People! There was a time school work entered gear 7! I had to quickly drop a few things (like this blog) to focus on what really mattered like school and family, especially with my kids changing schools and my first son off to secondary school.
So much good has happened since the last time I blogged, and the biggest news is: Ladies and Gentlemen, by the special grace of GOD, I have MASTERED hehe.
My #JourneyToPhD started with me going back for my MSc first, 13 years after my BSc. But from the beginning, PhD was the goal, so the Masters was just in the way!
Wide-eyed, mystified, excited and more, I jumped right into this journey early January, grumpy at first that I was rejected in Psychology BUT the hand of God was directing the entire thing and guiding me back to my first degree, Sociology! My colleagues had resumed in November by the way, but I was chasing the Psychology that had rejected me LOL. Meanwhile Sociology is the research path I didn’t know I needed to SAVE THE CHILDREN!
Monday, November 17 happened. Weak and in bed from a lingering cold, and chatting with my friend and sister Lisa Maxwell, the official broadsheet with our entire results dropped on the WhatsApp group!
I jumped up!
Opened it and quickly sent it to my MacBook in case it was a mistake LOL.
Then from there, took a critical look into it…
Being the last to be admitted into the program, my name always appeared at the end so I went straight there. Saw a 4.92 and Distinction.
Scrolled down and saw that I was TOP of my class, tying with my friend and study partner (remember JIL here LINK) Precious!
I was UNDONE.
Yes, judging by all the results I had seen, I expected a distinction, but there was a statistics course that I was seeing for the first time and I was overjoyed to see that I made an A!
So seeing it all in that broadsheet hit different!
God is kind!
Now, there’s a funny story I cannot forget on this journey.
I was in a Prof’s office when one lecturer who had taught me came in. The results for that course had come out and I got a B. I was shocked because it was quite an easy course and I really enjoyed it. Not only did I get a B, there was only ONE A.
Anyway, introductions in the office, and the person already knew me, as I had done the course and I got a B (said in the exact tone you would use if someone ate a slimy maggot raw).
A few other unkind things were said about the rest of the class, and the one A was extolled to high heavens. So the Prof whose office we were in tried to be diplomatic and defend me, and among what he said was:
“Oh, Eziaha is also intelligent.”
And she said (cue the slimy maggot tone):
“Then what happened to her? She’s intelligent BUT distracted!”
And that was when I lost it. Not in words, but in thought.
I was NOT upset; I was SHOCKED.
Nobody had ever called me distracted in my life. EVER!
If it wasn’t serious, I would have started laughing in disbelief.
I excused myself so as not to respond, as the Prof now started saying, “No oo, she’s not distracted; she is a wife, a mom, runs her business, etc.”
I left and dazedly walked back to a tutorial class I was having. I told my friends and they were actually upset. Like, why would someone say that?
I called my General manager soon after and told her and she was SO upset.
I told my husband when I got home and he was AMAZED. Like, why would someone who doesn’t know you draw such a conclusion from a B?
Every friend I told was UPSET. Very!
I promise you, I was NOT upset, I was just in disbelief.
As a leader with a LOT of influence, I am CAREFUL with words. I know how a casual word from me can break a spirit even if I am joking. So when I speak, I’m careful to speak life, even when upset.
I was shocked that someone would say that so casually, especially recognising the position of authority they held!
If I was not well grounded, my spirit would have been broken ooo.
But my GM gave some context to what the Prof was trying to do by reeling out my life to the lecturer; she said he was trying to quickly affirm me and counter any impact of those words.
True!
At the time though, I didn’t care. I just wanted to be out of that space and I didn’t want the person to know anything more about me.
Today, I look back at my result and I can say that God truly showed off!
My life is FULL.
Very full.
As a woman, wife, mom, and domestic queen, I am super intentional, and intentionality costs time!
As a business owner, whose profitable business will be in Year 10 NEXT year, I am sold out to EXCELLENCE and that has a high cost!
As a friend, I am EXTRA and LOYAL! Investing in and servicing my relationships takes time!
As a Christian, I am absolutely committed to God, and my goodness, serving God and daily investing in my spiritual growth both personally and in community (church) takes time!
As a Ministry Gift and Captain in the FRUITFUL (a para-church group of praying women I lead), I give everything and that group runs RIGHT and TIGHT!
And more!
And I didn’t drop any balls irresponsibly.
And my goodness, I do NOT even know how to be distracted!
More than anything, I enjoyed my life. I had three fun trips to celebrate my two sons’ birthdays and mine this year. I hung out with friends, attended events, slept well, and didn’t let academic rigour take more than it needed to take.
My life was FULL, and it was JOYFUL.
Exactly how I asked God to make it on this ride.
God definitely outdid Himself.
I am truly grateful!
Now it’s PhD at full steam and the work ahead of me?
Phew.
First, to take my dissertation to the next level and complete my PhD proposal. Btw, I had the highest score in my dissertation and I am SO proud of the work I did there. I blogged about it here.
Ok, expect more from me soon because this #JourneyToPhD is far from over and I have plenty more gisttttttssss hehe.
Until then, help me thank God. He outdid Himself!
See you soon,
Eziaha (Mastered hehe)