Another academic session has just ended, and every one of us has either added to our pharmacy experience or begun the journey entirely.

But what does the whole picture look like from the other side? What does the whole process of pharmacy school contribute to the transition into professional life?

In this edition of Rx Connect, Dr. Michelle Edemakhiota Gift reflects on her journey from pharmacy school to professional practice, recounting the lessons, debunking the myths and sharing the hard truths that she has come to realize after the degree.

1. FINDING PHARMACY 

"I started pharmacy because I admired what I saw, but I stayed because I began to understand the purpose behind my journey.”

For Dr. Michelle, pharmacy was not the original plan.

When she first sat for JAMB, Medicine was the destination. Pharmacy was the option she found after she did not meet the required cut off mark.

At the time, she did not really know what pharmacy was all about.

What initially drew her towards the profession was actually her aunt, who worked with NAFDAC. She would visit her almost every week and most weekends, and seeing her career and the opportunities that came with it planted an idea in her mind.

“I want this kind of life for myself too.”

That was where the journey began; not with a carefully constructed career plan or with a deep understanding of the profession, but with the admiration of someone she knew and the possibilities she could see through her.

But as she progressed through pharmacy school, that initial motivation began to change.

Even with a redefined motivation, pharmacy school was not always easy. There were moments when the journey became difficult enough for her to genuinely feel like she had lost the strength to continue. Yet somehow, she always found her way through those moments.

And somewhere along the way, pharmacy stopped being merely the career she had stumbled into. It started to feel divine.

“At some point, it started to feel like God had intentionally brought me into pharmacy.”

Her perspective began to shift. What started as an admiration for the career she had seen her aunt build gradually became an understanding of her own purpose within the profession.

She was no longer simply pursuing the kind of life she had once admired from a distance. She was beginning to discover what pharmacy could mean for her, and the opportunities it could create.

Looking back, she describes the evolution simply:

“I started pharmacy because I admired what I saw, but I stayed because I began to understand the purpose behind my journey.”

Throughout that journey, however, one thing has remained constant. 

“God has remained the cornerstone of it all.”

What began as a second option has, over time, become a path she now sees as intentional. 

2. BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

For a pharmacy student, professional practice can sometimes seem straightforward from the lecture theatre. 

You learn how to take a patient's history. You learn how to dispense medications. You learn the appropriate counselling points and the steps to follow when attending to a patient.

But according to our interviewee, real practice quickly teaches you that patients do not always follow the script.

As an intern pharmacist, her typical day starts early. She gets ready, arrives at work around 8 a.m. and usually works until about 5 p.m.

But the work extends far beyond simply dispensing medications.

A significant part of her day involves attending to patients, listening to their concerns, providing consultations, educating them about their medications and helping them make better decisions about their health. There is even a creative side to her role, as she sometimes contributes to content creation for the pharmacy.

Interestingly, she believes pharmacy school prepared her for more of this than she initially realized.

During her time at the University of Benin, she was constantly juggling responsibilities. She served as Assistant Class Representative, chaired ADMAP, organized outreaches and even doubled as the female football coach.

Those experiences forced her to learn how to manage different responsibilities, work with people, communicate effectively and still get things done.

She also transitioned into professional life remarkably quickly, beginning locum work just one week after her project defense.

Still, one of the biggest lessons came from discovering that the realities of patient care cannot always be contained within the structure of a practical session.

In 500 and 600 level, she remembers being taught how to approach a patient properly.

You introduce yourself.

You ask structured questions.

You follow a particular process.

But then, you enter practice where patients are coming one after another, and the neat structure of the classroom begins to give way to reality. 

A patient may be anxious. Another may be in a hurry. Someone may struggle to explain what they are experiencing. And sometimes, a patient simply needs someone to listen.

That is when the difference becomes clear.

“At that point, it becomes less about reciting what you were taught and more about being able to listen, show empathy, ask the right questions, and communicate in a way the patient actually understands and remembers.”

For her, that experience did not make pharmacy school irrelevant. Instead, it clarified its purpose.

“What we learn in school is the foundation, but practice teaches you how to apply that knowledge in the real world.”

School provides the structure. Practice demands something more.

Spontaneity.

Flexibility.

Emotional intelligence.

Adaptability.

And perhaps most importantly, the ability to treat the person rather than simply the prescription.

She recalls one of the assumptions she carried from pharmacy school: that if a prescription is appropriate and the patient receives the right medication, the patient should benefit from the treatment.

Practice complicated that idea.

What happens when the patient cannot afford the medication?

What happens when the medication is correct, but the patient does not understand how to use it?

What happens when the most clinically appropriate option is not necessarily the most practical option for the person standing in front of you?

These questions revealed another dimension of pharmacy to her.

Sometimes, the pharmacist has to look for a more affordable brand, consider an appropriate alternative or find another practical solution that still gives the patient the best possible outcome. Because knowing the right medication is only one part of the job.

“You could give someone the correct medication, but if they don’t understand how to use it, why they are taking it, or what to expect, the treatment may not be as effective as it should be.”

The lesson, ultimately, is not that pharmacy school fails to prepare students for practice.

Rather, it prepares them with the foundation.

Practice teaches them how to make that foundation work for real people.

3. THE GAP BETWEEN KNOWING AND DOING

Pharmacy school gives students a considerable amount of knowledge. But once the lectures end and professional life begins, another question emerges:

Can you actually use what you know?

In her experience, the answer depends on much more than academic performance.

She believes someone can be academically excellent in pharmacy and still struggle in real world practice. Academic excellence demonstrates that a student understands the knowledge and can perform within an academic environment, but professional practice demands considerably more.

Communication is one of those things.

As a pharmacist, you interact with patients, colleagues and other healthcare professionals. Knowing the correct answer is not enough if you cannot communicate it effectively.

Confidence matters too.

A pharmacist must be willing to speak up, ask questions, make decisions and advocate for patients. Organisation and time management become equally important because several responsibilities may need attention at the same time.

“You could know the right drug, the right dose, and the right mechanism of action, but if you cannot communicate that information effectively to the patient, manage your workload, or confidently apply your knowledge to a real life situation, there will still be a gap.”

For her, bridging that gap requires deliberately developing skills that may not always be measured by an examination.

Communication.

Organisation.

Confidence.

Critical thinking.

Adaptability.

Emotional intelligence.

These qualities help transform knowledge into effective professional practice.

And yet, she does not believe pharmacy education should be reduced to preparation for examinations.

Speaking specifically from her experience at the University of Benin, she feels her training prepared her for professional decision making in ways she did not fully appreciate while she was still a student.

It was only after entering the real world that she began to recognise how much her education had taught her about discipline, professionalism, critical thinking and problem solving.

There have been moments in practice when she has had to think on her feet, assess a situation, communicate effectively and make a decision, only to realise:

“Okay, this is something UNIBEN prepared me for.”

Of course, no university can prepare a student for every situation they will encounter.

Pharmacy education provides the knowledge, principles and framework. Practice demands that the pharmacist apply them appropriately to circumstances that may not look anything like a classroom scenario.

That distinction, she believes, is where professional growth begins.

And perhaps this is what separates the exceptional pharmacist from the average one: not simply knowing more, but doing more with what they know.

From her experience working in different pharmacies, she has encountered pharmacists with very different attitudes towards the profession. The exceptional ones, she says, are not necessarily defined by how much knowledge they possess.

They are defined by what they do with it.

They are willing to stand up for what they know. They are bold enough to speak when necessary. They continue learning. They take responsibility for their decisions. They understand that their knowledge should ultimately translate into an impact on the people and communities around them.

But professional excellence also requires intentionality.

“Don’t just become an ‘anywhere belle face, na I go go’ person.” 😂

She believes students need to stop simply allowing their careers to happen to them.

Sit down with yourself.

Ask:

“What do I actually want my life and career to look like?”

Have goals.

Don't become complacent simply because your current situation is manageable.

For her, that hunger for growth is important. It encourages you to look beyond what is immediately in front of you and start thinking about where you want to be several years from now.

“When you’re genuinely hungry for growth and success, you start looking at things differently.

And for students wondering where to begin, her advice is surprisingly simple.

Don't become so consumed by the pharmacist you hope to become that you neglect the student you are today.

EXCEL IN THE NOW.

Focus on the examination in front of you. The test. The assignment. The responsibility you've been given.

Do the little things well.

Build your confidence. Work on your communication. Develop your self worth. Learn how to present yourself and communicate your value without arrogance.

Build relationships and connections, but don't make them your entire strategy.

Invest in yourself.

Because, ultimately, knowledge gives you the foundation, but the ability to apply it is what makes the difference.

CLOSING REFLECTION 

For many students, pharmacy can sometimes feel like a race toward the next examination, the next semester or, eventually, graduation. But this conversation offers a useful reminder that professional growth begins long before we receive our certificates.

The classroom gives us knowledge. Practice asks us what we can do with it.

Perhaps, while thinking about the pharmacists we hope to become, there is value in paying attention to the pharmacist we are becoming right now. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this first part is simple:

Excel in the now. 📌

But what does it actually take to become an exceptional pharmacist?

After the Degree Part II continues the conversation.

Stay tuned.

Efetobor Prevail Ogheneogaga| Rx Connect 

Things no lecture slide prepared you for.

Like how to smile when you're tired.

How to say “no” without losing a customer.

How to pray silently while counting 30 capsules twice, hoping you didn’t miscount.

How to stand for hours in a lab coat that still doesn’t feel like yours, pretending you belong there.

And how to keep your composure when an aunty at the counter asks,

“What's the difference between Panadol and Paracetamol?”

Welcome to life outside the classroom.

Industrial Training.

Three months.

Real patients. Real responsibilities. Real mistakes. Real grace.

In this volume of Rx Connect, students from the PHA220 Elixir class reflect on what IT truly taught them: not as theory, but as reality.

The lessons. The surprises. The challenges. The moments that reminded them why they chose pharmacy in the first place.

1. What No One Tells Us

No matter how different their sites were, one thing remained constant: IT was never what they expected.

For Prince at Rehoboth-Oriaifo Pharmacy, the surprise wasn’t the work, but the people:

“Nothing really surprises me sha, but I was surprised at how humble, kind, and generous the owner of the pharmacy was. He made the IT very sweet.”

For Promise, also at Rehoboth-Oriaifo Pharmacy, the shock was skill-based:

“How much communication skills matter in pharmacy practice. I discovered pharmacy is not just about having knowledge of drugs. Understanding patients, explaining medications clearly, and building trust are just as important.”

For PANS Uniben editor-in-chief, Khadijah, the surprise was compounding:

“While it was not particularly surprising, I enjoyed watching and assisting in the compounding of medications.”

Nobody tells you that one person’s character can turn three months of “suffering” into soft life. And nobody tells you that your mouth is just as important as your brain on the counter.

For Dave, IT meant two different worlds because UBTH went on strike:

“At UBTH, we were told only to dispense — never to receive or assess prescriptions, and never to counsel. But at Christ Haven, the SP left us to counsel, assess, dispense, check BP, and glucose.”

Your learning depends heavily on where you land. One place will baby you. Another will throw you into the deep end and say, “swim.”

For Tegs at UNIBEN Health Services Department, the shock was human, not medical:

“Listening to the wrong use of drugs by patients.”

School teaches us mechanisms. IT introduces us to “patient pharmacology”: what they think the drug does vs what it actually does.

Different sites. Different roles. Different shocks.

Same conclusion: the counter has its own syllabus.

2. The Skills That Save Us

IT doesn’t just test what you know. It builds what you’ll need.

Prince’s role was simple: assisting in dispensing and counseling patients with minor issues under supervision, which was the same with Tegs.

Promise’s role was broader: prescription processing, dispensing under supervision, inventory management, patient counseling, and observing clinical decisions.

“The most important thing I learned was the mindset of continuous learning and attention to detail. I realized that pharmacists must constantly update their knowledge and carefully review prescriptions because even small mistakes can significantly affect patient outcomes.”

For Khadijah at Dreamlife Pharmacy, the skill was community pharmacy practice:

“I gained key insights into community pharmacy practice. I learned about inventory management, OTC dispensing, and interpretation of prescriptions.”

Dave learned to read prescriptions and dispense medications. He was shocked:

“I was surprised that’s what 600L students are learning — what I learnt in 400L.”

He also learned how to use the POS machine. IT will teach you business whether you like it or not and all that has a way of impacting the very machinations of your mind.

“Mindset? Moneyyyyyyy. I must make moneyyyyyyy.”

Tegs said the biggest skill was patient counseling.

Because knowing the drug is 20%. Explaining it so Mama Nkechi understands is 80%. And patients will test that skill daily with their “creativity.”

The counter doesn’t care about your CGPA. It cares if you can translate “take 1 tablet bd ac” into human language.

3. The Hard Part

They said IT is 3 months. They didn’t say it’s 3 months of wahala.

Dave was honest about it:

“SIWES is like another department on its own. There’ll be assignments, presentations, and you’ll be working without payment. 8am–2pm at site, 2pm–6pm reading. Some days I’m just too tired to read and just go home immediately. IT is draining.”

Three months will take your sleep, your weekends, and sometimes your sanity. But Dave survived it. You will too, if you haven't already.

Tegs faced a different challenge:

“Applying pharmacology knowledge to real-life practice was tough, but with the help of my supervisor, I was taught to focus on the important information my patient needed.”

Promise had his own baptism of fire:

“Adapting to the fast-paced environment and becoming familiar with numerous drug brands and their generic names… I also didn’t have the confidence to talk to patients directly. I won’t forget the day I was the only ‘pharmacist’ on ground and I needed to attend to a patient… The pharmacist that taught us would always say, ‘That’s how you grow.’ I gained courage to attend to patients and even ended up getting compliments about my service from patients.”

Not everything in the textbook matters at the counter. Learn to simplify. Learn what the patient actually needs to know to stay safe. And learn to grow when no one is holding your hand.

The hard part of IT isn’t the drugs. It’s the balance. It’s the fatigue. It’s learning new things while unlearning fear.

4. Advice for Prospective Trainees

If you’re about to start IT, listen to those who just finished.

Prince’s advice was clear:

“Do it in a community pharmacy because you won’t have the opportunity to do it there again. If you do it in a hospital pharmacy, you will still do posting in a hospital pharmacy and won’t have any community pharmacy experience.”

Choose with your future in mind, not just comfort. Community experience is a once-in-school opportunity.

Dave’s advice was raw:

“Remove your mind from payment. Even the so-called places they say that they pay didn’t pay anyone in my class. Open your mind to learning. Apply for SIWES placement early so everywhere doesn’t get filled. IT is practical pharmacology. You can take your systemic pharmacology material alongside.”

Payment is a bonus. Learning is the real salary. And your pharmacology notes will save you more than your phone will.

Tegs kept it simple:

“Dedicate yourself to the profession, be ready to learn new things, and always write down every new idea and experience.”

Your logbook is official. But your personal notes? That’s your cheat code for 400L.

Khadijah said:

“Ask questions. If you need clarification on a topic, do not hesitate to ask. Be curious, be observant, and make judicious use of your time. This is your opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practice.”

Promise added the spiritual layer:

“Go in with an open mind and be eager to learn. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, take initiative, and volunteer for tasks. SIWES is one of the best opportunities to connect classroom knowledge with real-life practice. Above all, involve God, for He is the giver of strength and knowledge.”

Different people. Different lessons.

Same conclusion: the counter will teach you, if you let it.

Closing Reflection

IT is not a 3-month break from school. It is the bridge between classroom and profession.

It is humility when you don’t know the answer.

It is patience when the patient argues.

It is confidence when you finally counsel without your supervisor stepping in.

It is reality when you realize pharmacy is more than drugs… it’s people.

The pressure of IT is real. The long hours are real. The exhaustion is real.

But so too is the quiet growth that happens when you show up daily.

When you ask questions.

When you write things down.

When you choose learning over comfort.

When you involve God in the process.

And more often than not, that growth is enough to change how you see pharmacy forever.

The counter will teach you.

Are you ready to learn?

Yusuf Rita TIORA | Rx CONNECT

Pharmacy school is a place of pressure.

Pressure to perform.

Pressure to endure.

Pressure to keep moving even when your body is tired, your mind is overwhelmed, and your spirit feels stretched thin.

For many students, survival in pharmacy school goes beyond intelligence or hard work. Beyond timetables, past questions, and sleepless nights lies something deeper: faith.

Faith that things will somehow work out.

Faith that difficult seasons won’t last forever.

Faith that there is purpose behind the pressure.

In this volume of Rx Connect, students reflect on the role faith has played in their pharmacy journey — not as perfection, but as reassurance; not as the absence of struggle, but as the strength to continue despite it.

1. Faith Under Pressure

No matter how different their personalities or experiences were, one thing remained constant throughout every story: pharmacy school tested them.

For Blossom, the pressure of school felt all-encompassing:

“Pharmacy school is all-round depressing, to say the least, but faith has definitely helped me pull through.”

Prosperous described faith as reassurance: the quiet confidence that no matter how overwhelming things became, God was still guiding him:

“My faith in God has always been my reassurance that everything is fine and going well.”

Likewise, in difficult moments, Blossom found comfort in believing she wasn't walking the journey alone:

“I didn’t do it all by myself, so I’m definitely not going to go through the journey all by myself either.”

For Josh, faith became emotional support:

“Faith gives me someone to cry to.”

Sometimes, however, faith was not calm and theoretical. Sometimes, it was desperation.

One experience stood out clearly for Prosperous. During a Pharmaceutical Chemistry examination in 300 level, after spending weeks preparing and even predicting likely questions for classmates, he froze completely in the exam hall:

“My whole brain went blank.”

Forty-five minutes passed with panic setting in. Then came a prayer:

“I reminded God of our covenant together that I cannot fail.”

He eventually wrote what he could, convinced much of it was wrong. Yet when the results arrived, he passed.

For many readers, that story will sound familiar.

Nezart was no stranger to difficult moments either, but for him, they became reminders rather than discouragements:

“God has never failed, and for certain, He won’t start failing now.”

Different people. Different personalities. Different struggles.

Same conclusion:

Faith gave them a reason to keep going.

2. The Discipline of Balance

One reality quickly became obvious while speaking to these students: faith did not magically remove pressure.

There were still lectures.

Still tests.

Still leadership responsibilities.

Still deadlines and exhaustion.

The challenge, then, became learning how to balance everything at once.

For Prosperous, structure became important:

“I usually plan myself and my day properly… I always ensure that one activity doesn’t override the other.”

Blossom approached balance differently. Her perspective was more raw:

“I don’t think there’s anything like balance. You just have to find a way to make things work.”

There is honesty in that statement. Pharmacy school rarely leaves people feeling perfectly balanced. Instead, students simply learn to adapt.

Nezart leaned heavily on routine:

“I’ve made my spiritual commitments routine in my daily life.”

And Josh’s view of pressure was completely different:

“I’m not seeing them as evil, just as the necessary rigorous process.”

Perhaps that is one of the most overlooked realities of faith in pharmacy school. It is not always dramatic miracles or overnight transformations. Sometimes, it is simply choosing to continue showing up daily: to class, to fellowship, to responsibilities, and to life itself.

3. More Than a Fellowship

For many students, faculty fellowships and faith communities eventually become more than weekly gatherings. They become support systems. Families away from home.

Prosperous described the National Fellowship of Christian Pharmacy Students (NFCPS) as:

“The most memorable and interesting part of my pharmacy school journey.”

More importantly, he spoke about the sense of belonging it created:

“NFCPS gave me a family that I trust to always have my back and pull me up when it seems as if I’m falling.”

Beyond spirituality, these spaces also shaped personal growth. Leadership responsibilities within fellowships taught students communication, organisation, accountability, and people management.

Blossom credits the Nigerian Federation of Catholic Students (NFCS) for helping her grow beyond her naturally reserved personality:

“Being a shy and reserved person, fellowship has been a big step for me.”

Josh echoed similar thoughts:

“The space is like a family.”

For him, fellowship was not merely about spiritual activities. It became a place of encouragement, accountability, and genuine care:

“You can see that people are beginning to see you as their brother.”

In environments as demanding as pharmacy school, spaces like these often become reminders that students do not have to carry their struggles alone.

4. Purpose, Success & Identity

Perhaps the most interesting thing faith gave these students was perspective.

Not just on academics, but on success itself.

In highly competitive environments, it becomes easy to measure worth purely through grades, rankings, or recognition. Yet many of these students spoke about success differently.

For Nezart:

“Success doesn’t necessarily revolve around what the world says is success.”

Blossom believes everyone’s path is different:

“What works for Mr. A is most likely not going to work for Mr. B.”

And for Prosperous, faith shaped identity and belief itself:

“I am no ordinary.”

Again and again, the same ideas resurfaced: Purpose.

Identity.

Grace.

Josh perhaps summarized it best:

“Faith has taught me my identity as God’s son and that I am responsible for my outcomes as I am in God. It has helped me in knowing who I am, my purpose, and what I have to do.”

And maybe that is the heart of this entire edition.

Behind the grades, the stress, the leadership positions, and the pressure to succeed are students earnestly holding on to something greater than themselves. Something that gives meaning to the struggle and reassurance through uncertainty.

Contrary to somewhat popular opinion, faith and the expression of it do not stand in opposition to academics. Rather, they can coexist as vital ingredients in shaping the final product that is you, as Josh put it.

Closing Reflection

Pharmacy is not a faithless faculty, nor is it a godless profession. For many students, faith remains an important cornerstone of life.

It is reassurance.

It is discipline.

It is community.

It is identity.

It is hope in difficult seasons.

The pressure of pharmacy school remains real. The sleepless nights remain real. The exhaustion remains real.

But so too does the quiet belief that we are not walking through it alone.

And more often than not, that belief is enough to keep us moving forward.

Efetobor Prevail Ogheneogaga| Rx CONNECT

Pharmacy school has never been short on stories of struggle. Sleepless nights, packed schedules, overwhelming slides, and the constant pressure to keep up, are things we know too well. For us, these aren't just words on paper (or screens for that matter). They are our reality.

But beyond the shared struggle lies a quieter curiosity:

What does it really take to come out on top?

Not in theory. Not in motivational clichés. But in lived experience.

In this volume of Rx Connect, we step into the minds of the best-performing students of the 2024/2025 academic session, from levels 100 to 500, to uncover the habits, mindsets, mistakes, and realities behind their results.

What you’ll find as you read on isn’t perfection. It is pattern.  

1. The Mindset: Where It All Begins

Before the grades, before the grind, there is mindset. Henry Ford famously said “whether you think you can or you think you can't — you're right”. Just as our faces are different, so are our mindsets. And a distinction existed even among them. For some, it was quiet confidence. For others, it was uncertainty turned into determination.

Kelvin didn’t start with a grand goal:

“Initially, I didn’t really have a target… but a thought came to me — wouldn’t it be nice if I could have a good result?”

Paul entered 300 level with a different perspective:

“Right from when I entered Pharmacy school, I kept hearing people say pharmacology is hard… but one thing I've learnt in my time in school is that life is about perspective. I just say to myself, maybe it's hard for this person, but it won't be hard for me .”

Eniola pushes it even further, emphasizing that a shift in mindset is required:

“Having a 5.0 GPA is very possible. Pharmacy is easy.  Put in the work, get the result.”

Femcy's mindset going into the semester was simple:

“If I put in my maximum effort, then the results will come.”

And yet, for most of them, the foundation wasn’t just confidence, it was faith.

Osasere puts it simply:

“I always have a mindset of winning… not because I believed I worked the hardest, but by God’s grace.”

These different voices tell the same truth: How you think shapes how you perform. You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind, as Joyce Meyer put it. 

2. The Process: There Is No One Way

If you’re looking for a perfect timetable, you won’t find it here.

What you’ll find instead is flexibility, self-awareness, and consistency.

Osasere had no fixed routine:

“Whether it’s night or day, anytime I am chanced, I make the best use of the time.”

Kelvin followed a similar path:

“I read as my spirit leads… know what works for you, stick to it and remain consistent.”

Paul built his system around necessity:

“The day is packed… so I used the night. Sleep, wake, read, repeat.”

While Eniola leaned heavily into structure and repetition: writing materials multiple times, setting targets, and allocating time intentionally.

And Femcy focused on preparation:

“I watch YouTube videos before class so I won’t be lost during lectures.”

From their stories, we see different systems but the same outcome.

There is no universal method — only what works, consistently, for you.

3. Strategy: Study Smart, Not Just Hard

Effort matters, but direction matters more. Across every level, one principle stood out clearly:

Understanding beats cramming.

Osasere:

“I strive for understanding and cram less.”

Femcy: Preview before lectures, then reinforce after.

Eniola: Active reading, which involved writing while reading to keep her mind engaged.

Paul: Teaching others, being part of group discussions, and constant revision.

Gone is the idea of passive reading. In its place is intentional learning.

From their accounts, other key strategies emerged, such as revisiting materials multiple times, using past questions and older materials before new materials are dropped, leveraging online resources (YouTube channels like Ninja nerd and Speed Pharmacology), and finishing notes early, rather than during exam rush. 

The pattern is clear:

Top students don’t just read more. They read better.

4. Challenges: The Reality Behind the Results

The results may look clean. The journey never is.

Late starts. Procrastination. Sickness. Overwhelming workloads and materials that arrive later than they should. If you expected the best-performing students to have somehow escaped the common pharmacy experience, they didn't. They lived it, the same as everyone else.

 Time was the universal enemy. Eniola said it plainly: not enough of it, too much to cover, materials dropping late.

Osasere felt it differently. He didn't use the time early enough, and when he did, something else suffered:

“I didn’t start early… so I had to cover up, and it affected other areas of my life.”

That's the quiet tax of a late start. You don't just lose time, you borrow it from somewhere else.

Then there was the internal battle. Kelvin fought procrastination and result issues. Femcy admits he still underestimates certain courses; and they know how to remind him.

“I still underestimate some courses… and they have a way of hurting me.”

Paul dealt with physical strain:

Exhaustion, stress, and sickness from pushing too hard. The grind, when taken too far, has a cost. 

And yet, none of these stopped them. They started later and studied longer. They sought help early. They used older materials when new ones were delayed. When results went missing, they chased them down.

The takeaway?

Excellence is not the absence of struggle but the persistence through it.

5. The Edge: What Truly Made the Difference

When everything is said and done, they had the same lectures, same notes, and same exams. So what really separates the top from the rest?

A few things stand out.

Intentionality.

“Be intentional about your growth,” Kelvin hammered.

Discipline with flexibility. Not rigid systems, but consistent effort.

The right people. Study groups. Friends. Seniors. Support systems.

Rest and balance. Paul made time for movies. Others leaned on structure.

And above all:

Faith.

There was God,

Osasere:

“Trust God… it is by His grace.”

God,

Femcy:

“GOD. He changed everything.”

And more God.

Paul:

“This is not the story of strength, but the story of grace.”

Again and again, the same thread appears, quiet but undeniable: You can't do it alone. And you don't have to.

Closing Reflection

Listening to these people who I have seen, heard and watched has taught me this:

 At the top, there is no secret formula.

No magic timetable. No hidden shortcut.

There is mindset. There is effort. There is adaptation. And, for many, there is grace.

These stories are not here to intimidate you. They are here to guide you. Because if there’s one thing this volume makes clear, it’s this:

Excellence is not reserved for a few. It is built — daily, quietly, intentionally — by anyone willing to do the work.

Efetobor Prevail Ogheneogaga| RX CONNECT

Football in the Faculty of Pharmacy is more than a sport; it is a culture. The chants are the language, the dribbles the dance, and the goals grant the scorers a brush with immortality.

The Dean’s Cup has shaped friendships, humbled champions, raised underdogs, and given us stories that echo long after the final whistle. This volume celebrates those stories: the moments that shook us, lifted us, broke us, and made us believe again. Each section touches on an aspect of the beautiful game we've all come to love.

1. THE FIRST TOUCH

Every Dean’s Cup story starts with a heartbeat: that first step onto the pitch, the rush of air, the weight of expectation, and the quiet belief that something special might happen.

For Davies, that moment came the second he walked onto the field for Pharmora’s opening match, with adrenaline buzzing, mind sharp and legs ready. The whistle blew, and history followed.

"As I stepped onto the pitch for our first match, I felt a rush of excitement and determination. I did make a statement! I scored the first goal of the competition against the 400L class, setting the tone for an electrifying game. The adrenaline was pumping, and I went on to assist another goal."

Davies’ exploits earned him the man-of-the-match award in a thrilling 2-2 draw with the reigning champions. All on his competition debut!

Akanbi Flourish (Rodri) had a different beginning. It was raw and humbling. He entered the Dean’s Cup in 100 Level as a newly chosen captain, confident his squad was ready. Reality hit hard.

"I felt we were good enough when I was designated as captain in 100 Level, but we had a terrible performance in the tournament, conceding nine goals and only fighting back with one."

The following year brought sparks of hope, but a lack of goals saw his team bow out again. Those early years weren’t triumphant, but they laid the foundation for the leader he would later become.

Two players. Two beginnings.

One explosive. One painful.

Both unforgettable.

In the Dean’s Cup, your first touch doesn’t just start a match. It starts your story.

2. THE HITS AND MISSES

The Dean’s Cup has a way of reminding every player—whether captain, star forward, or anchor defender—that football is not just a game of talent. It is a game of blows, bruises, and bitter lessons. For some, the setbacks came early; for others, when victory seemed guaranteed.

Rodri's earliest experiences were anything but glorious, as we’ve seen. He had a humbling introduction to leadership with two painful exits in two years.

For PANS National Director of Sports, Comrade Ehikoya Michael (Skippo), heartbreak came later, repeatedly. Each tournament seemed to end the same way: early promise, dashed hopes.

"I’m mostly on the receiving end… and I have my three consecutive semi-final eliminations to blame for that."

The banter on PANS Pub became both a running joke and an emotional weight. More than once, he admitted the bitter truth every competitor eventually faces:

"It always looks easy… until the D-day comes and you realize your opponents are equally prepared."

Even champions bleed the same, as PANS Uniben Director of Sports, Comrade Amali Gabriel realized. He had lifted the Dean’s Cup in 300 Level, but the following year delivered the harshest twist.

"The next year, nothing went as planned. The chemistry was off… the hunger wasn’t the same."

As defending champions, they crashed out in the group stage.

"It was painful, embarrassing, and hard to process."

These stories share a single message: in football, nothing is guaranteed. One year you’re rising; the next, you’re learning the lesson that pride, complacency, or even a moment of lost cohesion can cost everything. That is the beauty of the hits and misses. It is not the pain they bring, but the wisdom they leave behind.

3. THE BEAUTIFUL PRESSURE

Before the whistle blows, before the tackles and goals, a different contest is fought: one in hearts, timelines, rumours, and group chats. The Dean’s Cup is not only played on the pitch; it is played in the mind. And for every pharmacy student who has stepped into that arena, the pressure is not just real. It is beautiful.

Skippo describes this atmosphere better than most. As both a player and a long-standing figure in PANS football culture, he has seen the tournament from inside and out. The tension doesn’t come from fear; it comes from how much the tournament means.

"The Dean’s Cup is the highest intensity of football you get to play as a pharmacy student in UNIBEN… only the VC Cup beats it."

With intensity comes noise borne from endless predictions, arguments, and friendly chaos. The buildup is a storm: classes hyping themselves, rivals sending warning shots, spectators choosing sides. Sometimes the energy is overwhelming, but always unforgettable.

The 2024/2025 Dean's Cup saw the introduction of the 'ewo' chants, which fueled rivalries and showcased fan power. And then there’s PANS Pub, the official theatre of war. A group chat turned stadium where jokes become jabs, and every player becomes a meme waiting to happen.

For Davies, the pressure came differently: the expectation of representing something bigger than himself. Wearing Pharmora’s colours meant carrying the hopes of a class.

"The crowd support and energy were something else."

Every cheer, every chant, every voice from the sidelines added weight to each touch of the ball. But instead of breaking under it, he rose. Pressure didn’t suffocate him; it fueled him.

This is the beautiful paradox of the Dean’s Cup: the hype, the noise, the tension, the banter. All the things that should weigh players down end up lifting them, because pressure, in the end, is proof that something matters. And in the Dean's cup, everything matters.

4. GLORY AND LEGACY

For all the pressure, heartbreak, sweat, and uncertainty, the Dean’s Cup delivers moments that echo long after the final whistle. Glory is not just about winning; it is about earning something unforgettable.

For Rodri, glory didn’t come easy. It took years of failure, learning, and returning with renewed hunger. But when opportunity arrived, he seized it.

"The final was a very tight and emotional match. I scored the decisive winning goal."

Lifting the trophy as captain wasn’t just victory. It was vindication. The boy who captained a side conceding nine goals in 100 Level had become a leader worthy of the Cup.

Gabriel knew the sweetness of glory too, earned by unity, sacrifice, and fire-tested brotherhood.

"Winning the Dean’s Cup in 300 Level felt like all the hard work had finally paid off."

Davies’ glory was quieter but just as real; the breakthrough season that announced him to the Faculty.

"Two goals, two assists,"

And performances strong enough to earn him a call-up to the prestigious VC Cup squad. Beyond stats, it was the pride of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with players from all levels, proving he belonged on the biggest stage.

Yet beyond medals and match reports, the true legacy of the Dean’s Cup lives elsewhere: in bonds forged, chants remembered, laughter shared, and bruises worn like badges of honour. Every participant carries a piece of the tournament: humility from defeat, confidence from triumph, resilience from the grind, and the unspoken knowledge that football shapes them in ways words cannot capture.

As Rodri put it:

"I played with them, won with them, lifted with them."

In the end, that is the real legacy: not the trophy, but the people beside it. The friendships. The memories. The lessons that follow long after jerseys are washed and boots packed away.

Glories fade.

Trophies lose their sway.

But legacies stay.

Long live the beautiful game. Viva la Dean's Cup.

Efetobor Prevail Ogheneogaga| Rx Connect

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The Alchemist male football team.

Pharmacy school is a grueling six-year journey. There is simply no easy level. Even so, there is little doubt that the most dreaded level—if ever there was one—is 200 level.

This volume of Rx Connect delves into the minds of second-year students of the previous year, as they share the lessons, struggles, and joys that defined their journey.

1. FIRST TIME IS NOT THE CHARM

For many, 200 level began with hope and the promise to build on the achievements of the first year. A common goal was to start studying early in order to stay well-prepared.

“When I got to 200 level, I decided to start reading early,” Osas Cynthia recounts.

Vanetta shared the same resolve.

“I started studying from the very first week. I felt a sense of pride in my early start,” she explains.

But this sense of preparation soon went up in flames as they both discovered an important truth: activity doesn’t always mean achievement.

As exams drew closer, Cynthia found that the topics she had read earlier were already fading from memory, while Vanetta found herself in a frantic rush to relearn everything.

“The key isn’t just to start early; it’s to learn early. One-time reading is a mere introduction. True knowledge comes from consistent revisiting, from engaging with the material again and again until it moves from your notes into your mind. This is non-negotiable for subjects like Biochemistry, which demand not just memory, but comprehension. Do not confuse activity with achievement.”

An early start is good, but it doesn’t guarantee a good finish. To truly excel in 200 level, you must understand that the first reading is only an introduction, and that true mastery is born from repetition.

2. FIRE

What makes the second year truly challenging is the stark contrast between it and the first year. From a period of calm and ease, the workload suddenly rolls in: heavy, relentless, and consuming the unsuspecting.

8 a.m.–6 p.m. classes.

Unending practicals.

Slides dropping days before the exam.

Theories that demand mastery, not guesswork.

But the high demand—or the idea of it, at least—was not new to many.

“I knew it would be difficult, but I underestimated what difficult truly meant,” Vanetta recounts.

Samuel also had an idea of what the session could ask of him.

“It was a year that demanded everything from me: my time, my focus, my energy, and even the parts of myself I didn’t know I had.”

Burnout didn’t wait until mid-semester. For some, it arrived at the very beginning. The exhaustion was layered: mental, emotional, physical. For Praise, it was an especially intense battle, worsened by a fear-driven, workhorse lifestyle during her first year.

“The unhealthy lifestyle I lived in my first year earned me a semester of burnout—the entire first semester of my second year. I don’t know how I managed to go through it, but I know that somehow, I did.”

The fact that she had to face parts of the battle alone made it all the more difficult. Her past achievements created an illusion of invincibility, causing people to dismiss her struggles with a single question: You wey be scholar?

Everyone had their own fire.

And everyone burned in different ways.

3. FEAR

Fear is almost synonymous with the second year; and for good reason. It’s the stage where pharmacy school truly begins. Fear itself is natural; we fear what we do not know. The real problem is what fear drives us to do, or not do.

Osas Cynthia feared her own pace.

“It was tough, honestly. I felt slow, I felt behind, and sometimes I even felt like maybe I wasn’t smart enough for this course.”

Vanetta feared losing her grip.

And in addition to the constant anxiety of not meeting expectations, Praise discovered a new fear entirely: people.

“New fears arose as I stepped into my new class—people. I didn’t want to be lonely, but I didn’t have many friends in my class either.”

But slowly, the fears began to fade, disarmed by the themes of the final three segments: Friendship, Fun, and Faith.

4. FRIENDSHIP

The great Marcus Tullius Cicero once remarked that friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief. Nowhere does this ring truer than in the crucible of 200 level.

Naava (name changed for privacy) buckled under the weight of academic pressure and would have fallen, if not for the steadying power of friendship.

“The stress of keeping up with academics started to consume me, and I found myself drifting away from my true self. It was the moments shared with my loved ones and meaningful conversations with my friends that kept me going.”

It was the same for Cynthia:

“But one thing that kept me going was people… my friends.”

For Praise, friendship was a lifeline:

“My friends were there for me when it got really hard to handle alone, when I needed to talk, sincerely. They were people I could rely on at any point in time and not regret it. They made me keep going even when I wanted to give up so many times.’’

And for Samuel:

“I thank God for the kind of friends He gave me (Ogaga, Wisdom, Daniel, Olaye, Gold, and Prudence). These guys are very good, and whenever all seems lost, their advice and motivation just comes in.”

Friends are the family we choose for ourselves, and in the heat of the second year, the right people don’t just make the fire bearable; they make us stronger within it.

5. FUN

All work and no play doesn’t just make Jack dull, it makes him a walking corpse. In the midst of deadlines, assignments, and endless practicals, it is often in extracurriculars that students find their most precious oxygen.

For Samuel, football was more than a game. It was therapy.

“Football became one of my escapes — a small pocket of joy in the chaos of pharmacy school. Sports gave me ease, balance, and a reminder that I am more than the stress of academics.”

But the pitch gave him more than relief. It gave him a moment of immortality. In one of the most iconic moments of the Dean’s Cup, Samuel curled in a free kick from what looked like 35 yards, sending the stadium into a frenzy.

“And amidst the pressure, there were unforgettable moments, especially the day I scored a free-kick goal from 35 yards out at the University of Benin main stadium. It was against the 600 level class, in front of hundreds of people, and mehn, that feeling still stays fresh like it happened yesterday. That moment reminded me that even in the midst of stress, life still gives us victories to hold onto.”

For Vanetta, fun didn’t just help, it saved her.

“What saved me was making a conscious choice to participate in a few faculty activities. It was a deliberate act of self-preservation. That brief disconnection from the books gave my mind space to breathe and process. It reminded me that I was a person, not just a student.”

Fun is harmless.

The absence of it is dangerous.

6. FAITH

Faith often begins where our abilities end. When the pressure becomes unbearable and strength runs thin, many discover that the only anchor left is the One above.

For Praise, when everything felt overwhelming, she lifted her gaze to the hills.

“At that moment, the only person I could turn to was God. He’d always listen, and it gave peace.”

Samuel also found his footing in the presence of the fourth man in the fire.

“What truly held me together was God. His strength, His grace, and the belief He planted in me. It has been God, and it will always be God.”

And for Naava, the entire journey could be summed up in one quiet, powerful line:

“In all, God saw me through.”

Faith doesn’t remove the fire, but it makes walking through it possible.

7. FORGE

There is always light at the end of the tunnel. The second year is not a sentence of suffering. It is a process, a refining journey designed to produce gold.

It was in this very year that Praise finally discovered her passion for Pharmacy, and Naava caught a glimpse of the profession she hopes to build for herself, learning teamwork and cooperation along the way.

Cynthia learned resilience; not as a concept, but as a habit.

Vanetta learned the importance of past questions and the wisdom of understanding not just the lectures, but the lecturers as well.

Samuel wraps it all in one perfect reflection:

“Looking back, my 200 level was both fire and forge. I was like gold being refined — pressured, stretched, challenged, yet strengthened. It was stressful, yes, but it was also transformative.”

The flames of 200 level do not come to destroy us. Their purpose is to mould, shape, and prepare us, forging us into gold-standard pharmacists.

CLOSING REFLECTION

In the end, 200 level is more than a difficult year. It is a defining one. It strips away illusion, tests conviction, and reveals strength we didn’t know we had. Through fire, fear, friendship, fun, and faith, each student emerges a little wiser, a little tougher, and a little more certain of who they are becoming.

May this volume remind us all that the journey is shaping us, the pressure is refining us, and the process is preparing us for the future we’re building: one dose, one step, one story at a time.

Efetobor Prevail Ogheneogaga | Rx Connect.

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This week at Rx Connect, we’re do

ing something different.

Instead of releasing a regular volume, we’re taking a moment to appreciate you: our readers, our contributors, our quiet supporters, and everyone who has helped this community take shape.

Your engagement has shown us that storytelling is powerful, and that a community built on shared experiences can grow stronger with every voice added.

To celebrate this joy of community — and to keep building it — we’re launching the Rx 100 Campaign:
our mission to reach 100 subscribers within the week.

If you’ve enjoyed our work, help us grow.
Share the link. Invite a friend. Be part of the journey.
Be part of the story.

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William Shakespeare famously wrote, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”

Leadership has always been both a privilege and a burden; and in PANS, it’s no different.

The concept of leadership often appears glamorous, a misconception born of mistaking leadership for rulership. In truth, from class representatives to national executives, leaders are constantly balancing expectation with empathy, and authority with humility.

This volume of Rx Connect explores that delicate balance: the unseen pressures, the quiet victories, and the personal growth that comes from carrying the weight of responsibility. It brings together the voices of individuals who have come to know the burden of leadership and the importance of reflection. Through their words, we see not just titles, but people: students becoming leaders, and leaders becoming better versions of themselves.

1. CHOSEN, NOT CHOOSING

Sometimes, you don’t find leadership; it finds you.

Tyrion Lannister once said that “the best leaders are those who never intended to lead.” Thomas Busayo, coach of the Alchemist football team, agrees.

“Truthfully, leadership wasn’t something I initially sought,” he admits. “I found myself in the role. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, but it definitely wasn’t a mistake.”

Leadership has a voice, and she calls even the unlikeliest.

Comrade Ogbomo Toria, PANS UNIBEN Editor-in-Chief, was one of those who answered.

“Running for EIC was out of character,” she reflects. “But I’d told myself 2025 was going to be a year of out-of-character moments.”

And just like that, the call was answered.

2. THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN

When we picture a golden crown, we often think of its shine and splendor, not its weight. Leadership is much the same.

The untrained eye sees the title and the spotlight, but rarely the strain behind them. Honourable Osas Cynthia Osose, constituency leader of the Alchemist class, captures it well:

“People see the title, not the tension. They see the calm, not the countless times you hold yourself back from reacting.”

Precious Aghafe, course representative of the Pharmora class, puts it more plainly:

“To be honest, being class rep isn’t some fancy title. It’s real work.”

Leadership can be heavy; not just in tasks, but in expectations. And sometimes, the heaviest load is carried in solitude.

3. LESSONS FROM THE FRONTLINE

Leadership, like life, is a journey of lessons.

Coach Busayo perhaps learnt one of the hardest:

“I’ve learnt that it’s more beneficial to make a wrong decision and learn from it than to avoid deciding at all.”

Honourable Osose echoes this growth through patience and purpose:

“I’ve learnt that leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about presence, patience, and purpose.”

Course representative Aghafe discovered the heart of true leadership:

“Leadership is not about control; it’s about service. It’s seeing someone relieved and knowing you played a part in making their academic life easier. That feeling is priceless.”

For Honourable Balogun Jeremiah, two-time congress member, the lesson was trust:

“Holding leadership positions has shown me the importance of listening, accountability, and consistency; because people follow who they trust, not who they fear.”

Leadership is a stern teacher. And all good leaders must first be good students.

4. THE CHALLENGES OF SERVICE

A leader’s path is far from the streets of heaven.

Comrade Toria, as Editor-in-Chief, faced challenges that tested both patience and resourcefulness:

“Most times, the budget they give you is not enough. You have to source funds, which is hard. I had to rely on my support system: my family and friends.”

Beyond resources, she faced another challenge familiar to many in leadership: varying levels of cooperation. Every “no” she received became another test of her persistence.

Leadership, she learnt, is not for the faint-hearted. It’s for those who can continue even when it feels like no one else understands why they started.

5. THE UGLY SIDE

Every crown has a shadow.

Honourable Funmi (name changed for privacy) began her journey with hope and zeal.

“At the beginning of my tenure, I was really excited; always doing things for my class, from making helpful links to sharing materials to buying markers.”

But the dream soon became difficult to bear.

“As time went on, it got more toxic. I started seeing how leadership can turn political and heavy. I saw how the people you want to help are the ones who hate you and talk ill about you.”

When peace, passion, and purpose began to slip away, she made the hardest — and wisest — choice: to pause.

“I still believe in leadership, but not the kind that costs me my peace. Maybe someday I’ll return, but for now, I’m choosing me.”

Sometimes, when you strip away the titles and applause, what remains isn’t gold. It’s glass. And glass breaks.

6. WORDS FROM THE SUMMIT

There’s much to say about leadership, but few speak of it with the clarity of Comrade Okungbowa Osamase Prince-Ben, the 51st PANS National President; a man who truly embodies the theme “Heavy Is the Head.”

“True leadership is service: showing up even when no one is watching, uniting people through trust, and making tough decisions without losing compassion.”

And his definition of a true leader is one that leaves no room for vanity:

“A true leader is a product of the aggression of marginal gains: improving a little every day until excellence becomes inevitable.”

CLOSING REFLECTION

As someone who has also walked the path of leadership, I know it well: the lessons, the moments of doubt, and the quiet victories. Each experience, however heavy, has shaped me into someone stronger and more grounded.

In the words of Honourable Osose and CR Aghafe, which I now echo with belief:

Heavy is the head, yes. But with every lesson, every challenge, and every quiet victory, I’ve learnt that the weight of leadership doesn’t just test you. It transforms you.

The head may be heavy, but I’ll carry it again, because I now understand what it truly means to lead. 💛

Efetobor Prevail Ogheneogaga | Rx Connect

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Every smile here holds a story.

The Pharmora class: The heartbeat of BECOMING.

INTRODUCTION.

Pharmacy school isn’t just about white lab coats and chemical formulas.

It’s about people, moments, memories, and the small miracles that shape who we become.

They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; and Pharmacy school is no different. It’s a six-year journey that begins with the very first year.

The first volume of Rx Connect brings together the voices of students from the University of Benin’s Faculty of Pharmacy, fresh from completing their freshman year. Voices that echo with stories of excitement, heartbreak, faith, friendship, and everything in between. Because beyond the lectures and the exams lies something deeper: the magic of beginning.

‎I’ve gathered and grouped these experiences into six interconnected segments that capture what the magic of the first year is truly all about.

‎1. PHARMACY: A BRAVE NEW WORLD

Irrespective of our individual experiences, we can all agree on one thing: Pharmacy school is a brave new world. That idea echoes through the reflections of the immediate past 100-level students.

‎“100 level felt like being dropped into a whole new world,” Peace shares; and she’s not alone.

‎Jemima confirms this, noting that university life is truly another world beyond secondary and primary school. She had to build new habits: waking up early for lectures, staying up late to study, collaborating in practical groups with people who didn’t always see eye to eye, and making the most of free PANS and Gifted Hands tutorials (all while still showing up for social events like the Dean’s Cup).

‎For Peace, things took a little longer to settle. She felt lost in a world filled with different faces and expectations, trying earnestly to figure out her role (something the MCU’s new Captain America, Sam Wilson, would understand). That uncertainty, that search for footing, is what makes the first year both unique and meaningful.

‎2. THE CHEMISTRY OF SELF-DISCOVERY

‎I’ve always believed that the most important part of the first year is self-discovery. There is no better time to evaluate old habits, try new things, and take new risks. Self-discovery is, without a doubt, an essential part of the magic of the first year, and it appears in many forms.

‎For Esther, it meant finally stepping out of her comfort zone to contest for the Faculty’s Miss Fresh crown.

‎A talented model by all definitions, she had no problem striking poses or smiling on cue. Singing was her passion, so she already knew what talent she would showcase. What made contesting a challenge was her reserved nature and the fact that she hadn’t performed before a crowd in quite some time. The thought made her nervous. Yet, when the moment came, the magic flowed. As she recalls:

‎“The moment I put the mic to my lips, everything flowed freely. I got lost in the music, and the confidence just poured out.”

‎While others studied reactions in a flask, Esther studied the reactions within herself. That discovery led to her being crowned the Faculty of Pharmacy’s Miss Fresh.

‎“In discovering the chemistry of life, I began to discover the chemistry of me.’‘ That line perfectly defines Peace’s first-year journey. She went from confused to confident, learning to say “yes” to things she never imagined doing, from debates to social events. Along the way, she discovered her talent for football and joined the class female team — a team that went on to win the Dean’s Cup at the very first attempt.

‎Marvellous’ discovery took a more reflective turn. Of his first year, he writes:

‎“100 level was the year I discovered that survival isn’t just academic, it’s emotional, social, and deeply personal.”

‎These experiences remind us of the power of leaving our comfort zones and embracing challenges that bring us closer to our best selves.

‎3. THE LESSONS YOU DON’T FIND IN A TEXTBOOK

‎Not every lesson in Pharmacy school is written in a textbook. Sometimes, it’s the simplest pieces of advice that carry the deepest truths.

‎Kome (name changed for privacy) keeps her 100-level experience short, sharp, and honest; three lessons distilled from a full year of growth:

‎• Hide your relationships.

‎• Know who you give gist or tea.

‎• Study past questions.

‎A session’s worth of living, summarized in three lines. Each one carries a story, a scar, and a survival tip: Proof that wisdom in university often comes quietly, in moments too small for a syllabus to notice.

‎4. THE HEARTBREAKS AND HARD TIMES

‎When we think about magic, we rarely think of pain, struggle, or heartbreak. Yet French philosopher Jean de La Bruyère once observed that out of difficulties grow miracles. He was right.

‎For Matthew, the first year was more than hard; it was heavy. He faced depression, battled isolation, lost focus, and entertained thoughts he would rather not recall.

‎And he wasn’t alone. The grass wasn’t always green for Lois (name changed for privacy).

‎When she gained admission into Pharmacy, she was excited—ready to meet new people, make real friends, and experience life in a new way. For a while, she did. Until she didn’t.

‎What began as a story of connection became one of heartbreak. A betrayal reopened wounds she thought had healed, forcing her into silence and self-protection.

‎Yet even in withdrawal, she found clarity.

‎ “This was not just about betrayal; it was about reclaiming myself, my joy, and my energy.”

‎And Matthew, too, never let go of his faith.

‎ “Maybe God wanted me to learn lessons from the bad experience, which I did. But He later showed up, and things began to come back to normal.”

‎Their stories remind us that even in hard times, there are lessons to be learnt. Every scar is proof that pain once tried to destroy you but failed beautifully.

‎5. THE STRENGTH IN UNITY

‎One of the most beautiful lessons of the first year is the discovery of strength in unity. A single spark fades quickly, but a thousand together light up the sky.

‎For Excel, finding and working with the right people made all the difference.

‎ “I had amazing coursemates-turned-friends who explained topics that seemed unclear to me, and also coursemates who unknowingly pushed me to study hard. I don’t really have a lot to say, but in one sentence, I would say my 100 level was pretty easygoing.”

‎Truly, when we walk together, the road feels shorter. United we rise, divided we fall.

‎6. BECOMING

‎As this volume draws to a close, one truth becomes clear through every story shared: the first year is never easy, but it was never meant to be. History rarely remembers those who had it easy. Whatever path we choose, every journey finds its meaning in the end.

‎For Esther, it was a journey of faith and gratitude. Her performance rose beyond melody. It became an act of faith.

‎ “...most importantly, I want to thank the Holy Spirit. Without Him, I wouldn’t have had the courage.”

‎For Peace, it was a transition; from lost to living.

‎“I didn’t have it all figured out, but I grew. Slowly, quietly, but surely.”

‎And for Lois, it was one of personal growth.

‎ “It’s all good. Really, it’s all good. I’ve learned. I’ve grown. And I’m ready to move forward. Even if it’s one small step at a time.”

‎But it is Damian (name changed for privacy) who captures the quiet truth of it all.

‎ “We come in expectant, filled with plans and dreams. But school happens. Goals shift, priorities change, and some dreams topple. Yet in the end, we survive.”

‎And that, perhaps, is what The Magic of the First Year truly means: that every long walk, failed friendship, and quiet victory is part of something greater: becoming.

‎CLOSING NOTE

‎To every student reading this:

‎Your first year may not have gone as planned. You may have laughed, cried, withdrawn, or discovered something new about yourself. But it mattered. Every bit of it mattered.

‎Because in Pharmacy, as in life, the formulas may change, but the purpose remains the same:

‎to learn, to grow, and to keep showing up.

‎Until next time, keep the connection alive. 💛

‎— Efetobor Prevail Ogheneogaga | Rx Connect

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‎

‎

Somewhere, a classmate is volunteering. Another is resting. Someone’s writing, someone’s healing, someone’s just breathing again. That’s what Rx Connect is about — the stories, lessons, and small sparks that keep us human beyond the white coat.

Every week, I’ll share reflections, voices, and pharmacy moments that deserve to be heard.

If you’re reading this, you’re part of it already.

Here’s to a Faculty that connects, one dose at a time.

If this made you smile, share it. Let's get the word out. 🫶🏾

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