You know that feeling when you finally think things are looking up, only for life to throw another curveball your way?
One Nigerian student experienced it again and again throughout his college years. His lecturer shared his story on Reddit.
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First hurdle: English
When the student first began college, English was one of his biggest challenges.
He was part of the lowest remedial English class and had to regularly visit the college’s writing centre for help with his assignments.
But rather than letting his struggles discourage him, he made full use of the resources available to him.
He would seek help for every assignment and continued doing so even after successfully completing the remedial level.
As he progressed through college, he remained committed to improving his writing and would regularly visit the same faculty member during office hours whenever he needed additional help.
He was also incredibly grateful for the support he received and would often bring home-cooked Nigerian food as a gesture of appreciation.
However, hard work did not mean everything went smoothly.
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Then came an exam he couldn’t pass
At one point, the student was required to pass an English competency examination for his programme.
The exam was notoriously difficult for non-native English speakers, and despite his efforts, he failed it several times.
Eventually, he decided to change his major to social work.
The decision turned out to be a major turning point.
He began excelling academically and eventually graduated from community college before transferring to a university to continue his studies.
But while things were beginning to improve, he and his wife were facing a very different struggle in their personal lives.
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Their dream of becoming parents was tested twice
While he was pursuing his education, the student and his wife were hoping to become parents through adoption.
They connected with an expectant mother and spent nine months supporting her while preparing to welcome the baby into their family.
But when the baby was born, the mother changed her mind and decided to keep the child.
The couple were devastated.
Soon afterwards, they were matched with another expectant mother.
Once again, they spent nine months supporting her and preparing for the baby’s arrival.
But when the child was born, the second mother also decided to keep her baby.
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Their third chance came at a painful time
About a year later, the student was hit with another devastating period in his life when both his parents died in Nigeria.
Living on another continent meant he had to help his large family navigate their loss from afar.
Making the situation even more difficult, he could not immediately return to Nigeria because he and his wife were waiting for their third adoption match, with the baby due any day.
Thankfully, this time things worked out.
And through everything — losing his parents, becoming a father and supporting his family from afar — the student continued working towards his degree.
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The student who once struggled is now in demand
It had taken years of hard work, difficult decisions and personal heartbreak, but the student eventually made it to graduation — and did so with honours.
His efforts were beginning to pay off in other ways too.
Thanks to his reputation as a hardworking student and the strong recommendations he received, several employers were reportedly eager to hire him.
And just when it seemed like his academic journey had reached its finish line, another opportunity came along.
He was accepted into a graduate programme with full funding.
His story is a reminder that persistence can pay off. Everyone faces their own challenges on the road to achieving their academic goals — and if yours is financial, there are opportunities that could make your journey a little easier.
Explore tuition-free universities in the US that can help keep the cost of your degree down, or discover universities offering some of the highest PhD stipends.
