A journey that started in October 2019, which was supposed to last for 18 months or a maximum period of 24 months, gradually became a 48-month programme due to COVID-19 and the ASUU strike (an association of all the academic staff unions of universities in Nigeria).
At some point, I felt like dropping out; the whole student in me had left me, and everything became tiring and exhausting. This was not what I had envisioned; it was never part of my future plans to spend four years doing a master's degree programme.
At last! The month is finally here when I get to officially receive evidence that I am now a graduate—not just a graduate but a graduate of the Master of Science—a beautiful addition to my feather. I had plans for how I wanted to celebrate my convocation. I planned on buying a completely new outfit from head to toe and paying a makeup artist for a face glam so I could have a photoshoot session with my friends. I was excited just at the thought of it, so I started preparing ahead of the D-day. I was beginning to feel discouraged by the constant increase in the price of goods and services. But as the smart Naija girl that I am, I quickly paid all the vendors two weeks earlier to avoid being charged extra due to the constant devaluation of the naira and constant changes in price. It was indeed a very smart move, I must say.
PREPARATIONS
Like I earlier stated, I had things that I needed to buy and also do before the D-day. Some of these include:
A. Make my hair: lately I have not really braided my hair due to the high cost involved in doing that; I just use a crotchet or my wig, which are quite cheaper. But it was my convocation, and a girl gets to look beautiful. So I met my hairdresser. I paid for my hair in advance, which I made a week before the D-day.
B. Shoes: When it comes to shoes, a girl can never have too many shoes, in my opinion. I love shoes. They say good shoes will take you to good places. In my head, I already had pictures of the shoes I wanted. I wanted to buy two pairs of shoes: stiletto heels and gladiator sandal heels, but unfortunately for me, I could not get the type of stiletto I wanted in my size, so I opted for another pair of black sandal heels with the gladiator heels. You can never go wrong in black.
C. Dress: I knew I wouldn't get the chance to settle down and make my own dress, so I employed the help of a friend whom I gave the money to. She did an amazing job with my dress, and it came out beautiful.
D. Make-up: I did my makeup the same day I was going for my photoshoot. She did a great job, and I got a special discount since my previous makeup artist referred me to her.
E. Photoshoot: Most of my close friends were surprised that I was going to a studio for a shoot; it's unlike me. I wasn't the type to go to the studio to snap, nor was I the type to snap on a daily basis with my phone. I began to have cold feet initially when I saw the price list. 4 soft copies of photos cost #12, 000 ($12) as of then, and to think a convocation discount was given, the price was ridiculous to me, but a girl has made up her mind, and nothing will stop me from snapping a professional photo, not even my bank account. I did my photoshoot two days before my convocation, so I would have a professional photo to upload to my status on that day.
D-DAY
The long-awaited day had finally arrived. It was my first convocation that I was going to be fully involved (I didn't attend my first degree convocation), and I was finally going to be an M.Sc. holder after all the 'shege' the Nigerian education system has shown me. I had lots of good and bad experiences in the course of my programme, especially during my sample collection.
I woke up with a flurry of emotions. I had been looking forward to this day for what felt like an eternity, and now it was here. I felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness as I prepared myself for the ceremony.
None of my family members made it to the event since it was a very long distance away from home and with the current economic situation of things in the country.
The ceremony was scheduled to take place in the school's auditorium. As I stepped into the auditorium, the whole atmosphere was charged with anticipation, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. I was ushered to my seat to join my fellow graduates in our designated seating area. I couldn't help but reflect on the journey so far. The challenging exams, the countless assignments and presentations, the late-night study sessions, the stress involved in sample collection for my dissertation, and the long period of hours spent in the laboratory for almost a year—thank God it ended in praise.
The ceremony began with a warm welcome from all the graduating students, invited guests, members of staff, and all dignitaries present. The university's chancellor, who happened to be the Ooni of Ife, delivered an inspiring speech about the importance of education and the responsibility that came with our newly acquired knowledge and degrees. The scholars (first-class graduates) were recognised and given awards for their hard work.
My picture with 
After the ceremony ended, I took the opportunity to snap photos with some of my colleagues and friends who also made it for the ceremony. It was a celebration of dedication, perseverance, and the pursuit of knowledge. It marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Looking back on the day's events, I realised that it was not only a personal achievement but a testament to the unwavering support of my family and friends and the guidance of my lecturers, especially my supervisor.
Myself and my fellow microbiologists
It was indeed a beautiful and memorable day, as I received lots of calls, goodwill messages, and gifts from my loved ones.
ALL IMAGES ARE MINE.
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