My conversation with Favor and other Reflections.
Some days ago, I had an interesting conversation with Favor, a 13-year-old girl. Favor saw me in my NYSC uniform and she became very excited. She told me how she envies corp members when she sees one and she can’t wait to serve the nation. She asked me interesting questions that got me thinking.
She wanted to know what I studied in school and how it relates to what I currently do. She also told me about how she plans to spend a year before going to the university to learn a skill because she believes honing a craft is very important.
Oh! Favor also asked if she could be both a Medical doctor and an Event planner. I felt that was crazy but then she can be whatsoever she wants to be so I replied “Why not!”
My conversation with Favor reminded me it’s been about two years since I left Uni and I have never at any point thought about finding a job related to what I studied.
Let me tell you the story.
I studied pure and applied physics in school. I studied physics because I thought it would be a launchpad for me to explore my teenage ambition of becoming an Air Traffic controller.
I couldn’t afford an Aviation school so Somehow I thought if I had a degree in physics I would understand the basics and eventually further my dream but by the time I got to the third year, I knew I was in the wrong place.
I tried a lot to understand the concepts and it just wouldn’t make sense. The long postulations and theorems were killing me.
Schooling in Nigeria made it tougher, we were only taught for exams. It had little or no practical value to our immediate life.
I did “La cram la pour” as we would call it — Memorize it and pour it into the exam paper. Have your C or whatever and just move on!
I was struggling because I was in a place that wasn't aligned with my area of strength. I knew there was more to me and I wasn’t a dullard so while I kept studying to have a bachelor's degree I took a journey to discover myself.
The more I studied the more I was fascinated at the things I could become.
Eventually, I became interested in technology and in how the digital space work. I took online courses and got certifications.
For the first time, I felt like I was learning something that had a tangible impact on the way people act, work, and do things. I consumed as much as I could and it wasn’t long before the result started coming.
I would consult for friends and people around me who were running businesses on how they could scale their business leveraging the digital space.
Eventually, I became a Digital Skills Trainer for Google and I held formal training sections with thousands of people across the country.
I was leveraging my strength, I could communicate well and pass down knowledge in a way that was easy to comprehend. I found out what I was good at and I pursued it relentlessly.
By the time I was leaving school, I had a job.
I started as a Marketing & Communication Intern. Over two years later, alongside other projects that I have worked on. I have grown to become the Marketing and Communication Strategist assisting the company’s growth effort. This is a brand that spans 3 African countries. And for me, the journey continues...
Is Education a scam? No!
I was only in the wrong place. I had friends in school who loved physics and understood everything. The journey I took towards discovering myself was “Education” for me.
What are the lessons picked?
Don’t be limited - explore. I believe we are different and we have different capabilities.
If a fish is been judged by its inability to run it will live its whole life thinking it is stupid. It is your uniqueness that the world is waiting for
You need to find your space. You’re a genius at something. Don’t settle early!
I am rooting for you!
