4 Years Programme and 1 Year Strike. — Writing my Final Examination in the University

Moments of tears and joy were evident when I was about to write my last exam at the University of Uyo. Why teary moments? I'll miss my colleagues, the moments we shared in school together, the night battles, the challenges we faced together, etc..... Joyful moments? Yes, joyful moments in the sense that I'll have no more discomforting lectures, no more stuffy lab practicals, no more impromptu tests, no more spending on transportation to school, and no more heartbreaks when results are out.

I don't want to share my journey so far because if I'm to do so, I'll be writing a novel and a bigarticle. I've been in school for the last 5 years: a 4-year programme and one year on strike as a federal university under the federal government union. All my years in school weren't a waste because I met people, I learnt lessons, I became wise, and I adapted and endured.

I started my journey in the year 2020, and I joined Steemit the following year. I would have been done last year, but the 10-month strike did justice to our being delayed. There's a saying that delayed is not denied. Let me tell you guys how my sign-out was delayed. Wait... What's sign out?

It's a customary practice done by most Nigerian students in the universities or polytechnics. Signing out means a process where you're about to write your last exam in school, and you'll drop your pen that day as an undergraduate. In the course of this, you're to wear a white dress and come out with markers so students, friends and loved ones can sign their names on your dress.

This practice shows you've signed out, and it's mostly carried out by students who will be writing their last undergraduate exam(s). I was about to write my last undergraduate exam. So I was expected to behave as a Roman in Rome and not be different. Back to my experience.

Owing to our last semester for the session and our last undergraduate exam for the programme, the vice chancellor approved the release of an exams timetable which was slated to be held on the 15th of June. Our last paper was supposed to be on the 30th of June, but unfortunately, it was postponed because the VC approved another memo that students should write CBT-based exams instead of handwritten ones. This was really frustrating because I had told people I'll be signing out on the 30th of June.

A new date was fixed for the CBT, which was 2nd July. A few days before 2nd July, it was postponed again, saying CBT won't work for all courses. The exams were later shifted to 7th July officially. We wrote the exams until it reached the week we were supposed to write our last exams. Something unexpected happened that night. We received an announcement that the next day would be kept as a public holiday to mourn the death of the previous president of Nigeria.

Our sign-out was postponed the 4th time to another week. It was frustrating that after I had informed people of the date of my sign-out, changes were seen. **Finally, a new date for sign-out was fixed, which was 21st July, 2025. This is the real definition of what we call delayed but not denied. It was the D-Day after waiting patiently for months for this sign-out.

In preparation for the sign-out, I went on a shopping spree with @nsijoro and @whitie, where we contributed money to purchase sneakers and white t-shirts for branding. We did branding on the t-shirt with the inscription...

@bossj23 calm down, calm down, you've escaped

Yes, oh, I was about to escape indeed. The bills were choking me to death. I would be as free as the wind. A day before the sign-out, I went to @nsijoro's place to acknowledge those who were supporting me during my stay in his place. A few persons credited my account for being the neatest in the compound during my stay. I also designed my lab coat with the course we were going to write and the date of the exam. It was to serve as a remembrance.

Mom was so overjoyed that she would be having her second graduate in the family in the person of @bossj23. Her first graduate is @mkgirl77. Seeing two of her children write their last exams made her cry. She could recount the years she has been receiving billings and calls for school fees and other expenses. She was the first person to sign on my shirt. I wasn't really free to capture what she wrote because I had an exam that morning. I took pictures with her after her writing on my t-shirt. Guess what my mother, the love of my life, wrote.

Congratulations my Love. In all you do, take notice of him and he will make your path straight

She literally wrote this, and it's memorable. She has been quoting the scriptures for me since I started school, so I won't deviate from good moral principles to follow the multitude.

After taking pictures with my mom, I left for school in a hurry to write the exam, as it was rainy. The invigilators came in, and the exam commenced despite the rainfall. The course title I wrote that day was CHM 426. The exam was a walkover, no doubt, and I heard, Stop writing. I couldn't shout or scream. So I'm done, I said to myself? I'm so done. We all started signing on our white shirts, took photographs and went to an open space to celebrate.

I was literally the happiest person that day because I know what I've faced in school for the past 4 years I spent. I found it hard to balance finance, spirituality and physical life. I lagged in a lot of things. My social life was dampened. Now, I'm so done. Time to face the real world.

I took pictures with a couple of Steemians who made my financial journey on Steemit a successful one even while in school. Thanks to my first friend, @dwings, who taught me a lot about silent personalities in school. He was more introverted during our first and 2nd years together until I amended him to blend into the society. He has been a silent motivator to me. **He usually encourages me to read my books even when others don't. Now, see us. We signed out together.

For my second friend, @whitie, no other person can take his place because we've literally been through a lot together. When results come out, we'll cry and celebrate together. We do go for night classes together. I can remember when his phone was taken from him during one night class when we fell asleep. He later collected the phone. We are always seen together, and this created a lot of speculation as if we were somehow related. I have more to say about him, but I won't. He'll always encourage me even when he has rough ends. We signed out together. Congratulations to us.

To my best buddy @nsijoro, anytime I remember how we struggled to eat together and sleep in one tight room, tears do roll down my cheeks. He was accommodating and didn't even give a fuck about supporting him in rent and feeding. He took me as his junior brother, and I'll forever remain indebted to him. I don't know what to surprise him with, but I know I'll do so. He's the best influence Uniuyo ever gave me. When my mother would be where she is, worrying if I'm staying with bad boys, @nsijoro would calm her down, saying he's 100% far from that life. Words too can't express how I feel about @nsijoro. We signed out together.

Together, we signed out, creating content on the day of our sign-out so people can know we're more than students. The four individuals you're seeing on your screen have been best friends since year 1, and we'll continue being besties for life.

I did an emotional video of the four of us which went viral in our school ecosystem. **These four weren't my only supporters. To my parents and siblings, all on Steemit, there is more to say than there is. I love you all. I acknowledge the support of my mentor @ngoenyi who encouraged me spiritually and emotionally, and the support of @h4lab who supported me throughout my final moment in school with his created games.