Am I going for a second chance?
One of the reasons people, especially in Nigeria reduce their age is to be able to go for NYSC which is the acronym for National Youth Service Corps. It's a one-year programme meant for graduates to serve their country in their chosen state. The age required to go for service is below thirty years old and once a Nigerian is even a day above the age, there wouldn't be any chance for him or her, and because most people do want to go and experience life being a Youth Corper, they try their means to reduce their age below the minimum.
This is something I never yearned for right from the onset because I don't see any reason why I should reduce my age for that. The best is to move on doing something with my life while hoping for the best because, in the end, it's not guaranteed you'd get a high-paying job with your certificate, except for the skill you have learned and improved on.
Right now, I am 29 years and my school has not even approved our results since last year we finished the exam. According to the law in academics, you will graduate when your results have been approved and would be able to go for service, that is, if you haven't clocked thirty years old already. Some people suggested I reduce my age as we aren't sure when the results would be approved, but I declined. This means, if my school successfully delayed and approved them by next year January, 14th which is my birthday, (I am just citing an example and not believing it would be so) then, the chance of going for service is forfeited while I go request for Nysc exemption letter. Life moves on, right?
Looking at my present now, there are moments I wished to correct in the past because of some missed and lost opportunities that I still regret not working on when I had the time but wouldn´t because of that, reduced my age. Let´s see it this way: if I were given the opportunity to reduce my age and I accepted, these are what I would be changing;
Going back to when I was at the age of 15 years when my Dad suggested I sit for Jamb Exam. I was in SS3 by that time, ready for Waec and I scored 221 on my first attempt. My Dad's plan was that I would use an awaiting result and before all processing, Waec results would have been out, but what disqualified me was that I failed woefully with Fs staring at me. We stopped the process immediately. Going back to this age would help me study harder and make my way into the University when I could have graduated early, perhaps when I was 18yrs.
Another thing would be going back to when I had my first boyfriend who made me a fool by spending on him instead of the other way round for four years and in the end, was left alone. I could have just said no when he asked me out and focus more on myself and helped Mom handle her business well.
Another thing I would do is to go back to my early 20s when I had the opportunity to save but didn't. I was spending unnecessarily when I could have started saving and planning my way to financial freedom. At least, if I had been consistent from that age till now, I could have been enjoying more this day and even have enough to invest with.
But with all of these, I wouldn't be reducing my age but continuing my life as it is. Being almost thirty years, there is a lot I can achieve because age is just a number and shouldn't limit one to doing what they ought to do.
In the last novel that I read titled "The Confident Woman" by Joyce Meyer when she said this;
According to her, she said we could still achieve many things at our present age instead of wallowing in pity and trying to get a chance of going back to correct things we have failed. When the world says, we cannot do this because of our age, it is left for us to accept or reject by being bold to say, "Yes, I can do it no matter how old I am”.
Though I missed gaining admission then, now, I am a graduate.
Though I failed in relationships in the past, I have learnt my lessons and used them as a guide to my next one.
Though I didn't take up the opportunity to save then, today, I know the importance of saving, investing and budgeting and I am trying my best to build my financial independence.
No matter how old we are now, we can achieve many things, as long as we are still living and breathing. Get out and do what you need to do. If a woman at 62 like Joyce Meyer at the time she was writing her book could achieve a lot because she left out of the decision that “I am too old for that”, why won't we do that too?
In conclusion, I wouldn't be reducing my age but continue moving forward while I achieve things I would want to while still breathing.
Thanks for your time on my blog.
Yeah no matter how old we are we can achieve whatever we want but there are sometimes some people always wished they could turn the hands of time back to change their past because if it possible everyone will be perfect and ok
Because there must have been some opportunities that we must have lost when we were growing
If I could change my age then I will go back to been a teenager then right all the wrongs I have made and take the opportunity I have back then but we can only wish for that because it can never happen.
You are right, many of us wished we could turn the hands of the clock back to correct what we failed in the past, but we can only wish as it is not possible. Thanks for reading.
Ha! I'm just seeing this for the first time 😅
People really wan go that stuff?
Me wey never reach the age don't even want to go... Leaving my fate of state selection into the hands of these gullible government staffs to send me to Zamfara or any state I don't know 😂😂
If I have an opportunity, I'll gladly jump and pass NYSC, Who wants to go on my behalf abeg😅😅
It's actually not stated anywhere that the guys should be the ones spending statutorily... It's a mutual stuff and so the spendings should be mutual too.
There's always room for improvement, just like the way you used all that happened to you to learn and came out a better lady
Yea, I wasn´t even against the idea of girls spending on boys, but when it´s only the girl doing that, it is not good. Just like me, this guy never spent for the four years being together, I did which made me a fool and one desperate for love from him.
There will always be room for improvement and we must not deprive ourselves of that. Thank you, Samuel.
That's where it becomes a problem.... It should be two sided and not just one person spending.
Sorry for that experience
You're welcome then.
My dear!
I almost got emotional reading this, you've actually made me remember why I'd love to go back to some age in my past.
But as you've ended it, we learn from our past and use it to better present and future... I'm glad you know where you did wrong and trying to right it.
Yes, the best is to learn from our mistakes and improve to become better again. We may wish to go back but it is not possible. We should just keep moving and learning. Thank you, my whale😎
Hmm nice we share the same birth month, am January 21st...
Yeah you're right age shouldn't be a barrier in doing what we have to do. It's left to us to make the best use of every situation.
That´s great. You will have to give me a birthday gift first. Lol
Age shouldn´t be a barrier whatsoever in achieving what we ought to achieve.
Hehehe no problem about the gift.
Yeah well said age shouldn't.
Experience of life is what makes life more fun to live when we have been able to scale through, we all have one reason why we should go back but what the point of crying over lost opportunities rather we move ahead because there are lot of hope and opportunities in the future.
There will always be chances for new opportunities in the future, the best is to move on while we learn from the past. Thank you.
I really do hope your school will process your result in time before you turn 30 but whichever way I'm confident you will make the best use of the situation.
I really do hope it is quicker before then. Thank you ma.
I also believe that still you have many things to achieve in your life. It's true that in the past you made some mistake but it gave you lesson also.
In that case,another idea is coming to my mind. Why don't you go past times to buy Bitcoin in cheap price 😅. You would be rich today.
Hehehe, if it is possible, I will do that because Bitcoin will be very low then and in the future, I will be super rich. Lol
Thank you, dear friend.
You have a lot of things to make amendment for but you can't blame yourself for everything and all those things were just the actual thing that were meant to happen.
You are young and handled things like what a person of that age should do. I pray the NYSC stuff is done as soon as possible you that you can also go for the service
You are right, George. I am still young and should maximize the opportunity, not minding how old I am. Yes, I hope school answers us on time. Thank you for coming around.
This is the perfect type of message a teenager should read. It's never too late to try something out. I saw a talk today and the speaker was all about the fact that "people's clocks tick differently". You don't expect to be moving at the same pace with everyone else because their clock and your clock are different..
This was a brilliant piece dear princess. I like that you stood your ground about not changing your age and I hope you go for service before you clock 30.
Beautiful and deep post Princess, truly age is just a number and we don't have to feel too old in our mind, all what you passed through are what will make you become a better version of yourself, no need going back, you are at the perfect age and can still achieve all you want.
I seriously think they should remove that age limit to going to camp. There should never be any barrier to education and getting life experiences that would propel one to greater height. An igbo adage says that mgbe onye tetere bu shi ya meaning anytime of the day you wake up is your morning. Nothing is late in life.
Being alive to attain all these is supreme.
We can achieve lots of things. Age is just a number the world has given us. It is our heart that matters.
Age doesn't stop us from achieving whatever we want. We do that to ourselves instead.
I am sorry things are like this over there but not going if it ever occurs will be a blessing and if it does, it is still a blessing. God' will.
Well, I'm in the same situation regarding the delay of final year result by my school, it is quite heartbreaking but what choice do we have but to wait.
I had the same issue with my first WAEC that I wrote I used awaiting result for my jamb but when my WAEC result was out I failed literature, so I was unable to pursue my desired course.
But what I have learnt about life is that every mistake brings about lessons, as long as we are conscious of the mistakes we have made, it will strengthen our resolution into becoming a better person in the future.
I'm intrigued by your sense of gratitude, you chose not to be pressured by age or any other circumstances, which is a good thing.
Like bran Tracy would say, it is never too late to become the impossible.
Thanks for sharing
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