Alex stepped through the gates of Ebonyi State University with excitement and fear. Students arrived with suitcases, new clothes, and their parents by their side. Alex had only one worn-out bag and enough money for a few days.
Finding accommodation was his first challenge. The hostel fees were beyond what he could afford. After hours of searching, a kind senior student offered him a small space in an overcrowded room until he could figure things out.
Lectures soon began, and reality hit hard. Textbooks were expensive, handouts required money, and transportation drained the little cash he had. Many days, Alex attended classes on an empty stomach, pretending he wasn't hungry.
Every evening, he called his mother. Though she struggled to make ends meet, she always encouraged him. "Don't give up, my son. God didn't bring you this far to abandon you."
Determined to survive, Alex started tutoring classmates and doing small jobs around campus. The money was little, but it kept him going.
One evening, as he counted the few notes in his pocket, he realized they wouldn't even cover his next meal.
For the first time since arriving at EBSU, Alex wondered if he would be forced to drop out.
And just when hope seemed to fade, a stranger walked up to him and said, "Are you Alex? I've been looking for you."