Junior Year semester 1 and 2023 in a glimpse

What a semester. I literally feel like I just escaped the fire. I took six courses this semester.

Career readiness: There is a reason this class is meant to be done in sophomore year and not junior year because I had already done most of the things we did through JCPenney. Nonetheless, it was an opportunity for me to polish up my resume, cover letter, LinkedIn, and the different tools I need as I continue to prepare for my career.

Marketing was the biggest class I was in, and I learned quite a lot about marketing. It is one of those classes where you think you will not remember the things you are learning until you find yourself talking about some of the concepts in casual conversations with your friends. 

Legal Studies: I have an eye on law school, so this class was very interesting from the get-go. I enjoyed learning about business law. This class was from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., so most days I would be tired by the time I was headed to class, and the first few minutes I would be struggling to focus, but shortly after, I would be sold into the lecture and enjoy the different laws that govern business, the exceptions to those laws, and the applications. I wouldn't mind taking a second legal studies course. 

Intermediate Accounting 1. I was very curious about what this class would be about, considering I already took financial accounting and managerial accounting. I have always enjoyed accounting. It always feels like a puzzle. I enjoy the thrill of putting together different parts of the financial statements. It is always a joy when the balance sheet balances, but you must be willing to do the work. It was definitely a good challenge, and I must say my professor did a phenomenal job. Some concepts were really difficult, and I had to practice over and over again. The biggest challenge, I would say, was having a comprehensive final exam. I was so stressed that I couldn't go to bed that night. I knew what I knew, and I knew what I didn't know, which is always the hardest thing for me to deal with. In an exam, it is best that I don't know anything about a particular concept completely rather than go in knowing that if they ask me this particular question, I won't be able to answer it. So that night I knew certain concepts would be hard for me to retain and that's what stressed me out. The final exam felt like I was only tested on the very concepts that gave me a sleepless night lol. 

Finance, Financial intermediaries, and Markets. I had a great professor. The lectures were always on point and I sat next to great classmates. I will miss them. I learned so much about Finance which I really appreciate especially because I am looking to start my career in Finance. A lot of the topics complemented what I learned in my business finance class. I enjoyed learning the role that different financial intermediaries play in the economy. If you ask me, business transactions are at the core of what makes or breaks an economy. 

Economics of education; this was my first Econ elective class and I picked it because I am passionate about education policy. The course concepts however were less about education policy itself but the tools used to measure the returns to education, which I think are mostly useful for research and data collection. I had a difficult time paying attention in this class because my professor would spend a lot of time explaining one concept or one calculation throughout the class. It was also very difficult to take notes. All the exams were very stressful because I had to teach myself most of the content. What kept me going is the fact that I love Econ and I would like to be able to learn more about education policy. 

With my classes now laid out. This semester was the most challenging since I started college. I felt stretched in different ways. Every class needed a different approach to studying and finding the resources that would make me successful. I did a good job at making priorities and meeting deadlines in order of time sensitivity. Normally I like to study for all courses in advance but there were points in the semester where I was not able to do that, I had to study for one course at a time and sometimes I would have only one day to study for an exam. In the past, my brain would be fried on the day of the exam so I had to make sure I had studied several days prior. I had to make the adjustment this semester to allow myself to be more flexible. It went well for the most part except for the Final Accounting Exam, my brain was fried and there was nothing I could do except go to sleep. 

Social Life 

This semester, I had to be intentional about spending time with those I love. Peter and Teddy, who knew we could keep it going until today,. Thank you for making the effort to meet at least once a month over dinner, and thank you for coming to Xay's football games. Your friendship has become, to me, a source of comfort and joy. I am grateful to God for both of you. Thank you for listening to me without judgment and for loving me in the way you know how, yet it is the way I need. I love you both so much. 

Solange, life really catches us when we least expect it. A lot of the beautiful things that happen to us happen when we do not plan for them, yet still they find us. I am grateful for the time we got to spend together this semester and this year. Thank you for hosting me those nights when I couldn't sleep in my apartment because my AC couldn't work in the summer heat of Oklahoma lol. Seriously, though, I am grateful for you and for what we have come to be. I am excited about what this friendship is going to become. I cherish the memories we have created thus far. I am grateful for you.

Lauricenia - Hey, babes, is what she always says at the beginning of her texts,  and she always ends with love for you. Talking to you alone on that one phone call was so fulfilling; it gave me so much joy. So I looked forward to every Bible study, even on the days I was not able to wake up. Thank you for helping me read the Bible more and for praying for and with me. Thank you for the gift of fellowship. You have a way of making me feel safe and heard. I cherish our times together, and I am thankful for you. 

Shekinah and Mayamiko, now why am I laughing? I think I talk to these two more than I talk to myself. For some reason, they always call at the same time, and I am always forgetting who I told what stories and who I didn't tell, so sometimes I forget to tell Maya something because I thought I already did, and I think I told Shekinah something when I didn't.  Look, you two have become my family, my go-to, my sisters. Thank you for being by my side and for being in my corner. Thank you for picking me up when the low lows came. Thank you for accepting me fully and for listening to my crazy stories. I am extremely grateful to both of you. And for keeping this long-distance friendship alive. I love you both so much. I love that my friendship with you is unique, and so is your love. Unique and beautiful in their own way. 

Max and Philip - Congratulations on your graduation once again. Thank you for keeping our friendships going. I am really grateful for both of you.

Xavien - Thank you for bringing sunshine to my life. Thank you for sharing your time with me and for loving me. I love you deeply, and I am eternally grateful for you. You make me feel love that I have never felt before and it’s beautiful. I can be silly and serious with you. I can be myself without feeling judged. I can authentically be me. Thank you for being there for me and for supporting me. You really saw me at my worst and at my best and loved me the same. You are so kind and you have such a beautiful heart. Thank you for being patient with me and for encouraging me to let my light shine. Also thank you for cooking for me throughout this year, you cook the best food. Congratulations on your graduation and for all you have been able to do this Year. I pray the good lord continues to guide and protect you this coming coming. Baby, I love you so much

Model African Union

We finally hosted our first-ever conference. First and foremost, My exec Team was the real deal. Thank you, Amariah, for being such a wonderful VP, and for putting your heart in our organization. Thank you, Sylvia, for your dedication. Thank you, Terry, for pouring your talent and keeping our organization alive. Thank you, Ebube, for your knowledge and enthusiasm for the African continent, I have so much to learn from you. Thank you Hawaou for bringing calm to the organization and for briefing us on the news. Thank you Rhoda for bringing that freshness and ideas to the Org. Thank you, Gino, for your poise. I couldn't have asked for a better team. It was really hard to bring people to our events and yet we still did an excellent job at making sure our events were planned out to the t. Look you made MAU possible this year and I hope you are proud of all the work you did. It has been a great honor to serve as President and the time has come for a new leader to take over. Thank you to everyone who attended our events and a great thank you to Sidiki for supporting me throughout my time as President.

There was a lot of learning and unlearning this year. I felt challenged and stretched to the point that I got really tired and couldn't even get out of bed. The lows were really low, and the highs were short-lived. It was a battle of faith to keep believing when I couldn't see a sign of a miracle. And just when I let it all go to be in the hands of the Lord, when I gave it all up, I felt my strength come right back up. Things are not perfect right now, but I feel much better. I feel love, joy, and peace. Through it all, my friends were there to listen and to say good things about my life, and that was enough. And the Lord kept reminding me in his sweet, small voice that everything was going to be okay. So I will keep believing. I will keep hoping and trusting that the Lord is still writing my story.

As you can see, I didn't write much about my family because I didn't really speak to them much this year, and it hurt a lot. I wanted to go home this winter break, but I couldn't. My sisters and cousins called when they could; I just wish it was more consistent. I am still grateful for the times I was able to speak to them. I am grateful to Mubanga and Mum Evelyn for those calls, which I very much needed. Lombe and Mapalo, thank you for loving me for sending me those sweet messages, and for calling. You make me so happy!

Health

I played a lot of Tennis this year. I think am now a pro lol. This semester though I didn't play as much as I would love to but I want to pick it back up next year. I ran a lot this year although I think I still haven't beat my record. I went to the gym more with Xay planning my workouts, this man yoh his plans are hard lol. But thank you baby.

New found love

Football. Yes, American football. This is what love can do, make you watch games you've never watched before. I wanted a lot of football games this year and I am proud to say, I am an Eagles fan. Fly eagles fly. Man, there's so much to learn from this game. The resilience of the players, their hard work, and their dedication to executing to their set standard is something I want to emulate in my life. Honestly, football taught me a lot about going back to fight after a loss. It taught me a lot about keeping the main thing the thing. Keeping my eyes on the goal and staying true to the vision. The Eagles almost gave me heart attacks though because yoh why are they always playing close games. Fly eagles fly

Books Read

The Light We Carry

Dead Aid

Atomic habits

How to talk to anyone

Artists I listened to 

Pompi

Easter Chungu

Morgan Harper Nichols

CeCe Winans

Maverick city

Bethel Music

Mordecai

Tim

Davido

Podcasts

That Zed Podcast

Africana Woman

On Purpose 

The Daily

The Economist 

Voddie Baucham Sermons

The Morgan Harper Nichols Show

Freakonomics 

Highlights

Xavien's graduation and meeting his family 

Visiting Memphi

Maya visiting me in Oklahoma 

Christmas in Dallas with Xay's Brother and his wife's family

Katie and Tim visiting Oklahoma

Seeing the white house 

Hosting the Model African Union conference 

Fill the Stadium (Chandler Moore, Kari Jobe, and Chance the Rapper)

Trip to Vegas

The list of the people who made my year beautiful cannot be exhausted but am super grateful to each and every one of you for your love and support. Thank you so much for pouring into my cup. I am because you are and I pray that the Lord bless you, keep you, and protect you. And to all those who read my blogs, thank you for giving ears to these letters that I write, I am immensely grateful.

2023, thank you for the lessons learned, the joys shared, the love felt, and the blessings that came my way. Cheers to 2024!!!! God thank you for another year around the sun, thank you for your steadfast love. You have blessed me, comforted me, and kept me going. I cannot deny what you have done for me. A lot of things have changed but you remain the same. You are my constant. I pray for a closer walk with you in 2024. Please lead me to you every step of the way.

I AM EXCITED FOR ALL THAT GOD HAS WRITTEN FOR 2024