Is it possible that, out of over 8 billion people on Earth, we all share experiences that are so familiar that it almost feels as though we’re spying on one another?

I’ll give you an example.

PROCRASTINATION!

You promise yourself you’ll begin studying at 8:30. You glance at the clock, and it’s already 8:33. Suddenly, 9:00 feels like the “perfect” time to begin. (The round number figure syndrome strikes again.)

Don’t worry, I wasn’t spying on you. It happens to the best of us.

For many students, studying isn’t necessarily the hardest part. Sometimes, the hardest part is simply getting started with studying.

You know you have that test coming up. You know that note isn’t going to read itself. You know you’ll probably feel better once you start instead of this overwhelming sense of vagueness that you have a lot to cover.

But somehow, you’re still scrolling, scrolling and scrolling on TikTok, laughing at reels while your slides are begging for your attention.

If you’ve ever found yourself in that situation, whether regularly or once in a while, here are five things that can help you procrastinate less and actually get started.

And yes, some of these things are things you’ve heard before. But spoiler alert: the very things you need to change your life, many times, are things you already know. So maybe you don’t need new information, you just need that old information recycled to you.

So here we go:

1. Study for Just Five Minutes

You simply don’t feel motivated to study, the very thought of studying is overwhelming you and so what do you do instead? You end up doomscrolling because it’s easier. I’ve been there too, and one thing that helped me was telling myself I only had to study for five minutes.

Yep. Just five minutes.

Instead of thinking about the two or three hours you planned to study, focus on starting with five minutes. Once you’ve started, you may find it much easier to keep going.

So tell yourself: “I’ll study for just 5 minutes” and stand up to study regardless of whether you feel motivated or not. You just need to ignite the key so that it’ll create the momentum to keep going.

2. Break It into Smaller Bits

Some study tasks feel overwhelming, not necessarily because they’re difficult but for the sole reason that they seem too big to tackle all at once.

Imagine opening a 50-page PDF and telling yourself, “I need to finish all of this today.” You and I both know the chances of you doing that are low.

You haven’t even read page one, but you’re already tired of what's ahead. Instead, start with the first three or five pages, or choose one topic from the lecture. Breaking a large task into smaller bits will make it feel more manageable and reduce the urge to keep postponing it.

3. Get an Accountability Partner

Sometimes, knowing that someone else is going to ask about your progress is enough to make you sit down and study.

Find a friend who is also trying to stay consistent. Set study times together, decide what you want to cover, and check in with each other afterwards.

It could be as simple as:

“I’m studying Upper Limb from 7–9pm. I’ll text you when I’m done.”

Knowing someone might ask, “Did you study?” can make it harder to spend those two hours doing everything except studying.

If studying with friends works for you, you can also study together. (Cause I know this doesn’t work for everybody.) Just make sure the “study session” doesn’t become a three-hour gist session.

4. Stop Waiting for the Perfect Time

This one sounds simple, but it can make a difference. You decide you’re going to start at 8:30.

8:31.

“Okay, I’ll start at 9.”

9:04.

“Well, I might as well start at 10.”

And suddenly, you’ve spent more time deciding when to study than actually studying. You don’t have to wait for the clock to hit the exact time you planned.

If you’re ready at 8:27, start at 8:27.

If it’s already 8:43, start at 8:43.

The point isn’t to start at the “perfect” time. The point is to stop giving yourself another reason to delay.

If you can start now, start now.

5. Eliminate Distractions

Phones.

One of the biggest distractions while studying. Especially when you’re using the same phone to read your PDF. You open your notes, then check WhatsApp “for just a minute,” then Instagram, then maybe TikTok... And in the blink of an eye, 30 minutes have disappeared.

But phones aren’t the only distraction. Noise, unnecessary notifications, people around you and an uncomfortable study environment can also make it harder to focus.

Try to create an environment that makes studying easier. Mute unnecessary notifications. Use an app blocker if you need one. If possible, keep distracting apps out of reach during your study session.

And if your environment is noisy, try white noise or another non-distracting background sound.

AI Tools That Can Help

AI can be useful when you’re studying, but it should support your learning rather than replace it.

ChatGPT can help explain difficult topics, quiz you and simplify concepts. But if you start using it to do all the thinking for you, you may end up learning less. So prompt it to teach you like your lecturer.

Goblin Tools can help break a large task into smaller, more manageable steps. That’s useful when you don’t know where to begin, but you still have to do the work. Use AI to make learning and understanding easier, not to avoid learning.

Spoiler Alert: You Will Still Procrastinate Sometimes

Even after trying all these things, you may still procrastinate. That’s okay.

Overcoming procrastination isn’t something that happens in one day. There will be days when you plan to study and somehow end up watching videos for two hours instead.

So maybe you don't have to completely eliminate procrastination, but to notice it sooner and choose action more often.

Every time you open the book even though you don’t feel like it, every time you study for those five minutes, every time you start instead of telling yourself “I’ll do it later,” you’re building the habit of consistency.

So the next time you tell yourself you’ll start at 8:30 and it’s already 8:31...

Don’t wait for 9.

Just start.

And now that you've heard all this, I want to try something. You probably already have AI apps on your phone, but are you using it to study?

I'm thinking of putting together a detailed collection of AI prompts specifically for studying, prompts that can help you turn your ai into a lecturer, quiz you on your lecture notes, help you work through your course outline, and teaches you like an understanding lecturer.

Would you be interested in something like this?

I'll make this a poll. Let me know what you think in the comments too. 👀

Every semester, thousands of students ask the same questions after results are released:

Can I still make a First Class?

What GPA do I need next semester?

Is it already too late?

Those questions pushed Samuel Chimmy Chiedozie to build something that could answer them before results were even released.

Here's how a personal goal of graduating with a 4.5+ CGPA became a tool helping students across Nigeria plan their academic journey.

Samuel’s POV

My name is Samuel Chimmy Chiedozie, but you can call me wallstreetjade. I am an award-winning full-stack developer with interests in education, politics, economics and decentralized systems. I'm currently a 300-level Political Science student at the University of Abuja. Apart from writing code and think pieces, I love cars, driving and drifting.

When Timi asked me whether I would rather graduate with a 5.0 CGPA or receive 5 BTC, my answer was 5 BTC.

Here's why. Getting for free what is harder to earn through hard work is simply the rationale. It is harder to get 5 BTC from scratch than it is to earn a 5.0 CGPA through hard work.

That said, I believe a 5.0 CGPA is achievable. I have a working system that can ensure that. All a person has to do is remain consistent with it, excluding factors outside the student's control.

My desire to graduate with a CGPA higher than 4.5 was what inspired me to build a CGPA calculator. But beyond my own goals, I wanted to build something that could help other students too.

My core belief is simple: whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. Whether I'm washing plates or cleaning the toilet, my goal is always to give my best. I get fulfilment from seeing the positive outcome of my work.

I still remember how clueless many 100-level students were when it came to understanding their CGPA. I kept thinking that if someone gave them a way to imagine what was possible, maybe they would take ownership of their goals and work towards them.

One moment, in particular, stayed with me. It was the day first-semester results were released. That day can be decisive in a student's life. It can determine whether someone pushes harder to improve or decides to settle because they don't see a reason to keep trying.

I remember seeing disappointed faces, students who believed they had already reached their limit. That made me ask myself a simple question: what if I could help students see things differently?

A First Class starts with an A. In most courses, an A starts with an overall score of 70 out of 100. That simple idea eventually became the CGPA simulator.

The simulator is a simple automated algorithm that helps students keep track of their performance, calculate their GPA and CGPA, simulate possible outcomes using future-level courses, and identify the courses that have the biggest impact on their CGPA.

More than anything else, I'm proud that it helps students imagine what is possible and understand how those goals can be achieved.

The simulator has been around for about two years. With the recent interest it's receiving, I plan to dedicate more time to revamping it and making it easier to use.

One of my favourite parts of building it has been hearing from students. I often receive emails from newly admitted students across the country asking how to use the simulator, and I'm always happy to help. Those moments are genuinely exciting for me.

When I say the simulator helps students imagine what is possible, I mean that many students don't fully understand the opportunities that can come with graduating with a First Class.

It's like studying Mathematics without knowing how it will benefit you. When a student sees universities offering scholarships worth thousands of dollars to First Class graduates or international organisations hiring them, it helps to have a tool that says, "Look, this is possible."

It can show you what happens if you earn three As in three 3-credit-unit courses. It can show you the GPA you need to raise your CGPA. It can even highlight the semesters that carry the most weight, helping you understand where your efforts could have the biggest impact.

If I could leave students with one message, it would be this:

Beyond the simulator, Learnable AI is an ambitious project I'm working on. After this semester, we'll continue building it with the goal of indexing courses from more than 280 Nigerian universities, allowing students to study and prepare for exams using real course materials and past questions.

For now, students can access the CGPA simulator here

Access Learnable AI

Every First Class begins with a decision to be intentional. Samuel's CGPA Simulator doesn’t do the studying for you, but it gives you something just as important: clarity.

Instead of guessing whether your academic goals are still possible, you can see exactly where you stand and what you'll need to get there.

If you're a university student, take a few minutes to test the simulator. You might discover that your dream CGPA is closer than you think—or find the motivation to start planning for it today.

Try the CGPA Simulator: learnable-ai.lovable.app

If this story inspired you, share it with a coursemate. You never know whose academic journey could change because they finally saw what was possible.

And if you'd like more stories about remarkable students building remarkable things, subscribe to Campus Chronicles, where we tell the stories you won't find in your lecture notes.

For many finalists, Final Year Brethren (FYB) Week is the grand finale of university life. For others, it's becoming an increasingly expensive tradition that leaves many students wondering whether the memories are worth the cost. We spoke with three recent graduates about it to hear their thoughts.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed below belong to the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views of Campus Chronicles.

Why did you decide to participate in FYB Week?

Sonia (Accounting):

I participated in FYB Week, although I started from Tuesday instead of Monday because I wasn't feeling up to it. After going home, I decided to participate in the remaining days with what I had.

Currently, I have a lot on my plate, and I saw it as God using FYB Week to distract me and make me live again.

Ifeoluwa (Nutrition and Dietetics):

Yes, I participated because it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Andrew (Industrial Chemistry):

I joined because I wanted to make my last days in school memorable so I could look back and be grateful for them.

Did FYB Week live up to your expectations?

Sonia:

It outdid my expectations. I enjoyed dressing up, looking pretty, receiving compliments, taking pictures and creating tons of content I'll probably never post. It was worth it like mad!

Ifeoluwa:

It was exhilarating and definitely lived up to my expectations. 10/10.

Andrew:

I didn't participate in every activity, but I'm glad I joined. It lived up to my expectations.

Has FYB become too expensive?

Sonia:

People do go all out for FYB. If that's what you want, you'll definitely spend a lot. But you don't need to have all the money. You just need some basics and know how to style them. Personally, I turned my house upside down and put everything together so I wouldn't spend much.

Ifeoluwa:

I'm in the middle. Some people take it beyond the normal. I mean, making FYB look like a real owambe wedding... and there are still defences to defend after that week.

Andrew:

I don't think it's about spending too much. If you have the money, you'll spend it. I couldn't participate in all the activities because of limited resources. It's really about priorities.

Did you ever feel pressured to spend more?

Sonia:

At a point, yes. Seeing my coursemates plan to go all out affected me. But I quickly got over it. I prayed about my FYB because I wanted to have fun, and God came through.

Ifeoluwa:

No, not at all. My desires were baptized in the Holy Ghost.

Andrew:

I don't think so. I just wanted to enjoy my FYB.

What advice would you give to students preparing for their own FYB Week?

Sonia:

Participate if you can. It's a time people let their guards down, have fun and connect with others. But cut your coat according to your size. Many people have sponsors or start planning months ahead. You may not have that privilege. Do you, rock what you have with style, spend smartly and save too. After FYB Week, reality sets in real quick.

Ifeoluwa:

Know exactly what you want to do and ensure that you can afford it. No go do pass yourself. The week will come and go, don't become weak as a result of the week.

Andrew:

The activities are enjoyable if properly planned. Make the most of them because you won't have another FYB. Just enjoy it with moderation.

If you've had your Final Year Week, we'd love to hear about your experience. Did you go all out, keep it simple, or skip it altogether? And if you're still in school, how are you thinking about your own FYB Week?

Reply to this newsletter or leave a comment below. Your story might inspire the next conversation on Campus Chronicles.

If you're anything like me, you've probably said something like, "I'll rest for a few days before I start learning that skill."

A few days become a week, and a week somehow becomes two. Then one random day, someone drops "Resumption in two weeks" in your class group chat, and you're left wondering where all the time flew too.

Sound familiar?

Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong with resting. After months of lectures, assignments, tests, practicals, and exams, you deserve it.

But before you spend your entire holiday resting, here's something worth thinking about.

There's time to explore and make mistakes. Time to learn something that isn't on your course outline, and to become a better version of yourself.

Your Degree Matters... But It's Not the Whole Story

Before anyone misunderstands me, let me say this first. Your degree matters. (Had to bolden it for emphasis)

Go for your lectures, study hard and pass your exams.

In fact, aim for the best grades you can get. Good grades can open doors to scholarships, postgraduate opportunities, and career paths.

But don't stop there.

Because the world after university doesn't only reward people with certificates, It rewards people who can communicate, solve problems, learn, and can adapt.

These are things your course may not intentionally teach you, and that's where university becomes interesting.

Think about it. You’re surrounded by student organisations, competitions, internships, conferences, volunteer opportunities, online communities, and people who are just as eager to learn as you are. These experiences help you develop skills that employers, clients, and even scholarship boards pay attention to, of you maximise it well.

The students who always seem to be getting opportunities aren't always the smartest people in class.

Many of them simply spent time building skills, putting themselves out there and saying "yes" to opportunities that helped them grow.

The holiday gives you the perfect chance to start doing the same.

You don’t need to become an expert before resumption. You don’t need to learn five different things at once. Pick one skill. Stay consistent. By the time school resumes, you’ll be better equipped to make the most of the opportunities that come your way.

Now less Cho Cho Cho, So, where should you start?

Here are Four skills every student should consider learning this holiday:

1. Learn How to Communicate

This cannot be stressed enough, being intelligent is great, but being able to explain your ideas is even better. That gift of selling yourself to potential investors is something that you should not sleep on.

Because it’ll help, communication is such an important skill to have. Whether you’re answering an interview question, sending an email to a lecturer, leading a group assignment, or applying for an internship, communication will always matter.

So, start practising now.

Write more.

Speak up during conversations.

Learn how to express your thoughts clearly.

2. Learn How to Use AI Properly

Before the ai police come for me.

The real advantage isn’t using AI. It’s knowing how to use AI.

Instead of asking AI to do your assignments, use it to understand difficult concepts, revise your notes, create quizzes, brainstorm ideas, or organise your study sessions.

Think of AI as a study partner, not a replacement for your brain. There’s so much AI can do these days, and staying ahead of the curve is one way to position you for better opportunities. Use it to explain difficult concepts, turn your lecture notes into quizzes, create study plans, learn a new language, etc.

Think of AI as a study partner, not a replacement for your brain.

Students who learn how to use AI responsibly today will have an advantage tomorrow.

3. Learn a Digital Skill

Have you ever wondered how some students are making money while they're still in school?

Many of them learnt a skill someone was willing to pay for. Whether it's graphic design, video editing, Photography ,Coding, UI/UX design, Content writing, digital marketing, Data analysis, and the list goes on and on. There's so much you can learn.

There are so many options, don't pressure yourself to learn everything. Pick what you want and lock in on it. If you don't know what you want, then try stuffs till you find what you love

Build small projects as you learn. Who knows?That portfolio you build this holiday might help you land your first internship, freelance client or job opportunity.

4. Learn how to learn

This might be the most important skill on this list.

The people who keep growing aren’t the people who know everything.They’re the people who know how to learn new things.

See, always remain a learner.

Read books, take online courses, watch tutorials, ask questions, stay curious, listen to podcasts.

Because the ability to learn quickly will never go out of style.

Where Can You Learn These Skills?

The internet has made learning easier than ever. YouTube is full of free tutorials

The hardest part isn’t even finding resources, but you putting in the work to apply these resources.

Learn how to learn

One Last Thing...

At Campus Chronicles, we believe university should prepare you for more than exams.

It should prepare you for life.

That’s why, throughout the holiday, we’ll be sharing practical opportunities, learning resources, opportunities, and recommendations to help you make the most of your time away from school.

If you’re already subscribed, keep an eye on our Subscriber Chat. That’s where we’ll be sharing many of these opportunities first.

And if you haven’t subscribed yet, we’d love to have you join us.

Subscribe now

• 1 If this article helped you, here’s how you can support Campus Chronicles:

• Subscribe so you never miss future editions.

• -Share this article with a friend or your class group.

• Leave a comment and tell us one skill you’re committed to learning this holiday.

Who knows? Your comment might inspire someone else to start too.

Three students. Five questions. One conversation about professional boundaries, career shifts, and what really happens when accounting and non-accounting students lock horns over who can write the almighty ICAN exams.

To some, it’s a necessary conversation about maintaining professional standards. To others, it feels like pure gatekeeping, an artificial barrier erected by accounting students who are protective of their four-year struggle.

To move beyond social media arguments, we spoke with three university students to hear their perspectives on whether accounting students have a legitimate claim to exclusivity, whether an accounting degree offers a meaningful advantage, and whether ICAN should remain open to career changers.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed below belong to the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views of Campus Chronicles.

Should ICAN be open to non-accounting students?

1. Anonymous (Accounting/Economics Graduate): I don’t think ICAN should be open to non-accounting students. It’s a professional qualification that should be exclusively for those who studied accounting.

Peace Tanimola: Honestly, I’ve never thought much of it as a barrier, because people should be able to pivot at any point in time in their lives. Many people don’t realize they have an interest in a field until years down the line. Why should they be excluded from pursuing something they want to do?

Prof: ICAN is actually very much open to non-accounting students. It gives room for every person from other fields to enroll in the professional program. People in other fields also need accounting knowledge in one way or the other.

Is it fair for accounting students to want the qualification kept to themselves?

Anonymous: Yes, I think it’s fair. Accounting students spend years learning the course, so it makes sense for ICAN to be for accounting graduates.”

Peace Tanimola: Nah, I really don’t think there’s a need to gatekeep it. It’s a career path. People should be allowed to make changes in their career choices and not be hindered by ‘gatekeepers.’”

Prof: No, it should not be restricted. Restricting non-accounting graduates from writing ICAN exams will definitely reduce the number of candidates participating in the examination. And I bet that would come at a cost. The question is: can accounting students only cover the cost implications that may arise from such a restriction? I doubt it.

Does an accounting degree give you an unfair advantage in these exams?

Anonymous: Yes, an accounting degree gives a big advantage because it covers most of the topics tested in ICAN. Other courses may learn these concepts, but not at the same depth.

Peace Tanimola: Well, of course, a finance background gives you an edge because there are concepts you are already familiar with. And even then, people in Accounting have more of an edge than people in other finance-related degrees like Economics. But imagine someone from, let’s say, Engineering trying to write this exam, it’s like learning a new language, but it’s something that can be learned.

Prof: An accounting degree provides a picture of what ICAN entails. Students from finance or economics can also take it as they’ve had a basic knowledge of accounting. The accounting and finance field is practical, and the practice and profession can be taught out of school. In that regard, non-accounting students can easily learn and navigate through the field.

Is the tension between departments actually about “competition,” or is it gatekeeping?

Anonymous: Accounting students aren’t gatekeeping for no reason. They’ve invested years studying the profession, so it’s reasonable to believe the qualification should remain for those with an accounting background. Other disciplines have their own professional qualifications.

Peace Tanimola: Anyone who wants to write should be allowed to, as long as it’s something they really want to do, because the exam journey is very, very demanding. It makes no sense to gatekeep it.

Prof: You as a student studying Accounting for four years, solving complex accounting problems, writing a whole lot of accounting examinations, going through serious hurdles, you really shouldn’t be afraid of someone who didn’t even know what double-entry bookkeeping is because they want to pivot.

In fact, you should be flooring them because you are already several steps ahead, and they are the ones working hard to catch up. Professional qualifications are there to create a clear roadmap to a profession, not a center that acts like a bank to save spaces for people who studied it in school.

I once told a close friend of mine that seeing non-accounting students writing ICAN to pivot into the profession should never be seen as a competition. That stance is useless to me. Them coming into the profession makes it more innovative. They can only serve as competition to me when I do not put in the efforts required to understand my profession.

5. What is the one thing you want the other side to understand?

Anonymous: Respect the process. The qualification carries weight because of the specific background required to master it.

Peace Tanimola: The journey is demanding enough for anyone who attempts it. Let the best brain win.

Prof: Those non-accounting graduates qualifying as chartered accountants are not getting qualified on a platter of gold. If you can afford to go through the rigorous processes and tough exams to get qualified, you’ve already shown that you’re capable and up to the standard.

Accounting students should stop being blinded by the thought that non-accounting students are a competition because they’re writing ICAN. Instead, they should put that effort into becoming a master of their profession, focus on passing the ICAN exams, meet up with the standards, and always show the world they studied accounting by showing workings and stop doing cho cho cho.

One thing became obvious after reading these conversations.
This isn’t really a story about who has the right to a textbook.

It’s a story about how we view professional spaces. Is a career path a closed shop reserved for those who selected it at age sixteen on a JAMB form, or is it an open arena where anyone with enough grit, focus, and discipline can prove their worth?

The encouraging part is that the standard remains incredibly high for everyone. No one gets the charter easily, regardless of what degree they hold.

Perhaps the real question isn't who "owns" the exam. It's whether we're willing to let competence, not background, do the talking.

We’d love to hear from you. If you’re studying accounting, finance, or trying to pivot from an entirely different department, what’s your take? Is the gatekeeping justified, or is it time to open the gates?

Reply to this newsletter or drop a comment below to let us know your experience!

Five nursing students. Six questions. One conversation about hierarchy, respect, stereotypes and what really happens when medical and nursing students share the same spaces.

Spend enough time around a medical school and you’ll hear the stories.

Sometimes they’re told jokingly.

“Those MBBS students are too proud...”

“Nursing students always want to argue.”

Other times, they come up after a long day of clinical postings, in hostel rooms, during sports competitions, after debates, or while recounting an awkward interaction on the ward. Ask almost any healthcare student and chances are, they’ve either witnessed one of these moments or heard about one from someone else.

Over time, these stories have become part of campus folklore.

Some people describe the relationship between medical and nursing students as harmless rivalry. Others believe it’s a reflection of something much bigger how different healthcare professions are viewed, the assumptions students inherit, and the hierarchies they encounter long before they qualify.

But stories have a way of growing with every retelling. They often become louder than the people actually living them.

So instead of asking, “Is the beef real?” we asked a different question:

What does it actually look like from the perspective of nursing students?

We spoke to five nursing students from Nigerian universities about the moments that first made them notice the tension, what they think fuels it, whether nursing students also contribute to it, and what they wish medical students understood.

Their experiences were different. Some spoke about ward rounds. Others remembered sports competitions, classrooms and operating theatres. Some described moments of disrespect. Others talked about friendships that challenged everything they had assumed.

Yet, despite those different experiences, the same themes kept resurfacing.

Hierarchy.

Respect.

Misunderstanding.

Teamwork.

By the end of these conversations, one thing had become clear.

This wasn’t really a discussion about who knows more.

It was a discussion about how future healthcare professionals learn to see one another and how those perceptions shape the way they work together long before they’re responsible for the same patients.

1. When did you first notice the tension between medical and nursing students?

Amara (500L Nursing Student)

“There was a day I was on ward round and the consultant asked a question. The medical students couldn’t get it right and I muttered the answer. The consultant asked me to say it louder and I was correct. He asked the medical students to clap for me and I started hearing murmuring. ‘How did she even know?’ ‘She googled it.’ The comments were nasty and I felt they came from a place of jealousy.”

Dami (400L Nursing Student)

“For me it was during a sports event. The two departments were supposed to have a friendly basketball game, but the medical students were aggressive, insulting and even unfair with the points. It almost felt like they needed to be recognised as the best in everything.”

Tolu (Student Nurse)

“We were having a surgery in the OR and the medical students were obstructing the nursing students’ view. Someone asked them to give way and the tension was palpable.”

Kemi (500L Nursing Student)

“It happened when we were still fresh in preclinicals. The lecturers started instigating medical students against us, saying they were superior and that we answered to them.”

Zainab (Final-year Nursing Student)

“Most people don’t notice it in classrooms first it shows up during clinical postings. Someone questions an order or gives an opinion and suddenly it becomes a ‘who knows better’ situation.”

2. What do medical students often misunderstand about nursing students?

Amara

“They think we speak up because we want to disagree. Our opinions are for the patient’s wellbeing, not to prove a point.”

Dami

“They often think nursing is a dependent profession where we have no autonomy whatsoever. They act like we’re just there to clean the mess.”

Tolu

“I think they’ve been oriented to believe we have an ego and that we’re their subordinates.”

Kemi

“People assume our work is solely based on whatever orders they give that we only clean faeces and take vitals.”

Zainab

“Many people think nursing is less academic. In reality, nursing involves clinical reasoning, patient monitoring, medication knowledge and recognising deterioration. Nurses often notice changes earlier because they’re with patients for longer.”

3. What do you think the tension is really about?

Amara

“Honestly, I think it’s about hierarchy. They feel nurses are their subordinates and not their colleagues. The system is favouring this.”

Dami

“There was a debate in my school where nursing came first and medicine came second. Afterwards, some medical students started saying they only ‘allowed’ us to win.”

Tolu

“I think everyone has their faults.”

Kemi

“It spreads to everything. Even if other departments are there, the war is mainly between medicine and nursing. You’ll hear ‘Those MBBS students...’ and ‘Those Nightingale babies.’”

Zainab

“A medical student may write an order. A nurse questions it because of dosage safety or protocol. Instead of teamwork, it’s interpreted as a challenge to authority.”

4. Have you had any positive experiences with medical students?

Amara

“Some medical students and doctors ask for my opinion on certain issues and we work around them. Some people just want to be nasty that’s all.”

Dami

“I have friends among them who are very respectful and would never downgrade nursing. They’ve made me hopeful.”

Tolu

“Yes. Most of my friends are medical students.”

Kemi

“Not really. At least not in professional settings.”

Zainab

“When a medical student genuinely listens to a nurse’s observations about a patient, you realise you’re complementing each other, not competing.”

5. Do nursing students contribute to the tension too?

Amara

“Yes. Nursing students should understand their role and work within it. There’s no need to be disrespectful or feel inferior.”

Dami

“Most nursing students either ignore the disrespect or try to educate medical students.”

Tolu

“Everyone has their faults.”

Kemi

“Sometimes we already expect conflict before anything even happens.”

Zainab

“Repeated disrespect can make nurses defensive.”

6. If medical students could understand one thing about nursing students, what would it be?

Amara

“We’re a great asset to any healthcare team. We’re the frontliners of patient care.”

Dami

“We want to be treated with respect. We’re not in this profession just to clean messes.”

Tolu

“Nobody is above anybody. Respect goes a long way.”

Kemi

“We’re co-labourers, not subjects. The moment everyone begins to see themselves as teammates, things will improve.”

Zainab

“Nursing students aren’t trying to compete. They’re trying to ensure patient safety within their scope.”

One thing became obvious after reading these conversations.

This isn’t really a story about medicine versus nursing.

It’s a story about how healthcare students learn to see one another and what happens when those first impressions are shaped by hierarchy instead of collaboration.

The encouraging part is that alongside every story of tension, there were stories of friendship, respect and teamwork. They may not be the loudest stories, but they’re there.

Perhaps the real question isn’t who knows more.

It’s whether students can learn to see one another as teammates before they’re responsible for the same patients.

We’d love to hear from you. If you’ve done clinical postings or spent time around a teaching hospital have you noticed this tension? Is it real? Is it exaggerated? Or do you think it’s beginning to change? Reply to this newsletter and tell us your experience.

*Pseudonyms have been used to protect the identities of all respondents.

For many students, the path to their course isn’t linear. Sometimes it’s personal struggles that guide us toward understanding ourselves and others better. In this interview, our Psychology student shares how her own mental health journey led her to a course she never planned to study, and what it’s really like behind the theories and textbooks.

On a scale of 1-10, how are you doing?

5. I’m neither overly happy or sad, just neutral.

As a child, what did you want to become or study and what are you currently studying now?

Growing up, I never had any particular course I wanted to study. I had an interest in music in terms of singing but meh.
Now I’m studying Psychology.

Music to Psychology, that's quite a shift. Was there a specific moment, experience, or person that pushed you toward Psychology?

I’ve had my fair share of mental health issues. In learning about how to better myself, I discovered psychology.

That's really honest, thank you for sharing. What ’s one thing you genuinely love about studying Psychology?

Learning about new concepts that explain what the average person experiences but can’t quite name.

I love that. On the flip side, what’s one thing about it that frustrates or overwhelms you about studying Psychology?

The constant report writing and field experiments that are stressful. For instance, I had a group field study recently where we had to interview street kids (kids who live or work on the street) to find out how factors like their parents, home environment etc influence their life. My group had to interview 2 people and each interview lasted for like 20-30 minutes each.

That sounds intense. What’s the biggest misconception people have about Psychology or Psychology students?

That we can read minds or that we can automatically give you therapy. Studying psychology/earning a bsc ≠ being an actual psychologist.

Wait, you mean y'all dont read mimds?🫣 Wowwww. Can you explain a psychological concept you find interesting, like you're talking to a friend.

Learned helplessness is an interesting concept. It’s basically the explanation for why even when we have the tools or opportunity to change a negative situation in our life, we still don’t try to change anything which lands us in a deeper pit of sadness and depression.

A practical example would be if someone feels uncomfortable in their body, there are a lot of different ways to approach the situation (both psychological and physical) but let’s assume that in this case their insecurity is not all in their head.
They lament about how they don’t like their body because they’re genuinely under/overweight. So, they try to make changes. They go on a diet and workout but it never really works out.

Soon, because of this cycle of starting and failing they genuinely begin to believe that they can never feel comfortable in their body. Now, even when presented with opportunities to achieve their goal like coming across a store that sells cheap diet friendly food or a personal trainer who has a good track record with overweight/underweight clients, they don’t go for it cause they feel helpless in the face of their past failures.

It’s almost like a weird cycle. They hate their body and weight yeah but they start feeling hopeless about ever achieving their goal so even trying to change things feels pointless cause it’s like nothing would work out anyway.

Oh wow, I think this shows how repeated failures can shape how we see ourselves. Thank you for sharing, so if someone wants to study Psychology, what’s one thing you’d warn them about and what’s one thing you’d hype them about?

If you want to study psychology and you hate maths, just know that the course involves a decent amount of statistics so you can’t escape maths. Also, if you dislike writing and research, you’d have a problem with the course. Psychology is very research oriented and you’d have to write reports a lot.

If you have a genuine passion for psychology then you’d enjoy learning about why people act the way they do for sure. That’s something to look forward too.

Any advice for students who feel lost or pressured about choosing a course?

No course is “easy”. Try not to choose a course that you have zero interest in except if you know God led you there. Also, passion is beautiful but it’s not enough to sustain you through any course. Typically, try to have a realistic view. Go for a course you have an interest in if you can and know that just because you like it doesn’t mean it would come easily to you or that you’d enjoy it. Other factors like lecturers, the school you’re attending etc can make the course more hard.

Thank you for sharing all of this with us.

Psychology wasn’t a childhood dream for her. It was something she discovered while trying to understand herself and her experiences better. What started as a personal search for answers slowly turned into a course of study, complete with theories, fieldwork, statistics, and a lot of writing. It may not be easy, but it’s a course that now makes sense to her.

Does this sound like your own journey too? Have you ever ended up in a course because of a personal experience, curiosity, or circumstance? We’d love to hear your story

Leave a comment, or send us a DM.

Leave a comment

And if this story resonated with you, share it with a friend and help Campus Chronicles reach more students.

If studying feels exhausting but it feels like your results don’t reflect the effort, this one is for you.

Today’s Campus Toolkit entry is about cheating the system, not your exams. So sit back, and enjoy.

Okay, wait.

Before you get excited, let me explain what I mean.

I’m not talking about copying answers during exams. I’m talking about cheating the system of inefficient studying.

You know that system.

The one where you spend five hours reading the same chapter and when you’re done, it’s like your memory did disappearing messages. The one where you make written flashcards until your hand hurts, or stay up all night cramming information that refuses to stick.

That system is exhausting.

And honestly, it’s getting outdated.

So here’s the “cheat”: AI tools that make studying faster, smarter, and way less painful.

You still have to do the work, understand the material and show up on exam day, but you don’t have to suffer through methods that don’t work anymore.

Here are 5 tools students are quietly using to study smarter.

1. ChatGPT: The One That Explains Like You’re Five

I'm not the only who has asked chatgpt to explain a concept like I'm 5😂

What it does: ChatGPT is like that very patient friend who will explain the same thing ten different ways until it finally clicks.

You paste a confusing concept and ask it to break it down simply.

How students actually use it:

• Breaking down complex topics: “Explain this topic like I’m in primary school.”

• Generating practice questions:

  Upload a topic and ask it to create 30–50 MCQs.

• Summarizing long chapters:

  Paste pages of text and ask for key points.

Note:

It’s not perfect, and can make mistakes, especially with very technical or niche topics. And it doesn’t know your lecturer’s specific teaching style or course outline.

But when it’s 2 a.m., your brain is tired, and nobody is awake to help?

It’s there.

2. Claude: The One That Actually Reads Your PDFs

What it does: Claude is similar to ChatGPT, but it shines when it comes to long documents.

You can upload PDFs, lecture slides, or textbooks and ask questions based on your actual materials.

How students actually use it:

• Analyzing lecture slides:

  “What are the main points from this lecture?”

• Creating study guides from PDFs

• Generating flashcards and practice questions from chapters

It’s especially useful for reading-heavy courses, like Law, Medicine, History, etc.

It won’t replace a human tutor, but it helps you organize, summarize, and test yourself much faster.

3. NotebookLM: The One That Turns Your Notes Into a Podcast

What it does: You upload your notes, PDFs, or lecture materials. NotebookLM creates summaries, study guides, and Q&As, similar to other tools.

But here’s the part that makes people pause:

It can turn your notes into an AI-generated podcast.

Two AI voices literally have a conversation about your material, explaining concepts, asking each other questions, and breaking things down based only on what you uploaded.

How students actually use it:

• Listening to notes while getting ready

• Reviewing material while commuting or walking to class

• Making boring topics more engaging

• Asking it to quiz you:

“Ask me questions from this PDF and wait for my answers.”

• Identifying likely exam areas:

“Which topics here are most important?”

Important detail:

NotebookLM only answers from your uploaded sources, not the internet.

That means that it has fewer hallucinations, and the answers stay close to your lecturer’s material

If you’re an auditory learner, someone who remembers better by hearing, this can seriously change how you study.

Even if you never touch the podcast feature, the chat feature is solid.

catch

4. Thea Study: The One That Helps You Actually Master the Material

What it does:

Thea isn’t just about memorizing. It’s built around research-backed study methods.

You upload notes, PDFs, handwritten notes, or lecture videos, and it generates:

• Flashcards

• Practice questions (MCQs, true/false, short answers)

• Study guides

• Practice tests

• Games

What makes it different is active recall and spaced repetition. Active recall forces you to retrieve information from memory. Spaced repetition shows you material again right before you’re about to forget it.

That combination helps information stick long-term.

How students actually use it:

• Turning lectures into quizzes instantly

• Tracking weak spots automatically

.

5. ExamCrush: The Nigerian Student’s Study Partner

What it does:

ExamCrush is built specifically for students preparing for exams like JAMB, WAEC, university exams, and professional tests, with Nigerian students in mind.

You upload your materials and it generates:

• Flashcards with spaced repetition

• Practice questions and quizzes

• Study games

• Discussion rooms with other students

How students actually use it:

• Practicing with AI-generated questions from their notes

• Staying motivated with streaks and reminders

Because it’s Nigerian-based, it understands our exam culture. It’s not just generic AI, it’s built for our context.

Which One Should You Try?

Honestly, try one or two first.

Each tool does something different:

- ChatGPT is great for quick explanations and breaking down confusing concepts.

- Claude is perfect for analyzing long documents and organizing messy notes.

- NotebookLM is ideal if you're an auditory learner or want to review on the go.

- Thea Study is the best for mastering material through active recall and spaced repetition.

- ExamCrush is built for Nigerian students and offers community features + exam-specific prep.

A Few Reminders

1. These tools won't study for you. You still have to read. AI can help, but it can't replace effort.

2. They're not perfect.

Sometimes they get things wrong. Always double-check important information, especially for technical subjects.

3. Don't rely on them completely.

Use them to supplement your studying, not replace it. Go to class, take notes, and engage with the material yourself

4. Try the free versions first.

Most of these tools have free tiers. Test them out before paying for anything.

5. Find what works for YOU.

Just because a tool works for someone else doesn't mean it'll work for you. Experiment, keep what helps, drop what doesn't.

Studying can be hard.

But maybe it doesn't have to be this hard.

If you're tired of spending hours re-reading notes that don't stick, or making flashcards manually, or feeling lost before exams, try one of these tools.

See if it helps, and if you find something better, tell me in the comments have you tried any of these tools or are there other tools you can recommend.

Leave a comment

We're all just trying to pass.

This student tracked hers, and the results surprised even me.

The Cost of Surviving School: One Week in My Wallet

Sunday: 2,950 Naira

I spent a lot on Sunday.

Transport to and from church was #200.

I dropped #200 offering

After service, I bought pepper (#500), chicken (#1,000), and plantain (#500).

Plus three eggs for #550.

Before I even entered Monday, my wallet had already reduced.

Monday: #0

I didn’t spend at all. I just resumed and still had foodstuff and biscuits.

Tuesday: #100

I bought Zobo. I was really thirsty and didn’t have water with me.

Wednesday: #3,300

I spent #3,100 to fill my gas and #200 for transport.

Necessary spending, because gas never finishes at a good time.

Thursday to Saturday: #0

From Wednesday night till Saturday, I didn’t spend a single kobo.

I’ve been cooking back-to-back, and I still have a whole bag of snacks. Once lectures finish, I just carry myself back home.

No outside temptation, no unnecessary spending.

Total for the week: #6,350

So tell me : how long can you go without spending a kobo?

This student spent slightly above 5k in a week,🤭 let me know what you think of this. Is this something you can do, or something you can beat?👀

So tell me, how much do you spend in a week? Track it, and maybe your wallet will have a story to tell too. 😏

The Cost of Surviving School: One Week in My Wallet

Mide's POV

Sunday – 400 Naira
Last cash in my pocket. I spent it on transport to and from church. That was literally it.

Monday – 0 Naira 😭
Nada. Nothing. Completely broke. #BrokeStudentProblems

Tuesday – 8,500 Naira 😳
Ah, Tuesday, my wallet cried. I bought rice for 2k😭Then, I caved for a book Atomic Habits, 3k, some things are worth investing in. And of course, data 3,500 for 11GB… because how else will I survive online classes, and TikTok scrolling? Priorities, right?

Wednesday – 6,200 
Market day . I went in for “ljust a few things and came out with a whole mini-supermarket:

• Pepper 1,500

• Onions 500

• Sausage 1,100 (shared with my roommates)

• Carrot 1,000

• Spring onions 500

• Fish 500

• Pomo 600
  Also, 500 for Spotify Premium family plan. My wallet felt it, but my hostel kitchen smelled amazing.

Thursday – 400 Naira
Bag of water only. That’s it.

Friday – 2,600 Naira
I went out, and of course, I couldn’t resist:

• Sliced bread 1,500

• Cold drink 500

• Handkerchief 300

• Bottled water 300
  All in all, 2,600 . If I had stayed in, zero naira. But outings are dangerous for the broke, tempting little things everywhere.

Saturday – 2,500 ₦
Cravings hit hard. Shawarma 2k, suya 500 

Total for the week: 20,600.

And that’s it, a full week of surviving school, spending 20,600  in total. Some days nothing, some days splurges, some days just keeping hope alive.

So tell me, how much do you spend in a week? Track it, and maybe your wallet will have a story to tell too. 😏

Have you ever agreed to “help plan” a party, only to realize you’ve basically become the event planner, accountant, and therapist? 😭

Today’s Common Room gist is all about how to plan a party without losing your mind, because sometimes, all we want is small enjoyment that won’t scatter friendships.

In Fireboy’s voice, Party scatter 🎶

If you know a Nigerian university student, please squeeze small money into our hands becauseeee, we are trying! 🥲

Let’s be honest, uni life is stressful enough, there’s exams, assignments, sapa, and trying to stay sane in the middle of it all. Then, out of nowhere, someone says:

“Hey, let’s throw a party.”

Now, it doesn’t even have to be a full-blown party. Maybe it’s just a small picnic to keep your sanity intact mid-semester, a little birthday turn-up, or a coursemates’ hangout. At first, it sounds fun, a break from lectures and hostel wahala, but soon the real chaos starts.

Suddenly, your guest list is exploding, WhatsApp messages are flying everywhere, and not even creating a group chat is helping. One person’s shouting “Who’s bringing cups?” while another is accusing the planner of eating the contribution money 😭. You open a spreadsheet to track the budget, and now your head is hot.

Planning a party isn’t beans.

That’s where PartyVest quietly enters the chat.

But first, let’s talk about how to plan a student party without losing your mind, because you deserve fun, not frustration.

Step 1: Set Up Your Event

Start with the basics.

What kind of party are you planning? A hall hangout, roommate day, sign out party, or picnic? Even surprising your lecturer on his birthday ( did someone just say God forbid? 😂).

Set a name, pick a date, and write it down somewhere before someone suddenly says, “Wait, when is it again?”

Step 2: Set a Realistic Budget

This is where most student friendships start shaking.

Because once money enters the chat, someone will definitely say:

“2,000 is too much, abeg. I’m not eating rice that expensive. There's rice at home”

To save yourself from group chat chaos, create a clear budget, what you need, how much it’ll cost, and how everyone contributes.

With PartyVest, you can actually generate a virtual account number for your event and share it. Everyone just pays their share there. no chasing, no awkward reminders, no disappearing contributors.

And the best part? You can add co-planners to the event so your friends or committee members can also see what’s going on. That way, no one is accusing anybody of “eating money.” Transparency and peace of mind.

Step 3: Organize Tasks & Assign Roles

Don’t try to do everything alone.

Write down what needs to be done: buying snacks, getting decorations, printing shirts, creating a playlist, or even finding a good MC that won’t overtalk.

Then assign roles.

Maybe Chuka handles drinks, Zainab brings plates, and you’re in charge of vibes (yes, that’s a real role 😌).

If you’re using PartyVest, there’s a task tracker where you can assign tasks and check progress, because someone will definitely forget, and you’ll need receipts.

Step 4: Choose a Location

Once you’ve settled the who and the what, decide the where.

Common room? Faculty hall? Off-campus park? Someone’s house?

Update it in your event details so everyone knows where to show up (and no one’s texting “send location” at 4 PM).

Step 5: Manage Vendors & Wishlist

Now, if it’s a bigger event, like a departmental week or birthday, you’ll need vendors.

But here's the thing about vendors: they can either make your party or mar your party. One moment, they’re promising heaven and earth; the next, they’re ghosting you the night before your party. 😭

If you’re using PartyVest, you can add and track your vendors directly. You’ll know who’s been paid, who’s slacking, and who needs gentle reminders (read: threats). It saves you from scrolling endlessly through chats looking for receipts.

Best part? If finding vendors is an hassle for you, you can just search for vendors offering the service you’re looking for on PartyVest.

And please, if you want to, make a wishlist.

Maybe you need disposable cups, extra drinks, or you’re subtly hinting that someone should buy you a birthday cake (because you deserve). Guests can pick something from your list so you don’t end up with ten packs of biscuits and no drinks.

Step 6: Sell Merchandise or Tickets

If you’ve ever planned a departmental party, you already know the phrase:

“Please buy our shirt, support us.”

It’s practically an anthem. But then comes the nightmare, collecting money, tracking sizes, remembering who paid…then there's chaos.

This is where PartyVest saves you from madness. You can list your shirts, totes, or event tickets, and guests can pay directly through the app. It even keeps a record, so nobody can hit you with the classic “I sent it, check again” lie. 😂

Plus, it feels oddly satisfying seeing the little sales tracker climb, like watching your soft-life fund grow in real time.

Step 7: Collect Memories 🫶🏽

Now this is the sweetest part.

When the music fades and everyone’s voice is gone from shouting, what’s left are the memories.

PartyVest lets you collect pictures and videos from your guests in a shared memory feed. Everyone uploads their chaos (blurry selfies, dance-floor clips, awkward faces)

Later, when exams start and life humbles you again, you can scroll through and remember that one good day you touched happiness. 🥹

It’s basically your party’s digital scrapbook.

Step 8: Make It Public (Optional)

If you want more reach or inspiration for others, make your event public.

Other students can view, join, or even use your setup as a template for theirs. Because sharing is caring, and who knows, maybe your party becomes a legend across campus 👀.

The next time you feel that itch to celebrate, whether it’s a picnic, a hall week, or a roommate day, plan it smart. Use the tools like PartyVest, that make it less stressful and more fun. You deserve joy that doesn’t come with a migraine.

And please, before you start dragging your friends for “not paying contribution,” download PartyVest. Let them do the heavy lifting of planning a party for you

Download on Playstore

Download on App Store

Because in the end, it’s all about enjoying the moments we can, before exams or sapa humble us.

Because at the end of the day, Campus Chronicles is about surviving the madness, celebrating the small wins, and finding pockets of peace in all this chaos.

Until next time, tell someone about Campus Chronicles 🤍

There’s something about early beginnings, how they can be both a blessing and a burden. Imagine stepping into university at 14, trying to keep up with grades and emotions that don’t always make sense yet. Now imagine leaving four years later with a First Class. This is the story of a girl who did just that and the lessons she found along the way.

Favour's POV

If you had told 14-year-old me that I’d graduate with a First Class at 18, I probably would’ve laughed, not because I thought it was impossible, but because I didn’t even understand what that really meant then.

I studied Accounting, and unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I chose it. But that’s a story for later.

I started school young. Taking a gap year never crossed my mind, not because I had anything against it, but because it just didn’t feel like an option. Everyone around me was moving forward, and I guess I didn’t want to pause.

Starting university that young was… something. Looking back, it was both a blessing and a bittersweet beginning. My grades were high, but emotionally, I was struggling. I wasn’t exactly alone, but loneliness still found me. Sometimes I read my old journal entries from that period and I’m stunned, I was just a 14-year-old with so many feelings I didn’t know how to process.

But the funny thing about being that young in university was that, socially, I never really felt out of place. I’ve always had this mindset that nobody has anything I can’t learn. So, even though most of my course mates were older, the age difference never intimidated me.

Maybe it’s because I grew up with an older brother who’s 11 years ahead of me, yet I can still call him a friend. That made age gaps feel blurry. In school, I found it easy to relate with people two or three years older. Friendship, for me, was more about connection than age.

When it came to academics, I knew I wanted a First Class from the start, even though I didn’t fully grasp how much work it would take. I remember hearing that classic fresher advice: “Start building your CGPA from your first semester.” At the time, I didn’t take it too seriously, but now I realize that’s exactly what I did, even if subconsciously.

In my 100 level, I built small habits that became part of me. I read almost every day, usually in lecture theatres. It wasn’t as rigid as it sounds, most times, the people I met while reading became my friends. That made it easier.

I also learned early that no one is an island of knowledge. Whenever I didn’t understand something, I asked. My course mates were my biggest resource. We taught each other, shared notes, and motivated one another. Those small habits; consistency, curiosity, and collaboration carried me through to the end.

If I could give advice to anyone chasing a First Class, I’d say: don’t let it swallow your social life. University isn’t just about grades, it’s one of the best places to build connections that might shape your future.

You don’t have to play the role of a “Disney Channel nerd” to graduate with top marks 😭. I know people who were active in sports, and campus activities but still finished strong academically. It’s all about priorities.

For instance, I wouldn’t expect a serious student to be at a party the night before an exam in the name of ‘balance.’ Know what matters most in each moment, and let your choices reflect that.

Now that I’m graduating while some people are just resuming, it feels relieving. Not in a proud way, just light. Like I can finally exhale.

It wasn’t a smooth journey, but it was mine.

If you ever feel like you’re figuring life out too early or too late, just remember that everyone’s race is timed differently.

We’re easing back into Campus Chronicles, and it feels so good to be home again 😭. If this story made you pause, smile, or think of someone you know, don’t keep it to yourself. Gist is always sweeter when it spreads.

Share

And hey, if you love hearing campus stories as much as reading them, the Campus Chronicles Pod is live too 👀🎧.

Listen Here

Until Next Time.❤️

Let’s gist for a second. You probably clicked this link for one of three reasons:

1. You’re a uni student who wants to sustain a First Class.

2. You’re planning an academic comeback.

3. You’re just about to enter school and this is your goal.

Did I guess right? 😅 (If not, tell me where you fall).

But first, let's have a quick chat.

Do you think it’s really possible to graduate with a First Class CGPA if you’re not “naturally gifted”? Or if you weren’t the Head Boy/Girl type in secondary school? (You know that stereotype😅)

Because a lot of people believe First Class students are a different breed; super geniuses with no social life, who only read, pray, and breathe textbooks. But is that really true?

In this brand-new episode of Campus Chronicles Podcast, we sat down with Samuel Badekale from University of Lagos, who bagged a First Class CGPA (5.0) and even emerged as 1/2 of the Best Graduating Student of his set.

We asked the big questions you’ve always wondered about:

• Can an “average” student really grow into a 5.0?

• Is a First Class more about discipline or a gift?

• How do you ‘balance’ faith, academics, and doing other stuffs?

• Do First Class students really sacrifice their social life?

• What to do to get scholarship opportunities

If you’ve ever thought First Class was impossible, this gist will change your mind.

👉 Listen to Episode 2 of Campus Chronicles Podcast: How To Get A First Class CGPA—The 5.0 Episode

STREAM HERE

Whether you’re just entering uni or halfway through, this one will inspire you to push your limits. And if you know someone who’s chasing First Class, forward this to them, they’ll thank you later.

Rooting for you always ❤️,

Campus Chronicles

Starting a business in school is not for the faint-hearted. Between lectures, tests, and the never-ending struggle with “sapa,” many students barely have time to rest, let alone run a business. But for some, hustling is not optional, it’s survival. In this episode of Campus Chronicles, we step into the life of a studentpreneur who juggles lectures with selling akara powder, proving that in university, ambition doesn’t wait for graduation.

When I started selling TreatsbyMo (akara powder), it wasn't a grand plan. It honestly just started as vibes. But along the line, it turned into survival.

My mom has always been the entrepreneurial type. Since I was small, she has tried to push me into business too. I even attempted a few hustles in secondary school, but by SS2, I gave up. I told myself business isn't not for me, because quietly frankly, I don’t like stress.

Then I entered university. Everywhere I turned, somebody was selling something; wigs, thrift clothes, food, anything. Business looked almost fun. I casually mentioned it to my mom, and that was all she needed. She started drilling me with different kinds of ideas. The one that stuck was Akara Powder.

I had never seen anyone selling it around campus. In my head, I just felt like people would “eat” it up.

Before I even began selling, I used to bring small quantities to school. My friends would beg for some, and one day I gave them. The feedback was amazinggg. That was the moment I knew this thing could work. I even asked them, “Would you buy it if I started selling?” and they said yes.

The day I got my first cash-out, I ran into my mommy’s room screaming. Joy wan finish me. At that moment, all the little things I had been pushing aside; like decorating my room the way I wanted suddenly felt possible. I didn’t have to wait for my parents to give me money anymore. I could afford small things for myself.

But let me not lie, juggling school and business is hard. Customers don’t see you as a student who happens to run a business, they see you as a business owner. Lecturers and parents don’t see you as a studentpreneur either. To them, you’re just a student. Both sides want you to be fully one thing; either a full business owner or a studentpreneur.

There was a day, I decided to spend the whole day in the library reading. I was focused, until a new customer texted me. She wanted three cups immediately and insisted on getting them that day. I had two choices: ignore her and risk leaving a bad first impression, or go home to pack her order, knowing full well that once I left the library, reading for that day would scatter.

I chose to pack her order. That lady is still my customer till today.

Some days, I even refuse to post my ads because I know new customers will come, and it will mean packing, delivering, and disrupting my schoolwork. In my own way, I try to balance it by letting one drag the other, but in a balanced way.

Of course, I made plenty of mistakes at the beginning. The biggest one was not keeping a proper account. I’m Gen Z, I love keeping all my documents on my phone. But for business, abeg, write it down on paper. Document every spending; bank charges, enjoyment money, everything.

Another mistake I made was not paying myself a salary. At first, I kept all my profit in my business account. Later, I started feeling like I deserved to “tap small” once in a while. Because I didn’t fix a salary, I was just spending anyhow, and before I knew it, money had disappeared.

Still, the hustle gave me experiences I’ll never forget. The funniest one was with an okada rider. I needed to send an order, and after we bargained his ridiculous price, he agreed. Just as he was about to leave, he said, “Tell your customer to keep her phone with her. I’ll only flash. The money you’re paying me doesn’t cover money for airtime.”😂😂

I laughed all the way back home.

Right now, I see TreatsbyMo as a campus survival hustle, nothing beyond that. But I’ve enjoyed every bit of the journey. From screaming after my first sale, to learning hard money lessons, to laughing at okada riders, it has all shaped me.

Even in sapa, I’ve learnt that vibes can turn into survival, and survival can make you see yourself in a new way.

If you’re in LAUTECH and want to taste the famous Akara Powder, check out TreatsbyMo. 🔥

Send her a DM via this link: wa.link/dnf2ct and let her know you’re from Campus Chronicles.

And if you’re not in LAUTECH, put a friend there on to it. 😉

Catch up on past Campus Chronicles stories here:

We have exciting things coming your way soon. Don't forget to spread the word to everyone!

Thank you for reading ❤️

From childhood dreams to random decisions, from chasing passion to JAMB choosing for us. Every student has a story behind their course. In this segment, we explore the stories behind how students ended up in their current courses. Some chased passion, some stumbled into it and a few aren't even sure about how they got there. Either way, every story is a story that deserves to be told.

They say medicine is not just a course, it’s a lifestyle. The sleepless nights, the endless textbooks, the clinical postings that test both your stamina and your sanity, all wrapped in the dream of one day wearing that white coat with pride. But behind every “Doctor in the making” is a real human being navigating faith, doubt, and survival. In this episode of Campus Chronicles, we sit with Ebunoluwa, a medical student who opens up about what it really takes to survive medicine 101.

On a scale of 1–10, how are you doing today?

I’d say a 10 😅

Osheyy! Wassup?

I found a beautiful worship song this morning and I’ve been feeling so joyful ever since. The song is Psalm 34 by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

Love ittt! So, as a child, what was your childhood dream, and what are you currently studying now?

My childhood dream was to become a doctor. Yes, I am currently studying to become a doctor.

Ahan ahan congratulations! When did you first consider studying medicine, how did it start for you?

Hmmm, there were different times I considered studying medicine. My Dad is a doctor and I think seeing him do the job with so much intentionality, commitment and passion is why I considered it in the first place.

It’s a really rewarding job, not necessarily monetarily. You get to meet different people and be an extension of God’s love to them in the profession.

Whoosh, love that. Thank you for sharing. What was your admission journey like? Smooth sail or plenty corners?

Eiii, it wasn’t a smooth sail at the beginning o😂.

I completed secondary school in 2021. The school I wanted to go to didn’t admit students that year, so I tried another school and didn’t get up to the cutoff mark for Medicine. Then I tried a state school and got one of the lowest scores I’ve ever had in my life 😂😂. I cried a number of times, even though I told myself I won’t cry. 2021 was a lot, but looking back, God wanted me to trust His ways more than I did back then.

2022 came and I decided to sit UTME again. That year ehn, I studied so much, a lot of TDBs ( Reading Till Day Break) happened 😭😂. But God really perfected everything concerning the UTME. The school I wanted was admitting that year. I was happy and scared (people really painted the exam as very hard). I did mocks from different tutorials and got sad scores. Preparation was tough.

One thing that really helped me was God and the amazing community He surrounded me with. My relationship with Him grew so much in 2022. God is forever good o 🥹.

The Post-UTME came and everything went well. I scored a pretty good score for Medicine, about 2 marks above the cutoff. The admission process had a few hitches (my name not appearing on a list, the portal not changing, etc.), but I saw God’s mighty hand throughout. Glory to God!

Wowww. Thank God oh 🥹. How has studying medicine been?

Sighs in “I am strengthened!” It has been a lot o, but God has been helping me so much. There’s so much to know and understand. During tests, the amount of material to read lasan 😂.

But honestly, it’s fun, humbling and interesting. I get to study the only creature God made in His image. I get to see and appreciate how beautifully Abba made us. It’s a great privilege 🤭.

I love your perspective. What’s something people don’t understand about being a medical student?

People think it’s only about studying hard. But it’s also juggling pressure, uncertainty, stress, emotional fatigue and feeling like you’re not intelligent, while still trying to be present in life.

How do you still enjoy being young while juggling all the seriousness of medicine?

Well, I’m a very playful person 😂. For me, there’s no real balance. I just sweeten the seriousness of the course with my playful side when it gets overwhelming. When it’s time to lock in, I do but I don’t let medicine be all that I am.

Any moment that made you almost give up? Or one that reminded you why you’re here?

Several times o 😂😂. A recent one was during my Anatomy CAs, the essay test questions pained me badly.

But one moment that reminded me why I’m here was when I volunteered with my association for a community health awareness programme. It reminded me that though it tarries, there’s an expected end.

What’s one thing you love and one thing you hate about the course?

I love how medicine reminds me that what I’m learning can contribute to someone’s life and healing.

I dislike that sometimes I feel like I’m not doing enough, not smart enough or not meant to be here.

Let’s say someone reaches out to you that they want to study medicine. What’s one thing you’ll warn them about and one thing you’ll hype them about?

I’ll warn them that medicine will stretch you in ways you never imagined, not just academically. It will stretch every part of you. Prepare to sleep less, always worry about tests and big professional exams, and sometimes get scores that’ll make you question your ability.

I’ll hype them about the satisfaction of understanding a topic, doing well in a test, and passing a professional exam. And also, as long as you take God along every step of the way, you’ll be fineee 🤭.

What’s one misconception about your course that annoys you?

When people hear “Medicine,” they go: “Wow you must be extremely smart o.” 😂Please stop that. Start saying: “Wow, you are strengthened!”

Finally, what Bible verse carries you through your toughest moments in school?

I got this scripture when I started preclinical school and I personalised it:

Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 AMP‬

[6] I am strong and courageous, I am not afraid of medical school , for it is the Lord my God who goes with me. He will not fail me or abandon me.”

[8] It is the Lord who goes before me; He will be with me. He will not fail me or abandon me. Ebunoluwa do not fear or be dismayed!

Ebunoluwa’s journey through the twists, tears, laughter and testimonies of medical school. From almost giving up to finding strength in God, her story reminds us that surviving medicine isn’t just about textbooks, it’s about faith, community, and resilience.

Got a friend in med school? Or someone dreaming of becoming a doctor one day? Share this with them, it might just be the encouragement they need to keep going.

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Stay tuned for more inspiring student stories right here on Campus Chronicles 💫

Also, do you know that we now have a podcast where we bring you insightful talks and interviews to help you in your academic journey?

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They say campus love is unserious; all vibes, no sense.

But if you’ve ever had a crush so intense you started imagining wedding hashtags before even knowing their name, you’ll understand that campus love is a powerful delusion.

In this episode of Campus Love & Everything in Between, three Nigerian students share what it’s like to catch feelings, enjoy the high, and their crush experiences on campus.

Anonymous: "This is for someone whose name I didn’t even know 😂"

1. Can you tell me about a time you had a campus love experience, or something close to it?

I’ve had many crushes actually, none were ever serious though. But I guess there was one notable one… There was this guy I gave a Valentine letter to in Year One.

It was a general thing, I wrote and distributed it to everyone but his reply really stuck with me. He literally chased me down to tell me it made his day, and you could see it in his eyes.

Since then, we’d just wave whenever we saw each other, which wasn’t even frequent.

But he really stuck with me because I felt like the purpose of the letter was met, someone didn’t think it was silly, and he was actually happy because of it.

Then Year 2 came, and at some point, I started seeing him everywhere at the faculty. And every time, he was being his most crazy, weird self with his friends. It was so interesting to observe.

And the guy is really cute too especially his smile. Then he knows how to dress. Dayummmm.

Our greetings didn’t pass polite smiles and waves sha, but before I knew it, I started looking forward to running into him… and imagining a future with him.

I was already contemplating whether or not to get into a relationship or just stay friends, because I didn’t want to ruin things.

This is for someone whose name I didn’t even know 😂

It eventually died down though, because I felt like he had a girlfriend. From the start, actually. I was just like, “he probably has a girlfriend.” And when I saw him outside my hostel, I was just certain.

Then again, he sat behind me in the exam hall and I heard him talking about a girl. I didn’t know what they were saying, but I chose to assume it was his girlfriend, or someone he liked just to hasten the fallout-of-crush process. And it worked.

2. How did it make you feel then… and how do you feel about it now?

It made me feel happy. I find crushes very interesting, romance just makes life a tad bit more colourful, and that’s how it felt.

Looking forward to seeing someone, blushing, freaking out the day he asked for my name, hehe. It was fun.

Now, I just find it funny, because I was literally imagining a future with someone I didn’t know. I'm just chill about it though 😂

3. What’s one thing you learned from the experience?

Not every ship will sail, and sometimes, it just might be for the best.

4. If you could go back, would you do anything differently?

Hmm, yes. I'd probably be more direct and just ask for his number straight up instead of hoping to run into him.

5. What do you think love (or liking someone) on campus teaches students?

Can’t really say for sure.

6. What’s one memory that still makes you smile (or cringe) when you think of it?

The happiness I felt whenever we ran into each other, and me thinking it might be fate. Especially when we ran into each other outside the faculty, twice 😂

Anonymous: Situationship Sponsored by COBES

1. Can you tell me about a time you had a campus love experience or something close to it? (It could be a crush, relationship, almost-thing, or something that never left your head.)

I had a crush on a fellow classmate in 300 level. I met him officially during COBES, we were in the same group. It was interesting interacting with him as we carried out our projects, played games, and enjoyed life at our site.

2. How did it make you feel then… and how do you feel about it now?

The whole experience of liking and getting to know him made me giddy. I honestly enjoyed our friendship after COBES. We met up for walks and went for night class together.

Now, I feel a little regret because things got complicated between us, and we eventually had to separate for a while.

3. What’s one thing you learned from the experience?

I learned the importance of having boundaries, especially when you're interacting with someone you like romantically. I wouldn’t put myself in situations that would fan those feelings, especially since a relationship is not in my itinerary for now (Songs of Solomon 8:4).

4. If you could go back, would you do anything differently?

As much as I enjoyed getting to know him, I’d be more careful in our interactions, no more night walks and deep discussions, lol.

5. What do you think love (or liking someone) on campus teaches students?

I believe it teaches emotional awareness and maturity, when handled properly.

6.

What’s one memory that still makes you smile (or cringe) when you think of it?

A memory that makes me smile was during exam prep. I was in night class and mentioned that I was feeling overwhelmed. He came all the way from his hostel just to accompany me. That was our first time being in night class together.

Anonymous: The 100 level Love story

1. Can you tell me about a time you had a campus love experience, or something close to it?

My campus love experience happened in 100 level, first semester. I didn't even know what I was thinking. She was my coursemate. I think what happened was that I wanted to be in a relationship just to experience the so-called "love," which, in hindsight, didn’t make sense. She was a very nice person. I always wanted to be around her.

2.How did it make you feel then… and how do you feel about it now?

How did it make me feel then? I was very happy, even though we never defined our relationship. We never sat down to discuss whether we were in a relationship or not. I was just excited because it was my first relationship. So I didn’t really know how to feel, but I knew I was excited.

How do I feel about it now? To be very honest, I wish I hadn’t gone into it. I should’ve just focused on my Jesus, lol.

3. What’s one thing you learned from the experience?

One thing I learned from the experience is not to judge based on emotions or better put, not to make decisions based on emotions.

4. If you could go back, would you do anything differently?

If I could go back, I don’t think I would’ve done anything differently.

5. What do you think love (or liking someone) on campus teaches students?

Well, for me, it didn’t really teach me anything, except that it taught me not to decide based on emotions.

Love on campus can be sweet, until you look back and start asking yourself, “What was I even doing?”

From undefined relationships to deep regrets, these stories remind us how wild and unserious young love can be, but also how much we learn from it.

So… what’s your own campus love story?

Do you smile when you remember it, or do you just hiss and move on?

Either way, we’d love to hear it or feature it 😉

And if you think someone needs to hear this today (👀), send it their way.

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Bin case you haven’t heard, Campus Chronicles now has a podcast (you heard right 👀).

In this episode, we interview someone who just finished 100 level. So whether you’re in the mood to reminisce or you're just nosy curious, hit play and enjoy the gist.

Stream here

See you next time!

One thing Campus Chronicles will always do is bring student gists straight to your mailbox (or the app).

Real stories, Real Nigerian students, Real experiences.

Because as one wise man once said:

Experience isn’t the best teacher, other people’s experiences are.

So for our first episode, I sat with David, who just completed his 100 level, to share what that fresher year taught him; academics, friendships, adjusting to uni life, and all the wahala in between.

This episode is for you if:

• You're about to enter uni

• You’ve struggled with making friends in school

• You’ve found academics overwhelming

• You feel behind because of admission delays

• You're struggling to ‘balance” your spirituality with your academics

• You are curious about Nigerian University life

STREAM IT HERE

If you know anyone who’s about to resume school, please forward this to them. It’ll save them plenty stress.

Thank you for rocking with me 🫶🏽

When you listen, I’d love to hear what you think! And if you have story ideas or things you'd love to hear on the Campus Chronicles Podcast, send us a DM 😭😂

Lastly, let this episode remind you to start that thing you've been stalling on. You don’t need to wait till it’s perfect, just begin with what you have. You’ll grow and get better as you go.

Rooting for you always. Thank you so muchhh ❤️

From childhood dreams to random decisions, from chasing passion to JAMB choosing for us. Every student has a story behind their course. In this segment, we explore the stories behind how students ended up in their current courses. Some chased passion, some stumbled into it and a few aren't even sure about how they got there. Either way, every story is a story that deserves to be told.

Treasure's story isn’t the straight line we often imagine when we think of career dreams. From wanting to be a doctor as a child, to getting nicknamed “lawyer” in secondary school, and now studying International Relations. In this interview, she shares how her love for art shaped her early dreams, the influence of family, and how missing out on her first-choice university led her to a course that’s slowly grown on her.

On a scale of 1-10, how are you doing?

Hmm… I’d say a dragging 7 or 8. One of our lecturers just suddenly moved a project deadline forward and I’m the group leader, so it’s been stressful. Plus, I’m recovering from body pain from my journey home yesterday 😂

I'm so sorry about that.

Thank you 🤍

As a child what was your childhood dream and what are you currently studying now?

As a child I liked art(drawing and painting), my dad encouraged it by getting me art supplies.

But when it came to “what do you want to be?” my answer was always doctor.

Now, I'm studying International Relations now🫠😂

What caused that shift from medicine to International Relations?

It started when I told adults around me and they kept asking how I planned to combine art and medicine. Then one day in JSS1, I was in my mum’s office and she asked, “Can you deal with all the things doctors have to see and touch?” That was when I began to rethink it.

So how did Law come into the picture?

I always knew I belonged in the arts department, but I wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted to study. Still, there were signs pointing toward Law. I loved debating, and my parents felt Law was one of the most stable, credible career paths for art students.

And it's something I was giving signs I could do, with my debating abilities and other stuff. Even most of my teachers in Secondary school would have sworn I would study Law. It was like a nickname in secondary school, the law, or lawyer.😂

But then you ended up in International Relations. What happened?

I went along with law though, but my two older sisters, one of who was already studying law, kept telling me it's not easy and it's not something they see me doing because they felt it restricted me and they could see much more creativity in me.

Hmmmmmmm

Law was actually on my JAMB form. I scored 277 and passed post-UTME, but somehow, I didn’t get admission into my first-choice school.

So in a bid to ensure that I didn't lose out that year and have to repeat Jamb, my family and I looked for affordable private universities that were still admitting. We found one, but it didn’t offer Law. My only options were Mass Communication or International Relations.

So I picked IR.

What made you lick HR as your option?

It's odd, but I’ve never really been into Mass Comm. Maybe because two people in my family already studied it and I didn’t want to follow that route 😂

I didn't want to do the same thing😂

But it's actually never really been something that I've wanted. Except back in ss3 when I considered it because some people got into my head a bit while I was trying to figure out what to study.

Interesting

Plus I had considered IR several times before finally putting law on my Jamb.

It's very much along my line of interest too, so I just chose it.

Funny thing, I lowkey felt like that was finally God answering my prayer about direction on what I should study, I remember praying back then and asking whether to study Law, or IR, actually 😂

😅😅awwwnnn. Love that

What's one thing you love about your course and one thing that frustrates you?

I love how IR hardly ever gets boring especially when it's taught well. There’s so much to learn about people, places, cultures, and global history. It’s exciting.

But the frustrating part?

Exams.

We write so much. Sometimes, just seeing the exam questions, I already know my hand will suffer 😂 If you don’t manage your time well, you might not even finish. It’s mentally and physically draining.

Sometimes when I see the questions, I feel like shaking my head because I know my hand is about to ask me what it ever did to me.

You mentioned you’ve always been drawn to art and creativity. Has studying IR influenced that in any way?

Well, I would say yes. IR has to do with reasoning and proffering solutions to problems. It helps widen my imaginative/thinking horizon, and I think that's really important for anyone who loves art.

What's one misconception people have about your course?

Some people think It's only about diplomacy and war between countries, but it has to do with everything that happens between nations, including global change, cultural exchanges, policy making and others.

It's not as black and white or restricted as people think it is. It's very broad, and there's a lot to do in it.

Thank you for that. Have you ever had moments where you doubted yourself and felt like giving up and changing courses?

Yes. I've had moments where I've felt bad and wondered what next after studying this. Because this wasn't exactly my original plan. And I've wished I didn't have to suddenly switch courses.

But I remind myself that God wouldn't let me be doing this if there is no plan. And I tell myself to make the best of it.

🥹🥹❤️ Thank you for that!

Let's imagine someone reaches out to you that they want to study your course, what's one thing you'll warn them about and one thing you'll hype them about?

I'll warn the person that it involves deep thinking; cause it's not a course someone can do if there's no readiness to study, do research, and analyse stuff too.

And I'd probably hype the person l"Oshey, future diplomat! International problem solver!" 😂

😂😂😂😂thank you

Anything you think I didn’t ask? Final thoughts?

Nothing much. I just think for many of us, the course we end up studying slowly grows on us. It might not have been the plan from day one, but it becomes part of our journey eventually.

Thanks again. I enjoyed this 🥹🤭

Treasure's journey is one many students can relate to. Whether it’s the pressure of expectations, the twists of admission struggles, or simply growing into your course with time, her story reminds us that the “why” behind what we study is often layered.

Did this resonate with you? Or have you ever changed your mind about what you wanted to study or are you still figuring it out?

We’d love to hear your story too. Reply to this email, leave a comment, or send us a DM. We'd love to hear and tell your story (you can be anonymous if you want to)

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We’re now on Instagram too 👀. Come say hi, here and please leave a follow while at it!

See you in the next episode and until then, please keep telling a friend or two about Campus Chronicles

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Meet Goshen, a 400-level student who doesn’t care much for school, hasn’t made money yet from tech, but is already building tools to make people’s lives easier and enjoying every bit of it. This is the story of a student who talks to computers (and they listen).

“What exactly do I do?”

In simple words: I write long lines of code.

But if I were to be responsible, I'd call it automation. I build software that automates people's work.

That's what I spent most of my IT doing and what I think I'll continue to do.

But times when I'm not doing that, I go wild. I build stuff simply because they are fun to build.

I started out with game development and I'll keep at that for a really long time.

That's how I got into tech in the first place, because I wanted to make games.

Back then, my sister, cousin and I used to come up with these crazy ideas for games and we'd write them down, draw out the maps, characters and everything.

We always thought that we'd hand them over to real game developers (people who make games)

Then one day in Jss2, I met a guy in school who could make games. Apparently, he had gone to a coding camp and learned how to make games.

And that was it.

Just hearing him say 'I can make games' sparked something in me.

That was the beginning.

The first thing I built that made me go “wait, I can build games” was this website-ish thingy.

It wasn’t really a game, just a bunch of tables and links, like an episode guide for Power Rangers. It looked terrible but it made me think "I can actually do this"

Then I made my first real game, it was an infinite runner (think Subway Surfers) but with a cube as the player and other cubes as obstacles.

I learnt these from following the steps from a tutorial. I even added some new features and again, I thought, ‘seems like I was made for this.’

I've actually never for once thought of quitting.

Every time I've hit a wall with an issue, I've always found a way around it. And on the few occasions where I couldn't get a solution, I'd just go work on something else.

Do I have balance? There's no balance, let me not lie 😂

When it's time for exams, I'll read. Besides that, tooooor (don't be like me kiddies)

I spend most of my time building things I feel like building. I've not really cared much for academics since I was young.

So it's not even about balance, I've just not cared enough to make school a big deal 😂

And no, I haven't made money from it yet. I started because I want to make games.

Someday, I'll start earning from this but now, I just want to make games that people will enjoy.

If tech didn't exist, then maybe I'll be into interior decoration; arranging spaces, setting moods.

It seems cool to me or maybe I'll teach. I actually like to teach, especially when the person I'm teaching is sharp.

Right now, the dream is two things.

• To have a bunch of apps in the market that solves real problems for real people and makes me money.

• To have enough money to be able to work on other passion projects for the fun of it.

Right now, I’m building a Telegram bot that can pull contacts from forms. This is useful for people that host webinars on WhatsApp so you don’t have to save 400 numbers manually. I asked a friend how people usually do it and when I heard “manually”, I just said... yeah no. I can build that 😌

And I did.

I'm still polishing it and tweaking the UI, but it works. That’s enough for now.

So for those thinking of starting tech and they are scared that it's too late, just start now.

The more you wait and sulk about it, the later it'll get. People think that tech is too hard but it's not, you're probably just overwhelmed because you're staring at the entirety of the work you'll have to do.

But if you start from just the basics and build from there, you'll realize that it was never really that difficult.

(In other words, start from Kindergarten and while you're there, don't feel overwhelmed with Calculus- when it's time to do Calculus, you'd have learnt a lot to understand it well)

Also don't even ask where that analogy came from 😂

Also, I have a doc on How To Talk To A Computer. Read here

And if you want to connect with me please feel free. At the end of that document, there's a link to my WhatsApp.

Thank you for having me here.💚

Today, I sat down with Ese, a law student and founder of Brielle who shared how a business class a coach had organised sparked her first business dream, how she balances school with market runs and product shoots, and why even now, she still eats her parents' food (gratefully!) From “Is this jewellery really going to give me the life I want?” to “I just paid for a one-year website plan,” Her story is a reminder that passion, even when it’s tiring, can be deeply fulfilling.

Ese's POV

Brielle started when I was doing JUPEB. I attended this business class one day that a coach had organised and I just knew that I wanted to start a business. That was October 2022. From then till November 2023, I was planning and figuring things out. Then in November 2023, I finally launched.

It wasn’t even sapa that pushed me, to be honest. I still eat my parents’ money. Up till now, they feed me and I’m so grateful for that. If I didn’t do the business, their money would still be there (though it might not be enough). It's really that I just really love having something to call my own. I love being in charge of something. I love the dynamics of business. It’s the experience for me.

And for context, I’m a law student, still in uni. Law is okay. There’s always a lot to read, of course, but I’m trying. I imagined life as a law student being veryyyy tough, like no breathing space at all. But so far, it hasn’t been anything I can’t manage (with God’s help). I honestly thought it would have me in a chokehold. But in reality, I actually have a lot of time to do other stuff.

During exams though, I don’t show up much for Brielle. If you reach out, I’ll respond. But once exams are close, school becomes my priority.

Now let me tell you one big challenge I face: my brain is always working. Always! If I’m not thinking about this, I’m thinking about that. And in the middle of all that, I forget things easily.

How do I handle it? Honestly, by the grace of God, I’m a strong person. I remember like two weeks ago, I crashed out. Everything was just too much. But I came out of it, and I’m better now. When things start to feel tough or just a lot, I take a break from business. I can’t pause school, but I can pause the business. So I take that break.

And when it comes to money? One major thing I’ve learnt is that there’s money. Eii God, there’s crazy money out there.

Right now, my most expensive jewellery is 7k for a set. 7k might seem like plenty to one person, but another person will buy this and this and next thing, 15k. It’s how they perceive the value. People aren’t broke, they just don’t see the value sometimes. Someone can say, “Ah ah, 2200 for acrylic earrings is too much,” and next thing, they’re spending 5k somewhere else. It's all about value.

People really don’t understand how much work I put into running a business.

Someone will see the cute pictures, the packaging, the sales, and they go “ah, you have money naa.” But they don't know when I'm under the hot sun in the market for hours just to restock? Or to stay up till midnight editing product pictures. They don’t see the exhaustion. They don’t see the days I want to cry because orders are late and school is waiting.

Last week I was in the market for almost four hours,under the hot sun. People were probably chilling in hostel while me, I dey suffer.

There's a lot of things that goes on behind the scenes. Is it product photography? Don’t even get me started. It takes so much from me. I genuinely can’t wait to find someone that can do it and I just outsource it.

What people see is the nice pictures. Not the stress the multiple shots, the editing, the touch-ups. People don’t see any of it but the finished work.

Plus, I pay for courses, I pay real money for knowledge. So when I now charge, and someone says, “You’re charging for it?” I’ll charge for it oh. Because I know how much resources, time and energy I've poured into it.

Why do people underestimate the work? I think it’s because I make it look easy. By God’s grace, I know what I’m doing, so when I show up, it looks smooth. But it’s not. I just don’t show you the behind-the-scenes.

First half of this year alone, I’ve spent almost 100k on courses. If I don’t tell you, will you know? So when I charge 20k for something and it feels like a lot, it's because, I've put in the work.

On balancing everything, I’m still figuring it out. Me sef, I get distracted easily. I can be reading and next thing, I’m just scrolling and scrolling. I haven’t figured it all out yet.

But one thing I’ve learnt: there’s a time for everything. Beginning of the semester, I might be jumping up and down, not reading like that. But mid-semester or close to exams? I sit down and focus.

Balance doesn’t have to be 50/50. One thing will always demand more than the other at different times. Just give your all to whatever needs your attention at that moment.

And please, don’t procrastinate. If you can do it today, do it. Because you don’t know what tomorrow holds. So many times, I’ve said “I’ll read tomorrow” and then boom tomorrow comes and I can’t even read, not because I don't want to but because I'm not able to.

Have I ever wanted to give up Brielle? Not really. But there’ve been times I’ve sat with myself and asked if this is really the right path. If this jewellery I’m selling is going to give me the kind of money I want.

But in moments like that, what keeps me going is the understanding that life happens in stages. Everything is a process. I’m doing Brielle now and I’m learning. Who knows if this is preparing me for something bigger? That keeps me going plus, I genuinely enjoy owning Brielle. I’d love to own it forever. The vision is bigger than what it is now.

But who knows? Maybe in five years, Brielle won’t exist anymore. If it doesn’t, I’d have moved on. I’d have made my impact, learnt my lessons,learnt and grown from my mistakes.

To any studentpreneur out there feeling like your hustle is too small, it’s not. I promise you. Keep putting in the work. People are watching. Let’s say you’re selling plantain chips and you think, “This thing is too small.” Someone can just come and say, “Can you supply 200 packs as souvenirs?” Boom! you’ve made your money.

No hustle is too small. You’re doing something for yourself. You’re making your own money. That’s not something to joke with. Even if you’re ironing clothes, that's something. Don’t let anyone make you feel like what you’re doing is small.

Nobody’s hustle is too small.

And a recent win that made me smile? I got a website for Brielle and I paid for one year. I’m so proud of myself. If you told me last year or two years ago that I’d own a website, I wouldn’t have believed it. Also, people’s compliments. You see those “you’re doing well” messages? They carry me on some days. It’s the small “I love your brand” comments that make me smile like a child. Those are wins too.

If there’s anything Ese’s story reminds us, it’s that showing up, even when it’s hard, still counts. Whether it’s running a business, pushing through school, or finding purpose in the small wins, passion really can carry you far. Let me know what part stood out to you the most.

If you loved Ese’s story, you’ll love her jewellery brand even more. Check out Brielle here for gorgeous accessories.

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