My Eye Opening University Experience. Lost in the thoughts

Going to university had always been part of my dreams. After completing my A-Level studies, there was no doubt in my mind—university was the next destination. I imagined a place full of beauty, humor, culture, and unity. A place where speaking my native language wouldn’t feel odd. A place filled with driven individuals, all chasing something greater. But once I arrived, reality shattered the picture I had painted in my head.I expected unity, but I found cliques. I hoped for shared values, but I discovered that “birds of the same feather”don’t always fly together. If you take a closer look at your surroundings and truly ask yourself, “Am I making my own choices, or am I riding the wave of peer pressure?”—you might be surprised by the answer. The biggest shock was cultural. I enrolled at my country’s top university, proud to be among future leaders. But what I found stunned me: African students adopting American culture so heavily, it felt like I was watching a movie. The dress code? Club-like. The mindset? Westernized. I couldn’t blame the stereotypes people had about university students—sometimes, even I couldn’t tell if I was on campus or in a nightclub. We’ve drifted so far from who we are. That moment reminded me of something my English teacher once said: "A person who doesn’t know where they come from, or what their name means, is like a sponge—absorbing everything, clean or dirty, without direction."That stuck with me. Final Thoughts My university journey is still unfolding, but I’ve already learned that identity matters. Peer pressure is real. And culture is slowly fading unless we choose to carry it with pride. I may not have all the answers yet—but I know who I want to be: someone who remembers, reflects, and grows with purpose. Follow for more OT7