Have you considered the journey rivers take from their sources to the mouth?
There are varying currents and ebbs, each moving at its pace.
Irrespective, none feels left behind.
None cares which part first empties into another body of river.
What's more important is that they move to new horizons.
What about we humans?
Not gonna lie, I have been there.
It’s my third year at the University of Ibadan. I think I finally hit it with my circle of friends—eating together, moving together, spending the night at one another’s space, and studying together. We were sitting ENG 368, Literary Analysis, examination. It’s one of my best subjects. One part I love about literary texts is thematic preoccupation and the freedom to reflect on the underlying messages, ideas, or issues that the author wants to explore or convey to the audience, including drawing examples from the real world.
So there I was, enjoying the questions and writing away. We had 3 hours for the paper. Of course, depending on your speed and analytical skills, you could be done in about 2 hours.
It must have been 1 hour and 50 minutes when I saw one of my friends heading to the submission table.
“Ahn, ahn, Efiko!" I thought to myself.
We exchanged what seemed like a well done look. Then, I took a breath and continued with the essay I was writing.
I didn’t know where the urge came from, but I suddenly wanted to conclude the essay and submit my paper. I wanted to be outside with my friend.
I felt trapped and overwhelmed.
As more of my colleagues submitted and left the hall one by one, there was this impulse to follow suit, driven not necessarily by the satisfactory completion of the exam but by the fear of being left behind.
We can also call it societal pressure!
Can you relate?
You might want to say it's not that d.e.e.p.
I can tell you that it points to serious underlying issues that permeate every area of life.
Poor self-esteem is one of them.
The urge to conform and keep pace with your peers can be overwhelming, often leading you to make choices that may not align with your true intentions or capabilities.
Afraid of being left behind?
You find yourself living a life of rushed decisions and self-limitation, hindering your growth and potential in careers, relationships, and personal aspirations.
You may find yourself chasing after goals that are not truly your own, simply because they align with the trajectories of those around you.
Yes, we are social beings, and our longing for connection may be argued for because I wanted to be outside with my friend. However, it shouldn’t be to the detriment of losing my agency.
Where do you think you are being left behind? Aren’t you diminishing yourself simply because your besties or peers seem ahead of you?
Know this: regardless of the depth of the relationship, the lives of others and their choices will forever be external benchmarks or timelines.
So, beware of running by them.
Normal normal, no one is being left behind.
Your life is not an Olympics.
Move at our pace.
With your mind set on the right reasons to.
Stay BAKE!
Your life is not an Olympics
Move at your own pace.
Thank you coach!
The introduction.... Wow! Thank you for showing up today and for sharing your thoughts with us. I can relate with that examination hall feeling when my colleagues submit and walk away one after the other.