Prior to that, it had been months or even years since I got a lash extension and was quite skeptical about it but as I had nothing new done to my hair, it seemed to be the only worthwhile option. I wanted to look different; different better. It was my POP dammit! I was finally passing out from NYSC after one year of compulsory service to my country. 

When I was done with my makeup, which by the way takes forever and an hour, I went off to the NYSC zonal office with a special friend and some fellow corps members to collect my discharge certificate. 

A million pictures later, I was back home trying to decide how best to celebrate that evening. I would later wind up ‘drunker’ than Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean. If I’m feeling generous enough, I will make a post about post-NYSC celebration, and getting drunk to stupor but meanwhile, let’s stick to the plan.

National Youth Service Corps done and dusted; no more PPA, no more CDS, and sadly, no more allowee and practically owing my country naught! If like me you just became an ex-corps member and are still trying to wrap your mind around what’s next, here goes:



Rest

You see this one eh, I cannot say it enough. Rest please, na NYSC you do, you no kill person. I know the next thing on your mind would be, 'I don’t want to go back home. When is the job coming? When am I buying Benz? How will I finally settle down?’ 

All these are valid, fucking valid (Isn’t there something wrong with swearing so much?) but first, you have to chill. Rest. Take a break, no matter how short. Rest for as long as your schedule can afford. After I passed out from NYSC, I rested and still am resting. No job, and a bank balance that’s capable of making even motivational speakers suicidal but I cannot come and kill myself na. No be my own bad pass. 



Resting will help you get ready for the next step and obviously relieves stress.

Treat yourself 

Okay. You can wake up now. Don’t go and sleep forever and say you read it on Chisimdi’s blog. Not that kind of rest, please. Life won’t wait for you oh. Give yourself a treat, something within your means. One year no be beans, check am na. You have done well, enjoy yourself, you deserve it and even more!

I planned to go to Ibom Tropicana to play the 3D game. Never done that before but I don’t think that’s going to be possible as I’ve left Uyo where I served and have gone back home. I have, however, found other ways to treat myself and have fun. Talk about seafood rice!

Decide what you want

It’s now time for the ‘what’s next?’ question. Make sure you are clear about this and isn’t making the decision because that’s what everyone else is making. Think, plan, strategize, launch the missile! Decide what you want to do. Do not pressure yourself, it will come to you. A job? What kind? Where?



Marriage? To whom? Where will you find him/her and if you have, are they thinking what you are thinking? If they are thinking what you are thinking, do you both have the means to get married? 

Business? What business? Are you knowledgeable about it? Made research? What do you need to start?

To stay at home, do nothing and be useless? Whose home is it going to be? Who will pay the bills? How long will you be useless? When will it start? When will it end?

After you have rested post-NYSC POP and given yourself a treat, which by the way is optional, it’s time now to plan what you want to do next if you hadn’t decided that long beforehand. 

No one can do it better for you than you can. You can seek ideas, advice, and opinions but at the end of the day, the decision is yours to make. Decide what you want next and find out how to get what you want next.



I for one want a job next, preferably in the city of Lagos. Amen? If you want to do business, that’s great and I employ you to make adequate research about it. If it’s marriage you want, that too is fine but make sure you are sure and that you have the means. I might not have mentioned it here but you know what it is you want to do. If it is to sit at home, do nothing and be useless, by all means, knock yourself out!

Launch The Missile!  

Go shawdy! Go shawdy!! You’ve rested, flexed and planned, it’s time now to execute, to launch the missile. You’ve decided what you want and how to get what you want, then do it. 

If it’s a job, it’ll be looking out for vacancies and sending applications to companies you want to work with. You should also make sure you are good enough for the kind of job you want and if not, by all means, go get a premium version of yourself; upgrade!



If it’s business, I guess making research, sourcing for capital and getting started it is. If it’s to further your education, make sure you have what it takes and apply to the necessary institution, if it’s whatever just get up and do what you have to do. Do not procrastinate. Do not limit yourself and do not say you can’t. I risk sounding like a motivational speaker to say, you have everything you need to be great in you.

Quick advice before I beg you to drop your thoughts in the comment session below, DO NOT pressure yourself. It can easily lead you to desperation. Just do what you have to do and whatever you want will come, when it will come. Pressuring yourself won’t make it faster, it would only make the wait miserable.

Exhales deeply. It felt like I was never going to get to the end of this. Oya, let’s move to the comment session. 

Gradually please, no pushing!