“July 2016 marked the moment that I claimed my university degree. I was full of ambition, genuinely excited for my future and felt content with life. However, University for me acted as a safe haven where I could escape a series of burgeoning personal and family issues. There, I felt intelligent, important, and most of all, a part of a community that nurtured me mentally and spiritually.

The truth is, back home I was subject to dealing with a long array of “real-life” problems which culminated in the death of my Father. In the build up to this, confusion and a diminished self-esteem became a new narrative that I felt dictated my life. I even became an avid smoker, in some attempt to chase my fears away. Ashamed and consumed by my thoughts, I dwindled further towards a dark and depressive state. Expressing myself became a struggle and so I masked my pain with a brave face. On top of all this, I lacked the passion for the career path I had chosen, became disinterested and lethargic. I had no purpose in life.

The traumatic experiences from my childhood through secondary school and until then had finally caught up with me. Although it is near impossible to condense my struggles into a block of words, my salvation was born from a renewed faith in God and the good people around me who were willing to listen to my silent cries for help. It was equally important for me to take a few steps backwards to have a clear view of the things I had, the people that loved me. I have always tried to maintain an optimistic view on life but realised that I couldn’t hold all these burdens alone.

To all those that helped me through my lowest moments, thank you. Though I still fall short in many aspects of my life, I keep faith and push forward!”