Final year project.

"It's your final year and I hope you guys are fully prepared for your project, there are no two ways to graduate without it. It will be better for you all to get it right at once," Mr. Akinfolami, the Head Of Department concluded his short speech after having a brief discussion with us.

"Thank you sir," We chroused and clapped for him because he is a man of honour and prestige. Although he is strict but he always wanted the best for every student in the department.

As he stepped out of the classroom, the class became a marketplace. There was so much noise and it beat down to the excitement the students were having all in the name of becoming a graduate soon. I was happy as well, the journey wasn't an easy one for me but I didn't have any reason to celebrate with our final exams approaching and the undergraduate project as well.

I stepped out of the classroom immediately and looked for somewhere to sit on the school premises. I started planning how to go about everything I needed to do as a final-year student and while planning, my aunt's experience during her undergraduate project struck my mind.

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She went through a lot and whenever she shared her experience with me, it always made me nervous.

"I am not saying this to scare you and I just want you to be prepared for what's ahead," She always told me this after we talked about school.

After planning, I swung into action immediately. I started collecting old handouts to study how things are done and mastered it after some weeks. It was challenging combining the project preparation and studies for examination but deep down, I knew I was making the right decision for myself.

Weeks passed and I was able to get my project supervisor easily. The HOD did a great job with assigning the students supervisors and things went really smoothly. My issues started with getting a topic because my supervisor kept rejecting my topics and I got exhausted even before the project started.

In the end, this woman gave me a topic and I felt like crying.

"Isn't this wickedness?" I asked myself and cried silently as I left her office because the topic was going to take more of my time and require more money than I planned.

During that period, my dad was ill and I was struggling emotionally but I didn't let anything hold me back. My progress with the project was rejected a few times but it only helped me to do better with it.

I worked so hard to complete the project and was rest assured that defending it wouldn't be a problem.

The big day came and I was the 34th student to defend my project. It happened in a small hall and the students were asked to stay outside while the judges called us in one after the other.
While outside, I paid attention to the students' faces when they were coming out of the hall after defending their project and the majority of them weren't smiling. It made me nervous and I prayed silently for God to help me because I had prepared well enough.

It's not my first time addressing a lot of people but I was nervous because it had to do a lot with my graduating from school.

"You have to get it this once," I told myself severally while waiting for my turn.

Balikis! Balikis!! I heard more than one voice calling me so I quickly stood from where I was. I was lost in thought already and just adjusted my dress immediately.

I rushed into the hall and when told to bring my judge copy of the handout, I was shivering. I missed my steps and almost fell, my hands were clearly shaking and my eyes were filled with tears already.

"We are not here to bite you, feel free to talk to us. Is that clear?" the only female judge among them said to me and I got a bit of confidence from her.

I started and was still trembling but the deeper I went, my confidence increased. I got to a point when I started flowing and the words were just pouring out of nowhere.

"That's actually enough, I love your presentation. Well done," the female judge smiled and it was a sign of approval for me.

I went out of the hall and started crying, my head was full of so many emotions; I thought about the struggles, my future, my family and my dad's health.

Other students who didn't know what was happening thought I didn't defend the project well and they comforted me. I was happy that everything went well and today, I am a graduate.