As I listen to this mesmerizing Jazz melody "Three Sisters" by Shalosh from the album "Tales of Utopia", I'm contemplating how to begin this review. The music holds me in its sway so I glance to check the title of the current song. Three. It sparks an idea. Why not divide this review into three distinct yet unequal periods? The time before I ventured into tech; the period spanning my entry into tech until this hot December evening (Yes, it's December, and it's hot; that's Lagos, Nigeria for you); and the third encompassing the period after I publish this article. Not that I'm claiming any psychic prowess.

Let's dive straight in.

The Time Before I Ventured into Tech

Academic Transition: From Commercials to Sciences

My secondary school is a good place to begin. I was a smart kid in secondary school (academically). During my junior secondary school years, I was very good at Mathematics and Business Studies. I consistently achieved my highest scores in these subjects. I wanted to become a Chartered Accountant.

During junior secondary school, it was customary to study subjects from these three fields - Arts, Commercials, and the Sciences. Then at the senior level, we will specialize in any of these fields. Our performance at the junior level and the course we hoped to study at the university guided our choice of specialization. This was the practice in my school and most Nigerian secondary schools.

When it was time for me to pick a specialization, I picked Commercials. It seemed like the obvious choice. I wanted to do Accounting, and I was good at Business Studies. However, one of my teachers advised otherwise. I had just won the award for the Overall First Position in my class and the Best Student in Mathematics. "Why will you pick Commercials when you're the best in Mathematics?", he asked. He, as well as many other people, students, teachers, and parents alike, shared the sentiment that the Sciences were for the most intelligent students and those very good at Mathematics, while Commercials and Arts were for those who might not excel at the Sciences.

I went for the Sciences. Even though I didn't feel some of the Science courses as much, I did well in it. I was overall top of my class every term throughout Senior Secondary school. Still fond of the Commercial side of things, I picked Economics as an elective and did well in it. It was all well and good until my WASSCE examination. It proved to be an eye-opener. I had C6 each in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics - three of the core Science subjects. I had a B2 in Mathematics, a B3 in Further Mathematics, and a B3 in Economics.

Post-Secondary Graduation: Choosing a Path

After I graduated from secondary school in 2015 at the age of 14, I took a four-year break before entering the university. Wondering why? I had to do some work to save some money to support myself in the university. This is in addition to the fact that the University of Lagos (UNILAG), my intended institution, required students to be at least 16 years old before they could be considered for admission.

In the first year after I graduated, I worked as a teacher in my mum's primary school. The pay was small and my mum knew it so she convinced me to apply to some other place. By January of the following year, I started work as a salesperson for a store where we sold electronic and electrical appliances.

During my first year working at this store, I wanted to register for UTME - the standardized entrance examination for Nigerian universities. But there was a problem. I did not know what I wanted to study at the university. Recall that I was persuaded to study the Sciences. Well, then, I had some thoughts on what I could study in university since Accounting was out of the picture. Medicine was also out of the picture because I cringed at the sight of blood or serious injuries and bodily malfunctions, a clear indication that a medical career wasn't for me. Engineering emerged as the only viable alternative. After some deliberations with my JSS3 Intro-Tech textbook (there was a chapter on different careers in engineering), I decided I would study Chemical Engineering. This was the plan until the knowledge of my WASSCE result discouraged me. While I could have pursued Engineering with my result, I knew it would be a suicidal move. Physics and Chemistry, integral to Engineering studies, weren't my strong suits as emphasized by my result, making it a potentially perilous choice.

The hunt for a course of study began. With Medicine and Engineering out of the way, I started looking through other lesser-known courses. Amidst this search, Computer Science crossed my mind. However, my limited exposure to computers—only occasional use at Cyber Cafes for assignments—held me back. I didn't even own a phone until two years after I started working. I wanted to do very well at the university so I wanted to pick a course where I believed I could thrive, and considering my experience (or lack of it) with using computers, I doubted if Computer Science was the right fit.

After much contemplation, I eventually settled on studying Mathematics. It felt like the natural fit—almost the only choice. Besides, I was good at Mathematics. Yet, beyond that, I lacked clarity on potential career paths after studying Mathematics ultimately envisioning myself as a lecturer. Even my mum harbored reservations. She understood the meager compensation teachers and lecturers receive in Nigeria, hoping for a different career path for me. But I had no other viable option at that point, or so I thought.

I wrote UTME and scored 277 out of 400. In my post-UTME, I scored 23 out of 30. This was more than enough to study Mathematics, but I was not given admission by UNILAG. I came to find out that I had picked the wrong subject combination in my UTME. In my bid to escape doing both Chemistry and Physics in the same exam, I had picked English, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Economics. But I was supposed to include Physics which I didn't. I had to retake UTME the following year.

In my third year after graduating from secondary school, I took UTME for the second time, this time with a correct subject combination—English, Mathematics, Physics, and Economics. I secured a score of 312 out of 400 and 23 out of 30 (again) in post-UTME. Subsequently, I gained admission to study Mathematics, and by my fourth year after leaving secondary school, I started receiving lectures at the University of First Choice—UNILAG.

In the University of First Choice

When I secured admission to study Mathematics at UNILAG, I made a firm decision to prioritize my studies. You see, I wasn't very good at a lot of things and I did not have any skills outside formal education. Mathematics was one of the very few things I was good at, so I just had to give it my best. It felt like my primary gateway to a promising livelihood. The plan was simple: aim for a first-class degree, possibly achieve a 5.00/5.00 CGPA, secure a scholarship for a Master's abroad, pursue a teaching career overseas while pursuing my Ph.D., and lead a content, modest life with my family. But life had other plans.

I finished my first semester with a 4.60/5.00 CGPA. Guess the courses that failed me? The usual suspects—Introductory Chemistry I and Introductory Physics I. I had B's in both (65% and 66% respectively). It was disheartening; I had hoped for a stronger start. If I couldn't achieve a perfect score at 100 level, a phase somewhat akin to a revision of secondary school work, how would I make it when it got tougher?

During the semester, I took an Introductory Computer Science course. We covered the conventional aspects—computer history, generations, data, and information, etc. However, one topic stood out: 'Introduction to Programming.' Despite the chaotic and hot classroom atmosphere, I listened attentively as the young lecturer from the Computer Department explained what programming was about. It dawned on me then that programming was the creative force behind the cool video games I'd sneak out to play. The apps I downloaded on the phone I got a few months prior—a Tecno Spark 2 (a phone I'll always cherish), the websites I have visited, and more. Computer programming made all this possible! My interest piqued. How was I only discovering this now?

As part of our coursework, we embarked on a practical project using Visual Basic, a GUI-based programming language, to craft a basic interface for calculating the areas of various shapes. I borrowed my best friend Paul's laptop to work on the project. I truly enjoyed it. Moving shapes across the screen, implementing functions, and seeing concepts materialize. I was hooked. I secured an A in the course with a score that was my highest for the semester, even higher than what I scored in Introductory Mathematics. Yet, that was seemingly the end of it—or so I thought. I presumed most of my future courses would revolve around Mathematics and I wouldn't have a chance to do any other thing on programming. That was when I wished I'd opted for Computer Science instead.

In my second semester of 100 level, I had to choose between Introductory Chemistry 2 and Introductory Physics 2 as my elective course. Given my previous struggles in these subjects, I wasn't enthusiastic about either. To make a decision, I attended a class for each, only to find overcrowded lecture halls with students from various departments across three faculties. I knew I could not cope. However, a coursemate mentioned an alternative—Software Workshop I, a Computer programming course. Of course, I went for the next class and the enthusiasm from the Computer course from the previous semester was still there, probably doubled with curiosity. We were learning the C programming language. It was very different from what we did with Visual Basic but I was still interested. For most of my first class, which was like the third class, I did not understand most of the concepts. I needed a device to run codes but did not want to bother Paul. Thankfully, I discovered I could run codes on my phone—the Tecno Spark 2—using the Dcoder mobile app, so I downloaded it. I also got the course textbook—"C How to Program" by Paul J. Deitel and Harvey M. Deitel.

Over the following weeks, I devoted myself to reading, coding, and resolving bugs. In under six weeks, I'd finished the first ten chapters of the textbook—a journey I thoroughly enjoyed! However, the concept of pointers remained a challenge, though everything else gradually fell into place. Before the exams, I had gone over the first ten chapters almost two times, without skipping any words. Additionally, I solved numerous exercises from the book. This course ignited an unparalleled level of enthusiasm in me. When the semester results arrived, I achieved an impressive 94%. To this day, it remains my highest score in any course. I finished the semester with a 5.00 SGPA and a 4.80 CGPA.

During the break in late 2019, I wanted to start preparing for the 200 level, so I checked the prospectus to see the courses I will be offering in the new semester and I noticed "Introduction to Computer Programming", another programming course—definitely, count me in! I made some inquiries and discovered the course would focus on learning the Python programming language. I began exploring online resources. There was indeed a lot I could do with my phone. I downloaded the Pydroid app to execute Python codes and downloaded a Python textbook (though I can't recall its title). I started learning Python alongside other courses to be offered. I loved writing Python so I was curious about what I could do if I decided to take this programming stuff seriously. I streamlined it to data science and software engineering.

While engrossed in learning Python, a coursemate, John, shared a link to our class WhatsApp group. He wanted to teach interested individuals HTML and CSS for web development. I did not know what HTML and CSS were, but I knew what the web was. I did a quick Google search and saw a glimpse of these languages' functions in web development. I joined the group and downloaded another textbook redirecting my focus from Python to web development. It was more satisfying because I could see visual results in real-time on my browser! It was like Visual Basic all over again (the visual feedback). Despite the group's eventual disbandment after a few weeks, I persisted in learning. Then we resumed 200 level.

The Period Spanning My Entry into Tech Until This Hot December Evening

Embarking on the Tech Journey

I started joining different tech platforms on WhatsApp and Facebook.

In January 2020, as I commenced 200 level, I stumbled upon a broadcast within one of the tech groups I had joined. It detailed a physical tech training at the school campus organized by Engineering Career Expo (ECX), Unilag. Excited, my friend Emeka and I signed up. We needed to pick a specialization. We streamlined our options to Python and Frontend Web Development. I initially inclined toward Python before Emeka wisely pointed out that since Python was part of our semester curriculum, opting for Frontend Web Development would offer us a different learning experience. By the way, Emeka is currently a badass Python backend web developer and DevOps engineer.

Adapting Amidst Strikes and COVID-19 Lockdown

In March 2020, I started having issues combining these ECX classes with normal school classes. I was behind in both, so when the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) announced a two-week warning strike, I was glad. I believed I could use it to get back on track. However, by the strike's conclusion, I hadn't made significant progress and secretly wished for an extension (which turned out to be a regrettable wish). With no resolution reached between the government and ASUU during the initial warning strike, ASUU declared an indefinite total strike. It lasted 9 months.

One week into the indefinite strike, a COVID-19 lockdown was announced in Lagos. The month before, the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Lagos and it had started spreading. The lockdown was an attempt to curb the spread.

When news of the lockdown came, I was very scared because my parents would have to stop working. How would we cope with finance and all that? A few weeks into the lockdown, I was beginning to get depressed. At this point, I was not doing anything. I had disengaged from both front-end web development and my academic studies. Then ECX did something cool. They organized a 30 Days of Code Challenge where they gave daily challenges for students to do and submit with a live leaderboard. Being someone who likes competition, I signed up to tackle both front-end and Python challenges. Engaging in this challenge became my escape from the daunting realities of the outside world—concerns over COVID-19 and financial strain. I put all of my frustrations and brokenness into the challenge.

Initially, the front-end challenges centered on HTML and CSS. However, they soon introduced JavaScript challenges. Since I hadn't commenced learning JavaScript, I swiftly turned to W3 Schools to start my JavaScript learning journey. Juggling JavaScript learning and the front-end challenges became a struggle due to frequent power outages. Coding solely on my phone compounded the challenge—I relied on the AnWriter mobile app for front-end coding and Pydroid for Python. Despite my efforts, I fell short of completing the frontend challenge, while I managed to complete the Python challenge, securing a position in the top 3.

At the end of the challenge, I continued learning JavaScript and did some basic projects. Then I started building a scientific calculator. As the calculator started taking shape, I fell really sick, the most sick I've felt for a long while. I hardly fall sick and when I do, I recover in less than a week of taking meds. This one went on for weeks. We were scared it was COVID-19 although I did not have the usual symptoms. We didn't want to go to the hospital because my mum was of the school of thought that any sick people who went to the hospital would always get diagnosed with COVID-19 so they could inflate the numbers. This meant we had to self-medicate with a nearby pharmacy. First I took meds for typhoid, then malaria, then measles (because rashes started appearing on my body), and then body pain meds. After three weeks and lots of meds, I started getting better. When I got fully better, I completed the scientific calculator. It was my toughest project then and I am still proud of it. Here's a link to it.

My First Internship

In my pursuit within the tech sphere, I actively engaged with Facebook groups dedicated to technology discussions and joined vibrant WhatsApp communities focused on the same. Seeking hands-on learning experiences, I started applying to unpaid internships aimed at nurturing skills. The first one I got into was with Migrant Solutions, a full-stack web development internship facilitated by Joseph Brendan.

The curriculum spanned UI/UX design, introducing React for front-end development and Node.js/Express for the backend. I used my phone for this as well. I installed the Termux app to simulate a command line interface, which I used to bootstrap and build applications. For the UI/UX classes, I just followed along without actual practice.

Later, I registered for the HNG i7 program, but I discontinued my participation at stage 3 because of issues with erratic power supply, despite my enthusiasm and commitment.

My First Laptop

During the lockdown, my family was hit hard financially, and I felt the weight of it all. To support them, I seized an opportunity that came my way: the owner of the electronics store where I'd previously worked asked me to tutor his kids at home. With schools transitioning to online classes and UNILAG still affected by the ASUU strike, it felt like a good chance. I tutored these kids three times a week, earning NGN 10,000 monthly. After working for about six months, I managed to save up to NGN 45,000.

With an additional NGN 30,000 from my mum, I scraped together NGN 75,000 and invested it in a used HP laptop. My phone—the Tecno Spark 2, my loyal companion in my coding journey for almost a year, was struggling. The poor thing was overloaded with all the dev stuff I'd piled onto it, hanging more often than not. An upgrade was long overdue.

As anticipated, that laptop came with its fair share of problems—it was too heavy, prone to overheating, and more. However, despite its flaws, it played a pivotal role in my journey. Surprisingly, in less than two months of owning it, I landed my first gig and recouped almost all the money I'd invested in purchasing the laptop.

My First Gig: An Unexpected Breakthrough

Towards the end of 2020 and equipped with my first laptop, I dove deeper into mastering React, taking on a challenging project—building a resume builder similar to Zety. I never completed the project but it was a crucial step in my learning journey. Here is a link to what was done. At this point, I was oblivious to the potential of earning substantial income while still in school through tech skills. However, my involvement in active WhatsApp tech communities opened my eyes to a whole new world. I stumbled upon job posts, witnessed discussions on charging rates for gigs, and was even amazed when someone mentioned charging up to NGN 400k for a project. It was mind-boggling considering that all the work I'd done in the two years before entering university hadn't amassed half of such earnings.

Motivated by this newfound potential, I doubled down on my learning efforts. Returning to my resume app one fateful Tuesday, I encountered a bug that threatened to derail my progress—the kind that would make you question your existence. Without a mentor or personal guide, everything I did was self-taught. On this particular day, I was very frustrated, and as the clock approached 6 in the evening, I reluctantly closed my system to prepare for church. However, a sudden urge compelled me to check the Sololearn Nigeria group, a tech community I frequented. The last message by Kenny caught my eye. It was an assignment project requiring HTML, CSS, and JS.

Struck by the bug of the day, I felt unprepared to dive into applying for gigs. Yet, I couldn't resist the urge to open the PDF and explore its contents. The HTML and CSS part of the project looked doable, and while the JavaScript aspect also appeared approachable, I had impostor syndrome.

I summoned the courage to send Kenny a message. Surprisingly, he didn't ask for my portfolio or CV. I had neither. He just mentioned a NGN 60k payment with a 3-day deadline and asked if I could meet the deadline. It was surreal—an opportunity presenting itself when I least expected it. I didn't know if I could meet the deadline but I accepted it. Kenny sent half the payment upfront, and it felt like a dream. Just a one-page site with some JS interaction and it was the highest money I'd earned at once, and that was 80% of the money I spent on the laptop.

I spent three consecutive sleepless nights on it because the agency in charge of the power supply had a knack for bringing light at night. I did a good job which Kenny confirmed because he gave me another job some weeks later which happened to be my second ever job and just like that, I had started earning some money from tech. I was now a tech bro!

Exploring UI/UX and My Dive into Technical Writing

Soon after I got my first system, I started exploring UI/UX design. Recall that at the internship facilitated by Joseph Brendan, I followed the Figma classes but couldn't practice. Having a system now allowed me to start practicing UI/UX while concurrently learning Reactjs. The resume app I was working on just before securing my first gig was entirely designed by me using Figma. Toward the end of 2020, the Google Developers Student Club (GDSC), Unilag, organized study groups for different tech stacks. I signed up for UI/UX. Our first task was to write an article on the difference between UX and UI.

I've always harbored a fondness for writing. In my junior secondary school years, I had written some novels and drama plays, although none were published. It was what I did for fun—creating scenarios and telling stories. So, when presented with the opportunity to write an article on UX and UI, I eagerly embraced it. I titled it "Let's Differentiate UX From UI". In a bid to be creative, I infused a hint of storytelling and comedy. I remember one of our mentors commending the article for its uniqueness.

That article ignited a realization within me—I needed to venture further into technical writing which I did. I went on to author several technical articles on platforms like Hashnode, Devto, Medium, and Educative.io. I even published a text-based course (Click to view) on Educative earlier this year, and I'm currently working on another course slated for release next year.

As for my UI/UX pursuits, I worked on some projects. The first full mobile app I designed, Ginyverse, is now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store—an application where you can render help to people and get cash. I also worked on other personal design projects. But at some point last year, I decided that design wasn't probably the best for me, at least for the time being. I made the conscious decision to prioritize software development and delve deeper into technical writing.

Embracing My First Full-Time Job Amidst School Challenges

Following my first gig in 2020, subsequent well-paying gigs flooded in due to my commitment to delivering quality work and ensuring client satisfaction, which secured me referrals. One of these referrals opened the door to my very first full-time job. As I transitioned to this new phase, I invested in a new Windows laptop. This coincided with ASUU's suspension of the 9-month strike and the resumption of online classes in my school. Now I had to combine a full-time job with school. It proved difficult to get back to school mode after being engrossed in non-academic pursuits for a prolonged period.

Resuming online classes after such a lengthy hiatus was difficult. We were mostly given bulk PDFs and materials and a few inefficient Zoom lectures. I found it difficult to read before exams or adopt my usual study habits, I found myself cramming right before exams, and this impacted my grades. My CGPA, which stood at 4.8 before the strike and lockdown, dipped to 4.73 by the end of my 200 level. It became evident I had to pick one - school or work because we would be resuming 300 level physically and physical exams were expected to be more elaborate than the online exams we did in 200 level.

Yet, dropping my job wasn't an option. It had become a means of supporting my family and myself, affording me some financial independence and lessening the burden on my parents. So I sought inspiration from others who balanced their tech careers with education, the common pattern was that many prioritized work over their studies, impacting their academic performance. That's why I don't believe that a person's CGPA is a true measure of their intelligence because I encountered very brilliant individuals who were in second class or lower but excelled in their professional pursuits. They only decided to place their priorities on work because some of them were breadwinners and couldn't afford to deprioritize earning money.

However, I made a promise to myself upon admission—to strive for a first-class honor. Realizing that my current approach jeopardized this goal, particularly with the impending return to physical lectures in 300 level, I resolved to defy all odds and achieve a 5.0 SGPA in the first semester of my 300 level, despite the challenges.

Managing Multiple Jobs and School Effectively

In 2022, I found myself diving into various jobs and gigs. At first, I crafted a plan to effectively allocate time between reading and work. However, new opportunities kept presenting themselves which rendered my plan useless. An enticing full-time role emerged, prompting me to take on two jobs. Then some weeks before my first semester exams (300 level), I got a side gig. It was difficult to turn it down. I needed the money. Managing two jobs and a gig proved far more demanding than I anticipated. When it was time for the exam, I had to resign from my first job. But it still proved difficult juggling a job, a gig, and doing tutorials for coursemates.

Transitioning to physical classes after the long break and online classes was disorienting. I hardly felt prepared for exams, often relying on last-minute study sessions. Sometimes people ask me how I manage to cope well with code and school. I usually don't have an answer and they think I'm joking. Sometimes I even wonder how I manage to cope. I can't even give myself a straight answer.

For some of my math courses, friends and coursemates would reach out weeks before exams seeking help with solving some problems and I told them I hadn't covered those topics myself. I'm sure some of them found it hard to believe. How could a first-class student not have studied this close to exams? But that was my reality. So, I changed my approach. I focused on strategic studying instead of delving deeply into each topic. I learned the pattern of our lecturers and the kinds of questions they typically asked. If a particular topic seemed too complex to grasp quickly, I'd skip it, hoping compulsory questions wouldn't come from it in the exam.

With some divine help and that strategy, I managed to take all the exams and score A's across the board. I was overjoyed to have achieved straight 5.0 scores (for the first time since 100 level, second semester) despite these challenges. Some might have been surprised by my grades, especially those who knew I hadn't started studying until just three weeks before the exams. But that was the reality.

This Year, 2023

Earlier this year, during my 300-level second semester, the gig I was working on from the previous semester had ended, leaving me back to one job, smoother routines, and a focus on my studies. I decided to take more electives to help boost my CGPA even further. Then someone referred me for a contract job for a company. I would go on to become a full-time staff at the company because they liked the work I did during my contract employment. And so I was back to working two jobs. But before exams, I had to make a decision. I didn't want to be as unprepared as I was the previous semester. I had to drop one job. That was when this new job offered me a full-time role with a salary 33% less than the previous one. I knew that if I took it, I would have to quit the previous one, but that was what I did regardless of the salary downgrade. Things got incredibly stressful though, because we were on a tight schedule trying to meet client deadlines, and I was leading two front-end teams on the project. At times, I questioned whether choosing this job over the previous one was the right decision as the workload became more overwhelming. I had to let go of all the elective courses I initially enrolled in because I couldn't manage the load.

One particularly intense moment was when we had a client demo scheduled for 3 PM, coinciding with my Linear Algebra II exam at the same hour. The timing was chaotic. I had attended lectures, so I recalled bits and pieces, but couldn't commit to proper preparation for the course before the exam. I planned to do last-minute revision on the day of the exam but that plan fell apart due to urgent calls to fix issues in preparation for the demo. By 2 PM, I was still tangled up in a call at work. I left for school by 2:30 PM and arrived some minutes after the exam had begun. It was tough, and I feared a B or worse, a C. Surprisingly, I had an A (70% on the dot). In addition, I achieved an A in every other course I offered that semester amounting to another 5.0, lifting my CGPA to 4.81. Again, till now, I struggle to explain how I managed to balance school, technology, and various life aspects while consistently achieving such results.

Additionally, I accomplished other milestones this year, such as launching my course on Educative and extensively enhancing my skill set through continuous learning.

Currently, ...

Presently, I'm in the first semester of my final year (400 level). I've decided to focus on a single job. This break allows me the space to better manage my time and energy. However, I've already started working on a new text-based course slated for publication early next year.

Simultaneously, I have started work on my final year project centered around "Polynomials and their applications in error-correcting code." If you have experience in this field, I'd greatly appreciate connecting through Twitter (@stephcrown06) or email (emmanuelstephen024@gmail.com). Moreover, I'm expanding my skill set beyond front-end development. I started learning backend development with Elixir last year and am currently enrolled in a DevOps and Software Engineering course. The goal is to substantially improve my skills before graduating next year.

This is December, we have our exams in February and this is the most prepared I've been in the last 3 years for an upcoming exam. I don't know what will happen in the weeks leading to the exam, but I know one thing for sure, I'm not going to worry. The times I've had it tough, God came through for me in ways I did not imagine, in ways I can't even explain myself. He'll keep coming through for me. And even if I don't score all A's this semester or next, that doesn't mean he didn't come through for me. He still did. He always has. He always will!

The Period After I Publish This Article

This was a long one. I would understand if you did not get to this point or if you skipped some details. But if you followed through until now, I appreciate you.

In the Future

Looking ahead, I don't plan to further my studies in Mathematics. Post-BSc, I hope to chill for a while, do some work, and make some money. Then, my sights are set on pursuing a master's degree in a tech-centric field—be it IoT, AI, ML, or possibly an MBA.

Presently, I'm actively enrolling in online courses and working on projects, aiming to enhance my portfolio. My ultimate goal in the near future is to secure prominent remote positions in leading global companies. While the prospect of leaving my country isn't an immediate priority, I'm open to opportunities abroad should they arise.

I aspire to ascend the professional ladder, aiming for the role of an engineering manager. My current role has offered invaluable insights into project leadership, effective communication, and the art of managing teams. These experiences will form the bedrock for my future endeavors.

I harbor an ambitious dream: to become the first Nigerian CEO of Google. While this aspiration doesn't define the success of my career, it's a vision I hope to achieve. Alongside this professional ambition, there are other dreams on my bucket list.

One of these aspirations involves playing in a music band at an international concert. I play jazz drums and keyboard. By this time last year, I got an acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, amidst various commitments this year, I couldn't dedicate ample time to learning how to play it.

Assuming ASUU doesn't strike, I should be graduating next year, 2024. Hopefully do my NYSC (National Youth Service Corps)—next year or the year after. The future appears promising, brimming with possibilities.

I've shared a snippet of my journey, but there are some details I am not able to share. If any part of my story resonates with you or if you want to discuss similar experiences, feel free to connect with me on Twitter (@stephcrown06) or via email (emmanuelstephen024@gmail.com). I'm always open to conversations! Happy New Year!

Signing out.

Steph Crown.