How Do I Learn This?
It is Tuesday.
Tuesdays remind me of junior secondary school. That was when our school moved the sports day to Tuesdays. Our short break around 10 am became sports time. Everyone would change into their sports outfit, run around the field and return sweaty, rushing to change their clothes just as the bell rang to return to class. I used to be athletic then, too. That changed after a bad jump led to a sprain, and I couldn't walk for days.
Reflecting now, what I found memorable was not the sport itself. It was how eventful our days felt without us trying so hard. We ran because it was time to run. We stopped because the bell rang. There was pressure to optimise anything, and no guilt attached to stopping.
Today, I am an adult, and Tuesdays feel different. They are more rushed. Feels like we are wrestling against time because it runs very fast, with so many tasks to complete. I pay more attention to my pace and productivity, with continuous worry about how to optimise my time for the best possible activity. It is expected and I am not complaining. Instead, I am re-learning that slowing down is not the opposite of progress. Sometimes, it is what makes progress possible.
It is also December. I love this month. Aside from being born on its first day, December is a reflective month. It tells you to look back and look ahead at the same time. And to reminisce on how eventful your year has been.
Location: Alice Place, Ogbomoso. Photo Credit: Me.
Hi, dear reader. It has been a while. I hope you are doing well.
Here is a quick update.
About a month ago, I was inducted into the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria as a Registered Nurse. Adream come true, Alhamdulillah! At the same time, I am closing out school life. Clearance. Packing. Preparing to leave the hostel and the city I have lived in since 2021. I am not great at goodbyes and it was painful to say mine, but I am deeply proud of what this phase held.
By the time you read this, I should have left school. Internship is next on the list, and I hope to get a placement next year.
This year asked a lot of me. More than what is visible on the surface.
Some days ago, I replied to an email from my mentor. It was in response to the goals I shared in January. I wrote about strengthening my relationships with God, friends, and family. I left myself out. Somewhere along the way, I realised how easy it is to forget yourself when you are always doing for others. Can you relate?
My communication with people I care about suffered. I had too much on my plate. I moved from deadline to deadline. Over time, that turned into burnout. I am only just recovering from it.
This is the part we do not always see. The backend of beautiful LinkedIn posts rarely looks like a celebration. Before the wins come the overwhelm, the doubt, the exhaustion. Rollercoasters are part of the process buttt burnout is not a flex.
There are moments when going silent is necessary. Not forever. Just long enough to pick yourself back up. It is one of the healing processes I return to. No matter how brief, it helps. The world can wait. I am only effective when I am emotionally and physically stable.
That season reminded me of a Yoruba saying: Emi ise gun ju emi eyan lo. Work will always be there. Rest is allowed.
I handed over most of the leadership roles I held. I am still committed to impact work. I am just more careful with my energy now and will consider taking a halt for the time being.
As I reinvent, there are a few things I am intentionally working on.
My screen time. I spend a lot of time on my phone. Even when much of it is productive, I know it can be reduced. I am seeking clarity through more offline moments. I currently use an app called Barrier. The ads are annoying, but it helps for now, since my card declines subscription to the Stay Focused app.
Reading. This year was filled with exams, advocacy projects, hosting events, volunteering, and extra classes learning research. It was fulfilling, but it left little room for reading outside of schoolwork. I read about six books this year, and I want to do better next year.
My attention span. I care about being present. Multitasking does not always mean productivity. I am learning to give one thing my full attention at a time. If I am working, I work. If I am talking to someone, I pause my work. I have started avoiding short videos and choosing longer, more thoughtful content instead. I will share how this goes.
Do you want to join me on this journey? Hit reply and let’s grow together.
I still believe in audacity. Many of the things we admire today exist because someone started before they felt 100% ready. Their first version was not perfect. But there was something to refine because they began.
That belief led me to start the RN pathway in my fourth year of nursing school. It began as a way to reduce overwhelm for my colleagues. It grew into a study guide used across schools. Today, it has evolved into OPREP. In just about four months since its official rebranding and launch, it has served students across over 30 schools.
If you are a nursing student preparing for professional exams, or you know one, OPREP was built with you in mind. Please, follow our social media pages and share with someone who might need it. Instagram. X (Formerly Twitter) LinkedIn.
Ahead of my next newsletter, I intend to research and write about how we can navigate visibility in a world that values virality over relevance. How do we resist pleasing algorithms at the expense of being human and humane? How do we choose meaning over noise?
2025 has been an eventful year. I am grateful for every moment. 2026 feels like a year to reinvent and soar. I am optimistic that it gets better. It really does.
How was the year for you? Will love to read your comments.
Till the next time,
Roqeebat. ❤️
I’m so proud of you❤️