We ran a competition to have the Fuzu users write an article to their younger self. The below article was written by Mercy Awino as advice to her younger self. Enjoy the read.
Dear Toto Mercy,
How have you been since we last met? I know we have not spoken to each other for a very long time. The older me has been so busy trying to make ends meet. Unlike before when I was with you, my sleeping patterns have changed. I can no longer sleep during the day especially on weekdays. Most of the time I am glued in a computer trying to impress readers with my stories or drafting proposals that would make a donor pump money into the organization that I currently work for. Oh! I forgot to mention that I got a place to keep myself busy and help pay my bills. I owe this to you. You pushed me to join the ‘I Choose Life’ movement back in campus. This played a major role in my internship selection and later, a job in the same organization.
Today, I am writing to say that I am sorry. I am sorry because I did not put enough effort to ensure that you lived well. After high school, I spent a year just relaxing at home. I did not bother to volunteer or do short courses that would eventually boost my career. During my long holidays in campus, I did not seek attachment opportunities that would enable me gain experience in my field. I only realized that later on. I am sorry for pushing JKUAT down your throat with my Journalism course. I insisted that I wanted to study Journalism there but never had a genuine reason. I was being selfish and only wanted to be closer to someone who never loved me or cared about me in the first place. I am glad we journeyed on to Maseno.
At Maseno, I strived to focus on my studies. We struggled with good grades but I never got first class – the dream of every campus student that is usually shattered right after the first semester. I never took this opportunity to network with the right people. I was afraid of taking chances in the Journalism field. My worst fear was being rejected. I was afraid of taking risks. As a result, I have missed out on opportunities. A lot of people saw potential in me that I never did. The closest I got to the media industry was a live interview during our graduation ceremony.
However, I have not lost hope. Even though I have switched to the NGO world, I hope that one day I will align myself to my career in Journalism. I may not grace the screens of Kenya’s televisions or write articles for the ‘Standard Newspaper’, but I hope to play a significant role in the media industry. I have learnt to take risks.
I hope you find it in your heart to forgive my misgivings. I don’t wish to make similar mistakes with this new life.
Signed,
Grown-up Mercy
