I couldn't take my eyes off the wall clock sitting behind the bank counter, and despite the murmuring coming from different corners of the bank, I could hear my heart pounding heavily.
Confusion was nothing compared to how I felt while waiting for my turn. The bank customer care section was filled with customers who had issues with their accounts, and the staff handling these issues were just incompetent to me.
"Is it not just to check the system and answer people?" I grumbled as two customer care agents started whispering and laughing.
I looked at the wall clock again, and it was 10 a.m., meaning I have 3 hours left until my examination. Sweat was dripping from my face despite the giant Air conditions stationed in the bank and different thoughts crossed my mind.
"Should I create a scene here like many people did just to get attention?" I thought about it, but that's not the kind of person I am.
It was the first semester of my second year in the polytechnic, and I had struggled a lot because all my preparation for the whole two years lasted just for one year. Little did I know that schooling was beyond just school fees; I needed money for a whole lot of things, and reality caught me unaware.
Examination was fast approaching, and paying the school fee was a huge problem. I had no one to call for help, and making myself a burden on my family wasn't an option.
I told a few friends in school, and they came up with some money for me which coupled with what I raised from doing assignments and tutoring students, wasn't enough.
I didn't stop trying to raise the money, but every effort was futile until the exam started.
"Good morning, sir. Please, I need your help," I said to my HOD immediately I walked up to him on the very day the exam started.
"I don't have much time; haven't you gotten the examination docket from my office already?" He asked while we walked towards the department building.
"That's why I came, sir. I couldn't meet up with the payment and thought you could help me get inside the hall just for today," I replied.
"You are not serious, because if you are, this is not when you will come and talk about this," he replied.
"I am sorry, sir. I didn't know things would turn out like this,"
We got to his office, and he signed on a small piece of paper after writing a short note.
"Go to Kings Hall and show it to any invigilator before sitting at all," he said and handed it over.
"Thank you, sir." I stuttered and dashed out of his office.
I checked the time, and the morning paper had started so I rushed to the hall as instructed. Although the invigilator delayed me but I ended up writing the exam.
I had another paper the next day, and I just went to the hall with faith. Upon getting there, the invigilator kicked me out, but I didn't leave the hall premises.
About 40 minutes before the end of the exam, the woman felt pity for me and allowed me to sit for the paper. I was able to finish the exam because I had prepared well, but I was under pressure all through the time spent in the hall.
"Things shouldn't continue like this; what if they don't allow me tomorrow? I waited five years to get the admission and can't let it go just like that," I thought and decided to reach out to my mom.
Mom was pissed that I didn't inform her, and she sent me the balance immediately. I couldn't thank her enough because she has to take care of my siblings as well.
Immediately after I got the alert, I rushed to the cyber cafe to make the payment.
I tried several times, but it didn't go through, and I became worried. I went to the school ICT to lodge a complaint, and they made it clear that my bank account was the issue.
I wasn't convinced until I tried withdrawing but couldn't. It was just an hour until the bank closed, so I rushed down there to know what was going on.
"Sorry, sir. Your account has been frozen," the customer care agent said to me.
"Why?" I asked.
"You have to visit the branch where you opened this account," she replied.
"I have to pay my school fee today," I tried persuading her to help.
"Sorry, there is nothing I can do about it. You can't resolve it here,"
Her reponse broke me down and I left the bank feeling dejected. I didn't know what to do because, now that I have money, paying my fee is impossible.
Very early the next morning, I set out to the bank branch where I opened my bank account on the mainland. It was worth taking the risk since I schooled in the same state where I have spent 95% of my life.
I got to the bank and met a lot of people with the different complaint, which made me worried if I was going to meet up with exam.
At exactly half past 10am, I made up my mind to leave the bank. It was pointless going back to school since writing the exam wasn't sure, but I couldn't just sit in the bank. I didn't leave because I was confused and about thirty minutes later, a woman came to ask why the customer care queue wasn't moving. She seemed to be a senior staff at the bank so I approached her, and fortunately, she granted me an audience.
I explained my issue with my student ID card and examination timeable as proof, and she told me to follow her to her office immediately.
"We had an issue with your residence verification, but with everything you explained, I will unfreeze your account for just 30 minutes. Make your payment within that time frame," She said to me.
"Thank you, ma. God bless you," I replied to her while prostrating.
I rushed out to the bank ATM and withdrew all the money in my account at once before embarking on the journey back to school. While on the bus, my eyes were filled with tears as I checked the time every now and then. My friends didn't help matters as they kept calling me repeatedly to know my whereabout.
I got back to school a few minutes before 1 p.m. and was able to make my payment at the ICT. About thirty minutes had passed before completing the process, and I was really unsettled going into the exam hall.
While trying to catch my breath, I saw some students outside and found out that the school rector had passed a law that students who hadn't paid shouldn't be allowed in the hall.
While writing the paper, it crossed my mind that I was able to meet up by the skin of my teeth. Although it was a rough journey but I was happy to have embarked on it.