Every new beginning comes with its own set of struggles.
Akutu was starting to feel a sense of belonging, but that didn't mean everything was easy.
Adjusting to a new academic system, a different culture, and an unfamiliar routine tested her in ways she hadn't anticipated.
Her first real academic challenge came in the form of Dr. Williams' International Policy Analysis class.
The professor was sharp, direct, and had a reputation for tearing apart weak arguments.
The first time Akutu spoke in class, she had barely finished her point before Dr. Williams cut in.
"That's an interesting perspective, but what evidence do you have to support it?"
The room went silent.
Akutu felt the weight of dozens of eyes on her.
She swallowed hard. "Well, I—um—"
Dr. Williams raised a brow, waiting.
Akutu's mind raced, but she had nothing.
"Think about it and come back with solid reasoning next time," Dr. Williams said, moving on.
The moment class ended, she rushed out, her face burning.
She had never felt so unprepared.
Back in Ghana, she had been one of the brightest in her class.
Here, she felt… average.
Or worse, invisible.
Later that evening, she sat in her dorm room, staring at her notes, frustration building.
She had to be better.
She had to prove she belonged here.
So, she did what she always did when faced with a challenge—
She worked.
She spent hours in the library, reading case studies, analyzing policies, writing down counterarguments.
By the next class, when Dr. Williams asked a question, she was ready.
And this time, when she answered, he didn't interrupt.
He nodded.
"Now that," he said, "is a well-supported argument."
Akutu exhaled.
She was learning.
Growing.
Becoming.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.