Dealing with Life Changes +Life Update!

This post is dedicated to every new graduate or anyone going through major life changes. I know it’s hard, but I want you to know that it will never be the end of you. Lots of love!❤️

Last week, I went to an entirely new city and was there on my own, all by myself. And like a bomb, came the realization that ‘ Okay Sis, this is real life’.

Since this is the first time I’m writing anything related to my personal life, I’m going to briefly introduce myself.

I’m a graduate of Afe Babalola University. I finished last month actually. I’m a nurse that is into a host of other things, but for the purpose of this post, I’ll stick with that.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had to deal with stuff that I absolutely was not prepared for. I had been at school for over six months, and so I was super excited to go home and eat my mother’s food.

What I didn’t expect was the onslaught of emotions that accompanied my stay at home. This pressure just came out of nowhere (okay, maybe not nowhere. Social media had a lot to do with it) and for days, I was torn between feeling depressed and frustrated.

I was actually happy to be back home. The feeling is difficult to explain, but you know the feeling where you’ve been going round and round a rollercoaster and all of a sudden it just stops. That is exactly how I felt when I got back home.

A lot of things started happening, it seemed like life was seeking to frustrate me and I was just tired.

For a little back story, I went to a private university, and those that attend or attended a private school like mine know that it’s not much different from secondary school life. I’m not shading private schools in any way because, I mean, I’m really grateful for the opportunity to attend one.

But almost nothing about being in a private school prepares you for real life. You have your time carved out for you, and you know exactly what you need to do to pass your exams and everything like that.

But when you graduate, you realize that the world is moving and you need to catch up. You realize that you need some form of direction in your life to stay sane. You realize that you’re solely responsible for your life and you need to get your ass up and do something.

For me, it is a bittersweet experience. I’m so glad to be done with university and I’m excited about this new phase of my life. But at the same time, it feels like a bandaid has been torn off me and I’m exposed.

Through all this, I’ve learnt a few things that I’d like to share.

The first thing is that it’s absolutely okay not to have everything figured out. The security and linear nature of school made me used to knowing exactly what I needed to do. But in real life, clarity takes time. Things might not add up now and that’s okay. 

This time in my life is actually an opportunity for me to explore who I am and what I want. And that should be treasured, not despised. Like, just relax. Breathe. You’ve been through a lot at school. I know you feel like you should be doing something productive, and trust me, I relate a hundred times. But it’s still okay to chill. Don’t despise the boring times because one day you’ll miss them.

Another thing is that I have to make allowances for my own mistakes. I’m the queen of putting unnecessary pressure on myself. But really, who doesn’t make mistakes? We’re all about forgiveness, but what’s the point if I can’t transfer that forgiveness to the mistakes I’ll make?

Another is that I have to always keep my life purpose in mind. My life purpose is to know Christ and to make him known, and so it’s important that I continue to remind myself of that, so that I don’t fall into the trap of unnecessary comparison.

One major one that I’m still working on is that I need to value connection with people, both family and friends. It will be difficult to see most of my friends again. Because of the fast-paced nature of the lifestyle I’m entering, even if I make new friends, I won’t see them for a long time. This one is hard because I get distracted so easily, and I don’t like talking for long periods of time. But it’s important that I keep in touch and listen to people because I need it.

Another is to be open to enjoyment. Because truth be told, I don try. Like, I’ve tried. I’ve gone through a lot. Because I went to a private school, I didn’t get to go out much. So right now, I’m prioritizing enjoyment. Since there’s no man to take me out, I’ll take myself out. I’m open to having enjoyment friends (If you think you qualify please apply).

Another one is that I won’t die. All the stress will not kill me, but will make me stronger. I have the Holy Spirit, so I’ll be alright (I tell my friends this all the time). I’m starting my internship next month in another state, and I look forward to it. I look forward to planning my own life, to making decisions for myself and being responsible for myself.

It’s an exciting journey, and I’m excited about it. Sometimes I feel a tad bit scared because I’m not sure I can do it, but as I said earlier, Jehovah Jireh has my back, so I’ll be fine *laughs in I have overcome the world.

Another thing that really bothered me was that nursing isn’t what I wanted to do. If you open my brain right now, all you’ll find is content creation and youth empowerment. But I need the money for my dreams, so nursing way!! I’m willing to do all it takes to live the life I want to live, even if it means staying in a career I don’t exactly want.

Thank you for reading my life story, and let me know in the comments if you want more life updates like this. Don’t worry, the platform is changing soon (*wink). See you next week!🤎

Before I get out of your face, as you know God is our singular hope to getting through difficult times. And so you definitely need constant reminders of all that God has said about you. Through Abba’s eyes letters provide you with weekly encouragement from God’s word directly to your email, so make sure to sign up!