school life

 

My Journey at Southern Delta University: From 100 Level to 300 Level  

(Avwerute Igho Wealth – Journalism and Media Studies)

The first time I stepped onto the campus of Southern Delta University, Ozoro, I felt completely overwhelmed. The place was far larger than any school I had ever attended. The buildings stretched wide, the walkways seemed endless, and I spent my first week getting lost almost every day. I would ask strangers, “Please, where is the Journalism and Media Studies lecture hall?” only to be pointed in three different directions. By the time I finally located my classes, I was already late, sweating, and wondering whether I had made the right decision coming here.

100 level was a baptism of fire.

Everything was new: the people, the rules, the pace of life. Lectures started as early as 8 a.m. in halls that could swallow hundreds of students at once. Some lecturers locked the doors the moment the clock struck the hour; if you were even thirty seconds late, you stayed outside. Attendance was strictly monitored; you needed at least 70% to be allowed to write exams. The first semester was a blur of running from one faculty to another for general courses, carrying heavy textbooks, and trying to figure out how to survive on the little pocket money I had.

The ICT centre became my second home. To get a matric number, an ID card, or to pay and validate school fees, you had to join endless queues. Some days I would arrive at 7 a.m. and still not finish until late afternoon. There were days the network would crash and we would be told to come back the next day. I quickly learned that if you wanted to be among the first, you had to be at the gate before the sun rose.

Accommodation was another battle. School hostels were cheaper and safer, but spaces were extremely limited. You had to pay full school fees, validate everything at ICT and bursary, then rush to book a bed space before it finished. Most rooms had two or four occupants, and cooking with gas cylinders was strictly forbidden — only kerosene stoves were allowed. I was fortunate; my uncle who lives in Ozoro helped my parents secure a bedsitter outside campus for ₦80,000 before resumption. Many of my coursemates were not so lucky and had to settle for whatever was available, no matter the cost or distance.

Matriculation day finally came — the official “welcome, you are now an undergraduate” moment. We wore gowns, took pictures, and smiled for the cameras, but behind the smiles was the relief of having survived the first hurdle.

Examinations in 100 level were computer-based (objective questions), which felt like mercy compared to what was coming later. From 200 level upward, everything became pen-and-paper theory, and the difficulty level rose sharply.

200 level brought a heavier workload and a deeper sense of responsibility. The courses became more demanding, the assignments longer, the tests more frequent. Nights became shorter. There were weeks I survived on little or no sleep, reading under mosquito nets with torchlight when power failed. I learned the art of “TDB” (Till Day Break) and the importance of strong coffee. Friendships that started casually in 100 level grew into family — we read together, shared notes, cooked together, and held each other up when the stress felt unbearable.

There were moments I sat on my bed and asked myself if it was worth it. There were days I felt completely drained, days I wanted to give up. But every time that thought came, I reminded myself why I started: a better future, a chance to lift my family, a promise I made to myself. Those thoughts kept me moving.

By the time I entered 300 level, something had changed inside me. I walked with more confidence. I knew every shortcut on campus. I could navigate the bursary, ICT, faculty offices, and library without asking for directions. The same lecturers who once intimidated me now knew my name. The stress was still there — projects, research proposals, industrial training preparations — but I had learned how to manage it. I had systems: colour-coded notes, study timetables, backup plans when NEPA failed.

Looking back from where I stand today, I can see how far I have come. The shy, confused boy who arrived in 100 level carrying one small bag is no longer the same person. University life has taught me discipline, resilience, time management, and the value of perseverance. It has taught me that growth is painful, but quitting is more painful.

I still have a long way to go. 400 level and final year are waiting with their own challenges, but I am no longer afraid. SDU has tested me, stretched me, broken me at times, and rebuilt me stronger.

To every new student stepping onto this campus for the first time: it will be hard. You will get lost. You will stand in long queues. You will cry some nights. But if you keep pushing, if you refuse to give up, this same university that feels like a mountain today will one day become the place that shaped you into everything you were meant to be.

My journey is far from over, but I am proud of every step I have taken so far.

To be continued…

#EyeOfSDU #SDUJourney #SouthernDeltaUniversity #From100To300Level #UniversityLife