Karma & College: A Lesson in Life

Karma. What is it really? Sometimes I wonder if it's God's way of making us experience the very situations we once judged. A way of asking, "If this were you, would you still think the same way?"

(Sigh)

I think karma just hit me.

I remember telling Amaka that I didn't like fat people, that they were rude. I even said if I ever got a fat roommate, I wouldn't care—I'd take the bottom bunk and ignore whatever she had to say about it.

But now, standing at my dorm room door, looking at my new bunkmate, I realized how foolish I had been.

She was already settled in, making herself comfortable in my space. Or so I thought.

"Are you my bunkmate?" she asked.

"Yes, I think," I replied hesitantly, secretly hoping I was wrong.

"Okay, welcome."

"Thank you."

"Are you moving in today?"

"No, I'll bring my things tomorrow," I said, already backing away.

"Okay, but tomorrow we have to clean our windows. They're filthy."

"Uh... sure. See you tomorrow."

I bolted.

Amaka needed to hear this.

"Amaka! Amaka!" I burst into her room, panting.

"What?" she asked, unfazed.

"Guess what!"

"If you don't tell me now, I'm going back to what I was doing."

I sighed. There was no winning with her.

After I narrated my tragic tale, she laughed. Again.

Seriously, why do my friends always find my suffering funny?

We decided to go back to my room under the pretense of dropping off my things while secretly observing my new roommate.

When we arrived, she was unpacking, complaining about the people she was supposed to eat with that night. She turned around and saw us just standing there awkwardly.

"You're back?"

"Yes, just dropping off my things. I'll arrange them tomorrow."

Amaka, who had been silent until now, suddenly blurted out, "Excuse me, how old are you?"

I turned to her, shocked. What kind of question is that?

"Twenty," my roommate answered nonchalantly.

"Twenty?!" I gasped.

"Yes," she frowned, probably thinking we were weird.

"And what level are you?" Amaka continued, unfazed.

"100 level."

I blinked. "This is your first year?"

Amaka nudged me. "Sarah, stop being rude."

She refused to call me Tessa, saying she knew me as Sarah and wasn't going to change that. No matter how much I begged.

"My name is Favour," my bunkmate said.

"Oh, so we're the only ones who have resumed?"

"For now, yes."

I introduced Amaka, throwing in, "She's my distant relative."

We all know what that means. Amaka is practically my sister, but sometimes, it's just easier to lie.

After some more small talk, we left.

The moment we were outside, Amaka burst out, "Damn, that girl is huge."

"I know, right?" I laughed.

"But she seems kind and calm."

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting that."

We continued joking as we walked back to her hostel.

---

The First Year Struggle

That week, I completed my verification but didn't return to my dorm. Bad habit. I had promised Favour we'd clean the windows together, and yet I disappeared. Oops.

When I finally returned at night, I met a room full of strangers. Apparently, our room had constant electricity, so it became the go-to charging station.

I was introduced to my new roommates:

Precious – Funny, mysterious, and obsessed with anime. A Health Education student.

Progress – Sweet, kind-hearted, and deeply religious. A Science Education student.

Ella Manuel – Beautiful but with a sharp tongue. A Geology student.

Divine – Seemed scary at first but turned out to be my favorite. Super funny, crazy, and lovable. A Theatre Arts student.

Divine stormed out, clearly not in the mood for introductions, while the rest of us stayed behind, getting to know each other.

---

College Reality Check

As time passed, I got used to life at NDU, especially with my new friend, Moses—the first Anatomy student I met. He was weird, but he was also intelligent and always helped me stay on track.

However, something started bothering me.

I found myself avoiding Amaka.

I kept making excuses not to visit her. The truth? She had started hanging out with Queen more, and I felt... ousted. Like I wasn't needed anymore. I didn't want to be a third wheel. I loved her, but from a distance.

Ironically, she was the only reason I transferred to NDU. I wanted us to grow together.

---

The Chaos of CHS

In first-year CHS (College of Health Sciences), you had two options:

1. Tell someone to save you a seat.

2. Arrive at least 30 minutes early.

Otherwise, forget attending class.

One day, I arrived ten minutes early and still had nowhere to sit. I was squished between people, struggling to even see the lecturer.

That's when I noticed them—two hot babes who looked like they had been force-fed anger for breakfast. One, fair-skinned, looked ready to explode. She was glaring at me for no reason.

Excuse me? We're in the same struggle, so why are you looking at me like that?

Does she think she's prettier than me? Richer than me?

I huffed, left the hall, and went to buy something expensive—purely to prove a point.

(Not really, I was just hungry.)

By the time I returned, the girls were gone. Annoyed, I gave up and went back to the hostel.

---

Karma Strikes Again

The moment I stepped into my room, I collapsed onto my bed.

Just as I was about to drift off, there was a knock.

At first, I ignored it, but the knocking persisted.

Ugh.

I dragged myself up and opened the door.

And froze.

Standing there was the same fair-skinned girl who had glared at me in class.

She looked me straight in the eye.

"Hi, are you my roommate?"

I blinked. Oh my days.

Karma, what have you done this time?

I could've cried.