Dear Me 💖✨✨

Mara took a deep breath. She fingered her mouse and pulled the cursor to the left side of the screen. She touched the icon, "Submit now." As usual, it was beeping rhythmically, copying the pounding heart beats of tense students who sweated over their exam questions.

Mara smiled at the icon and flexed her fingers before she clicked on it for the last time, as a year one student.

The air was fresh and sweet as she descended the stairs of Nnamdi Azikiwe library and stepped through the large door. She breathed it in and smiled. "Freedom," she mumbled. With her friend, she rushed to the front of the library where her other classmates were assembled. In the middle of the gathering was Steve, the class rep. Everyone looked at his grin in anticipation.

The he opened his mouth.

"No longer freshers!" Steve shouted with his knuckle thrust in the air and the students cheered. They caused quite a scene as they screamed, danced and sang, "One year don waka! We still dey carry go!"

The library security chased them out and they ran happily to their department courtyard to continue their celebration. Their joyful screams and wild cheers of gratitude reached the heavens. It was a moment of merriment for them all. Even though other students looked at them with amusement and scorn, nothing could take away the joy of being an ex-fresher.

DEAR ME

Mara fell on her bed, exhausted from the day's celebration. At last, it was time for the best part of the celebration; sleeping with abandon. She had already deleted her alarms and arranged her pillow thoroughly. All that was left was to drift off to dream land.

As she tried to sleep, thoughts of earlier that day drew bright smiles on her cheeks.

She sighed and whispered, "Thank God for everything."

She stared outside her hostel window and gazed at the stars in the dark sky. Her memory strayed to the eve of her first journey to the den as an admitted student. She had laid on her bed at home in her exact position. Instead of joyful thoughts she had been clouded with anxiety over what the future held in store for her.

Her brows furrowed suddenly as she pondered on a striking question, "If you could go back and talk to yourself, what would you say?"

Mara smiled, picked up her phone (she would never touch a pen or paper until her year two began) and typed;

Dear Me,

In a few hours, you will embark on one of your life's biggest adventures. I know you feel scared and uncertain right now but you didn't come this far to give up. I assure you that it's going to be a wonderful time for you. It will be an unforgettable experience.

Tomorrow, you are going to wake up before your alarm rings. Let me advice you. Turn off the alarm and go back to bed. 3 am is much too early to start preparing. Just rest, dear. You're going to need it.

You will be so excited you won't cry when your parents and siblings hug you tightly and make a few sniffles over your shoulder. Can you do me a favour and hug dad and mum tighter because it is going to be a long while before you see them again. 😩

The journey will be smooth. Still, pray before you enter the bus and try to get a window seat so you don't have to sit beside a sweaty dark lady in blue. Please, for your nose's sake.🥺

You'll smile very brightly when you make your debut entrance through those gates. You'll look at that lion statue and your heart will swell with pride. You'll also want to salute it. Go ahead. You deserve every joy of this moment.

After the ecstacy, the real business will begin. You will go to your hostel and meet your roommates. They are awesome people; don't fret. Just never accept food from Jessica. She cooks terribly. Nelly is a little noisy but you'll get used to it. Sharon is cool but you'll hardly see much of her. You will dislike Anna at first but with time, you two will be best of friends.

Shop till you drop

Seed Stores 09113101469

Before I continue, let me say, congratulations! 🎉 You're a fresher. Yes, darling, this is what we worked for. Every hour spent reading for WAEC, JAMB and UTME was not in vain. This is your reward. Don't celebrate though, because this is where the real work begins.

Your first lecture will be GSP 101. Be punctual but not too punctual or you'll wait outside. Also, don't ask for directions from a 'werey' wearing green joggers and yellow polo. He's going to take you to Abuja building and back so you think GS building is far from your hostel. Then he will ask you to pay him. 🤦 Just walk straight from your hostel till you meet a roundabout with a portrait of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. Then go straight again and stop at the green and cream building. You can't miss it.

Don't let the lovely sculptures of lions and the new paint fool you. GS is not as pretty as it looks. On your orientation, a certain gentleman in a black suit will tell you that GS is the most wicked department in the den. Don't widen your eyes in horror. He's right. The worst part is that you can't escape them. They literally have the entire student body under their grasp. Whatever you do, don't get in trouble with them. Be on time for classes and register for your GS handbook even if you desperately want to use that money to buy a meal at Chitis.

You are excited to have the liberty to use your own ATM card and you will want to get the hang of using an ATM machine. That's fine. Just don't act all excited when the ATM spits out your money. People are watching. 😒 Also, never use the FCMB ATM at Marlima. Yes, it works well for others but remember your card is red and has Zenith written on it. Heed my warning or it will swallow your card. 🥱

When you get your new card (hopefully you won't have to because you would have taken my advice) withdraw all the money in your account. Surprised? Well, all I have to tell you is that the Naira redesign policy will show you shege the very next day. 😌

Sabina Wax, the Brand You Can Trust. 08063065484

You will soon be well acquainted with your classmates. Your class is full of different people with different personalities but that shouldn't make you scared. Just be yourself and be good to everyone. Also, don't be in a rush to make friends. The truth is the cliques and groups of friends you envy can break up and turn to enemies before the end of the year. So don't be envious or call yourself an introvert. 😔 You're going to meet great people, with time. These people will love you for who you are and help you see the best in you.

There's Theodora, the pretty girl you will meet at SUB. She's a little rude, but a great person. There's also Leo, Chy, Funke and Mfon. You guys are going to be best of friends. You see that guy, Luca? Don't let him fool you. He may seem nice at first but he's everything dad warned you about. So I beg you in the name of God, do not say yes when he begs you for urgent 2k. You're going to need that money to buy a textbook pretty soon, and he's not going to pay you back.

Before you know it, you will be able to identify almost all your classmates. By that time, your matric will be at hand. I know how excited you will be on that day. Don't feel sad because you couldn't hire a makeup artist or buy a new gown. Nothing is going to stop you from being the most beautiful matriculant in your set.

Eat! Dance! Have some fun! Let aunt Rebecca pamper you with cake! You are a lioness, 😌 and you're not going to see cake again in a long time. 🥺

When the occasion is over and you've had your full of food and pictures, go straight to your room. Do not, I repeat, do not go to Theodora's hostel. Her roommates are going to ambush you and make you dance the "ewu jambito." Mara, you know you don't know how to dance so spare yourself the embarrassment. 😭

At last! You've anticipated it. Now, it's time for you to have your first anonymous night. Don't worry; you won't get dragged. You did a good job keeping things low-key. Trust me, there's no fun in having your image massacred in an anonymous night. You don't need that kind of trauma. Still though, you can laugh at the people that get ridiculed. 🥱

Phone pouches and frames! Sure plug! Contact Skillz 07 on WhatsApp

Now, I know how you feel. Time is flying so quickly. You know so much already. You know the way to your department, CDEL and the library. Don't get carried away. You're still a fresher, because you still forget to take your room key with you before leaving for classes. 🤦 You also panic when you're late for classes that have never held and will probably never hold.

Anyway, it's time for elections. Do your campaigns. Scatter your status with images and memes of your presidential candidate. Just don't bet with Anna that Peter Obi will win. You're going to regret it. Also, the school will observe a two-weeks election break. Mara, for the love of God, pack your bags and fly home! The election break is going to last for a month and the WiFi will be disconnected! 😩

Before you blink, your first exams will arrive. Don't panic. You have been writing exams since nursery school. There's nothing different. Who am I kidding? 😂 It's completely different if it's CBT. You will know what it means for your system to hang when you're still answering the fifth question. You better start now to pray against your village people. Oh, and avoid every computer at the left corner of the library. If not, you will meet an evil computer that will trip off when you're almost done with your philosophy exam. 😤

That reminds me. Here's candid advice. Never go early for a GS exam. All your GS exams will be at the library. You will be told that accreditation starts by 7:40 am. Missy, remember that this is Africa. Just relax your mind, eat your breakfast and stroll to the library. You don't believe me? Okay.👌 You'll testify when you write an 8 o'clock paper by 11 am.

Your exams will end after a long time of torture. 😖  Don't expect your results though. You would have started your second semester exams before you smell even one of your results.

This will come as a shock to you but in the long run, you are going to miss classes. It's semester two and you'll skip one or two classes. Okay, make that seven. Don't feel too bad. That's part of being a student of the den. A little rebellion won't wound your grades. It will actually help you to maintain your sanity. 🤕 That doesn't mean you should skip classes unnecessarily. I can tell you one thing, and that is this; in second semester, only your notes and attention during classes will save you in these exams.

Something terrible will happen much later in your second semester. Let me warn you ahead of time. You're going to be choked up with assignments, lots of them. Then you are going to want to print an assignment before your PSC class on a certain Tuesday. Don't! Just go straight to school. You will be offline when the info is sent that you will have a GSP 208 test. That's why you have to be constantly online so you don't miss any update, especially during exam times. Anyway, just go straight to school because the assignment you want to print won't be submitted until the following day. Please, try not to miss your test. CAs and assignments are really important. They could be the difference between a carryover and a good result.

B&U Cakes and Pastries is the best! 09154041138

Mara, this is very important. Your year one is the foundation of your academics in the den. You may feel that it's too late in semester two to do well, but you're wrong. It's never too late. Don't believe the lie that you can boost your GP in year two. If you procrastinate, you will regret it. Do your best now. Study, research and pray. You will have every reason to smile in the end. I promise you.

Graduation. 😌 That's when you'll wear your white shirt and sign out like the finalists you'll see soon. Anna is going to be one of them. You will sign on her shirt (Make your signature bigger please 🙏) and dream of your own big day. It will come, with time. So stop dreaming and waving at the flashy cars that speed past your window with students sticking their heads out of the windows and doors. I mean it. 😒 You have a PSC exam tomorrow and it will not be funny. Can I give you some expo? 🥺 Stop reading the entire textbook. 😪 The answers are in the notebook. 🤦

I must not fail to state this because I know you can be a little careless at times. Hold on to your receipts. For any due you pay and any POS transaction you make, don't lose your receipts! Your class rep will show you shege because of them and I hear that it won't be funny in our final year if we don't have our receipts handy. 😓

A beautiful adventure awaits you, dearest. ☺️ It will be tough because you are a fresher. Don't worry. You'll get to where I am soon. You'll be an ex-fresher before you know it. Then, you can trick another fresher too and take them to first gate when they ask for directions to Medical Center. 😂 We have to keep that tradition alive.

I'm just kidding. 🙃 Don't take advantage of their lack of experience. You may think it's fun but it isn't. Don't be the reason freshers hate this beautiful first year of their lives in school. When you see them, remember who you were a year ago. Remember when you were a fresher. Be the reason for their memorable first year.

At last, I wish you a beautiful adventure ahead. May you have a first year worth remembering.

Yours affectionately,

You 💝

Thank you so much for reading my recount of a memorable first year. ❤️ What do you think?  Did I miss any important advice? Is there something you wish to add? How do you remember your first year? Please share with us in the comment section 😘