On September 5th, 1994, I walked through the gates of Baptist High School Buea, as a little spec of a boy brimming with joy, purpose, and determination, yet weighed down by anxiety, homesickness, and nostalgia. My parents were there to bid me farewell, offering heartfelt reassurances and warm embraces. Despite their love, I couldn't shake the feeling of abandonment that lingered in my heart.

For the next five years, I navigated a tumultuous sea of experiences—exciting prefect-ship campaigns balanced by brutal handovers, uplifting worship sessions accompanied by exhausting Spiritual Emphasis programs, and rewarding graduation ceremonies set against the backdrop of endless "Bunkers." Each challenge mirrored the trials faced by Ferdinand Magellan, whose relentless spirit guided him through the storms of the open sea.

Graduation was indeed the final accomplishment, the epitaph of a successful journey. Half a decade in, I was thrilled to don my burgundy robe—the moment every student at BHS Buea dreams of. It symbolised not only the end of my hard-fought journey but also the promising future that awaited me.

Through it all, I upheld the motto of academic mortality service as my guiding light, a mantra that propelled me through obstacles and trials. On May 22nd, 1999, I emerged triumphant, graduating and bidding farewell to the institution that had shaped me. Without this guiding principle, life’s storms might have rendered my journey unworthy.

As I look back, I realize it was this determination that forged my path through turbulent seas, reminding me that true adventure lies in embracing the challenges that lie ahead.

Jules F. K.