I did so much stuff this year, and if I were to describe the year in one word, it would be foundational. A lot of things I’ve done this year seem like setups for the next year or couple of years, and I’ve written a review of most of them.
Overview: The year I did so much
This year was eventful in ways I did not envision at all so I’m not sure how to give this review so let’s start in the simplest way, from the top.
January
The year started with me writing exams, I spent the holiday reading for the first semester of year-3 exams. I went to school, wrote the exams and came back home to start my IT.
February
I got an internship placement as a Cybersecurity intern at Prunedge. I invested my time during IT to focus on developing my skills in cybersecurity. I was about to take certification exams too which my mum had paid for months earlier. I was so focused on developing my skills that as soon as the internship started, I turned off my phone and locked it up. I went off WhatsApp and every other social media except iMessage and LinkedIn (if they count as sm). I got a new sim and a temporary phone in case people wanted to reach me urgently. I also got my iPad and that was where most of my time went cos I did all my reading on there.
March
The decision to turn off my phone was so good for me cos I was so locked in during this period. Which was annoyingly timed cos this was the period my school released results and various people had mistakes on theirs. As class rep, I had a lot of lecturer-calling to do. The results were very good for me though, I had my highest GPA ever this semester. Crazy stuff.
On March 21, I wrote my first certification exam, Certified Network Defender and below is an excerpt from my journal for that week on the situation of the morning😂.
I passed the exam, thankfully and I was elated to break the news to the people who were supporting me that period (love you mum, love you Mfon, love you Simi). The only celebration I did was buy food that afternoon and sleep for the full night, maybe cos I wasn’t excited due to how I just barely passed cos I did a lot of reading. Two days later, I started preparations for my next exam, Certified Ethical Hacker which I planned to write in May.
April
My preparation was put on hold when, out of nowhere, the thought of running for a leadership position in my faculty came to me. A day before the deadline for buying forms for the election, I got a form to run for Vice President. When my friends found out that was what I decided on, they encouraged me to run for President instead and one even went as far as paying the price difference in forms (If you read this, I’m so so grateful for you). I contested in the election and i ended up being announced the winner.
If you read my review last year, I wrote that I realised I was capable of leading during the year, as much as I had come to this realisation, I did not expect a position such as this to come to me so soon. I knew it was a task that I was undertaking, but I felt prepared for it. Like it was meant to be.
May
Shortly after this, I applied to be the GDSC Lead at my university [application video link]. There was no already-existing chapter in the school so essentially I was applying to start up a chapter in my school. Boy o boy, I did not think the work I was registering for through at all. The application was accepted and I was to wait to hear back from them so I kinda put the thought to the back of my mind.
I continued preparations for my next exam and I went on to schedule it for May 14 to end on May 15. You see the results right after you submit, so scheduling it to end on my birthday might not have been the smartest move cos what if I failed?💀. I passed it though, thankfully.
I haven’t mentioned but I started the year with someone (literally cos we were on FaceTime when the new year rolled around lmao). We started a Gratitude journal together where we write things we’re grateful for at the moment every week, to give the year a more positive outlook. It was quite interesting. In May, we separated though and I returned to the cold streets.
June
In June, I was mostly preparing to return to school. School resumed July 3rd for the IT semester (my school says we must do it). I caught up with old friends that I missed. My sister also got married so I had to do Aburo Iyawo duties haha. Towards the end of the month, the company where I did my internship gave me the offer to retain me even while I was in school as a part-time staff. It was really one of my highlights of the year.
July-December
O boy, school is really hard mehnnn. I resumed school this month for the infamous and rushed post-siwes semester. I was resuming to the responsibilities of President in my school and it was very challenging mixing that with school at first. I was actually actively failing in classes, so bad that I had a blank paper in one test but we thank God for grace. The semester ended well. From July to December was extremely eventful. Too much happened, but they were mostly all centered around school. School stress, leadership, team organisation. If an employer ever asks if I can work under pressure, I would narrate this year. I did two project defenses and beat my previous highest GPA again lmao.
In August, I got the acceptance mail that I had been selected as the GDSC Lead for my campus🥳.
So I had to add community building (literally) to the things I had to do. I formed several teams this period and it was all so crazy. Omo, leading is no easy feat o. It is actually really hard. I currently hold 4 major leadership positions and I had to persistently deflect new positions. This period was full of work for me, so I can’t lie and say that I had fun. Na work just full am. My friend campaigned for a President post and won. I was so elated by this cos I was an active part of her campaign and it was so stressful for us. I made new friends too, shoutout to Boluwatife, Angel, Bimbo, Nneka, Subomi, my teammates from all teams that became friends and my classmates that got close.
My phone broke a total of 6 different times and honestly it be like say them dey follow me cos every single time it broke, I had to take out of the money I was saving up to get a new one to fix it. The irony. I’ve given up now sha, I’d hope for a new one. As the popular saying goes, Miracle no dey tire Bros J.
Towards the end of the year, I found a lot of ease. Things just generally got better and that was great. I even started learning Spanish on Duolingo so I’m about to Te amor myself out of these streets.
Significant Wins
- I got elected as BUCC President and Selected as GDSC Lead
- I wrote multiple exams (certifications and school) and passed all.
- I got internships for 8 people and contract jobs for another 8.
- I occupy several leadership positions now
- I volunteered in 2 Devfest and was invited to another.
- I got my highest GPA ever (4.85) and then I beat it in the next semester by getting a 5.0.
- I got a job, tripling my salary at the time.
- Completed my Apple Ecosystem
- Your serious babe😌
Un-wins (cos I never lose)
- My phone broke severally
- I lost the job I got (you dey whine down-sizing?)
- I felt lonely a lot more times than I liked
- Administrative wahala
- Applied for the Enyata scholarship thing with my friends and none of us won
- Lost 2 Airpods💀
Conclusion
I had really high highs this year as well as really low lows. I accomplished so so much and tried my best to solve problems for as many people (Solving problems for the NBU!!!) as I could. I loved and I lost, I offended some and more but in all we give thanks. I didn’t do so well in my friendships this year, but I can only try to be better, my friends.
Something else I realised from the year is that my grip on my pride has weakened. Although some times it’s just cos it sure for me die but it got me in a lot of wahala this year haha. We’re on it anyway.
By this time next year, I would have graduated. Crazy. There’s goals I hope I’d have achieved by then (job, love, body, money, career, giving back) and I’m really looking forward to them.
One of the main goals for next year is working in Microsoft. I’m sharing that cos that’s prolly my biggest goal as of now. Let’s see how far it goes.
My year in a couple of pictures 😊:
