Once upon a time, life seemed like it's revolved around me. Being a young girl who grew up with a sense of entitlement feeling like the world owes me a favour. My parents and relatives didn't help matters either, making me believe that life would always be easy and stress-free.

I got into school to attain my basic education, expected everything to be handed to me on a platter. I breeze through classes, made friends effortlessly and excel without much effort. But as I progress to secondary School, things started getting tougher. I faced challenges in mathematics, struggled to make new friends and encountered my first setback.

I was taken aback. Why wasn't life as smooth as I had always thought? I began to realise that everyone around me wasn't always going to coddle me or make things easy. Teachers expected me to work hard, friends had their own interest, and life had its own pace.

As I  navigated through secondary school,I faced even more significant challenges. I had to balance academics, extracurricular activities and relationships with friends. Some days were tough, making me feel overwhelmed; but slowly I began to learn. I discovered the value of hard work perseverance and commitments and asking for help when needed.  

As I proceeded to being admitted into the university, with the new level of independence I have encountered, I have learnt a good number of precious things which involves managing my time, prioritising myself and making decisions that would impact my future. It isn't easy but I am determined to succeed.

Through my journey, I realise life wasn't about having everything served on a platter. It is about learning, unlearning, relearning, growing and overcoming obstacles. I have learnt and am still learning to appreciate the process and struggles. 

My story is a reminder that life is full of phases, each with its own unique challenges and opportunities. 

It's through navigating these phases that we grow, learn and discover our true potential.