The sound of my alarm at 6:30 a.m. felt cruel. I rolled over, half-asleep, until Amara tossed a pillow at me.
"Up, Shelly. First day of class. Don't embarrass Africa."
"Why do you sound like my mom?" I grumbled, dragging myself out of bed.
---
The classroom atmosphere
By 8:00, I was seated in my first lecture hall — Introduction to International Relations. The room smelled faintly of coffee and new books, students tapping away at laptops while the projector flickered to life.
Professor Anucha strode in, gray-haired but sharp-eyed, and began:
"Here at Chulalongkorn, we do not spoon-feed. We expect you to challenge us, to think critically, and to work harder than you have ever worked before."
My stomach flipped. This was no O-Level exam — this was another world.
I scribbled notes furiously, determined not to fall behind.
---
Struggling, but shining
By the afternoon, I'd already attended two lectures and a seminar. The pace was overwhelming — readings, assignments, deadlines — but something inside me thrummed with excitement.
"This is hard," I whispered to Amara as we left class.
She smirked. "Good. Means we'll grow."
---
The double life begins
Back in the dorm, while Amara dove into readings, I set up my camera.
"Hey guys," I said, smiling into the lens, "first day of classes at Chula! I won't lie — it's tough. But I love it. I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."
I edited quickly and uploaded the vlog before diving into my coursework.
By evening, the notifications exploded:
"Proud of you, Shelly!"
"More campus vlogs please!"
"Girl, balance those books AND the fame!"
Even my family commented. Caro wrote: "She's gonna marry Ohm after finishing her degree."
Clifton: "Focus on your GPA, not your crush, sis."
Mom: "Listen to your brother. Study first."
I groaned, tossing my phone aside. "Why is my whole family like this?"
Amara laughed. "Because it keeps you grounded."
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First group project
The next day, I was thrown into a group assignment. My teammates — Jin, Maria, and a Thai student named Kanya — gathered around a table in the library.
"We need to prepare a 15-minute presentation by next week," Kanya said crisply.
"Already?" I blurted.
"Yes," she said. "Welcome to Chula."
The group laughed, but I noticed their determination. They weren't here to play.
"Alright," I said, straightening. "Let's crush it."
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Late-night balance
That night, my desk was piled high with readings. I rubbed my eyes, yawning. Then I noticed my camera blinking — a reminder I'd set to film.
I sighed but hit record.
"Update: balancing school and social media is harder than I thought. But I can't give up on either. I promised myself — academics for my future, social media for my family's security. So… I'll do both. Somehow."
I smiled weakly at the camera, then turned back to my textbook.
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Closing reflections
Lying in bed that night, I felt the weight of exhaustion — but also pride.
"This is it," I whispered. "The real challenge. But I've come too far to stop now."
The Bangkok city lights flickered outside, as if cheering me on. Tomorrow would be harder. Tomorrow, I'd work even smarter.
And maybe, just maybe, someday all of this — the studying, the vlogging, the sacrifices — would lead me to something far greater than I'd ever imagined.