So far, 2025 has been an amazing year for me, particularly when it comes to my reading life. On the first day of this year, I set a goal to read more than 60 books across different genres. Considering that I am an avid book lover and my course requires extensive reading, I knew I would be able to reach and surpass my reading target. However, what I did not see coming was how I’d manage to complete more than half of my reading goal in just 5 months. This morning, while preparing for church, I went through my Book app (an app I used to read soft copies) and I discovered that so far, I have read a total of 41 books, minus short stories and poems. That's a big deal! So far, I have read more Nigerian books—books that made me question my identity, books that made me take a deep look into my nationality, and books that opened my eyes to the many cultures in my country. 

We have all experienced one or more life-changing events that divide our lives into before and after. Whether it is marriage, breakup, divorce, becoming independent, leaving home for the first time, or retirement, the aftermath can be life-changing. Imagine working at a firm for more than 30 years, only for you to retire one day. How will your life take shape from there? I have had my share of these moments— to be precise, I have experienced two of the experiences above—leaving home for the first time and breaking up. However, today, I will solely focus on the former. I’m not sure I would be comfortable discussing the latter, at least not yet. Do you remember the first time you left home? How was your life after that moment? 

Growing up, many of us dreamed of having superpowers. Our childhoods were filled with fantasies and endless possibilities. The movies we watched filled out imaginations and also heightened it with endless possibilities. Many of us dreamed of having superpowers like flying like superhuman, becoming invisible, running across the world within seconds like The Flash, or teleporting from one country to another. Teleportation was one of my favorites. I often imagine how many countries I would visit if I had the power to teleport. Among all the superpowers I wished I had, one that also made the list that fits in to today’s Hive learner’s prompt is the ability to bring something or someone back to life. Sounds pretty interesting, right? 

About three months ago, while scrolling through Instagram, I came across an anime that caught my attention. You know, there are some anime scenes we come across that immediately piques your interest and makes us want to watch the whole anime. I remember how I got interested in watching Chainsaw man just because I saw that single episode where Aki Hayakawa used “Kon.” I am in love with my Instagram Algorithm. Brick by brick, I have built my algorithm to show me the things I like; football, anime, and cars. Thanks to Instagram reels, I came across a gem—Vinland Saga. Vinland saga is one of the best anime series I have watched. While scrolling through Instagram, I came across a scene where Thorfin’s eyes were filled with rage and hatred, followed by a scene where the hatred had disappeared from his eyes. Immediately, I fell In love with the anime, and proceeded to watch it. I had lots of questions; why was he so angry? Who hurt him that badly? What changed him? What erased the hatred in his eyes. 

In recent years, children around the world have faced numerous cases of child abuse and neglect, even at the hands of their parents. Children often face these episodes when they are with a guardian or a relative. For example, due to parents’ busy schedules, they may leave their kids in care of a relative. In other cases, when parents pass away, children are often left in the care of guardians or relatives. In these cases, there is a high tendency of child abuse and neglect compared to when children live with their biological parents. Now, this is where child services come in. In many countries, there are organizations dedicated to protecting children from harm and abuse. They also look to provide for neglected children. However, this system, although it is present in my country, is not effective compared to European countries. For today’s Hive Learner’s topic, we are asked to discuss child services. What are the effects of child services in your country?

As humans, we enjoy succeeding in everything we lay our hands on. There's a feeling of gratification that flows through your veins when things go your way, especially when you have been struggling for a long time. Just last week, one of my lecturers gave us a test. He'd told us about the test a week before the due date, but we were caught up with other school activities, so we started reading for the test a day before. It wasn't until the day I started reading that I realized my mistake —I should have started reading earlier. The course was a bit bulky, but I managed to read only a few pages, hoping that a miracle would happen. Lo and behold, when I saw the test questions, most of the questions came out from the few pages I read. The smile on my face that moment was unmatched.