NYSC Is Over. So, When Exactly Are We Supposed to Blow?

I’ve officially completed my NYSC journey. No more PPA duties. No more CDS. No more monthly biometrics. And yes, no more ₦77k allawee. Lol.

But as the euphoria fades and reality creeps in loudly and uninvited. one question keeps slapping me from every angle, sometimes with a whisper, other times like a slap:

“So... what’s next?”

“SO… WHAT’S NEXT?!”

It’s like the moment that certificate hits your hand, the world presses CTRL + Pressure. Suddenly, everyone and their mother’s cousin’s neighbour wants to know what you’re doing with your life. And not in a chill, friendly way. No. It's the full package:

• “When are you getting married?”

• “You never blow?”

• “You still dey house?” Arghhhhhhh!

You’d think after dedicating a whole year to serving the nation, whether teaching JSS2 students, sorting dusty files in a ministry, or whatever, you’d be allowed some breathing space.

But no. Society’s already giving you the side-eye:

“Have you updated your CV?”
“Are you on LinkedIn?”
“There’s a Personal Assistant role that requires Excel, graphic design, and ability to cook ogbono soup.”

Job hunting in Nigeria is now an extreme sport.
You’ll see “Entry-Level - 5 years experience required”on job ads.
Excuse me sir, should I have started building experience from primary school?

And then comes the exposure package - ₦45,000 monthly and ‘great learning opportunities.’

I chuckle in awe. Please, is it exposure I’ll use to buy data?

Let’s not even talk about the pressure to move to Lagos or Abuja to “enter the system.”
The same system draining bank accounts and rewarding burnout with parties and networking opportunities.

One month in Lagos and you can’t even meet up anymore.

Meanwhile, as a girlie, the moment you pass out from NYSC, it’s like a silent alarm goes off, and the aunties at family functions start sharpening their “omugwo” wrappers.

“I can’t wait to come and carry your baby o,” they say with smiles that are annoyingly threatening.

Ma, I just finished battling sunburn, dust, and endless biometric queues for allawee. Allow me to breathe first!

And before you’re done posing for your POP pictures, someone’s already in your DM:

“Now that you’re done with NYSC, when are you settling down?”

Settle where? Bro, I haven’t even settled in.

Don’t get it twisted, marriage is beautiful. But can we collectively agree it’s not the default next step after NYSC?
While some of us are still dating people who think “what are we?” is an attack, some are in textationships or situationships. 

 

Now let’s talk about the pressure to blow! This one, ehn…

There’s a silent count down that begins the moment you finish NYSC. It screams “How fast can you blow”?

How soon till you’re in Lekki, posting travel content, wearing suits, and captioning IG stories with “Had a great time speaking at XYZ Summit”?

The truth? Many of us are just trying to figure things out. Some are back home to eat and face parents that keep asking “So you didn’t bring a job back from NYSC?” 

Others are navigating unfamiliar cities, learning languages, and living with roommates they barely know.

And yes, we see our mates posting wins online and wonder,
“Am I doing something wrong?”

What they don’t show are the rejections, the anxiety, the sleepless nights, the tears. The days you cry because life is lifing and not in the aesthetic Pinterest way.

Some of us? We’re just tired.
Mentally. Physically. Spiritually.
The hustle is no longer hustling the way it used to.

But we show up anyway, a little each day, and hoping something shifts, for good.

 

So, what is Sweet Lilian Doing?

Honestly? I’m choosing peace. I’m choosing to not let societal expectations dictate my pace.

I’m giving myself room to rest. To breathe. To recalibrate. I’m exploring what actually excites me and not what gets the most applause. I’m learning, writing, praying, healing. And yes, I’m eating jollof rice, spaghetti, bread, and sleeping without guilt.

Sure, apply for jobs. Send those cold emails. Explore new paths. But don’t rush to prove anything to the world. Because it’s okay to be in between. It’s okay to figure things out slowly. It’s okay to not “blow” immediately.

So, whether you’re fresh out of NYSC, whether you’re thriving or barely surviving, whether you’ve landed a hiring and firing role at Dangote or you’re freelancing from your parents’ living room, please know that you’re not alone and you're not a failure.

You are not behind. Life isn’t a sprint. It’s not even a marathon. It’s a winding journey of plot twists, detours, bathroom tears, and random 2 a.m. wins.

So, breathe. Laugh. Cry. Try again.
Delete and rewrite that CV for the 10th time.
Say no to pressure and yes to growth.

And if you don’t blow this year?
You’ll blow next year. Or the one after that. Las las, you go buy Benz

Just don’t lose yourself trying to meet someone else’s timeline.

Your pace is valid. Your process is sacred.
And in the end, it will all make sense.

…Sweet Lilian