STIGMA

CHAPTER 14

Change is constant! And life itself is dynamic.

It was a new year. And it came with changes. It came along with a new lifestyle for the Ademolas.

Changes they were willing to accept. Changes they adapted to, easily.

Salamat was offered admission to study Nursing Science at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the Ademolas finally moved to Zaria. Her parent's inability to make ends meet in Katsina facilitated their moving.

They decided to settle in Zaria because of Salamat's studies so she won't be far away from them.

All the necessary fees were paid to A.B.U microfinance bank. All the necessary registration processes were done and Salamat became an undergraduate.

Lectures started immediately after their matriculation ceremony which lasted for a week. On the last day of the ceremony, all the freshers were taken on a tour around the school to familiarize them with their new environment and also some prominent places in Zaria.

Salamat was allocated space in Amina hall, and it was a room of 6 individuals, including herself.

Fortunately, her roommates were all freshers just like her except Ibukun who was a final year student of Pharmacy and they were all nice people.

They were serious-minded and intelligent people who took their education as their number one priority. They studied together during General Studies tests and examinations and often ate together, especially on weekends.

They also discussed morals and trending issues on social media, with each one of them bringing her own opinion on the issue.

During the second semester, which was a very short one, though, full of social activities, they all stayed indoors to read instead of partying like others.

Ibukun, who was popularly known as I.B.K was the eldest and the most religious of them all. She was the type of girl that hardly goes out for events that had nothing to do with academics. She was like a mother figure to them and she was down to earth. She often counseled them on both academics and personal issues and was always ready to help any of them when the need arises.

Ibukun liked Salamat a lot because of her quietness and intelligence and loved to discuss with her.

Salamat, on the other hand, admired her so much because of her personality but was not ready to break the world she had built around her.

She was not ready to let anyone into her world. She was not ready to face another betrayal.

Whenever she was having issues with a particular course, she goes to Ibukun for an explanation. Ibukun was always glad whenever Salamat asked her for academic help, and being the intelligent person that she was, she always makes sure to explain to the best of her ability.

Salamat was finding it hard to cope with school stress at first, but having good and lovely roommates who were always there for her had made it a lot easier. As an indoor person, Salamat doesn't go out at night to read in classes like her roommates. She reads in the room or in the mosque that was inside the hostel. Because she was a fast learner and assimilates things easily, she sees going to night classes as unnecessary.

The Ademolas were staying in Graceland which was not too far from the school main gate and Salamat goes home on weekends.

'How time flies, she thought to herself when she was done with her first semester's examination.

"It wasn't easy but with God and with the help of Ibukun and my other roommates, it was fine", she told her dad.

Her parents kept encouraging her by giving her words of motivation and this made her studied harder.