1. The science school experience:
When I was in Junior high school (JSS3), I had two options for Senior high school; either to continue in the same school or to move to a special science school since I was interested in sciences. I choose to move to a science school, and then comes the option of choosing which of the science schools to go to. There was a special science school in the same compound with my school (let us call it science school A), but I swore never to go to that one nearby. I can't really remember all my reasons though, the number one reason was because it was nearby. I see the way the senior students maltreat the other students, so I never wanted to go through that; plus I wouldn't want to be asked to go from home since the school isn't so far from home. I actually never saw that particular science school as a school I should choose for any reason. So I choose another one which was far from home and appears higher in standard.

When I entered my new science school, I felt fulfilled but not for long. The senior students were actually worse that the ones I saw in science school A. The environment looked better but by the time I was asked to bring my own bed to the dormitory, I realized a book is not supposed to be judged by it's cover. My new science school had no refectory, horrible toilets, no good water supply and very little electricity; but science school A had these things. At this point, there was no going back. I have burned the bridges and I am never looking back.

That was how I decided to focus on the good side: I am living in the school as I wanted, we had a lot of space that we don't share with any other school unlike science school A, we had laboratories, we had unique school and hostel uniforms, we had an amazing school fellowship and we got to church in the church where my parents wedded in before I was born. That is a lot to be grateful for. The situation with the seniors got better after my first year and a new principal came who improved the condition of the school generally. We also got a better Mathematics and Geography teacher. Thanks to them we stopped failing those subjects and started seeing them as subjects that can actually be loved. I was so proud of my school that I refused to listen to my mum when she suggested change of school after I came home with bruises on my knees as a result of so so kneeling down in school.

The truth is that it was after I became an adult years later that I realized I didn't go to science school A, i.e, the science school nearby because I thought the grass will be greener on the other side. That was also when I realized that things like this have happened to me a lot of times, but I still love the experiences and lessons I got from it all. I forgot to mention I was only 13 years old when the science school experience happened.

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2. The industrial training experience

In my third year in college, going for industrial training for six months was part of the requirements. You must choose a place to put into practice some of the things you have learned in school, though in reality, you are going to learn from scratch because you have not been thought anything worth applying.

My class mates already had plans before we entered third year. Most of them got places where they will be paid during the short internship. My best friend even got two places but it was in another state so there was no option of going with her.

After much search in my most preferred places, I decided to settle for the only available option which was the option of Medical Laboratory. I am not sure I really tried hard to get the other options before I settled for the available option. When I settled for the option of interning in a medical laboratory, I was left with so many options because medical laboratories are everywhere.

So as usual, instead of choosing the one I can trek to from my house, I choose the one in another town where I had to live with a family friend for the duration of six months. I thought it was a great option because the medical laboratory was in a hospital, so we always had tests to carry out and I learned a lot. But when I realized I would have gotten the same value from a Lab close to my home was when I finished the internship.

I was told I wouldn't be paid for the entire duration of six months because I was learning for free, but normally, at the end of the internship, the owner of the establishment usually gives a token to the intern as they go back to school. Lo and behold, I got nothing from the doctor who was also the owner of the establishment; except for one day that he was passing by the lab section, he saw me resting my head on the table and he gave me a slap, thinking I was sleeping. I sincerely wasn't sleeping but that was all I got from him anyway.

I do not have any regrets because I learned a lot of things from the family I lived with and I got lots of love from my supervisors at work. But the truth remains that I would have enjoyed more comfort if I didn't choose to go for what appears like a greener pasture.
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3.The career switch

I developed interest in Information Technology and immediately I graduated from the university, I started acquiring the necessary knowledge. I went to a computer school. This really paid me because, when I went for National Youth Service, I got a place to served based on the IT skill I have, not based on the course I studied in school. Afterwards I got a job as an IT Officer, but at a time I became restless and started feeling it's better to go back to my course of study. I felt I will have a better career path if I was to go back.

There is this wonderful school in front of my office, I will look out from my office window and imagine how fulfilling it will be to be in that environment. That was how I decided to switch back to my 'would-have-been-career.'

I gave it three years of my life. I learned a lot of lessons but, I have finally switched back to the IT field I came out from. The experience I got in those three years are so relevant in my life that I don't wish to trade it for anything. I passed through both the good (meeting people, learning more, making impact) and the bad (humiliation, anxiety, stress). I want to believe I have burned the bridges and done a permanent switch because to achieve stability in career or business, one needs to focus in an industry until you are known for it by all and sundry. You can't grow in an area until you focus on that area with everything in you, giving it your all and avoiding all forms of distractions.

The best way to focus and avoid distractions is to stop looking at the grasses on the other side and focus on making your own grass better. I am grateful for the clarity and the peace of mind that comes with it.
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