EXPECTATIONS VS REALITY AS A NIGERIAN
In often cases for Nigerians usually the ones in High School we map our lives out with calculations of time we will spend in the university, a little something like "I will graduate Secondary school at 17 years enter university by 18, and graduate by 22 or at most 23 depends on the course I eventually choose to study". I personally was one of those who held tigthly to false fantasies like that. There is a popular teasing word we university students use when we are around High school students who have no idea the world they are about to enter into which is "should we tell them ?"
Today when I look back at those days I do wonder with amusement what a fool I had been to believe life always going to go as planned, the inevitable disappointment lurking just around the corner to wipe the grin off our faces, some people's life went as planned of course got into the system early and are out before, but the majority of us got the cold hand of reality lol, 23 and still a 200 level student of communication Engr.
After my graduation from high school I decided to work for a year before moving to the university, my first year was a blast I had saved enough to afford most things I might need in my first year, and I wrote my entrance exam optimistic about my gaining of admission into the university, didn't get admitted on my first and second year wow! I had to extend my calculations by 3 years extra which was very difficult for me at the time cause on my third application when I got accepted my friends studying four years courses were already prepping for graduation Life hits you differently when your expectations turns out to be a disappointment especially when it could all have been avoided either by getting admitted early or by bracing your self for the fact that all may not go as planned, it honestly beats me at the little amount of effort it will take our older ones to tell educate us on the fact that it may not go as expected so we know to brace for possibilities that all may not go as planned, But do they? Hell NO!!!
They always allow the young ones to find out for themselves and those with weak willpower eventually give up on a school after a few rejected trials Reality is not always harsh sometimes its even more rosy than you imagined it will be but not in most cases often its worse than you had prepared for, as a young individual its best to keep your expectations in check so as not to get too disappointed by unforeseen outcomes which is unavoidable Its always good to plan don't get my message wrong my point here is always keep in mind it might not go according to your expectations, the more you lean on your plans the greater the disappointment will be.
All the plans I have cooked up were so filled with a lot of factors being ignored, say for instance covid-19 pandemic swept away a year from my life which I could have advanced to the next level, now on getting to this new year i have been sitting at home for the past 5 months due to Universities nationwide strike currently ongoing.
When you raise your hopes up too high and leave no room for disappointment, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but life will definitely shock the Fantasy out of you, So far I can just say the best way to handle reality and expectations is to set goals strive to achieve them and at the same time leave room for disappointment hence you can grab life as it comes.
