I Love Life Again: Oluwaseyi Olubiyi’s Semicolon Story
I love life, and I love the idea of taking care of people so much that I wanted to become a doctor. But in my third year at university, everything changed. My friend and I were run over by a car, which led to the death of my friend and left me with second-degree burns on my back and part of my face.
Life changed dramatically. I felt purposeless and hated the fact that I was alive while my friend wasn’t. I struggled for a long time to find something to hold on to. This involved searching for side hustles and jobs that didn’t require going to the office daily. Eventually, I joined the I4G x Zuri Program to learn product design. After completing the classes, I began applying for internship roles but couldn’t secure any. That’s when I realized I needed to learn more areas in tech and decided to attend a physical school — which is how I discovered Semicolon on X (formerly Twitter).
I had my doubts about the fees, which made me think twice. However, upon attending a Masterclass, I came to understand the quality and benefits of the program and decided to register. The activities at the Village (the learning facility) during my first week reminded me so much of my secondary school days. We were all at the same level. People bonded a lot, we recited poems to motivate ourselves, and we even had lunch together.
I didn’t have high expectations for the program, so when we started with Design Thinking, I was surprised to find myself learning how to be vulnerable again. I began to change my sad perception of life. When we moved into the core programming courses, however, I faced an internal crisis. I struggled to grasp certain concepts, which made me question how smart I was and how I had even managed to graduate from university. This was compounded by the fact that the class was competitive, and some people grasped concepts faster. But with time, determination, consistency, and the support of my facilitators — who patiently answered my many questions — it became easier and better.
Beyond academics, my cohort members were the most encouraging people I’ve ever met. They were the first group of people, apart from my close friends, who respected my privacy and didn’t treat me differently because of my scars. They became like a new family that took care of me. During the first week, some of my colleagues noticed my fear of crossing roads, a trauma I still struggled with from the accident. For the first six months, someone always ensured they walked me home.
The accident also left me prone to seizures, and the stress of class was a big trigger. When it happened for the first time, I feared, “These are new people; they’ll find out I’m sick, or they’ll ask me to leave.” But to my surprise, they didn’t dwell on it. The last thing I wanted was pity, and they understood that. They weren’t judgmental; sometimes, they even arranged rides to take me home.
Most people learn to code alone, but I gained so much more during the program. I gained knowledge and a new family. Now that I’ve completed the program, I’ve discovered new interests in tech and plan to find ways to merge tech with biochemistry, which I studied in school. The past year has completely changed my perspective on life. I’ve learned to cherish it again, and I’ve found a new purpose.
