My journey

My first day at NUL

It was the first day of school at the National University of Lesotho (NUL), and my heart was beating fast. I had waited for this day for so long , finally stepping into the place I had only heard about in stories, from people who once walked its paths before me. I was both excited and nervous.

Waking up early, I dressed in my best outfit, packed my bag neatly, and took a deep breath before walking to my first class. The campus was buzzing with activity , students chatting, some laughing, others looking as unsure as I was. I realized I wasn’t the only one feeling anxious. But I kept walking, trying to look confident even though my heart was racing.

When I got to my classroom, I looked around. Most of the students were older than me. Some looked like they had been working already, others had a very mature presence. I felt like a small fish in a big pond. I remember thinking, “Am I too young to be here?”I felt out of place. The fear of not fitting in grew stronger.But I told myself to be strong , after all, I had made it here for a reason.

As the days passed, things slowly began to change.

I started talking to the people around me. I met a girl named Adelice, who had the warmest smile. She told me she also felt nervous because she hadn’t been in school for years. Then I met Tlali, a quiet guy who later turned out to be one of the smartest people in class. I realized that age didn’t matter ,what mattered was the reason we were all there: to learn.

Little by little, I became comfortable.

Our class started working together , we shared notes, helped each other with assignments, and stayed late discussing lessons we didn’t understand. We were not just classmates anymore; we became a team.

One day, we had a difficult test. Many of us didn’t do well. Instead of blaming each other, we sat down and planned study sessions. We pushed each other to do better, and we celebrated small wins together. That’s when I truly felt I belonged.

We also shared fun moments , laughing over lunch, walking together around campus, sharing stories about home and our dreams for the future. NUL became more than just a school. It became a place where I grew, not only academically, but emotionally.

Looking back, I’m proud of how far I’ve come.From being the scared new student to becoming someone confident enough to speak in front of class, help others, and be helped when I’m struggling , it’s been a beautiful journey.

School opened my mind, but also opened my heart to friendship, growth, and courage.