FEATURES

 My Haunting Deadlines

BY: Ogunsanmi Adeola Susan.

On the table were many books waiting to be read, a lot of laundry to be done, and a lot of meetings to attend. Tomi wondered why the life of a student should be this occupied. Tiredly, he dragged himself to the corner where his laundry basket was seated and set out to wash the clothes. 

It took him two hours to finish washing the clothes. He finally let out a breath of relief after spreading the last shirt. Bending down to pack his buckets, he heard his back make a soft sound accompanied by a sharp pain. Struggling to stand straight, he exhaled, "What a day!"

He dashed into the room after managing to climb up the stairs to the first floor where he stayed. Confronted with the need to read the books on the table, his heart skipped and began to pound heavily. It's the fifth week of resumption and he hasn't even opened his books for once. Thank goodness he attends classes but he has never taken it upon himself to read. The last few weeks have been quite hectic, yet it looks as though he has been doing nothing.

Frustrated he hit the bed hard making a loud noise and crawled under the duvet. Being exhausted, he instantly slept off. It was the deafening sound of his alarm that finally woke him up from his deep sleep. Still feeling dowry, he reached out to where his phone was to turn off the alarm just to realize he had been sleeping for the past 10 hours. He dashed out of the bed and began to exclaim, "shit, shit, shit!"

He rushed into the bathroom to take his bath and was dumbfounded to see the number of people queueing to bathe as well. He just couldn't cry but he was very close to tears. It finally came to his turn and he went in to have his bath. Back in his room, he didn't even bother creaming his body, he just wore his clothes and almost wore the back side of his shirt. He ran hastily out of the room.

Good for him, the lecturer was not yet in class so he struggled to get himself a seat at the front. This is unlike so many days that he gets locked out for coming late to class. Happy he got such an opportunity, he prayed silently in his heart. It didn't take up to five minutes after he entered that the lecturer came in. He was a man in his early sixties,  with a pot belly, bald-headed, and an average height.

The lecturer greeted the students and apologized for being late. He said in His many years of teaching this would be the second time he'd come late to class unintentionally.  He began his words; I have learned to plan my time as a young person. I would usually write a to-do list, and set my goals for the day in other of priority. I was so intentional that I never gave any time for frivolities. Even the times for fun were planned. I had a lot on my table and couldn't but come to that resolution.  I got myself worked up several times and frustrated until I began to schedule my time. Time if not well spent can waste one's life and in the end, may lead to regrets and depression.

Tomi felt those words hit him like bullets from a machine gun, " these words are meant for me," he said.  Still worried and heavy at heart, he brought out his jotter hurriedly and noted down the activities he had to do for the day. I think I will have to adapt this man's method. He did this for the whole week, and even when he couldn't finish all he had to do in a day, he was glad he could be accountable for his time.