What do you do professionally?
A young man that I now constantly ask to “rest” asked me this question in mid-March 2022.
I paused.
I didn’t send a reply until after four hours.
But, I responded honestly. For the first time.
Let me share it here:
Professionally 😬 I always hope to never be asked this because I actually dunno 😩🤧
I’ve dabbled into many things and have a number of interest areas. Some I’ve made further steps to be better at and others that I haven’t really looked into.
Data Science and Analytics. I’ve not been too steady here but yeah, I do have a considerable amount of expertise.
Writing. Comes easy to me so it’s just there to leverage whenever I need it. If sapa chokes, I’d take a writing job from a friend to stay afloat.
Venture Capital. Currently enrolled in two Coursera courses since I want to explore a possible career there. Then there’s a VC virtual internship on Forage I’m yet to complete. Possibly I’m not too interested, I’m not sure.
Project Management. This one comes easy too. Yet to explore the technicalities too much but it makes me want to consider product mgt. I just don’t want to jump to anything because everybody is doing it.
Cloud Engineering. It’s the nearest to data and I’d been taking some Azure classes.
Those are the things I can recall faster
I felt very relieved after sharing this with him though. The young man was actually helpful. The conversations that followed were worth it (Don’t feel yourself young man. Just Rest pls 😏😅)
A friend shared snippets of a medium article on her status this week and when I was done reading, I wanted to look for the author and give her a hug. It was like she was writing about a different variety of myself. Very good stuff. A motivation to write this.
While still in secondary school, I usually stacked books whenever I wanted to “read” at home. Yes, read is in quotes because, in retrospect, it was a ridiculous and fruitless effort. I’d plan to “read” say English and Basic Science then I’d take a dictionary, all the recommended texts, textbooks and workbooks, and my notes of course. I’d spend most of the time drawing up a reading plan than actually reading anything. I did repent of this at some point but never completely. I just wanted to have all the stuff I’d likely need in one place.
If there was one thing I was really good at, it was planning to read or do anything at all. And yes, I am still good at it. Dividing a blank paper into a calendar form with days of the week and filling the blanks with “tasks”.
Doing the listed things yen, that is where the wahala is 😪
My first stint volunteering came in the year of the pandemic. 2020.
Hult Prize 2021 OnCampus Event. 2021 is not a typo 🙃
The plan was very simple. I put in the work, I meet some big people. I was in my “build my network” phase.
Oh, you don’t want to build your network again?
Errr…. times have changed younno. I am less interested in trying to meet “popular people” anymore. If we meet, good. If we don’t, great. But actively trying to meet them? Nah. Crossed that stage 🥱
I was interning at a Law Firm at the time so it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park juggling both.
The unit I chose to volunteer with; Judges & Speakers Recruitment.
Volunteering was supposed to pull me out of preferring to work alone and working in a team much better.
Sadly, I was the only one that volunteered to join the unit. No team lead. No unit members. Just me.
My task was simple, provide a list of names of potential judges from a list of sectors provided.
I can still hear Phillips’ voice in the office telling me that Hult Prize is not paying me and I should focus on office work.
An emergency team was created las las because people were either unresponsive or unavailable. That team was awesome! The fun part was everything being virtual. I met some of these people physically nearly two years later for the first time.
I sent more LinkedIn DMs during that period than I have ever done in my life. See ehn, people will air you! Just make sure you keep your self-esteem intact😂😂😂
Did I get “contacts”?
Sure.
I have not messaged any of them since that year 😂💔
Hult Prize came again the following year. I volunteered again. This time I was on IT.
Guess the unit I chose again?
If a teacher was widely liked among students, you can be sure I didn’t like them. Every teacher that was ever voted “Best Teacher” while I was in secondary school was not in my good books. Every single one.
Why?
I dunno. Even now, I dunno.
But you see, if they’re unpopular, I am indifferent towards them. In fact, I was likely to prefer them.
Really?
Yes. Y E S.
I was in JS1 when someone gave bad reviews about the CRS teacher that teaches the subject in JS2.
“Her writing on the board was bad and her class was so boring you’d sleep”
JS2 came, and I topped the set in CRS. The first and only time I ever collected a prize in secondary school. The wrapped prize was a food flask! 😂😂😂
There were those that everyone disliked that I didn’t like too. Anyone fond of insults was in my black book.
Till now, I would not consider myself a fan of popular individuals and ideologies. Thinking of it, getting to the bottom of this might unravel my dislike for Mr Tusk.
The university will go down as the most saddening and disappointing period of my entire existence.
No. There will be nothing worse in the future. This one is enough abeg 🤧
I started out with the 5.0 dream like the men and women before me and the ones to come after. To be fair, I was actually working towards it.
Initially.
Then I fell ill. I actually thought I would die. I recall calling home to inform them I was sick and thinking it would be the last they’d hear from me. I was imagining the headlines and the scene at home when the news breaks.
They will move on.
You can imagine the horror when the doctor said it was malaria. Just malaria.
I obviously recovered 🙃 but, that was when I lost interest in being in school. I realized that I didn’t actually see past getting admitted and a first-class.
What will I do with the degree?
I had no idea. I had to question my leaving the school library every day at night when the alarm goes off for everyone to leave.
What was the sense in all of it if I’d have malaria and perform woefully in the first two tests I’d take because I was too sick to prepare for them?
I never stopped attending classes though. But I can’t say I was in school like a student should. I was just living every day that came. I would definitely pass for a serious student because I did everything except rigorous personal studying.
I gave up.
Early.
Too early.
Most people keep at it and give up much later in year 3 or something. I gave up mid-semester year 1.
I had nothing to look forward to. No goal in mind to be reached. Nothing. Nothing to spur me to put in some massive effort.
Making your parents proud.
Yeah, about that; it wore off in SS2. A teacher told us that we were no longer in junior school where we needed to do well to make our parents happy and all. Now, our results affect us and doing well was for ourselves.
It does suffice as great motivation though, wanting your parents to take pictures with you and like 10 prizes at your convocation. But the reality is, there are a thousand and one ways to make parents proud. So, that motivation did not fly.
One thing that made school liveable was church. Some of the best people I have met in the university, I met there. And one of those people made me find myself a “why” without realizing it.
Year 3 was the year I decided to pull my GP out of the deep blue sea ⚓
As informed as I was about the fact that Sciences wasn’t an indicator of “smartness”, I still put my head inside. My Math wasn’t and still isn’t great. But no oh, science class yii naa ni.
Make no mistake, I was qualified to be in the Sciences. But, I wasn’t exactly stellar. If I could go back in time, I’d likely still choose it again. The Arts were not exactly my thing. Asides from Law, I did not know any profession there. I still do not find interest in any of the ones I now know of. The Business class would have been an interesting pick. Accounting was (still is) the star child of the class. But you see, accounting is not for me. I knew it then and I am very certain of it now. If you see anyone that has completed an accounting degree or professional program, ensure you add sir/ma when you talk to them.
I’d have chosen Architecture if my Basic Tech teacher had been better in his appraisal of our isometric drawings then. I concluded that I could not draw straight lines and when the time came to choose Technical Drawing or Agric is SS1, you already know what I picked. I have a fantastic Architect friend so I have some consolation.
Medicine.
I was still in primary school when I mentioned that I want to be a teacher. My mum’s response that evening was sufficient disapproval. The interest did not vanish though, I’d say it grew. I recall in primary 3 or so, my classmates and me created lesson notes from textbooks and had fictitious names for ourselves. So, we were students and teachers in our class. We basically created our own school inside the school 😭😭
I want to be a doctor
That was what I told anybody that cared to ask after that evening till SS2 when the JAMB decision was getting close. It was the way to prevent anyone from probing further. Worked like a charm. I never wanted it, never had an interest in it or saw myself in that light until…
TechBro Series 🤓
If you are familiar with the above, we’ve been around each other for some time. If you are not, I’d give you a refresher.
Paystack got acquired for $200m by Stripe. The news turned Twitter upside down. In all that rogbodiyan, it was so obvious how many knew too little about startups. As a good citizen of Nigeria 😁 I decided to share on the subject with my most prized audience; WhatsApp people.
It was not the first time I’d do so on any subject, but this time I decided to play with Canva and share for an entire month. It was easy to pull of in my head. But when you have Phillips sitting next to you in the office, you will have to do enough work for the day before doing “personal stuff”. Yes, I was still at the Law Firm at the time.
My only stroke of luck was that I uploaded it on LinkedIn. Else, everything would be gone now. You can find it here. But, that is not the real gist.
I took a feedback survey of some sort. The verdict was that I should continue the thing.
The preferred platform to continue?
Twitter.
These people are out of their minds
I did a very lengthy shalaye on my status detailing why I cannot use Twitter and a number of other platforms. The summary was simple.
I don’t want wahala
I decided to create a Newsletter instead. It was supposed to be a community of some sort that does what I love to see, knowledge broken down to its simplest form. I did so much “hype” for it ehn! Creating designs to get subscribers yet not wanting many subscribers 😅
Startup 100. That was what it was called.
It did not survive more than a month.
Yes. Laugh. It is actually funny 😂😂😂
Let us go over the “whys”.
I pay too much attention to details. There’s been some improvements now. Else, you won’t be reading this right now. It’ll be sitting together with over 60 other articles currently in my Medium drafts. I wanted the newsletter to cover everything. The perfect recipe for disaster.
I was gunning for perfection. No newsletter I am currently subscribed to has been able to wow me with every edition. Yet, I still read them. I was in error. Don’t be like me.
Zero structure. I had structure but I did not have structure.
What are you saying
Well, I knew how I wanted it to go but I was going to run two newsletters.
Crazy, I know.
One newsletter each week.
That was lack of structure talking. The two could have been one biweekly newsletter with a clear and simple focus.
My interest in Tech business has not waned. It has blossomed and flourished like Fawibe’s sunflower 🌻 Majority of the newsletters I subscribe to cover Tech Startups et al. In fact, it triggered my digging into Private Equity/Venture Capital.
I took to Coursera and enrolled for a PE/VC course. Thanks to those that helped me with the financial aid thingy. The course was great. But, I didn’t finish.
Initially.
The last part of the course was on Valuations. We were going to do calculations. This Math thing came to haunt me again. One day I’d tell of the beginning of my Math problems in secondary school when all my friends were Math gurus. One day when I have the courage to.
I completed the course recently after putting it on hold since last year. The calculations were actually simple and I finished the course 😁
I owe it to some people to continue writing that newsletter though.
I might write again.
The higher the price, the lower the quantity demanded.
Inflation is the persistent rise in the price of goods and services.
Countries ought to produce goods that they have a Comparative Cost Advantage.
Statements like these are music to my ears. I can sit for hours listening to people talk about Economics and Business. I read articles on stuff like this consistently.
On my Birthday last year, I added a Stears Business Subscription to my Wishlist. A dear friend sent me cash for it.
I spent the money 😶
Don’t judge me o
I did pay for the subscription eventually. Some two months later. The money could cover for a three months subscription and that is what I opted for.
It has expired and I am left scrambling for their Wednesday free reads.
I am adding it again to my Birthday Wishlist along with dem beanies and Chelsea Boots 🤤 A subscription is totally worth the money.
Opting for a degree program in Computer Science with Economics was not a mistake. I’d tell you why I chose it some other time.
Since I was (still am) more in touch with Economics than Computing, I decided to consider exploring it. A career in Finance, Consulting and the likes. Working at the Big 4 or one of the big US banks….. I can feel myself floating through their hallways already in a beanie, a round neck, unbuttoned checkered shirt, jeans, a pair of Chelsea boots, Ford Explorer car keys in one hand and a laptop bag in the other 😊
Wait.
They dress corporate.
Like, suit and tie kinda corporate.
Urrrggghhhh 🤦🏾♂️
I am not a fan of corporate outfits. I do wear shirts but tucking ’em in? Bleh.
I can manage to dress corporately as long as I have a sweatshirt around. But, I cannot wear ties! I dislike it for no particular reason.
If these guys make ties compulsory, how will I work there 🥺 They need to update their work attires if they want me to accept their offers 😑
Forage has offered me the best help in breaking into a career in Consulting et al. Completing the programs I’ve signed up for is herculean because they keep adding new ones and I keep signing up. My list is over 15 now. One day, one day 😄🤲🏾
I can forgo my beanies for these people sha. The kind of work they do (at least from the outside) is appealing. Providing advisory to multinationals and Forbes 500 companies, driving business decisions with data…..
Data.
There are a thousand and one “tips” for writers out there. With the increase in freelance writing roles thanks to the growth of the need for content online, writers are everywhere.
Once up on time, the tag “writer” was reserved for the Wole Soyinkas and Niyi Osundares that wrote books and poetry. The scriptwriters that wrote movies that kept us glued or laughing out loud. The Enid Blytons and Roald Dahls that wrote children’s stories that were too good to ignore. The people whose “work” was to write.
Today, everybody is a writer.
In a simplistic sense, it is true. You send messages, you tweet, you write birthday wishes, you draw up a to-do list. You are writing things. So, you are a writer.
However, the tag “writer” was used for such persons because they were professional. Not because they can write. A five-year-old can write. Being able to write can include saying “xup” and “kul”. Using “am” instead of “I’m”. Typing “smiles” as a response to a joke 😐
A writer is concerned about grammar. The choice of words and the flow of the idea being communicated. A writer is carefully trying to communicate with an audience. Giving some things away and withholding some too.
This is 2022, many words have their meanings reduced to their context of use. In some cases, it is good. In some others, it is challenging. The word writer is one of such cases.
To be fair, anybody can write so anybody can be a writer. But, a writer is not just anybody. Someone who writes for a living and someone who shares their thoughts at random are both writing. Are they both writers?
What qualifies a writer?
Style?
Attention to detail?
Choice of words?
Frequency of writing?
It is open to interpretation.
Copywriting Masterclass. Early bird 2k. Late registration 3k.
Content writing is a highly demanded skill. Attend this 1-week practical class to break into writing.
Did you know you can make 50k a week from writing? DM me for details
You must have seen something like this. Unless you are living under a rock or in the cloud. I wish most of these people would be a lot more honest. Freelance writing is not as awesome as it is painted. Keywords. Word length. Flesch reading score. It is mostly about SEO and Marketing than sharing ideas, educating people and being creative. It is largely a search the internet and recycle-what-you-see activity.
The sad part is that many are not paid well. Are there those making a killing? Yes. But are they the norm? No. Some then decide to prey on the largescale unemployment and start holding masterclasses. If it was paying so well, you would not be in a hurry to teach. Humans are not that generous. Most of them make their money from teaching than actual writing.
God will help us oh.
I have dabbled into freelance writing. I do not like it at all. Maybe that’s why I am not a fan of these masterclass organizers. I rather write on subjects I want to write about because I know enough. I’ve written freelance articles I concluded were “bleh” and I got good feedback. I’m like, you consider that thing good?! Lmao. Sha gimme money lemme buy beanie 😂😂😂
Who will hear it when you mention that you do not fancy coding as a computer science major in the age where “tech is the new oil?”
But first, why did I choose it?
I never struggled with the Computer subject through secondary school. It was super easy.
It was easy for everybody nau
Sure. Did you get an A in Computer in the WAEC exam? 😏
Ehn, you also did. I know. You can rest now
It was my only A. The remaining 8 subjects were Bs. It made sense that I chose it in JAMB that I registered for earlier (JAMB is written before WAEC in case you forgot). I had a list of courses I could study. Computer Science, Civil Engineering since I liked (still like) constructions, Economics, Estate Management and some others I cannot recall. The plan was to get a first degree in CS and then go back for another in Economics. Two BScs 😁
What a dumb child! 🤦🏾♂️
Super dumb 😂💔
I was going to study abroad. The University of Michigan Flint. I still have a brochure for UM-Flint at home. Nigerian varsity was a plan B. If I had to go to a Nigerian school, it had to be the best one for my course.
Best Nigerian University for Computer Science
Google brought out Obafemi Awolowo University. The search results will be different now. It was 6 years ago.
I hate you Google! 😭😭
The school had Computer Science with Economics as combined honours. No need to go back for a second Bsc.
Eureka!
Once again,
What a dumb child! 😭💔
I already got admitted (we resumed like 5 months after) before I realized Medicine was not so bad. I mean, I met the cut off for it. I could just switch or something.
LUTH.
I saw the doctors moving around and all the activity there just appealed to me. I was there because my grandparents came for tests.
Why did I not choose Medecine sef? I’d have made a fine doctor 😌
I retrospect, thanks be to God that I did not. Because, which year will I graduate 😹😹😹
No offence to those studying it tho. I think you guys are really awesome!
After trying out web development with Wordpress in year 2 (eventually used it years later for a paid job) and finding it not so exciting, I decided I had to find a new “tech role”. Who did I turn to?
Our dear friend Google. Again.
Data Science.
You see, the moment I stumbled on it, I knew my search had come to an end. Or so I thought.
Charts? Numbers? Accuracy and precision?
Yes Please!
I like data.
Scratch that, I love data!
The idea of gathering data, drilling down, gathering insights and making recommendations just sits right with me.
My search had finally come to an end.
That was 2018.
It’s 2022 now.
A number of courses and webinars and bootcamps and articles and texts and codes later, I am far from being a data analyst, talk less of a data scientist or a machine learning engineer or something.
LinkedIn has remained my strongest link to DS. I have so many data professionals in my connection. The result is, I keep having content around the space to keep me “interested”.
Have I lost interest and passion?
In all my tossing to and fro, I have seen first-hand that it can be challenging to keep so many interests in check. Some people are so certain of what they want to do and stick to it, some others just want to explore as many paths as possible.
You’re not getting younger.
If we spend our time exploring, how long do we keep doing it?
When do we settle for something?
When do we pick one and stay with it?
Must we pick one?
Remember the young man from the start, he shared something in his response to me.
First learn at breath then learn in depth then learn at breath again
Surface learning- Specialize — Diversify and globalise
I am learning at breadth. Maybe too much breadth.
It is hard to picture myself sticking with any space for too long. Maybe managing projects and teaching. I feel I can stick with those ones longer.
Professor Tolu Grey
Don’t be too scared to drop that path you’re taking. Don’t die on any hill. You are not the first to make a switch. Engineers used to switch to Finance years ago. Today, lawyers are switching to Tech.
Tolu will likely switch from Tech without feeling bad. Hopefully.
But what is the point of living if we don’t stretch ourselves and see what we are capable of?
What could be if we took a different step? A different action?
The reality is uncertain but the possibilities are endless.
There is a cost though.
Time.
You will never get it back.
