For a long time, Akutu had been moving through life based on necessity—studying because she had to, working because she needed to, and pushing forward because there was no other choice.
But now, something different was happening.
For the first time in her university journey, she started asking herself: Who am I beyond my responsibilities?
It started with a simple conversation.
One evening, Olivia found Akutu staring at her laptop, lost in thought.
"What's on your mind?" Olivia asked, sitting beside her.
Akutu hesitated, then sighed. "I don't know who I am outside of my struggles."
Olivia frowned. "What do you mean?"
Akutu shrugged. "I've spent my entire life just trying to make it. Studying, working, doing everything right. But… I don't even know what I love doing. What excites me. Who I am beyond all of this."
Olivia leaned back, thinking. "You know… maybe it's time you start figuring that out."
So, Akutu started exploring herself.
At first, it felt strange—doing things just because she wanted to.
She borrowed a novel from the library, something unrelated to her studies. She had always loved stories as a child, but somewhere along the way, she had forgotten that.
As she flipped through the pages, she felt something stir inside her—a forgotten joy.
The next week, she tried something new.
She attended a creative writing workshop on campus. She wasn't sure why she chose it, but something about writing down her thoughts felt freeing.
As she scribbled words onto paper, she realized—this was a part of her she had never explored.
Self-discovery didn't happen overnight.
Some days, she still felt lost.
But now, she allowed herself to be curious.
She joined Olivia in a music night at the student lounge, even though she didn't know any of the songs.
She took a walk alone without a destination, just to enjoy the fresh air.
She even spent a whole afternoon doing nothing—something she had never let herself do before.
And for the first time in a long while, she felt lighter.
One evening, as she journaled her thoughts, she smiled to herself.
Yes, she was still a hardworking student. Yes, she still had responsibilities.
But now, she was also a person—one who was learning to live, not just survive.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.