The day I actually learnt what it really means to miss the boat was the day I lost a scholarship that would have changed my life. It was in 2024, I finished my 300 level in January and by March we began 400 level at the University of Ilorin, so the Federal Government declared a special overseas scholarship among genius students in management sciences. The package was complete including tuition, accommodation and stipend all in dollars and the additional assurance of securing a job immediately after graduation. My coursemates were thrilled and I was among the few who were eligible to apply for the scholarship.
However, there was a clause, the time for the preparation for the scholarship exams was limited. I could recall being in the reading room in the Main School Library together with my friend Bolu. I was still relaxing listening to music with my earpiece while she was filling out the online forms on her laptop, so I said to her "Calm down Babe, calm down, there is still time the portal is not going to close so quickly" but Bolu gazed at me with intense eyes and said “Tayo this is Nigeria, when they tell you it is Friday, the portal can malfunctions by Wednesday so it's better you do yours now” I laughed and waved her off, “You worry too much, I will do mine tomorrow.”
The next day came and I went to work on my application but I ended up in Oja market with some of my friends who went to buy foodstuffs to host a departmental event, so by evening I was already tired because we were walking from one place to the other looking for cheaper products, so I got home late. By the time I was at home I said to myself that I will go to sleep and do it tomorrow. The following morning, I woke up late but I still tried to turn on my laptop and attempt to log into the portal when a red notice was staring at me saying “Applications closed”.
Initially, I thought it was a network problem so I refreshed and refreshed but the message still stayed. My heart started racing so I called Bolu immediately and said “Babe, they are joking right? because it's not possible for them to close it up now, today is still Wednesday and it should close on Friday nah!" She sighed and said "I sent mine in last night and the web page was already becoming slow but I told you not to delay”. I threw the phone on my bed and sank my head in my hands, that was the first time in my life that I experienced the actual burden of procrastination.
Bolu received the scholarship several weeks later, she went to Canada and she is currently employed in a large company that deals in auditing and investment banking. Whenever she calls on a video call, I look at the snow outside her window, and I cannot but remember that wrong step.
On own my part, I remained in Nigeria. Life has not been awful because I later on found my way to a different career path, but at times I reflect on that opportunity. It was not only a form I missed, it was one of those opportunities that doesn't come twice. That scholarship was a bitter lesson to me, if I had applied and not picked I would have blamed luck but as I did not even attempt to do it in time, it was all my fault.
Since that time, any time I hear of an opening, a grant or even a job interview, I leap at it. I do not wait to tomorrow anymore, as tomorrow can close it doors. Yes, I once missed the boat but that taught me to swim faster so that I would not miss the next boat.
Thank you for staying with me this far, I hope you had a good read, see you next time 😁.
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