One last round

 

One Last Round

By Ajuma Millicent

The most challenging lap is always the last one. But every athlete would tell you that this is the time to give everything you've got and finish with a sprint. Being in the last semester of university is exciting but just as frustrating. Getting into Moi University in August 2018, I didn't envision being in my last semester in 2023. I genuinely thought I would have graduated by now. However, I wouldn't change a thing about my experience at Moi University.

There are 3 things that I am grateful for; the strong educational foundation I get once I am done. The narrative that ‘education is just papers’ has dominated social media and our life. It is easy to say that if you don't understand the struggle in getting the said papers. Some of the things that university students have to do to get the papers are sleepless nights, research projects, multiple assignments, retakes, and searching for unpaid internships while trying to keep a healthy social life. It is no mean feat. As a graduate, it is crucial to have a sense of pride and accomplishment in graduating from university, no matter how much the world wants to downplay your achievement.

The second thing I am grateful for is the relationships that I have developed in school. Sixteen years of studying in the 8-4-4 education system, and I couldn't be more thankful for the people I have met along the way. Fellow students with whom we have navigated school life together, it is always nice knowing that you are not alone, and we have forged some amazing friendships in the process, which will hopefully be part of our network in the future.

I am also grateful for the resources that have been provided at school. Being in school has been like having a safe space to maneuver. I have always known that after primary school, it is secondary school, then university. Finishing a university education is weird because the next step is not guaranteed. Getting out of school feels like getting out of the safety net and being out in the cold. I am expected to find a job as soon as possible, move out of my parent's house and get a life. Let us not even get started on the black tax. The pressure to make something out of myself immediately from school is crippling.

Despite the pressure to get out of school, it feels good to great to get out into the world. Every day since I stepped into school for the first time in 2005 has prepared me for this moment. I am excited about the possibilities that await me after university, and I am confident that the world will be a friendly place for me. However, it is not done until it is done.