There is no better time. Do something now – always!

“Refuse to sit with your back to the future,

watching time pouring away into the past.”

                                                                                                           ---- Uzoamaka Kalu

When I was a teenager, I used to brag to myself, “My life has not begun. It will begin when I enter the University”. This was probably because I thought or felt there was a special or perfect time and environment for me to be useful to myself and the society or probably felt there were some factors, like ‘parental interference’ hindering me from taking my future into my hands and doing things I was gifted to do. I knew my talent but I had conditioned my mind in a way that I wouldn’t do anything unless I moved away from the prying eyes of my parents...

And I wonder how many other young people, especially, in this part of the World who had thought or are thinking in a similar way. The truth is that the time to utilize your abilities will never come once you have this mentality of waiting for a slated time before you do something. It takes an extra effort to pull you out of that. What with other distractions, school work and what have you and you will become so used to postponing what you have to do that it becomes normal to you and if not curbed, you grow old postponing your dreams and you know what happens afterwards, you end up living an unfulfilled and poverty-stricken life. You know that pang that reminds you that you are yet to fulfil your obligations on earth.

I knew I could do writing but I kept it on hold telling myself I would start writing once I gained admission into the University. I kept on dreaming of how I would write my own books. The truth is, there is no better time. Take each day and do something. A little here, a little there and you will be amazed at how much you would have achieved in a little while by the time you put them all together.

You do not need any special time or preparation to do what you have been called to do. Besides, while you wait for that “right” time, a lot of distractions would have come in the way to help mar your intentions. Sometimes, you might be like, you are waiting for the big thing. But while you wait for the “big thing”, are you going to sit and fold your arms and let the clock tick away? This is the most mistake made by most young people. They finish their Secondary Education for instance, write their University Entry Exams and now waiting to be granted admission into the University. Oh! Of course, the University! Everyone wants to go there (especially, in this part of the world)! Waiting for that University admission! Now, they do not mind waiting till eternity, sitting at home doing absolutely nothing but wait! Being a University graduate is fantastic, a wonderful honour, as long as this part of the world is concerned. But I’ve got news for you. Going to University is just a trend, especially, in this present day Nigeria. Most people do it just because they don’t want to be left out. Gone are the days when a University degree was a first class ticket to better life because, then, good jobs abounded for graduates but we are in a new era now where graduates roam the streets from year to year hunting for jobs. Most young people here would write University entry exams (you might want to call it JAMB) year after year without success until they become frustrated and depressed as a result but I assure you, it wouldn’t be much of a trouble to you if you had something to fall back on. I’m not saying it’s wrong to be a graduate, no! But one ought to have a focus in life. What is your focus for wanting to be a University graduate? Is it because others are doing it? Is it because you are desperately hungry for a white collar job when in reality you have been destined to be a greatly successful farmer? That is why you see most of our graduates with their degree certificates roaming the streets all in the name of hunting for a white collar job. What do you do when the job is not forth-coming? You end up a hungry graduate whose hopes are shattered or you are lured into soiling your hands with one dirty business after another.

While you wait for that admission into the University, if you must attend it, look for something to fill in the gap. Don’t stay idle and only trust that University education is the solution to all your life problems. Learn a trade. Learn some handwork and when the University finally comes, you would have been at an advantage unlike your other counterparts who would only depend on University to miraculously turn their lives positively around. That way, you can independently and comfortably see yourself through school if your parents are still struggling financially. You have absolutely nothing to lose learning a trade or handwork while you wait for school. Who says you cannot do that white collar job while you still own your own businesses and be an employer of labour. If the University admission proves so tough to come by, give up on it. It could be that there is another form of education that suits you better. Think about it! There is the polytechnic, there are other courses one can do outside the University. Go learn some computer program. Do some other program. There are a whole lot of them, Technical, Human Resources, Education, Electronics, Photography, Creative Writing, Film-making, Radio and TV presenting, and what have you.

One thing, whatever you do, ensure that you love it and do it with all passion and you will come out tops with it. It might take time but bear in mind that patience is part of hard work.