Today being the 6th of August, makes it one year since I was away from home for the first time. When i mean away from home, I don't just mean away from my family house, I'm talking about leaving my parents and siblings to go live on my own. And for four good months, I didn't get to see my family anymore. What was the reason? School! Yes, I had gained admission into the university and of course it was custom to leave home.
You see, I had been anticipating that day for so long because I couldn't wait to finally leave my house and all the chores, stress and boredom that followed. I couldn't wait to experience life outside my comfort zone, make new friends, enjoy my freedom and finally get back to learning in the four corners of an institution.
Long before the time approached, I was already making lists of all the things I needed to buy for a life in the university. I wasn't going to stay in school hostel but a rented apartment which made the whole thing more exciting.
Then, the D-Day finally came and after all the formalities and protocols, I was now living on my own in my rented apartment but after a few hours, my excitement died down.
Out of nowhere, I became emotional and a little bit of depression set in. I wasn't as optimistic as I was in the beginning, I did enjoy my freedom alright but nothing felt like I had imagined it would be. I can't really explain it but anyone who can relate should understand.
I was missing my parents and siblings a lot, I started reminiscing good old times with them and I didn't know when I started crying in my room 😅.
There was no one to wake me up when I overslept in the morning, no more mummy's delicious home cooked food, no more siblings gist or mother and daughter gossips, no more watching TV... I always had to worry about what to cook and I never thought that managing money would be that difficult. I had planned to save a lot of money from the pocket money I received but mehn, I couldn't save a dime! Things were a lot more expensive than I thought.
Even worse, the school stress I thought I was prepared for weighed on me, lol, let me not even start with that. The stress at home was nothing compared to stress in the university of Benin. Little wonder it was nicknamed “Unistress” and “Unibend” (it'll bend you but you'll not break).
I just felt like running back home because that was definitely not the school life I had signed up for and knowing that it was just the beginning made my skin crawl.
However, with time, I started to adjust and got used to everything. It didn't seem so bad anymore. I made good friends and moved well with them. School became much fun that my homesickness started to wear off. I was too occupied with school work that I no longer felt the absence of my family, although I still missed them everyday and we often spoke on the phone.
Anyway, after the semester came to an end, I finally returned home for Christmas and reunited with my parents and siblings.
In conclusion, my experience taught me a lot, I learned that the outside world isn't all rainbows and roses so one must toughen up and be prepared. Leaving my comfort zone made independent, I became stronger mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. I learned to strive in harsh conditions without usually whining to my parents and I also learned to manage resources more and avoid impulse buying. Most importantly, my experience made me more self-disciplined than I thought I could be. Imagine being away from the watching eyes of my parents, I had all the freedom to do whatever I wanted but I didn't take immodest advantage of it. Anyone who has attended a federal university in Nigeria will understand how wild it can be so one has to be careful in order to successfully graduate alive with a degree in hand and wisdom in mind.
P.S. This post is in response to the 
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