Temitope Obisesan, a graduate student from Nigeria

The new semester of 2021 kicked off with mixed feelings. I was happy we were back to in-person activities and connecting with old and new friends - one of my favorite things to do. The reality of my two years at Middle Tennessee State University coming to an end also got me emotional. Even though I had an idea of my ‘what next after school’, I still questioned if I really knew what I wanted.

How many decades are there in our lives to accomplish our goals?

Not too many but the sooner you start working towards your goal, the sooner you achieve them. I wish I could say 24 hours is enough. But you can make it enough. Structuring my day to be filled with personal development, fun activities and good sleep made it easier to achieve certain goals.

Am I on the right path?

Often, we feel so overwhelmed that we question our passion. Taking things one step at a time, prioritizing them and of course, speaking to people who had experienced what I was going through helped me a lot. The moment you start feeling those little butterflies in your belly from what you are doing with the end goal of impacting lives, there is no doubt that you are on the right path.

What next?

There are a lot of ‘what next’ because human needs are insatiable. As important as it is to know what next, I have come to realize that staying connected with the right people, taking one step at a time with a relaxed mind does the magic.

I believe these are some questions international students struggle with but do not exactly get a chance to talk about. If you are reading this and feel that way, I assure you that it is okay to feel confused but surely, talking to people who have been through this phase of their lives and the career development center of MTSU helps. I could figure out a lot of things by doing just that.

A couple of things that helped me tremendously these past two years:

• Go to unfamiliar places
• Try out new cuisines (this has been especially appealing to me because I love food)
• Do challenging things (I hope to summon the courage to skydive and walk on shaky bridges)
• Make new friends (This has become a hobby of mine now)
• Set priorities & complete tasks before their deadlines
• Internship & personal development
• Get involved in activities. At the end of the day, it is not just about the theoretical and practical knowledge gained from school, our interpersonal skills also matter.

It feels like two years went by so fast, but I am grateful to be part of a supportive community like MTSU which has made it easy for me to be optimistic about my future. I believe I came to MTSU for a reason. I matter, you matter, so does our purpose. It is important that we understand our purpose so we can impact lives. There is no doubt that I will be graduating this Fall 2021 a totally different person, compared to the time I started my program. I am thankful and I remain True Blue!!!