The Final Stretch - by Princess Chronicles

Burning Candles, Sweaty Eyes and a Packed Brain. 😭 A packed brain that has refused to accommodate one more thing. Limited hours, limited time, and somehow, so much left to cover.My goodness...😭 If you have ever found yourself in a situation where you have so much to do and so little time to do it, you probably understand the feeling I'm trying to describe. For the past three months, my brain has been on a different journey. The strike disrupted our academic calendar, and somewhere along the line, I found myself channelling my energy into other things. I wrote. A LOT. I discovered TwoCents, explored ideas, poured my thoughts into words, and wrote about things that never even made it to the platform. Some of those thoughts might still find their way there someday.I built, managed communities, showed up for people, and kept doing the things that make me feel like myself.I've always known that I'm more than a student. But now, we're back and the reality of being back is finally settling in. In three days, my final-semester examinations begin.I've spent years building the result I have today. Every semester has contributed something to it, and I know how much work it has taken to get here. Now, I'm at the final lap, trying to give it one last shot.And it's emotional for me... This particular semester took a lot out of me, especially mentally. I went through things I wouldn't wish on myself again. From being drugged to experiencing sexual assault, navigating falling-outs, and dealing with everything else life decided to throw at me, there were moments when simply keeping myself together required more strength than people could see. And somehow, through all of that, I still had responsibilities, communities to manage, people to show up for, Things to build. and personal goals to pursue.Sometimes, I look back and wonder how I managed to keep going. But here I am. Three days away from examinations that will contribute to the final result I've worked towards for years. Three days away from sitting in an examination hall again, answering questions, managing time, recalling what I've read, and hoping that everything I've put into these years will count. And the funny thing is, I'm not even as anxious as I expected to be. I'm almost anxiously relieved. 😂Does that even make sense? I'm excited. I'm grateful. I'm nostalgic. I'm trying to process the fact that October 29 is my signing-out day. October 29! Do you understand what that means?I'm finally approaching the end of this university chapter. I've already started thinking about what's next. Relocating back to Lagos permanently is one of the things I'm genuinely looking forward to. There are opportunities I want to explore, things I want to build, and so much I want to do with the next chapter of my life.But before all that, there are examinations to write.And tonight, we're wrapping up our marathon reading sessions. One thing I have genuinely enjoyed about this preparation is reconnecting with my coursemates. The rigorous reading, the marathon sessions, the little discussions, and the collective effort to understand what we need to understand before the examinations begin. Everybody seems to be feeling the pressure in one way or another, and honestly, there's something comforting about knowing that you're not the only person trying to get everything together. I'm grateful for these people. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be here. And I'm grateful that, despite everything this semester has demanded of me, I'm still here to take these examinations.Now, if you've been following my journey, you probably know how structured I can be. I have had to cut out certain things, reorganise my time, and make room for what matters most right now. Still, if there's one thing I've learnt about preparing for examinations, it's that you can have a plan and still find yourself staring at your books, wondering how on earth you're going to cover everything.Sometimes, your eyes are reading, but your brain has clocked out. 😭Sometimes, you've been studying for hours, and you're no longer sure whether you're actually retaining anything.So, please, I need your help.What actually works for you when preparing for examinations?Do you have a reading technique that helps you retain information? A revision method that makes complicated topics easier to understand? A way of managing time during examinations? Or even a little trick that helps you stay calm when you enter the examination hall?Please share it with me in the comments. I'm genuinely open to learning, and if I find something that works for me, I'll gladly implement it. And to everyone writing examinations soon, especially my fellow final-year students, I wish us the very best.May our preparation meet opportunity. May we remember what we have studied. May we have the clarity to understand the questions and the wisdom to answer them well.Please, keep me in your prayers, too. I need them. 😂October 19, we begin. October 29, I sign out. And between these two dates lies a lot of hard work, faith, and the hope of finally seeing the results of everything we've put in.I'm trusting the creator for strength, focus, and the grace to finish well.A final Stretch, Indeed.

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