The entrance gates to my secondary school
I vividly remember the first time I was away from home for a stretch of time. It remains fresh in my mind as I was the very day it happened.
To tell this tale, I have to go back in time about eleven years. I had just gained a scholarship to continue my secondary education at Federal Government Academy, Suleja. The school is also know as the Centre for the Gifted and Talented.
I had just graduated the last term in JSS3 and completed the JSCE exams. I was called to the principal's office during the break following the release of the JSCE results. I had been selected as one of many to vie for a place at this prestigious school. I had been selected because my result was one of the highest in Oyo state. I had 12 As out of 14 subjects. After three rounds of exams, one here in Ibadan and the other two and the site of the school, I emerged one of 120 students who had been given admission to the school out of over a thousand applicants. By the start of a new school year in SS1, I travelled down to Suleja, Niger state where I spent my first stretch of 3 months alone. Before then, I don't think I'd ever been away from home.
I was initially excited at the prospect of leaving home and seeing new places because I am naturally adventurous at heart.
The first shockwave came during the first visiting day in that school. Visiting day was usually the last Saturday of every month.
My parents couldn't come see me because of the very long distance of the school from home. I remember seeing a number of students who lived nearby go meet their parents in the park and bring back cartons of provisions and food accompanied by hugs and kisses. I remember feeling so left out I left the hostel and went to my classroom then(SS1B) to spare myself the sight. I cried myself to sleep in that classroom. I woke up a few hours later in the evening and went back to the hostel. One of my roommates gave me sone did from his home and I felt a bit better.
That was the first time I really felt an absence from home.
What lessons did I learn from there experience?
Despite how much I loved viewing the mountain ranges, River Niger, stretches of first and other fascinating sights on the way to school each term, and despite the fact that I sometimes got into disagreements with my parents, I realized that that truly- There is no place like home.
The wish to not be so far from home anymore was why I applied for admission in University of Ibadan. Ten to eleven years since I got into SS1, I'm now a final year medical student at the University of Ibadan.
Any additional lessons since then?
I am learning that there are some things you have to learn and discover yourself and even though there's no place like home, you might not be able to learn these lessons if you're overly protected from the world.
So, I guess balance is the key.
There's no place like home, but at the same time, you can't be scared to step into uncharted territory and carve a path for yourself.
This is my two cents on this issue.
Thanks for reading through.
