Life After Secondary School !! Thursday Gists With IyanulOluwa Ololade
THURSDAY GIST WITH IYANULOLUWA OLOLADE
ololadeiyanuloluwa@gmail.com
LIFE AFTER SECONDARY SCHOOL.
Hello people!
How have you been? I’m super excited to bring you another gist article. Thursday last week, I let you into a part of the experiences at the beginning of my life (Genesis). We all have different shades of experiences – the good, bad and ugly. These experiences are capable of shaping our beliefs, worldviews, decision, health, tolerance, resistance, personality; and reaction to people and life’s issues. However, we should be willing to let go, as much as possible, of the negative effects that our bad and ugly past experiences have had over us. We should also unlearn some beliefs where necessary and be willing to give life another chance. Amend those that can be amended and ignore those that cannot be amended.
If after we have tried to let go of hurts and negative effects of our pasts, the memories of those experiences still creep in on us to intercept our sanity and everyday normal life, then, it is time to take a break and/or go for some professional help – therapy, counselling or other available Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mind exercises. This is because it will be disheartening to let the past rob us of the joys of today and tomorrow.
I mentioned to you last week that secondary school offered more excitement and hope. However, life dealt me another blow called delay. For five years after secondary school, getting an admission into a tertiary institution was a big challenge. O’ level examination results were the major road block to my academic progress. I almost gave up the idea of furthering my education. I told my mom that I will simply learn how to sew and open a tailor’s shop. Nevertheless, I prioritized some kind of literacy first, by going for a 3 month computer training class at a free skill acquisition centre. After that, I started working as a sales girl at a boutique and then registered as an apprentice at a fashion designer’s place.
THE U-TURN
Three years after secondary school, I made a major decision of re-alignment; I changed from being a science student to becoming a student in the Arts. An uncle got me the needed text books after I was able to convince him on reasons for my decision. After purchasing the books, I got the scheme of work from a senior secondary school student and I started studying by myself; be sure that as a beginner with no knowledge of the specific subjects in the Arts, it was not easy. But after the second attempt on my O’ level examination, after the transition from the sciences to arts, I made my subjects in the Arts.
The wait came to an end and I got admitted into a state university to study English Education. My stay was however short lived because I received a message that my second choice of a Federal institution offered me an admission. After a brief disagreement with a few persons because I was reluctant to accept the course I was offered to study at this other federal institution, I crossed and had my first degree in Religious Studies/English Language (Combined Hons).
Life through university was not beans – payment of fees was by divine providence; all thanks to one of my maternal uncles. Don’t even bother to ask about the making of my hair or buying of dresses and shoes. Those were never a priority, so I lived by whatever I could improvise or get as gifts. I was lucky to have some naira sent in by various individuals for my feeding. Though in most cases, I would convert the feeding allowance to get my textbooks, note books and course materials. With that, I never lacked any educational material and I thrived to put in my best into studying.
It is five years since convocation. I have a post graduate diploma in journalism. I have my passion being played out on ‘TEMITIRE TALK’ SHOW (my YouTube channel) and I have done a handful of jobs; other challenges have crept up too but in all of these, I know that my redeemer lives. I may not fully comprehend why I am sharing this gist right now but I wish it will serve as an encouragement to someone reading, that only you can decide where the full stop comes in your life’s journey and story. So, till I send you another gist article, next week, please do not stop hoping for the best; for it is definitely around the corner.
