The Soft Issue
Story from Within
August 2017
FRESHMAN
BROKE
By: Gbolahan Olapade
W
hen I gained admission into the
prestigious University of Ilorin, I was
excited. I looked forward to certain
things which included resumption,
especially meeting new people, learning
new things and living alone experiencing another life.
Living three towns away from Ilorin, it was like I was going
away to start a new life where I would be on my own;
make my own decisions that would affect my future and
get to do things my own way. In short, I was on my own,
me, myself and I. I had to face it and do it alone for the first
time in my life; after all it is part of growing and getting
prepared mentally and physically for future occurrences.
Yeah, it wasn’t rosy at the start at all.
I resumed school. I was delighted for different reasons. I
would be staying alone off campus. It meant I had enough
freedom much more than living in school hostel or having
a roommate off campus. Also I was delighted because of
the money I received from home when I resumed school.
of the expenses were on me, simply because I was
the latest addition to the school and I just resumed
so I should be buoyant. Yes I was buoyant and
spent anyhow I liked without bothering about the
consequences or cutting my coat according to my
cloth. By the end of the second week I was already
broke.
Unfortunately, when I called home to say I had
finished the money, the reply I got made me
realise that I indeed squandered thirty-five
thousand(#35,000)in two weeks on unnecessary
things. I was told I was not receiving any money till
the month was over. By this time, I had just two-
thousand Naira (#2,000) to survive for the remaining
two weeks.
Then I had to do what I did not do from the start. I
had to think thrice before I spend on anything. I had
to manage what I had. I had to eat what I had; not
eat what I wanted. I learnt to eat when I’m hungry
not to eat when I want to. In fact I had enough time
to study as going out was limited for me because
there was nothing to spend.
I was given a lot for my upkeep: allowances; money to get
stuffs like books; foodstuffs and other things I would need
to ease my adaption into a new environment. I was happy
because I have never had so much money to myself in
my life. The delight misled me as I exhausted the money
two weeks into the semester. I squandered the money on
unnecessary things such as eating at the popular “Item 7”
everyday where the cheapest plate costs #400.
The next two weeks was sort of hell on earth. How
I survived it I did n0t know. But I did. There were
days I starved: days I could only eat once because
I had to save money for transport fare which is
compulsorily #100 per day. There was a particular
day that I skipped lectures because I had no food
to eat and no transport fare. I opted to sleep at
home all through. Surviving two weeks with #2000
was the hardest and most unbelievable thing I
have ever done and it was all down to my lavish
spending and mismanagement. I have surely learnt
my lessons.
I spent money really lavishly in my first two weeks. I ate
what I was not even able to eat sometimes at home.
I bought clothes to add to my already full wardrobe. I
bought shoes, speaker, and even took Keke daily to and
fro the faculty—which is a trekking distance. I did not want
to get sunned.
In fact, I even took friends I have known from home out.
We went to Shoprite, and saw movies at the cinema. Most
45
the
LENS