The School Year That Almost Broke Me — And the Platform That Saved Me.

School is a place where we often come across certain challenges and hurdles that makes us feel like giving up entirely. As for me, one of the toughest challenges I’ve ever faced in school— happened last year when I was in my third year at university.

That period was incredibly rough for me financially. Some days, I had to figure out small ways to make a little money before I could even think about buying food. It didn’t help that the cost of living on campus had gone up sharply. The little pocket money my parents sent, which already wasn’t much, barely lasted. I kept trying to stretch it, but no matter how much I squeezed myself, it still wasn’t enough. Over time, the weight of it all became exhausting.

I remember reaching a point where I started complaining to my parents. But deep down, I knew they were doing the best they could. They had their own responsibilities, and money wasn’t exactly flowing for them either. To make matters worse, my school had a policy that students couldn’t cook for themselves. You either bought food from the cafeteria or from restaurants nearby, which were always more expensive. This meant there was no way to cut costs by preparing my own meals — something that could have saved me a lot.

It wasn’t long before the situation started taking a toll on me mentally and academically. It’s hard to focus on lectures when your mind is stuck on whether you’ll be able to afford dinner later. Some days I’d be in class, but my head was somewhere else entirely, running numbers in my mind and thinking about how to survive the next day. I felt drained — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

But one thing about me is that I talk to myself a lot. Whenever life pushes me into a corner, I have these deep conversations with myself, almost like I’m my own coach. I kept reminding myself that things wouldn’t always be like this. I held on to the belief that one day life would get better — especially for my mum — and that she would be able to do more for me. I didn’t know when or how that change would come, but I refused to let go of hope.

Then, in the middle of all that struggle, something unexpected happened. That was when I discovered Hive. At first, I didn’t fully understand how it worked, but I decided to give it a try. I started learning, posting, and engaging. Slowly, I began to see results. The money I earned in the beginning wasn’t huge, but it was enough to make a real difference. It meant I could help myself without constantly worrying, and that was a huge relief.

Since then, things have improved a lot. I can now support myself in small but meaningful ways, and I no longer feel as helpless as I did before. Looking back, I’ve realized that tough times don’t last forever. Sometimes, they push us toward opportunities we never imagined. For me, that opportunity was Hive — and it turned my lowest point into a stepping stone.

Thanks for reading.