In my third year at university, I started to see my life more clearly. I closed off my internship at a tech company and decided to pursue a tech career, or at least consider it. That decision led me to build an application for my final project. I had fun building said application.
I made a plan for the next few years — a high-level plan.
- Graduate
- Complete my service in the NYSC
- Get a Masters degree in Canada
- Become a permanent resident in Canada
- Profit?!?
In my final year, Covenant University held a career fair. My friend Emmanuel and I talked with a consultant from BCG, and my plans changed. The allure of consultancy — the variety of work, the travel, the $$$ — pulled me in. I would pursue a career as a consultant.
I attended Edubridge Academy. I spent months learning and practicing case studies. I didn’t get into BCG. Or McKinsey. Through NYSC (I was a member of the OBS), I got posted to Fritova, a consulting firm near OPIC, Lagos. I thought that would be a good starting point, but the transport cost, distance, and traffic meant I couldn’t go through with it. I asked to be rejected.
So, I started 2023 working at MMIA in the commercial department. I hated it. Log this, Log that. Move this file. Print this. Talk to that person. I despised it. The monotony wrapped me in a straitjacket. I was losing my mind. One day, I saw an ad for a back-end developer at a fintech called ErrandPay.
I applied. I interviewed. I got the role.
At ErrandPay, I had a good time. I enjoyed my work and learned a lot. I met lovely people who have influenced me in ways they will never know.
Nine months later, I’m no longer at ErrandPay for many reasons. However, I see my life more clearly now. I know what I want to do and the career I wish to pursue.
Between January and now, I have:
- grown out and twisted/braided/plaited my hair
— It’s not a big deal to anyone who isn’t me or my dad. He insists that this is the first step on a path of waywardness. I’m just tired of having to comb my hair all the time - completed NYSC
— My service year was less stressful than most. I ran from the Editorial team to join Sports and had a lot of fun there. It was nice having a four-day workweek - had my phone stolen
— Sigh. - bought a new phone
— A waste of money because of the next point - had that new phone destroyed by dropping it in a toilet
— Sighhhhhh. - fixed an older phone
— I realized I could have fixed the old phone instead of spending 100k on a new phone. You live, you learn, right? - received countless rejections
— The tech industry is brutal, and the competition is fierce. Since I started a bit late, I have to cover more ground in less time to match up - dealt with loneliness-fueled depression
— My friends keep moving out of the estate, and some leave the country entirely. When March comes around, I should be the only one left here - battled imposter syndrome
- built some cool projects that won’t see daylight
- learned a TON
- met some lovely people
- Healed and got over her.
In some ways, I’m not the same person I was in January. In other ways, I still am.
There’s still a lot of uncertainty, like which school I will attend in Canada. Or what will I do between now and when I receive admission? Do I get a job when I won’t even spend a year with them? Sigh.
My plan had many, many gaps. But that’s understandable; I was just a kid. Now, I’m a slightly older kid. So, I’ll make a new plan. I’ll fill in the gaps and outline the future.
Perhaps by this time next year, I’ll see my life and future differently. Maybe that’s part of growing up.