Nigerian Lives: “If I Could Go Back to Uni, I’d Save More.”

As a young Nigerian, one of the very first introductions into adulthood and responsibility is graduating from the tertiary institution, getting a job and experiencing life as a newly minted graduate. In Nigeria especially, life post-university is considered one’s unofficial induction into responsible adulthood. Yearly, Nigeria produces about 600,000 graduates, plunging them into a  saturated workforce and recruiting them into a race  against unemployment without  prior experience or preparation. For many young people, the gap between graduation and their first job as  graduates  is riddled with uncertainties  and mentally stress. Speaking to the Culture Custodian, Mali and Ife take us through their  most important lessons in this phase, and how they are  navigating  post-university clarity. 

Mali, 22

I guess I’ve always just had expectations about life after university. I expected things to get easier. I struggled a lot with university and during my final year, it got harder and more stressful. So, coming out of that experience, I was hoping things would sort of ease up. I’ve always thought I’d move into my own apartment immediately after school and I’ll have a level of stability but sadly, I don’t have an apartment of my own, and a lot of things are really confusing right now. 

I had a job for the most part of my university education, even before most of my mates even thought of taking side gigs or jobs. So for me, I’ve paid my dues and I know my worth. I think this has also now affected my expectations because when I come across job openings, I’m disappointed by the compensation people are offering simply because it’s an entry level graduate role. 

To be fair, life is not as tough as it was as an undergraduate. I don’t worry about lecturers, courses, but now I have replaced them with a new set of worries. It almost feels like I dropped a baggage to pick up another one. Being an undergraduate didn’t prepare me for life after school, especially because now I no longer get an allowance from my parents as often as I did. I didn’t even expect that this would happen. Another thing to note is the insane amount of pressure from everyone. Before, I’d get so much support from people when I was trying to figure out a new phase in life. “Take your time, you’ll work it out later.” Now, everyone just expects me to have plans, and work out the execution overnight. It’s very overwhelming and tiring to be constantly badgered like that. 

The only way I’d say being an undergraduate helped is that I’m no longer new to experiencing high level stress, and feeling super puzzled. I know it’s a phase of life that most people go through, but it’s quite difficult. 

The hardest part about this stage is the loss of control and lack of routine. Since I have now moved back home to live with my parents, it’s harder to create time for things I actually want to do. I have to consider everyone else’s feelings, expectations and wants and it can be hard to manage. Coming from a point where I could do stuff at my own pace, this is quite jarring. It has also been frustrating for me as a creative person. I have random bursts of ideas and it often gets interrupted because somebody else needs me to do something for them that can’t wait. 

Honestly, my partner and my friends have been my anchors this season. They’ve kept me afloat, their support keeps me hopeful, and I’m grateful for that. The only thing I’d do differently if I could do university all over again is save more money. Enough to keep me afloat without worrying about where my next income will come from. 

Ife, 24

I’m 24 and I just wrapped up my final exams last year, no thanks to ASUU and the Federal government. I studied Botany but now I’m tilting towards a career in Data Analytics and Cyber security. That’s mostly because my course of study has only a few prospects here and I’m unwilling to even explore them. When I first got into the university, it was an opportunity for me to escape my abusive father and for those years, I didn’t really have to interact with him as much. I even got a good entry-level role in a fintech company before I was laid off  and this affected my plans of getting an apartment immediately after school. 

Right now, I’ve moved back to my father’s house, which has been hell for me. Although, in contrast to university life, I have to worry less about caring for my immediate needs, but it is also draining mentally. My father considers my degree a waste in comparison to my sibling’s medical degree and that’s often the subject of our conversations these days. It is frustrating to constantly hear people talk about how inadequate you are, and I can’t wait to leave. Being an undergraduate barely prepared me for life after university. Not mentally, not even with navigating work environments. I’d have said the knowledge I gained from classes, but I doubt I’d be needing it now. 

Like many Nigerians, my new dream is to “japa” by next year and that’s the only thing I’m looking forward to. The thought of starting afresh somewhere else away from all of these, is exciting and I can’t wait. I’d be one of those people who will never come back here, but will be cheering for the country from outside. I don’t have regrets, but If I could do university all over again, I’d network and go out more. I wish I had more connections and contacts than I do now, because that might have improved my chances of getting opportunities. 

The only advice I have for anyone experiencing post-university clarity is to figure out a plan to get through it but at the same time, find little pockets of joy to escape from reality as often as you need to.