Life at the College of Medicine (CMUL) changes drastically as you climb the academic ladder. The panic of a “fresh” 200L student crossing from Akoka to Idi-Araba is very different from the seasoned exhaustion of a finalist.
We tracked two NUNSA members—Chidinma (200L) and Tunde (500L)—for 24 hours to see how their days compare.
The Morning Routine
200L: The Early Bird (By Force)
Time: 5:45 AM Chidinma is already awake. Why? Because the fear of the 8:00 AM Anatomy lecture is the beginning of wisdom. She is battling for water in the hostel, ironing her white-on-white uniform to perfection, and reviewing the slides she studied last night.
- Mood: Anxious but hopeful.
- Breakfast: A rushed sachet of cereal.
500L: The Slow Burn
Time: 7:15 AM Tunde’s alarm has rung three times. He eventually drags himself up. He isn’t rushing for a lecture seat; he is mentally preparing for a full shift at the ward. His uniform is ironed, but he’s more concerned about finding his comfortable crocs than looking perfect.
- Mood: Resigned determination.
- Breakfast: “I’ll buy bread and beans at the cafeteria.”
The Afternoon Grind
200L: Information Overload
Time: 1:00 PM Chidinma is in the histology lab. She has been looking at slides for two hours and everything looks pink and purple. She is trying to memorize terms she has never heard before. The sheer volume of reading material feels suffocating.
500L: Practical Application
Time: 1:00 PM Tunde is on the Orthopedic ward. He just finished a wound dressing procedure. He isn’t reading about fractures; he is seeing them. His stress isn’t about memorizing slides, but about his Final Year Project supervisor who just emailed him corrections for Chapter 3.
Evening & Night Life
200L: The Library camper
Time: 9:00 PM Chidinma is heading to the New Building reading room. She plans to stay until 2:00 AM because “Biochem won’t read itself.”
500L: The Balance
Time: 9:00 PM Tunde is back in the hostel. He reads for an hour, but he knows the value of rest. He spends the evening gisting with roommates about life after school, job hunting, and the upcoming induction ceremony.
The Verdict
Whether you are the anxious fresher or the tired finalist, the CMUL struggle binds us all.
- To the 200L students: It gets better (sort of).
- To the 500L students: You are almost at the finish line.
Join the Conversation
Which level was your hardest year in Nursing school? 200L, 300L, or the dreaded 400L? Drop your comments below!
