A Blink of Three Years: The Class of 2026

This story honors the journey of our beloved graduates; the Class of 2026, BSc in Actuarial Science. It celebrates three years of growth, friendship, resilience, and leadership. May the future meet them with more purpose, courage and possibilities.

“Excuse me, do you know where A21 is?”

November 2023.

A new chapter started before they even realized it.

A new environment, new learning methods, new faces.

A perfect mix of eagerness, a touch of shyness, and a trace of nervousness.

“When should we do the discussion?” Slowly, that single question drew everyone together. They went from rushing out of class into separate ways to lingering behind for a chat.

At first, there wasn’t much to talk about. Then, slowly, all you could here was codes, annuities, cash in, cash out.

Somehow, some way, four months passed.

Somehow, some way, another four months passed.

They were no longer strangers.

They were no longer new.

November 2024.

A new academic year, new resolutions, and a fresh surge of energy.

Where had the time gone?

The first year had felt like a gentle prelude. They had learned so much, but none of them anticipated just how much more would be expected of them.

Then the routine began: morning, café, library, venue, café, discussions, night. Presentations became more serious, and assignments demanded greater professionalism. There was no point counting the days anymore; they couldn’t be caught, they flew.

Monday morning was spent searching for confidence intervals; by Friday evening, they were evaluating joint life and last survivor. Where had the four months gone?

Then the second half of the academic year unfolded, bringing even greater demands. Every course required more effort. This time, the maths resisted easy intuition. There was no turning back: more grinding, longer library hours, more prayers, more goals, more plans; all in the hope of becoming better.

The marks they once thought were low no longer seemed so low. And the situations they never thought they’d face? They did. Each challenge reminded them that the higher the mountain of knowledge climbed, the broader the horizon of what remained unknown.

Without realizing it, they were changing. The shy, nervous students who were once dependent became more independent, proactive, courageous, organized, curious, and thoughtful. Complex assignments, countless presentations, weekly tutorials, and long discussions pushed them to think more deeply and speak more clearly. They learned to plan ahead, ask questions, and most of all, to keep going.

Somewhere between the pressure and the composure, they became more than classmates: They reminded one another about deadlines, shared ideas, and studied for tests together. They became an unbreakable team.

 

Finally, the third year arrived. The first two had passed like a shadow, swift and almost impossible to grasp. Everyone was happy to be nearing the finish line, though none of them could quite believe how quickly it had come.

This year carried new responsibilities. There were longer hours of study, more brainstorming, and bigger questions about what the future might hold. In less than a year, they would no longer be students. Each person began exploring what came next; researching opportunities, preparing for interviews, and wondering where life would lead while mentoring the younger ones. There were more prayers, more hope, and, at times, more uncertainty.

Still, they faced the year together. They celebrated one another’s milestones, reminding each other that everyone moves at their own pace. They shared meals, made time to go out, and strengthened the friendships that had grown through years of lectures and deadlines.

Those who had once been uncertain now took on leadership roles, guiding others and organising successful events.

They had no idea how deeply these moments would stay with them.

Then came the final exams: their last university examinations for the BSc in Actuarial Science. Some walked in prepared, some simply determined to do their best, and others carried the added weight of waiting for application results. There was nervousness, confusion, and hope.

When the last paper was over, reality took a moment to catch up. They were done. They sang and danced, letting the sheer euphoria of the moment wash over them. For a few glorious hours, the exams nightmares, application rejections, and uncertainty worries melted away.

 

As evening fell, they began leaving the university; taking with them more than books. They carried stories, friendships, and memories that would stay long after the campus was behind them.

 

“Bye, bye.”

 

About two months later, they came together once more to say a final goodbye to the programme. Goodbye to the sleepless nights, the coursework, the assignments, the presentations, and all the pressure that had once seemed endless.

They were done. They had made it.

Three years had vanished in the blink of an eye, and now a dozen new chapters were beginning. Their paths would inevitably diverge, but what they had built together would remain timeless; held in the laughters, the shared battles, the shared meals, the shared anxieties and the memories they would carry wherever life took them next.

“Kwa mamlaka niliyokabidhiwa, nawatunuku degree of Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Sciences na wote mlioidhinishwa, hongereni.”

Prepared by Consolata Lubuva,

Head of Social Media and Public Relations