The Positive Side of Being a Predecessor

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Life, at its core, is lopsided.
Not everyone will walk an easy path. There will be people who will watch their parents separate when they clock four. Others will lose a chunk of their life savings to a bad investment. These things happen, not to break you, but rather, to make you stronger and more resilient.

The Price I Had to Pay as a Predecessor

Life didn't come easy for me either, especially as a first-generation college student. As you've guessed, I struggled with basically everything.
– Didn't have anyone to guide me on how to go about things in the university
– Didn't know the right course to choose
– Almost lost my admission because I didn't know how to follow up with the admission process.
– Had a messy first year due to mistakes that would have been avoided.

Yet, none of these failure broke me. Rather, they prepared me for something far more important.

The Bright Side of the Late Bloom

In those years of trial and error, I gained more experience on how to navigate through life and succeed in college. I didn't just survive. I learned how to adapt to the system, and maximise every opportunity that came my way.

When my siblings and cousins got of age, I taught them every life skill they needed to succeed in any Nigerian university. Starting from how to choose relevant courses to investigating whether that department and school was suitable or not.

They got to know every valuable study tool that makes learning easier, how to conduct quality research and most importantly, how to smash those A's smoothly.

My Happiness

Nothing makes you happier than watching your siblings and kids excel in areas you once struggled with.

I might be that predecessor who learned everything about academics, finance and networking late. But I'm glad to teach those same lessons to my younger ones early.

There is something full circle in turning every mistake and every "If-only-I-knew" moment, into a softer landing for the next young person I meet.

It's bittersweet. But it is beautiful.

Do you also have a bittersweet story? @mayjay, @cruzamilcar63 and @mannatnawaz

_{Published 18 October 2025
Posted with Steempro}