The Other Line

Surge of energy before the end of life

“There can be a surge of energy before the end of life”.

I heard this line from my favorite series "From Scratch". And it explains a sudden intense clarity and enhanced energy that can occur hours or days before death much like the pregnant woman just before birth. The line was said to Amy, the title character after she told her dad her cancer-ridden husband looked surprisingly more handsome. With tears in my eyes and a tissue paper in my hands, I smiled and thought in my mind "Ashawo omo, ahaan".

Before your thoughts run wild, I don't have cancer. Not in this life or when I come back as a filthily rich Sheikh princess. The line only makes me more aware of the finality of things and how a striking beauty seems to radiate with loud intensity in that period.

I have anticipated and dreaded my final year at the University in Ibadan. Eh, calm down. I want to graduate too and yes I want to go and do everything people do after school - get a job, japa, marry with two kids, go to the moon, whatever. Yet, a tiny part of me is holding my breath dreading the change.

I can't help but notice how this year is closely similar to my first year. I have the passion, and excitement of a fresher. The school looks more beautiful with endless possibilities of exploration. Shockingly, all the pleasures I had as a freshman are coming back slowly. I ask myself “Why did I stop deriving so much pleasure in my middle years in school?”

I find myself listening to my freshman playlist, seeing the structures with new eyes, and admiring my sage lecturers with deep reverence (save from the lecturer who japa-ed with my mark), I find myself writing my notes the old way, and I can't see my friends and course mates without an instant flashback to how we met and how they looked like then (teensy-weensy lot).

Growth is a marvellous, creeping thing.

Everything ends. Life as an undergraduate is slowly ending too. As much as I want to stay in the familiar surroundings, I'm getting ready to let go and embrace the new. In the meantime, I'm trying to save all my memories and relish my final year. Pray for me, won't you? Then send me charity money.

If you're a fellow final-year student, I started a thread of helpful tips that can help you navigate school. You can mention.

Till my next post,

Live in the present,

Temi.

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Reading:

★. How to do things without trying too hard by Richard Templar

I've never found a more easily digestible book. I genuinely enjoyed reading this book. It comes in the form of one-page tips that can help make one's life easier. Now, who doesn't need that? I borrowed this book, but it's doing me like I should not return it. But no, that's a maluu behavior.

★. Dear 20-something you will unravel beautifully by Ezinne Zara.

Ezinne Zara is one of my few role models and I'd read anything she writes even if it's a dot. She did the whole world pure good by writing a short book to help twenty-somethings in their journey. Left to me everyone should read it. They should just find a helicopter and fill it with the book and be spraying in every continent. Except for China, I still dey beef them. Anyhoo, if you need the book I can send you a PDF, just comment with your email.