOW?

Hello beautiful people, how are you all doing? We're slowly winding down to the weekend? This is one of my most appreciated weekends in a long time. Like, I'm so happy it's the weekend and I'll tell you why in a short while.

I would like to address a very important issue in this post. This blog is here to express my thoughts on all things i feel like discussing and if I don't talk about this, then I don't know what else I will do.

If you are a student or you just graduated, you would fully understand what I am talking about.
As a student, we can't wait to graduate, we all dream of that day when we finally write our last paper, drop our pen and scream our heads off in excitement.

Yeah, I did all of that too. However, the novelty soon wears off and reality begins to sink in. We realise that graduation might not be all we imagined it to be. For the first one week after the final exam or probably after your project defense, we might sleep like babies, watch a lot of movies and just feel alright with the world. But, then in the next week, boredom starts to set in and you begin to think; What now? What do i do next? The uncertainty that follows in the next few weeks make you shrink and think " I WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, DON'T WANNA BE A GRADUATE ANYMORE". At least, that's what happened to me.

The point is many at times, while we are students; we never really prepare ourselves for the reality outside the University environment. I like to think that I was proactive and realised early on that there was a life outside school and tried my best to prepare for it. However, when it actually happened, finishing school that is, I felt intimidated by the amount of responsibility I now knew rested on my shoulders. I couldn't rely on my parents to cater for my every need, I had to wake up and begin to hustle to make my own path.

At first, I just thought; Oh, I'd start NYSC in a few months. But, then NYSC did not come. I said, okay, I'd just get an internship with a media house. My dears, I 'waka'ed', eventually, sha I found one (Need I mention that I wasn't paid a kobo, not even to buy pure water, I consoled myself, It's for the better good, at least I'm acquiring skills that would help me eventually).

I had previously decided that I didn't want to return home despite my parents practically begging me to come home, because I didn't want to depend on my parents. I wanted to hustle on my own and earn their respect.

A novel ideal, actually, but eventually when I got tired of staying hungry, scrimping on everything in life and even days and weeks of not going to the internship that was supposed to prepare me for life because no money for transport; I realised that there was no shame in depending on my parents a little more, having them hold me and help me while I struggled to find my footing. And so, I packed my bags with a lot of sadness in my heart and almost a tinge of defeat and went back home.

I could not believe I was back home, with nothing to do and no idea of what to do. At first, I thought, maybe I could repeat what I'd done in Port Harcourt, walking to all of the media houses till I got an opportunity; but i didn't have money and was too proud to ask my parents for some. So, I stayed home and said I'll wait till something comes up.

I was irritated with everything, every time my parents corrected me on something, I took it personal and felt that it was because they viewed me as a child, which of course I felt I was no better than. I knew I couldn't get a real job, of course because of 'awon oshi NYSC' that were not ready for us and Nigerian policy that demands NYSC before employment. It was hard.

Good News!!!

Eventually, I found a website that connected undergraduates and fresh graduates with internships (Nigerians are getting real creative) and so i signed up. I think I applied for like 20 internships with the thought that one must get back to me. I also applied for some other internships I found randomly on some other job sites and social media and just waited. Fast forward, about a week, My data got exhausted, I didn't want to directly ask my mum to renew for me, so I just casually brought it up in conversation a few times. She eventually got the message and gave me money to do so. When I finally subscribed, I started catching up on things I'd missed in the few days I'd been offline, going through my mail and guess what, I'd been invited for an interview! I renewed my subscription in the evening and the interview had been for that very morning! I felt like crying. When I told my parents they told me the job was just not mine, and I'm like what's that? I tried calling in the morning to see if I could still come in but the answer of course was NO!

I felt really bad for days, and couldn't take my mind off the incident. Less than a week later, I got a call, a company (may I mention, a prestigious one) had seen my profile on the internship site and wanted to interview me for a content writing role. I was asked if I could come in for an interview the next day. Ehn, is that even a qweshun? Of course, I'm available, I told my parents about it, ironed my 'underbox' and prepared for the interview.

Skip the interview, it went well sha. I was told of course, that I would be contacted if successful and would have to resume the next day if so. I was no edge throughout the rest of the day. At about 6pm when I still didn't get a call, I resigned that I hadn't gotten it after all. Not long after that, I got a call and guess what, it was the call I'd been waiting for, I got the job and should resume work the very next day! I was ecstatic, my parents were very happy and proud of me. My mum reminded of my reaction when she had told me that the other job wasn't for me, and that mine would come looking for me, and it did literally!

So, for the past 3 weeks, I have been on this new journey. It's different from my usual pleasure writing which I do at my own pace and will. Here, I have deadlines, targets. It's a different experience but I'm learning and loving it. And to think that this blog was one of the reasons that qualified me for the job! No knowledge or experience is really a waste.

I have learnt that life may not always play out the way we script it, but it's a journey that we take one day at a time, learning and changing with each day and each experience. I know that many fresh graduates are in a similar situation. Please let's do better, always have hope and please, don't stop searching for opportunities. The opportunities may be few, but they are there, waiting for you to find them!

P.s, I've been under so much pressure at work this week which is why this weekend is so appreciated. I really need the rest! And no, 'awon oshi NYSC' have still not answered us.

Till next post, lovelies; XOXO. Take care of yourselves. You're all amazeballs!!!