The semester was moving fast, but Akutu felt different. Her recent failure had shaken her, but the process of redemption had awakened something within her—a deeper curiosity about who she really was.
She had come to university with a simple goal: study hard, graduate with good grades, and secure a stable job. But was that all there was to it? Was she only here to pass exams, or was there more to discover about herself?
One afternoon, she sat under a large baobab tree on campus, watching students move about. Some were laughing, some were in deep discussions, and others—like her—seemed lost in thought.
Jenny plopped down beside her. "You're in your deep-thinking mode again."
Akutu smiled. "Just trying to figure things out."
Jenny stretched her legs. "Like what?"
"Like… what I really want from life," Akutu admitted.
Jenny raised an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted to get a degree and a good job."
"I do," Akutu said. "But is that all? What if there's more I'm supposed to do? What if I have a passion I haven't discovered yet?"
Jenny smirked. "You sound like those motivational speakers."
Akutu chuckled. "Maybe I do. But I can't shake the feeling that I need to explore more."
That evening, she decided to step out of her comfort zone. Instead of locking herself in her room, she attended a seminar on personal development.
The speaker, a young entrepreneur, shared his journey of discovering his passion in university. "University is not just about studying—it's about learning who you are. Try new things. Explore. Because if you don't, you might graduate with a degree but no real direction."
His words hit Akutu hard.
Maybe she had been so focused on academics that she had ignored the journey of self-discovery.
In the following weeks, she experimented.
She attended club meetings, tried new hobbies, and even signed up for a leadership workshop. Some things interested her, others didn't—but the process excited her.
One day, she stumbled upon a creative writing group. She hesitated at the door, then stepped in. The room was filled with students sharing stories, discussing ideas, and bringing their thoughts to life through words.
Something about it felt… right.
She picked up a pen and began to write. For the first time, she wasn't writing for an assignment—she was writing for herself.
And in that moment, Akutu realized something: maybe self-discovery wasn't about finding a final answer. Maybe it was about exploring until something clicked.
The pulleys of life were shifting once again.