During my final year in college, a mighty storm hit me, within two days my life was forced to change automatically, I was forced to question life why it was unfair to me.
It was the second semester of my final year, everyone was getting ready to graduate from college, we were working on our projects, even when it was months away we had the perfect picture of what our graduation party would look like and of course the perfect dress to wear for graduation, it was during that period I received the bad news or rather I saw the bad news with my eyes.
“IB let's go check our results, I heard the remaining three courses from last semester have been uploaded, we can check it in Dr. Stephen’s office,” said my friend Elizabeth.
“Oh okay, let’s hurry up, I need to go back home early today” I replied.
We hurriedly made our way to Dr. Stephen’s office, a few students were waiting in line to check their results as well, so we had to wait for some people to leave before we entered the office to check.
“Stylistics F? I said in disbelief to no one in particular.
“Hold on let me check, maybe you saw it wrongly,” my friend Elizabeth said scanning through the long list of names on the results spreadsheet.
“Jesus it is true!” my friend exclaimed.
We checked again, thinking we made a mistake while going through the spreadsheet since it was a long list.
This time I boldly saw it “STYLISTICS F” I was in shock, I didn’t know if I was to scream, cry or roll on the floor.
My friend Elizabeth kept on rambling about a lot of things, and from what I could make out of everything she said, was that the result was a mistake and we were going to rectify it, while she went on and on hot tears started dropping from my eyes, my heart began to race, my palms sweaty, I was so scared and worried, at that point, the only person I could think of was my father.
I was advised to meet the course lecturer to find out if there was a mix-up somewhere.
“Sorry young lady you failed the course and there is nothing anyone can do, when we tell you students to read, you all think we are joking”. My stylistics lecturer said bluntly.
“Sir it’s a faculty course, it’s not waivable so it means I will have an extra year and it’s not even possible that I failed this course,” I said amidst tears.
“Even the best students fail, people have extra years and they don’t die,” my stylistics lecturer said as he made his way to his door and I knew it was my cue to leave.
The only people I could think of while all of this was going on was my family, how was I going to break the news to them that their beloved daughter and sister whom they boasted about finishing college in record time without any hitch was going to have an extra year.
I thought about the fact that I would have to pay for my tuition, house rent, and the shame I had to bear.
The darkness brought by the storm overshadowed me and I was void of all emotions and I became numb.
I was advised to write a letter to my HOD, I did and when I went to submit the letter, the secretary chuckled after seeing the content of the letter.
“You want them to remark your script?” She said while laughing at the letter in her hand. Her reaction was not what I expected because I was damn serious about everything and I wasn’t cracking any jokes.
“Do you know how many months it takes for one script to be remarked? It takes a series of request letters before the committee can be set up and that could run into months she said sadly.
While I kept walking from one office to another in a bid to know why I failed a course I read my ass out for and the people I taught before the exam did great, Dr. Stephen was also worried as he knew for a fact that something was wrong. He usually kept tabs on my grades and academic performance in general, so he knew for a fact that everything didn’t add up. He couldn’t sit down without doing anything that was when he demanded they provide him with my stylistics exam script.
When the script was brought out lo and behold 62 was written boldly on the script and that was a B without adding my class assessment, Dr. Stephen was mad and I was shocked at this discovery. Up to date, no official apology was rendered to me but anyways that’s how things work around here.
Just when I thought the violent storm was over it hit me again and this time it left me in agony. Finding out that I didn’t fail the course was one good thing but effecting the change was a bigger problem.
The HOD heard about the news and Dr. Stephen was queried for showing me my script "You had no right to show a student her script" said my HOD, funny how the management shifted from the bone of contention to querying a good man that was only standing up for a helpless girl. The matter kept dragging on for a very long time, this affected my performance in school because I was so worried and I kept on going to series of meetings and writing endless letters and this alone was demoralizing, because of the delay I couldn't concentrate on my school work.
After a series of appeals, the change was effected and I am forever grateful to Dr. Stephen.
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