Meehn, 2020 has been one helluva rollercoaster for me. The good, the bad, the surprising.
January.
The new year balled in with me studying really hard for my exams. I remember refusing to go home for festivities, had lots of school stuff to cover and didn’t want to falter. (Did you see what I did there?)
Soon, I was starting to get stressed out. Really stressed out. Sometimes, I’d smack my forehead hard asking myself why I chose to study Medicine.
My blog at one end. A very heavy curriculum to cover at another. The struggle to find a balance was real.
One fateful day, I woke up to some really bad news. I slowly sank into despair. I would hold my head in my hands as tears ran down my cheeks. Lauren Diagle’s ‘Trust In You’ became my companion. Exams were approaching and damn I couldn’t concentrate!
I’d just be in class and remembering the news would fill my eyes with tears.
But yeah, I trusted God and he got me!
February/March
More stress. Much more stress. We finally wrote the exams o. And Las las we did not die. Some questions unusual, some usual ones but God got us!
Exams done. Heaves a heavy breath of freedom.
As planned in the school’s Calendar, the next posting (semester) was to start off the next week. We grumbled and fussed around, “not even a week break?”, “oh meehn, I’m tired of medical School o”….
Then COVID happened! But wait, ASUU did their initial gragra before COVID. Oh how excited we were to have a little break to finally unwind (and how very ignorant we were of what the future held).
COVID loomed, Schools closed. I travelled home hoping to resume in a few weeks. Worked on my sketchy storylines, read books on storytelling and personal development. Had more time to focus on myself.
Haq haq haq.
April
Yo! Started TOLANI! At first, I was so unsure if I should develop that story, not to talk of publishing. Felt it was a sorta common story theme, spoke to friends about it and they were like “c’mon! This is amazing stufffff”. Well, I decided to give it a go…
Published the first episode and soon my mail was buzzing with blog comment notifications of “yeah, move on”, “next please”, “such great starting…”
You guys are so amazing! What can I do without you?!
So I wrote and blogged away. Freelanced a little too. Vibed virtually with my friends on a regular. Perfect holidays.
I also jokingly told my mum about me learning photography, and she was like yeah, that’s a great idea!
May/June
I finally decided o. I was going to learn some photography before school resumes. So I would get to tell stories with jpegs too!
Was a great experience being the the most junior trainee, I observed and helped with setting studio equipments. Wasn’t long until I got ill.
Yeah, a month after I started at the studio. My Pops who had always raved about my too busy life soon linked it to my combining so much stuff. He recommended I quit so I take some rest, and that was how I dropped out o.
So yep, I’m currently a drop out student of photography, but I’m definitely setting sometime next year to doing some serious stuff.
Screenwriting.
I’d always wanted to get serious with working on my screenwriting while in Med School but the time was never there.
I stumbled into an advertisement about a Whatsapp screenwriting class while I strolled the streets of nairaland. Clicked, registered with an air of indifference about it.
Whoop. Whoop. Whoop. Turned out to be one of the best thing that has happened to me this year.
Thank you Damola Adenle!
July.
I was soon getting used to staying home almost all day.
Also, My blog was going to be ONE in a few weeks. I patiently anticipated!
And then I got anxious.
Do I celebrate big? Do some low key stuff, Go chill somewhere with friends? Take pictures and that’s all? Omo!
It soon got to a point where I lost the whole vibe.
Isn’t it just a year of blogging? Abeggg joor!
Told my friends about it and their excited responses got me feeling positive about it again. I even had some senior friends send me cash. So yes, let’s celebrate!
We celebrated one year of blogging, reading and leaving comments on my blog space. My pictures, blog logo and all tags to my blog was all over my Whatsapp space.
I even had some folks texting my happy birthday sef.
Haba, how many time I wan celebrate birthday nau?
Fam! I am really honoured by your tremendous support and how y’all helped me grow through this year.
August/September
I really can’t remember any peculiar stuff happen on this month.
It was just vibes, the blood of Jesus and me always by my keyboard while I expected ASUU’s strike to be called off.
Worked on a few projects.
My creative juice was drying up, Tolani’s problems were getting to me. I needed a break and I unintentionally went off blogging.
Goodnews: I’m resuming in January!๐บ
I’m so sorry!๐ฅบโค
October
The EndSars protests. The Lekki massacre. The nation was in turmoil. My mental health was in tatters.
So grateful for my friends who were always there. Was a terrible period.
November.
Usual vibes. Tried reviving my full time writing life but naah I just whiled time away. I hated it, but couldn’t help myself. Prayed about it. Even tried watching movies to spark some creative fire.
Soon started another project.
December
Last month of the year. Yayyyy!๐บ๐บ๐
Was almost my best month. Last minute God’s blessings. Yesss.
Started off the month with attending a Conference organized by the South West caucus of the Nigerian association of Medical Students. Made new friends, met some of my online meets, and had real, real fun.
Was a great time. No doubts.
Plays Tribettt’s Already Won๐บ๐บ
I got nominated for the Young Writers And Creatives Award in the Short Story and flash fiction category๐ญ๐ญ
Omo mheen, forget it, I didn’t expect it, was so emotionallllll. Felt really honoured and humbled to have my art get me recognized. I’m more than grateful to y’all who nominated.
And that’s it, new goals made. Plans for short stories, guest posts and yes, a film written by yours truly on paper.
I can’t be more thankful to you all for journeying with me through the year. I couldn’t have such progress without you.
Your push for new episodes, your thumbs up comments, recommendations to friends and all.
I sincerely don’t take them for granted.
Books.
Read about 22 books this year, and meehn they really factored in my rapid growth and personal development.
Learnt a whole lot ranging from stuffs pertaining to the Christian Faith, personal development and storytelling.
Take a peep at my list.
Music
Here’s a shout out to all the artistes whose songs stood by me through 2021. You’re all the real MVPs.
Album of the year.
Chandler Moore โ Feelings
Movies.
Having movies to spark up my creativity is one thing I do and do so well.
Yo, a shout to y’all who had a contribution to those movies.
Movie of the year โ Just Mercy
Would love to hear from you in comment section too. Kindly leave ’em comments.
Happy New Year in Advance folks.
Let’s do more in 2021!๐
And who is he that says it is not surplus?
Y’all kindly help share my blog link around. We’re coming bigger in 2021!๐ฅ