Africa
Beyond the Gates: What Life After School Really Looks Like -By Oluwatosin Omotoso Anthonia
For Mayowa, it was about navigating harsh realities with the help of skills gained along the way. For Glory, it was a reminder that networking matter as much as a degree. For Philip, it was the realization that structure is gone, and self responsibility is the new rule.
Life after school is a reality every student dreams about ,but few truly understand until they step into it. For some, it comes with hope, excitement, and the freedom to chase dreams. For others, it unfolds as pressure, uncertainty, and lessons they never imagined inside a classroom.
Through the voices of recent graduates, we see how stepping outside the university gates reshapes expectations and introduces a world very different from lecture halls and assignments.
Dreams and Dilemmas
For Mayowa Marvelous Omotayo, a graduate of Software Engineering from Bayero University, Kano, the transition was marked by choices.
“While waiting for my results, I struggled with the decision whether to stay in Kano or relocate. I eventually settled for relocating, hoping for greener pastures,” he said with a smile.
The months that followed were not easy. “It was a bit difficult getting my hands on something while waiting for NYSC. But thanks to my previously learned skills, I freelanced and volunteered until an opportunity came by.”
Yet, he admits the reality outside school was harsher than expected. “I thought life outside uni would be kinder, but it’s a world where no one really cares. There are societal expectations, corporate demands, and you are left to figure it out alone.”
Faith and Resilience
For Glory Babalola, who studied Accounting at Bayero University, Kano, life after school is both sweet and demanding.
“After school is beautiful. It’s a phase where you make decisions for yourself, and whatever decision you make determines the results,” she explained.
But the beauty has its struggles. “There was a time when I was so depressed. Looking for a job felt like a job on its own. Everywhere I turned, they asked for 2–3–5 years of experience.”
In her toughest moments, faith became her anchor. “I was frustrated until God gave me His word. I’m still holding on to it,” she said.
Glory also emphasizes the power of networking. “After school, I realized networking is power. Now I run a food business, and I see what people are making. But because I don’t have access to certain networks, it limits me.”
Finding Structure
Olaniran Oluwatobifunmi Philip, a graduate of Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Federal University of Technology Minna, describes the shock of leaving behind the structure school provided.
“Doing IT helped a lot. I had a glimpse of what a 9 to 5 feels like. But as a graduate, it is different the structure you had in school is gone. In school, there were classes, exams, engagements. Outside, it is up to you,” he explained.
He believes that beyond certificates, self-drive is what sustains graduates. “There’s a limit to where your certificate will do the job for you. You are the one who must go the extra mile. Life is not so difficult, it’s just that it’s now up to you.”
Lessons Beyond the Classroom
From their stories, a common truth emerges, life after school tests more than academic knowledge. It demands resilience, adaptability, and faith.
For Mayowa, it was about navigating harsh realities with the help of skills gained along the way. For Glory, it was a reminder that networking matter as much as a degree. For Philip, it was the realization that structure is gone, and self responsibility is the new rule.
Their journeys remind us that while university prepares us in part, the greatest lessons often come after graduation in the everyday struggles, decisions, and hopes that shape who we become.
