First of all, introduction. My name is Adamara Okeke;
I am a Nigerian teenager on a mission- a mission to find true
happiness.
I am an undergraduate with dreams and aspirations
to be successful, and ultimately, be the best.
I was born into a large family that hails from southeastern
Nigeria, Anambra state to be precise. Growing up, I was typically around adults,
which led me to think above my peers; like an adult.
I was a chubby, happy, smiling baby- at least that's
what I was told. Listening to stories from my childhood at this age simply embarrasses
me. I remember a story my uncles told me; at age six, they took me to a
"joint" (an outdoor restaurant) where they sold isi-ewu (goat head),
ngwo-ngwo, and their likes. The waiter walked up to our table to take our
orders. My uncles placed theirs, and so did I. "Please, can I have isi-ewu
and maltina?" I said. Sitting in complete shock, my uncles and the waiters
stared at me, and soon burst out laughing. Thinking back, I wonder what was
going through my head that night, as a six year old. Oh! The innocence of children!
Two words I will never forget thanks to my
wonderful mother are; "focus" and "concentrate". A day never
went by without my mom using either or both of those words, except she was ill.
Being an only child, my cousins were pretty much my siblings, although they were either much older, or much
younger. I was closest to my male cousins Mickie J and Frankie. Mickie was a
clown! He always made me laugh. I remember him always putting me on his
shoulders and carrying me around the house, and my mother getting scared that
he would drop her baby. I remember Mickie and Frankie tickling me till I cried,
literally. We had fun, real fun.
School now is overrated; nursery school was the
real deal! Drawing and coloring all day, chatting with my little friends,
lunch, and nap time. I had absolutely no worries!
So far, my senior secondary school days were the
most memorable days of my life. To clear the air, boarding school is not as bad as they
make it seem, it can actually be really fun, depending on the school, and students.
I remember our leadership training, in Jos, Plateau
State, Nigeria. That training changed my perspective. We came to face our fears, hardships,
and develop inner strength. Our mantra was "The standard measure of a
child is not how he/she dwells in luxury, but how he/she deals with hardships
and inconveniences." This goes a long way because life is not a bed of
roses, even if it were; roses have thorns.
I remember being elected the social prefect; I was
super excited! I enjoyed planning social events for my fellow students. It wasn't
easy. I could not please everyone at the same time, no one can. I had to
distinguish my leadership role from my personal relationships with other
students. It was all worth it in the end.
Now, as a college student, I am building my career.
I want to wake up every morning and be excited to go to work. I want to visit
more countries than my mother has. I want to be fluent in at least four
languages. I want to experience different cultures. I want to get married and
have a family, at the right time. Ultimately, I want to be happy, and this is
my journey to find true happiness....
