2024 was a year for me, one I will always remember, it was filled with highs and lows, but one challenge stood out, this challenge left me completely overwhelmed. Here is it...
It was my final year in school, and the final year project consumed my life, and It wasn’t just the workload, it was the endless battles with my supervisor that almost broke me.
The first meeting felt like it was yesterday. I walked into his office with a draft I had spent sleepless nights putting together, only for him to glance at it and say, "This is nonsense, who even approved this topic for you, see, if you know whats best for you and dont want to start playing with an extra year, do well to bring me a new topic and start over." My heart sank. It was if those words were played in y head, on repeat. I walked out of his office feeling dejected.
The weeks that followed were tough. Every correction he gave felt like another mountain to climb. I gave it to some cafe man to help with it,he rubbished that also, what I spent thousands of naira on. He said I should go and do it myself, to find a laptop and show him my every move and work in details. I would stay up late into the night, trying to fix what he pointed out, only to have him dismiss my efforts again. One day, I felt ,I have done this, I cross checked and all and when I felt fine with it, I went to him, that day was just too bad, I lost myself, I couldn't stop myself from crying as he responded after just glancing through the system(laptop) "Do you even know what you’re doing?" " I promise you, you won't graduate here". He was my HOD(Head of department) at the same time my supervisor, so it was hard to not believe his words and with the little I know about him. I began to doubt myself. Maybe I wasn’t smart enough. Maybe I didn’t deserve to graduate. Maybe I should just do whatever and come out with whatever. The pressure was immense.
But something in me refused to give up. I have learnt not too, ever since I was sick for a long time and I came out strog when all hope was already lost, ever since then, I have learnt not to lose hope. I sat down, took a moment to reflect. I reminded myself why I started. I had come too far to let one person’s words define me. I broke the project into smaller tasks, I visited some of my lecturers to put me through certain things, I combined their tips, ideas and approaches together, amd i prayed more.
I was amongst the first set of people to start their projects, but I was among the last few to complete it. After months of relentless effort, I finally completed the project. When I handed it to my supervisor, he nodded looked at me and asked some questions, I responded him and for the first time I received an handshake from him and a "Not bad" comment, it felt like a trophy. There were a few adjustment needed though, which he did himself while explaining them to me.
Looking back, 2024 taught me that rock bottom isn’t the end. It’s just a place to think and start over, so as to build and come out stronger.
all pictures are mine.
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STOPThe way most of these lecturers behave makes me wonder if it's just to push the students to be better or just an act of wickedness.
It's good you succeeded at the end👌.
My project supervisor back then didn't do me any harm. It was sweatless for me. God bless them woman!
Wow, you were really lucky I must admit.
Well I will want to say its so we could be better, but theres still ways to do that, not one that might discourage and see ones effort as nothing.
Thanks so much for stopping by.