Once your fourth year project is approved and you are fit to apply for graduation, a heavy load comes off

your back with a sigh of relief: “phew!” Then clearing begins. That’s when you realize that all along you

have been a stranger at your university. You start asking for directions to the cafeteria manager’s office.

Then you think to yourself, “I’ve always wondered where that hallway led to.” But anyways, now that

you’re actually leaving, it doesn’t really matter anymore. Then your application for graduation is

approved and you receive the ever coveted gown and mortarboard. Of course you try it on still a bit jittery

not believing that you actually made it, against all the odds.


Then comes graduation day! This is when you finally get to understand the meaning of elation. This is

also when you realize how many cousins you actually have, and how good looking they all are. If it was not

for the graduation party, you would have met them in other ways and fallen head over heels for them. But

that’s a story for another day. You can feel the approval from all and sundry. This is the day you

particularly feel like a king. You suddenly have the urge to walk in the central business district and malls

around town just to get a soft drink. Your main reason however is to show off your day outfit. And your

mission is accomplished. You get congratulatory messages from total strangers as the shyer kind smile

and nod in approval. You have really outdone yourself this time. And for that you deserve a pat on the

back.


Graduation comes and goes but the memories linger in your mind. You are all smiles a week after; still

oblivious of what lies ahead. Then little by little it starts to dawn on you that things have changed. Reality

stares you in the face. What next? You had started applying for jobs since the day you completed your last

paper. But you only did it as a fad, not really concerned about responses. After all, the hardest task was

behind you. But now that all that you looked forward to is over and done with, you find yourself at a

crossroads. What do you do next?


You start helping out at home with chores. You catch up with the latest series releases and you

practically spend the entire day indoors. You eventually call friends and former colleagues and realize

that they are either on internship, are management trainees or actually working. Your first-class-honors

degree suddenly loses meaning (at least to you it does). You suddenly become religious and turn to God

to help you through this difficult time of desperation. You almost lose hope but somehow find strength to

press on. Your friends who are now well to do encourage you to apply for jobs every day. They tell you

that your big break is just around the corner and you believe them for a while. Then days turn into

months. Almost a year has elapsed since you cleared campus without anything but regret letters from

potential employers after attending dozens of interviews.


But does it stop there? Is this the end of the road for you? If you ask me, what you do next and how you

handle this situation will determine the rest of your life. So where do you start? Keep yourself busy; not

only with house chores but with everything else. Don’t get into a limbo of sorts involving binge drinking

and late nights out with friends. It is a snare. Get down to business. Do something. Volunteer in a

children’s home, join a club, learn how to play the guitar or learn a foreign language. Anything that

excites you or makes you happy. You also need to read widely. You can start by reading the newspaper,

inspirational books such as How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie, Rich Dad Poor

Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, the Bible or the Quran. Reading opens up your mind and helps you to start

thinking of ways to make a living. After you have thought out an action plan, start working on it. If you

decide to start doing odd jobs to make an extra coin then so be it. But the bottom line is: Do something.

Your breakthrough could come from virtually anywhere.


You could also think of starting a business, preferably in the service sector. The service sector is rich with

great business ideas that require minimal capital. Don’t worry if you have to copy someone else’s

business idea. It is impossible to patent a service. So at least you don’t have to worry about any lawsuits.

Then look out for opportunities to make your dream a reality. For example, the Uwezo Fund, Kazi kwa

Vijana as well as opportunities to make use of an incubator to finance your business. When you start off,

don’t imagine that it will be a walk in the park. You will have to contend with many hurdles. Look at

them positively since they will mold your character and outlook of life. Since you are starting off, keep

your expenses to the very minimum. Don’t hire unnecessary staff. You will have to do all the dirty work

by yourself at first.


Remain ever hopeful. Things always change. Do everything in your power to ensure that you are making

headway. Above all, don’t give up. Even when the future looks bleak, relax. Solace is around the corner

for sure. Stay far from worry. It will cloud your judgment. I particularly like the words of a character

quoted in the Dale Carnegie’s book highlighted at the outset. This character was a navy commander

during the war. His words pertaining to not worrying that he would not win the war go like this: “I have

supplied the best men with the best equipment we have; and have given them what seems to be the wisest

mission. That is all I can do. If a ship has been sunk, I can’t bring it up. I can use my time much better to

work on tomorrow’s problem than fretting about yesterdays.”

You might have the next big thing right at your fingertips. Make use of opportunities that come your way.

And remember, opportunities are not given, they are taken!