A public journal.
Note: this was written at different points of the day.
8.49am
I breathe a sigh of relief that I'm finally free enough to write this. I'm at the lecture ground waiting for NYSC lectures to start.
The idea to write the year I turned 21 had been swirling in my head for a while now (inspired by ). The only problem was that I didn't do enough introspection (a girl likes to not overthink for her piece of mind) to write something inspirational.
So instead, while having my bath in the thick of Ekiti winter (it is fucking cold and dry in this place), I decided to write about my day.
Hence the title.
I intend to post this 23.59. I will not be awake but it seems poetic in a way.
Anywho. My birthday started with me wanting to stone my roommate with shoe. Why will you set an alarm that wakes the entire room up by 1am knowing fully well;
you won't wake up and,
you don't even wake up that early to begin with.
Then I woke up by 2am, some thirty minutes later, finally aware it was my birthday.
Now if you know me personally, you know I get a weird manic energy from the evening before my birthday till the birthday ends.
Back to bants. I checked my phone. One birthday message. From my boyfriend.
Then I washed. Bathed. Read substack (this app is like my latest obsession ngl). Slept. Woke up 4.30 to get ready for devotion
Devotion went well. I don't know if it was manic energy or genuine rest(lol) but for once I wasn't sleepy at devotion.
The band started playing for a soldier having birthday, I went to tell him happy birthday and told him it was my birthday too but before we could complete the conversation, his platoon dragged him away and I went to my platoon.
I told a man ‘o war guy it was my birthday. Honestly, I was telling anyone willing to listen. Manic energy turns off the embarrassment button.
In my announcement pattern, a few people heard it was my birthday and convinced the man o war guy (same one I told it was my birthday) to make the platoon sing for me.
And they did. And they forced me to dance. And it was fun. Then everyone started telling me happy birthday (my one wish for the day was to be acknowledged. I love being told Happy birthday)
Then after parade, the soldier in charge of my platoon took me to Mami market and bought me breakfast.
End of recap.
Currently (9.21am, cause I got distracted) I'm forcing myself to not be pissed at lne random babe that sat on a seat that I was keeping for a friend and claimed she wasn't going to stand up. But she's not worth me losing my joy. I will not be angry. I will let it slide.
Welp off to write a birthday letter.
2:19pm
I just woke up from a two hour nap. How did I have so much nap time? Jumaat (thank you muslims)
Phone hot as hell, cause my data had been up all this time. I miss the low power consumption of wifi.
Anywho, before I slept, I was at my digital Marketing class, where I let myself be appointed for classrep for the first time since primary school (remember me saying I hated being the head of anything)
My teacher figured out it was my birthday (I told him) and he said he's going to broadcast my name during OBS shoutout, then two people asked to buy me lunch.
But yet, here I am on my bed debating going back to sleep. I want to edit the birthday letter though and maybe I'll actually take one of my friends up on the lunch offer.
6.57pm
I'm currently at a vendor at mami market with a friend that I met here. I'm watching her serve food to customers.
Before now I posted my 21 letter, dressed up and went for parade, amidst answering multiple birthday texts (due to my love of being acknowledged on my birthday, I actually enjoy the thank yous on my day)
I finished marching at my platoon, arms hurting and filled like my ten thousandth form in this camp, during which Nigeria went to bed (they blow trumpet and put up and down the Nigerian flag by 6am and 6pm respectively. They say Nigeria is waking up and sleeping. Nigeria wakes up by 6am, I wake up by 3am).
Went shopping. Courtesy of my baby boo, my man. Shopping is therapeutic guys. Do it more often. Get rich so you can shop.
Right now. I want to get bullet and smirnoff to try them for the first time. Yunno new age new things to try. If I end up drunk (my previous alcohol experience is wine and a brief stint with lacoco whiskey), yall will know.
7.25pm
I did it. I bought alcohol for the first time in my life. It was a weird experience. I wasn't sure how to act but I maintained my steeze and composure and bought it. A can of Bullet, a bottle of lacoco whiskey and a bottle of sprite.
Bullet tastes like energy drink mixed with wine. I expected stronger.
Wish me luck sha. Lets see if we hit my personal aim of being tipsy by the end of the night.
7.31pm
Okay so bullet is strong. A girl has felt it in her head lol. But I'm eating indomie and egg, maybe it'll counter the alcohol.
8.24pm
I'm tipsy now. I still mixed whiskey and sprite to keep the buzz. I'm sitting with my friends while pretending to watch the cultural drama, because we were forced out of mami market.
9.49pm
For some weird reason trumpet was playing. Like bro it isn't 10pm yet.
I'm currently lying on my bed, trying to wane off the buzz of alcohol. I'm also coming off the high of a family videocall where they sang for me. It was cut short die to bad network but at least I heard the whole song before network fucked up.
Anywho, some just walked in my room asking for torch saying a couple was kissing. Half of my roommates ran outside but the couple was gone.
My room leader is trying to get everyone to quiet down while I'm wondering how I'm going to edit this before going to bed.
I didn't expect much from my birthday. My one wish was to be acknowledged and I was more than acknowledged. I am happy with how today turned out. It was a memorable birthday despite the circumstances.
Well time to edit this tipsy while listening to soldiers call random girls witch just for being awake.
Goodnight everyone.
Thanks for all the love today.
Note: slept immediately after typing this.
Also today is the 11th day. The middle day. Spent 10 days here and have 10 more to spend. Clap for me.
Wow! You have a man
Such betrayal
No no... But I thought we were all single😩