Good old memories of running from one lecture theatre to the other, sitting in a hall that had over 100 students with one man standing in front trying to speak over the noise.

If you are still in the higher institute of learning, it is a lovely and wonderful phase, but as you progress in the years, the lectures, assignments, projects and all can become a little overwhelming and you can’t just wait to get out of the school to join those with the 9-5 job community or to start your own business.

Most often than not, undergraduates can’t just wait to get out of the restraint that they feel the school is putting on their life and destiny.

I felt that way too.

I remember when my final year second-semester examination time-table came out, it was exciting for me because it signaled the last papers I was to write in school and hence my exit from school. I wrote down the number of days I had left before I signed out (you sign out of school the day you write your final exam) in a book, so at the end of every day, I’ll tick off a particular date.

I was that dramatic.

This is not to say I didn’t have an amazing time on campus, but it was just me looking forward to life outside the four walls of my Uni.

The day I wrote my final paper still remains fresh in my heart, I had read over the night, and at some point, I couldn’t even assimilate anything again as I was just too excited. I got into the hall and wrote the little I could and came out.

Phew!

It was like a load has legit been lifted off my shoulders. I took pictures, signed on colleagues' white t-shirt, and had others signed on mine too. After the whole merriment on campus, I left for my campus fellowship auditorium which has been home to me all through the four years I spent on campus.

I got into the hall and went beside the altar. I knelt down and began to pray. I had known that day was going to come before that time, but finally writing my last paper made it clearer to me. I was officially done with school now, so what’s next?

I cried, prayed, and reminded myself of God’s promises and reminded God of His promises too. I prayed till I didn’t have any burden in my heart and then I stood up and the merriment continued as there were people outside the auditorium waiting to sign on my t-shirt.

The second day came and there was no school to go to. It was just the final year project that kept me in school for a while. At the end of it all, I went home a university graduate.

So, What Are Those Things They Didn’t Tell Us About  Life After School?

Life In School Is Theory, Life After School Is Practical

Some people are of the opinion that life doesn’t start until they have a degree in hand and finally leave school before they start living life, but that is not true.

I have been out of school for about four years now, and I can say that the life I now live now is an extension of the life I was living on campus. Forget the myth that it is until you come out of school before your life fully starts, while that can be correct, but it is only correct to a point.

Your life in school serves as a preparation for the kind of life you will start living when you are out.

Better put, Life in school in a rehearsal, Life after school is when you begin to perform the script you have spent four years of your life rehearsing. It is just like when a movie director shouts Action! Life after school is the action part.

Study the scripts well while in school so that you can perform excellently when it is showtime.

 

Grades Do Matter And They Don’t

I know that statement contradicts themselves but that is just the truth of the matter.

You are in school to learn how to solve life problems and at the end of every semester, an exam time-table comes out to test your ability on how well you understood the topics/courses that you took in that semester.

While the results are not ultimately the true judge of our academic prowess, but if you intend working with your certificate, this might be a good time to begin working on those grades well as they are what your prospective employer will see before inviting you to an interview.

You are in school now, so do it well. Remember that whatever is what doing at all is what doing well.

Be also aware that you might study a particular course in school and life after school might have you working in an entirely different environment than the one you thought your department in school will fit you in. So be vast even as touching things that are not entirely related to your field.

You wouldn’t be so happy with yourself when you lose your chance in a Multi-national company because of the grade on your certificate.

Let no one deceive you, if your dream is to work in these multi-nationals, it will happen. Be careful of giving ears to people who say there are no jobs outside, that is not your own reality! If you desire to work in an organization, God will make it possible!

 

It Takes More Discipline To Change Things After School Than In School

If there is any progress you desire to see in your life over the period of your stay here on earth, then the school is a great place to begin to lay the foundation because once you come out, it is another ball game entirely.

I once heard this from a man, 'even if you do not know the direction you are headed, make sure you know the direction you’ll never head to'.

While life is a journey and you might not be able to say 100% of the time what lies ahead, remember that God still is in the business of blowing our minds beyond what we ever thought was possible, but still, you have the ability to begin to take active steps towards the future you desire to see.

If you are struggling with procrastination for example, and you do not deal with it in school when it is just lectures, fellowship’s activities and probably departmental engagements that you have your hand into, how then do you expect to deal with it on your job when you are on a deadline at work, and still have other legitimate requests seeking for your attention?

Or if you find it difficult to manage your finances as a young undergraduate, what happens when you finally come out of school, and no money is coming from both Dad and Mom, and as God will have it, your first job is quite far from home, how do you intend to survive on an income you haven’t disciplined yourself to manage before now?

While I am not saying that we will only become a better version of only the things we have done  while in school as there are people who were passionate about a cause in school and goes in another direction after school, but the life in school and the discipline learned will never be taken from you and you can also multiply it in another assignment that is placed in your hands after school. 

Let's consider Esther.

Esther was selling bags in school, she might have been passionate about that on campus, but after school, if she no longer sells bags but goes into real estate, the life principles she had gotten overtime while selling bags will still come in handy for her.

Make a list of the things you are struggling with as an undergraduate that you haven’t successfully dealt with, and then start working on it.

 

After School, You Are On Your Own

Nobody told us this.

Or probably they told us but we just thought they were playing.

I remember when I was in school, my parents are very responsible so they did a good job in providing for my needs back in school, I remember at the time I was graduating, I don’t think I have ever bought recharge card with my money for more than five times all my life prior to life after school. My Dad and one of my big mummies did a good in making sure my phone had airtime.

Fast forward to when I graduated, it just seemed like I have now officially become an adult as the parents who were always obeying my every whim started telling me no when I asked them for things. It was worse when I came back from NYSC. They kept providing shelter and good food for me, but beyond that, I was just on my own o.

Thank God some months after I came back from NYSC I was able to get a job.

I’ll share how I was able to get stay sane before I got my first job soon.

So, life after school isn’t the same as life in school, the parents supplying your every demand might start saying no, and even if they don’t, they have done enough for you and now is the time to start acting responsibly too.  

So in all you do, start thinking about the life that awaits you after your 4-7 years course.

 

Build A Life Outside Your Academics

It is a great vision to want to come out with a very good degree out of school because whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well, but in the Life After School, you will need more than just the grade, they will need how good you are at working effectively with other members of a team.

Life doesn’t just revolve around your Microbiology or Accounting course, there is a lot to life and living than MCB 301.

Do your best to attend seminars, go for meetings, go out with friends, host friends in your room on campus, and the list continues.

Schedule time to do this, read when you should, and have your share of fun when you should too.

Don’t have just an academic life, have a Whole life!

If you are still in school, enjoy your time before you come into Life After School and start paying bills.

I am rooting for you!

There is light on your path!