“After yesterday’s disaster, I told myself Day 2 would be better. I woke up on time, packed my bag the night before, and even managed to grab a quick breakfast. For a moment, I thought, This is it, Eddie. Today, you’re going to be a functioning adult.

That optimism lasted exactly 20 minutes.

The day started with Principles of Marketing, a subject I was actually excited about—until Professor Razak walked in. He had the kind of energy that made you sit up straight, not out of respect but out of pure survival instinct. His booming voice filled the lecture hall as he slammed his marker on the table and said, ‘Marketing is about survival. If you don’t sell yourself, you’ll get left behind.’

Talk about a pep talk.

He launched into a lecture that felt more like a TED Talk on steroids. Market segmentation, customer loyalty, brand positioning—it was a whirlwind of buzzwords that I vaguely remembered from my textbook. Halfway through, he stopped pacing and pointed straight at me.

‘You! In the black shirt! What’s an example of a product with low customer loyalty?’

My brain went blank. I glanced at my notes, hoping for a clue, but all I had written was “Marketing = LIFE.” Panicking, I blurted out, ‘Uh… pens?’

The entire class burst into laughter. I wanted to disappear. Professor Razak, to his credit, didn’t laugh. Instead, he nodded thoughtfully and said, ‘Interesting answer. Not wrong, but not quite what I was looking for. Let’s talk about toothpaste instead.’

Great. I’m officially the “pen guy” now.

After the lecture, I ran into Faisal, who was sitting in the back row looking far too relaxed. ‘Man, that professor is intense,’ I said, trying to make conversation. Faisal shrugged and said, ‘Just nod and agree. Works every time.’ I couldn’t decide if he was a genius or a slacker. Probably both.

The rest of the day was less eventful. I managed to stay awake in my Financial Accounting class, though barely. By the time I got to the cafeteria for lunch, I was starving. As I grabbed a plate of fried rice, I spotted my campus crush sitting with her friends. Naturally, I tried to act casual and almost dropped my entire tray. Smooth, Eddie. Real smooth.

When I finally got back to my dorm, I collapsed on my bed, exhausted but oddly satisfied. Sure, I got called out in class, and sure, I’m still clueless about half of what Professor Razak said, but at least I didn’t spill curry on myself today. Progress, right?

Lesson of the day: Always have an example ready. And maybe invest in a new pack of pens—just in case.”