How Do I Tell the Story of the Longest Year of My Life Yet?

Like every other new year, 2021 started with high hopes. Coming into the new year,I had kept a streak at coding, writing in my journal and working out. It didn’t take long before life started happening. This is an attempt at chronicling all the highs and lows of this past year. I am glad that I get to look back on the year I’ve had and this is an account of what I see looking back.

January 2021

The pandemic was supposed to be winding down. School was resuming soon after being closed for almost a year. I was finally going to become a student again and no, I wasn’t going to be taking classes, at least not yet. My resumption to school was heralded by a barrage of tests in a succession that was close to being inhumane. It was the beginning of getting stretched. Writing three tests in quick succession felt like having all my lifelines lined up in front of me. That, however passed and I did too.

I was not a bad student but I wasn’t the best either. My first medical board exam was approaching and I was about to be caught unprepared. I was drifting in and out of moments of sheer optimism and extreme despondence. It took deliberate effort and an astounding amount of sheer grit to get through the days that led up to this exam. At that point, I thought all I wanted out of the year was just to pass my exams.

I am thankful for tribe and community. I could not have done it alone. I am thankful for the conversations, support and care of my friends and classmates with Ope, Joshua, Irfan, Angela, Olamide and everyone that I can’t remember now. I am thankful for humour that made the days a little more bearable.

I passed my exams…

This was the major highlight of this year. Not so much would have mattered if things happened differently.

December 2021

Looking back at the year I’ve had, I am reminded of the little victories I have had this year. Although passing my exam was a major win, that was not all that happened. This year:

• I got into the Clinton Foundation International University Fellowship programme.
• I documented like crazy. I kept a journal, made videos and voice recordings and took a lot of pictures.
• My idea got shortlisted for a competition, although I didn’t win, I’m glad I tried.
• I experienced love and spent more time with the people I care about.
• I got better at school work.
• I consumed a tonne of podcasts.
• I got better at handling my finances.
• I found CCI.
• I found Jesus, all over again.
• I served.
• I hit the gym.

While all of this happened, I dropped the ball in some areas and I hope to do better in the coming days.

• I was not as consistent as I ought to be in my devotion.
• I did not write a lot outside of journalling.
• I abandoned coding.
• I did not execute a lot of my ideas.

If 2021 thought me anything, it was that everything I craved was on the other side of hard work and consistency. It was a hard year but it was a good one. Through all of it God remained good.

I am thankful for all the love and help I received and shared along the way. I am glad that I did not do 2021 alone, God held my hands and He gave me the best gift in a partner and I am so grateful.

I choose to trust God completely as the new year unfolds. I choose to apply myself every day that I get to see.

Cheers to 2022🥂✨

You can find me on Twitter and Instagram @davidakoki