Our Four Years Story - Our Memoir

We were called the “three musketeers” right from the beginning; but we never took the title serious until we sat down to analyze our life experiences/activities in the past four years.

          It started on September 2012 when we were still freshmen in the University. We passed through the same rigorous screening and assigning of departments (we were given two separate courses to combine). Just when we thought we were alone in the school, we ran into each other and that day marked the beginning of our historic and epic journey through the school.

          We started out as novices; in fact, we started as amateurs who hoped to fly out of the departments given to us as soon as we can. Immediately we settled in the school, we began to plan our escape. But God had other plans for us. We were given departments none of us actually bargained for nor imagined we would get. At a point we were ready to go back for a change; but each time we were prepared to do that, we automatically lost interest in the change and so we unconsciously carried on with it. 

In our first year, few weeks to our first semester exam (also first exam we would write in the school); we were not yet fully settled in school. We were still running around for registrations! We even attended lectures that our courses were not related to because we were so confused at that period! Each time we see a group of students rushing into a classroom, we always joined them. Few minutes into the lecture and then we realize we are not supposed to be there! We were so inexperienced that we could see a queue leading to nothing and we would join it only to leave when we realize it doesn’t concern us! We could also see a sheet of paper been passed round and we would be struggling to get it to write down our names for God knows what! Our early days in school was just so disorganized because we had no guide, no much help and even little orientation about our course(s). These and many other events surprisingly made us closer to each other. As freshmen, we naturally didn’t fancy life in the hostel and so we got an accommodation outside the school; though in the beginning, we were two living outside and the third person got a hostel. 

At a very early stage, we made friends with lecturers and students, and this actually helped us a lot in the future. Though the ride was not smooth, we still went about with happy faces. We had lectures clashing with each other! We could be in one class and before the end; we were already flying to another class! It got to a point we started sharing classes in cases where two classes of the same time is clashing; we spend 30minutes or an hour in one class and skyrocket ourselves to the other for the remaining 30minutes or one hour. Funny enough, even our exams were clashing too! During the exam period, we could write three papers a day and almost nobody will care to know how we managed to do it. We would complain to almost everyone in charge and the usual response we get is that nothing can be done unless we reach an agreement with the other students and this is almost impossible. Unluckily for us, this habit of clashing followed us till our final year!

          As sophomores, we already had our legs firmly rooted in the school and we knew our way round. We were able to have our way in most of the issues and other students didn’t dare challenge us. We were just a perfect clique; we encouraged each other; we did many things together; attended lectures together; moved about the school together; went to the market together; took selfies together; went to the stadium together and did many more together.

          We still had the clashing issues but only few were ready to listen to us and help us out; but unfortunately, they were not the ones in charge. Even at that, we were still smiling all through and made more friends that were helpful at one point or the other.

          As juniors, we were rocked by many issues starting from threats from the departments to lecturers to students and even amongst us! At a point, we were faced with withdrawal of admission! One of the departments got offended and claimed that their course is a professional course and can’t be combined with any other. We were bluntly told that our combination is not accepted and we had the choice of either picking one department as our major or leave the two and go back to write another exam to be readmitted into the university through another department. Surprisingly, we had so fallen in love with the two courses and we were doing well in both; so their options came as a shock and we were not ready to lose any. We were in shock for days and even weeks. We had sleepless nights and restless days thinking of how to settle the issue with the offended department. We called everyone we knew, had meetings, automatically went back to the lecturers and students we became friends with in our first year and even volunteered to clean up offices of lecturers and even the H.O.D just so our case will be reconsidered! After much hustle, the staff of the two departments had a meeting and after much deliberation they finally concluded that we can go on with the combination but no other person will be allowed to get that combination! They cancelled the combination and removed it from the faculty brochure and the freshmen who had started it were given another combination. After all said and done, we were allowed to continue since we had started and had gone quite far. We were under probation and the lecturers watched to see how we performed.

          This year was also very eventful as we participated in a lot of happenings in and around the school. We participated in sports activities and rallies organized by the department. 

We contested for different positions in the department making us almost the first combined students to hold positions in one of our departments; we contested for traditional titles and also became the first combined students to hold traditional titles in the departments. 

We also participated in different talents shows/competitions; one in a cooking competition, another in a dancing competition and another in a beauty competition. We did all these while having each others back in all!

          At this point, we were still battling with lectures and exam clashes but we now have more backup and it was easy to have our way. We knew how to present our plea to those in charge and in almost all the cases; we were always favoured. Though we still had few clashes, they were not that serious.

As seniors, we were already well known in the department, faculty and even school. At a point, a school magazine was ready to feature us and give us a column/article tagged “Best Friends Forever”. Well, this didn’t go through because on the day we were supposed to take the pictures to be used, we had a little quarrel in the photo studio and everyone left. But that didn’t get to us. In a short time we were back and kicking hard like we used to.

This year was not that eventful like the others because everyone was running round doing research for their projects and preparing for their final exams in the school. Though we were not really in good terms during our last papers, we were still surprisingly cool with each other!

Okay, enough school talk! Let me talk about our personal and social lives. One funny thing to note is that, even as best friends, we had very very very very little in common. We had different goals, aspirations, dreams, perspective, fashion sense, makeup sense, socialization sense even dating/relationship sense. We don’t even have same physical features; for instance, one of us is dark complexioned, the other is darker complexioned and the other is the darkest complexioned. Lol. Our heights and weights were also different; one was tall, the other taller and there is the tallest. We also had fat, fatter and fattest! In summary, we were just different beings with different way of life but tied together by an invincible and surprisingly strong bond!

We were also social; ‘everybody’ loved and respected us. We never let anyone disrespect any of us. Even if someone playfully tried to annoy any of us, we would all stand up to that person not to mention when it is done intentionally. Best of all, we attended parties when invited, we celebrated with friends when the need arose and we also contribute to help someone celebrate a special event. We attended friend’s birthdays, wedding, funerals, matriculation, convocation and many others.

We were also religious/spiritual. We went to Church regularly; traveled far to attend vigils and offer prayers at the end of each semester; participated in all the notable events/activities in the Catholic calendar (we were all Catholics) and we read our Bibles too. hehe.

We were also emotional; we stood in love, sat in love, fell in love, drank in love and even swam in love. But we never discussed our love life! It was everyone’s private issue and we never bothered asking unless someone brings it up herself. We also reminded each other of our birthdays and helped celebrate it just to make it count.

We were peaceful. We loved each other and tried as much as possible to be at peace with other people. To make it more fun, we had amazing neighbours who were also helpful throughout our stay! 

There was this next door neighbor who called the three of us his concubines! We shared almost everything. Whenever we wanted to cook, we never bothered about incomplete ingredients because we always knew where to get the missing stuff! Same thing with him! We were so close and helpful to one another that we could spend the night in the other person’s room when there was need. We also played different kinds of games (especially scrabble) and taught each other necessary things! We were just the perfect next door neighbours! Another unforgettable neighbor is the lady in the last room on our block. We called her Baby El! Don’t ask me why! 

We were also close but not as close as the next door neighbor dude. With her, we did all mischievous things! We stole each others foodstuff, makeup items, sachet water, soap, bathing water, detergent and even already cooked food! Due to our mischievous acts, she would lock her room always even when she is just sitting outside to get some fresh air! In all, we never had issue with each other even though we all knew we stole from each other! Another notable neighbour is the one who lived in the block facing ours. She was kind and also helpful and also gave us foodstuff and other things whenever we ask. Her birthday was usually after our vacation and we always come back a week or two to the birthday to be a part of it.

We will never forget the taste of her cakes and food! The other neighbours were also helpful and we enjoyed each other’s company throughout our stay there.

We lived in a quiet environment and so we tried to blend in. Our house was so well hidden that even when there is a little clash among other houses around, we were always excluded. We were well respected in the house too and also well troublesome! We disturbed a lot (in a good way though) that our landlord (and landlady) couldn’t wait for us to graduate and leave them in peace! As co-tenants, we all did collective cleanup in the house and sometimes we argued for hours over who should be in charge of the cleanup. We also argued and sometimes quarreled when the power holding company brings the bill for the month! We were just lucky to be in an amazing, adventurous and exciting environment and we enjoyed every bit of it.

We were also crazy! In one minute we are thinking up something and in the next minute we are already implementing it! We could do things we never imagined doing! Like been mute on each other for weeks while sleeping and eating in the same room! We could also be watching the same movie on the same screen and pretend the other person is invincible! We could also cook food together and settle to eat from the same plate without saying a word to each other!

In summary, we were all round; we were everywhere; we fit in almost everywhere; we were everyone’s friend; and even everyone’s special! We were just the best clique and we made sure we enjoyed ourselves and our stay in the University! The four years ride wasn’t easy but it was worth it, we successfully completed our stay without any issue and also got great results we are all proud of.

Now, we have gotten that “paper” that has kept us in school for four years; we want to use this medium to show our gratitude to people that mattered in our four years journey in University of Nigeria, Nsukka– God, our family and guardians, sponsors, supervisors, lecturers, students, classmates, leaders, friends, close/loved ones, neighbours and many others. I guess now we are ready to "Restore the Dignity of Man" like our school taught us to! lol! We would not have gone far without their love and support and prayers and guidance and everything else! We are grateful and will forever have you in our hearts!We also hope our story won't end like our four years program! We also want to have more stories to tell in the future!

Well, I guess that sums it all up. Thanks for reading our “boring” story. Okay, now you can go back to what you were doing. Wait, hope you got inspired – stand for what you believe in; accept God’s plan for you in good faith; make friends with people above and even below you, you never know when you will need them; don’t underestimate the people around you; whatever you do, put in much effort and make sure you succeed in it even if it’s not close to what you want; keep your friends close to your heart; don’t try to think you can do things alone, remember that the people life surrounds you with are supposed to be there to help you; wherever you go or whatever you do, remember people that help you get there; always remember God and His promises – and the list goes on and on!

Just keep calm and enjoy life as it comes to you!