There was this particular moment in my fourth year at the university (400 level) that i can never forget.
So basically, I’m studying agriculture, and to be honest, I’m genuinely proud of that. I didn’t just end up in agric by chance; I chose it. I love animals, I love the farm, and I love the idea of producing food and sustaining life. But then, for some reason, whenever I tell people — especially girls — that I study agric, their reaction is usually weird. It’s almost like they instantly lose interest. I’ve even had a girl ghost me the moment I told her what department I was in. She didn't even give me any explanation. She just stopped talking to me straight away.
Fast forward to the particular moment --I met this girl on Snapchat. She was in my university and was even in 200 level at the time. Unlike most girls I had met, she was actually fun to talk to. She had this vibrant, talkative energy while I was calmer and reserved. But somehow, our energies matched, and conversations with her just flowed naturally. She wasn’t even the type of girl I’d normally go for, but because of how effortless it felt talking to her, I decided to try and see if we could be more than friends.
So after some time , she asked me that question — “What department are you in?”
Now, because of my past experiences, I didn’t want to mess things up. So I lied. I told her I was studying engineering. Not just any engineering — i told her i was studying mechatronics. And she believed it. She even asked me questions about it, and somehow, I played along. I felt bad for lying, but I also felt like I had to, just to be seen differently.
Everything was fine until one morning after our farm work. I was still wearing my green farm coat — the one all agric students wear during practicals. I had just finished from the farm, and some of us decided to grab something to eat from the school canteen before heading to class. As fate would have it, that was the exact moment she was walking past with her friends — and she saw me. She didn’t say anything, but I noticed the way she looked at me. I could tell she was surprised, maybe even disappointed. She started whispering to her friends and laughing, and honestly, I felt like the ground should just open up and swallow me right there.
I was so embarrassed that I pretended like I didn’t even know her. I didn’t say hi, didn’t wave — nothing. Just acted like she was a total stranger. That moment was so awkward and painful. After that day, things just went cold between us. We stopped talking. Maybe it was the lie, or maybe it was her own prejudice about agric, I don’t know — but it was clear that whatever we had was over.
Since that experience, I made a personal decision to always tell people the truth about my department, no matter who they are or what I think their reaction will be. Agric may not sound glamorous to everyone, but then it’s something I chose with my heart. It’s something I believe in. And if someone chooses to judge me or look down on me because of it, then maybe they were never meant to be in my life in the first place.
At the end of the day, your passion should never be something you’re ashamed of.
Thanks for reading.