My Boston Life: A Naija Girl’s First Days at MIT
Na wa oh! Who would believe say small girl like me, from Lagos, go land for one of the biggest universities in the world — MIT. When I got my acceptance letter, I nearly shout finish. My papa just dey look me like, “My daughter, you don make us proud.” And truly, I carry all my family hopes with me as I boarded that big plane to America, with my Ghana-must-go bag and plenty dreams in my heart.
I landed in Boston in early August — summer still dey small small, and the breeze wey blow me for Logan Airport no be joke. Everything looked big, organized, and quiet — compared to the chaos of Lagos, it almost felt like I walk into a movie. MIT send one friendly senior to pick me up. Her name na Amy — she’s from Kenya. I just dey smile anyhow as she show me around.
MIT: My New Academic Home
MIT no be play. The buildings dey sharp, very modern. The campus sit down for Cambridge, just across the Charles River from Boston proper. The moment I enter the main dome, I felt the weight of brains wey don waka this same floor — engineers, scientists, Nobel prize people. My first class na “Intro to Computer Science”, and even though my head begin hot small, I sabi say this na the place wey go stretch me to become better.
People here dey focused, but also very helpful. The labs, the libraries — kai, MIT dey serious! But even with all the seriousness, students dey find ways to enjoy. We get dance clubs, African student groups, hackathons, and food fairs. The other day I chop jollof rice and suya at an African cultural night. No lie, e sweet pass wetin I cook for house sometimes.
Boston — The City of Schools
Boston no be only MIT. E be like say every road you pass, one university dey corner am. I dey waka small from MIT and boom — I enter Harvard University. That place eh, e get this ancient, elegant vibe. Red brick buildings, trees full of fall colors, students with thick books and coffee cups. I go meet my childhood friend Tochi wey dey study Government there. She take me go Harvard Yard, and we sit down for grass just dey gist and catch breeze.
I don also visit Boston University (BU) — it dey right along the river. The campus dey long and spread out, and the students dey everywhere on bicycles and scooters. Northeastern University get very modern buildings, and dem get strong co-op program wey help students get real job experience. One of my MIT classmates dey do part-time coding gig wey he get from Northeastern friend hookup.
Even community colleges dey everywhere — Bunker Hill Community College, Roxbury Community College — and I hear say dem dey help many students, especially international or first-gen ones, get strong start in America.
Food, Vibes, and Naija Nostalgia
Let me no lie — I miss my mama pepper soup and Agege bread well well. But Boston dey try. I find one small Nigerian store for Dorchester, and dem get Maggi cube, egusi, and even indomie. For campus, plenty food trucks dey — I try Korean BBQ, tacos, and of course, American burgers (e no bad).
Sometimes I go with my friends to Newbury Street or Faneuil Hall — shops full ground, musicians dey play live, and the smell of fresh pizza dey everywhere. And when cold dey bite for winter? Na hot chocolate and thick jackets go save person oh!
Learning, Growing, Becoming
Life in Boston no easy all the time. Classes tough. Cold fit bite you enter bone. Sometimes I feel small lonely. But this city dey full of brains, full of dreams, and full of people like me — international students wey leave home to build something bigger.
I dey learn not just about coding and algorithms, but about myself. How to adapt. How to hold my own. How to enjoy little wins, like passing a tough exam or finding a new Naija friend on the bus.
Boston be like a pot of stew — many different things dey inside, all cooking together. And me, I be part of that stew now.
Next time, maybe I go tell una how snow look for real life, or how I nearly miss train because I stop to buy puff-puff from an African aunty in Roxbury. For now, I dey MIT dey hustle my brain.
Na small girl from Lagos turn Boston babe. Nothing wey God no fit do.
