Dear Jumai,
I need to get this off my chest. I graduated with a third class, and I haven’t told my parents. I don’t even know how to. I feel like I’ve failed them before life has even started for me.
Right now I’m doing my national service and I feel lost, I don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m going. Every morning, I wake up with a heavy weight in my chest and a fear that I’ll never become anything.
I have a dream: I love media and I want to be a newscaster. I imagine myself on TV with the lights, the mic, and the passion. But then I think of my third class, and I wonder if that dream is even possible.
I give so much to other people: kindness, time, attention, until I’m drained, but I don’t feel like anyone gives back. I don’t have a strong friendship to lean on or a relationship to comfort me. When things get hard, I sometimes check out because I’m tired of carrying everything alone.
I’m tired of pretending I’m okay and hiding behind smiles. I don’t even know who I am anymore. I needed to say this somewhere; I just needed to breathe. Maureen
Dear Maureen,
Your fear about telling your parents is understandable, and the weight you carry doesn’t erase the worth of the dream inside you. A third class does not cancel your capacity to learn, grow, or break into media; many people get into broadcasting through persistence, practical experience and a strong demo reel rather than a headline grade.
While you’re serving with NYSC, start quietly building a portfolio: record short voice reels, practise reading news scripts on camera, volunteer at campus or community radio, take a short presenting or voice-over course, and reach out to stations for internships or shadowing opportunities.
When it comes to your parents, honesty done with a calm plan can help: tell them the facts, share what you’ve learned, and show them the steps you’re taking next, which helps them see you’re not giving up.
Please, also give yourself small kindnesses: rest, boundaries, and someone to talk with. Your dream is still possible. Keep practising, keep creating proof of your skills, and let the work speak for you.
