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A Soul’s Garden
What’s a common misconception people have about happiness? They said happiness was somewhere out there—waiting in the distance,hidden behind achievements,recognition,and the things we hoped to one day possess. But I discovered a different truth: Happiness was a seedalready planted within me. A garden of the soul,watered by gratitude,nourished by love,and growing through purpose and faith.…
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Listening: The Skill I Wish I Could Instantly Master
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and why? If I could instantly learn any skill, it wouldn’t be speaking another language, writing a bestseller, or mastering an instrument. While those skills are valuable, I believe the skill I would choose is the ability to listen truly—to listen deeply, compassionately, and…
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What I’m Passionate About
What are you passionate about? “Your real education starts now, with friends you’ve made and friends you get to meet, with stunning successes and miserable defeats, and with a humble acceptance that your greatness comes from the mess around you, not despite it.” Conan O’Brien. People often ask what motivates my work. Central to my…
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Unmoved
If humans had taglines, what would yours be? It doesn’t matter what others think as long as you are doing the right thing and are at peace with yourself. Talking about peace: I was nominated for the Paul Bartlett Ré Peace Prize, administered by the University of New Mexico Foundation. I’m very grateful to the…
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When Stillness Calls
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Treasured Belongings
What personal belongings do you hold most dear? This is a response to the blog prompt Some of the personal belongings I cherish most are those that carry memories rather than monetary value. Photographs, old messages, handwritten notes, and gifts from loved ones mean the most to me because they remind me of different moments…
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Between Cold and Comfort
How do you feel about cold weather? This is a response to the prompt above. I’ve visited several American states, including Nevada, Georgia, New York, and Illinois, mostly during winter or spring, and it was always cold then. In this blog, I’ll focus on these three states known for their cold weather: Vermont, Oregon, and…
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Beyond Mentorship
Share a story about someone who had a positive impact on your life. One person who had a lasting positive impact on my life was a professor who believed in my potential long before I fully recognized it myself. Beyond the classroom, they took the time to mentor me, guide my academic growth, and open…
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Belonging
What do you do to be involved in the community? This is a response to the blog prompt above. Being involved in my community means showing up where I can be helpful—through teaching, mentorship, research, and service. As a scholar and researcher, I create spaces for learning and conversation, whether in the classroom, through workshops,…
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Faith in Christ
What gives you direction in life? By the waters that still my soul, my heart will trust in You! Hillsong What guides me in life is my faith in Jesus Christ. In a world filled with uncertainty, distractions, and shifting expectations, my faith keeps me grounded and reminds me that my life has purpose. When…
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Yurt Luck: Me and the Coyotes!
Have you ever been camping? Have I ever been camping? If sleeping in a circular tent in the middle of golden hills, surrounded by suspiciously confident insects and the kind of silence that makes you hear your own thoughts too loudly, counts—then yes. My camping debut at Blue Oak Ranch Reserve was less “survival expert”…
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Across the Ocean, Toward Myself
Describe a risk you took that you do not regret. This is a response to the topic above. One risk I took that I do not regret was crossing the ocean to pursue my studies in the United States. Leaving home meant stepping away from everything familiar—language, family presence, cultural comfort, and the everyday certainty…
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From Zimbabwe, with Love and Stories
Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you. One morning, on the bus to school, I was fully prepared for my usual routine: sitting quietly in a corner, checking off items on UCLA’s student newspaper Sudoku column, staring out the window occasionally, and mentally debating whether I was awake enough…
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Frankie, Angel & the Six Musketeers
What animals make the best/worst pets? When people think about the best pets, they usually imagine dogs or cats—animals that bark, wag their tails, or demand walks at inconvenient times. My pets do none of those things. Instead, I live with Frankie the goldfish, Angel the freshwater angelfish, and six hardworking snails I call the musketeers. Together,…
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Laughter
What makes you laugh? This is a response to the prompt above. Laughter, for me, often begins in the small, unexpected moments that gently break through the seriousness of everyday life. A thoughtful joke shared at just the right moment, a friend’s playful honesty, or even recalling something slightly embarrassing can suddenly lift my spirits.…
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Whimsy
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Actually
What was the best compliment you’ve received? This is a reply to the prompt above. The best compliment I ever received wasn’t about my looks, eye color, my singing, my style, or even my cooking (which, for the record, deserves its own award). No—someone, or rather multiple people, always told me this. However, one time,…
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What is the last thing you learned?
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Before America: Musing of All Places I’ve Become
I want to share a part of a short story about not giving up. The longer version will come as we go along. There is a strange quiet that comes when recognition arrives late. Before America, before UC Berkeley and UCLA.Before the awards and recognitions: Mastercard Foundation Scholarship and Alumni Fund, International House Berkeley Awards,…
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A House I Built Within, Without a Map
Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on. Myself as a Project The most ambitious DIY project I’ve ever undertaken wasn’t built with wood, nails, or power tools. It was built with reflection, discipline, and uncomfortable honesty. I decided to renovate myself. There was no blueprint or inherited map that fit exactly. Instead,…
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Becoming Time
How do significant life events or the passage of time influence your perspective on life? For a long time, I believed life moved in straight lines: effort leads to achievement, achievement leads to clarity, and clarity leads to peace. I thought of time as a neutral backdrop—something that simply passed while I did the real…
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Notes on Leisure
What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time? This is a response to the prompt above. Leisure, for me, isn’t the opposite of work; it’s where I reconnect with myself. I enjoy unclaimed time—time that doesn’t require me to produce, justify, or perform. During these moments, thinking slows and becomes less goal-focused. I…
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Yosemite and Grand Canyon National Parks
Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting. This is a response to the prompt above. I’ve always hoped to travel to Yosemite and the Grand Canyon National Parks in California and Arizona, respectively, to experience their vast, breathtaking landscapes, towering red rock formations, and intricate canyon…
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Less is More
Where can you reduce clutter in your life? For a long time, I believed clutter was just about possessions. Extra clothes, crowded desks, piles of books I intended to read. But I’ve realized that the most draining clutter isn’t always visible. It’s the kind that quietly builds up in attention, time, and thoughts. I first…
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My UCLA Study Space
You get to build your perfect space for reading and writing. What’s it like? This is a reply to the prompt above. I adore vibrant, lively spaces that ignite the energy of the world around us and set the perfect mood for reflection and studying. I pay special attention to lighting, preferring bright white bulbs…
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Life
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A Month-Long Stay in California’s Nature Reserve
Describe one of your favorite moments. One of my favorite experiences was my month-long stay at the Blue Oak Ranch Reserve in California, where I worked on ecological projects. The beauty of the ranch was captivating, and as a nature lover, I truly cherished my time spent alone. The highlight of my stay was befriending…
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Visionary
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Superstitions
Are you superstitious? I want to give a quick response to this topic. People often believe in many things that might not be true. These beliefs can be deeply rooted in social, religious, or political contexts. I want to share some common superstitions found in Southern Nigeria. Whistling at Night Growing up, we were always…
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Lions & Leopards
Which animal would you compare yourself to and why? From a young age, I have been captivated by the majestic presence of big cats—lions, leopards, tigers, jaguars, cheetahs, and more. There’s something undeniably awe-inspiring about these powerful creatures. Among them, I am especially drawn to the regal lions, their golden manes flowing like fiery crowns,…
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Muse: Be Curious
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Quote: Self-Care
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Outdoors
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Books
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A Voice for the Voiceless and Birthday Wishes
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Love
Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone. I believe love is the most incredible magic ever because in love are all the beautiful things one can think of—Oke Iroegbu My random act of kindness is loving people more than they deserve. For context, I’m not referring to the love between a…
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Òkè
What’s the story behind your nickname? Òkè is a short version of my name, Okechukwu. Oke in Igbo can mean different things based on the pronunciation. It can mean rat (óké), share/part (òkè), male (ókē), and boundary (òkè). My full name, Okechukwu, means share from/part of God, where òkè means share/part and Chukwu means personal…
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Sudoku
What’s your favorite game (card, board, video, etc.)? Why? My favorite board game is Sudoku. I love the challenge of figuring out where the numbers belong. As a former math instructor, I find Sudoku fascinating. It keeps my mind sharpened. The game also makes me more analytical, and conscious, thereby improving my patience, attention to…
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Writing
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Quote: Hope
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Overthinking
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Folklore and Cultural Studies
On what subject(s) are you an authority? One subject that I admire and love so much is Folklore or Cultural Studies. Growing up in a culture that prides itself on storytelling, I paid keen attention to how stories shape who people become. I just completed a graduate program in Folklore at a prestigious university in…
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Inspiration
What makes a teacher great? A teacher’s most significant job is to inspire their students—to make them believe in themselves. The teacher holds and plays an essential role in the society. I am fortunate to have instructors and teachers who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. Nothing compares to someone who…
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Books that impacted on me
List three books that have had an impact on you. Why? This post will be challenging because there are captivating books out there. I have read some books recently, but three stood out. One pioneer book that addressed the ills of colonialism in Africa was Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. The book describes in…
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Loyalty
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Poetry
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Quote on Hardwork
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Meditation
What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like? My morning routine mainly involves reflecting on past events, doing a small amount of pushups (though not always consistently), and practicing gratitude for everything. During the first hours, I usually read uplifting books—whether motivational or spiritual—to start the day.
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Learning To Say No
How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals? Saying no to someone or something can be a tricky thing, especially when you are considerate of other’s feelings. However, learning to say no is necessary to keep a person from behaviors and lifestyles that can be harmful in the long…
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Breaking Barriers
