Oluwaseun's Story

Hi, I’m Oluwaseun Olushola, a PhD researcher in applied mathematics at the University of Birmingham. I want to share my story because progress is rarely linear, and I believe there is value in being honest about the challenges, setbacks, and growth that shapes one’s journey.

The early years

I was born in Birmingham and spent the first nine years of my life here before moving to Nigeria, where I lived for the next ten years. While I remember little of my early childhood in Birmingham, the decision to move to Nigeria profoundly shaped who I am today.

As a child, I struggled academically. At one point, teachers and doctors even suggested that I might have a learning difficulty. I was also, by my own admission, quite naughty. Years later, I discovered that I had received speech therapy as a child. The move to Nigeria was driven largely by the hope of finding a stronger support system—one that could help me grow both academically and personally.

My time in Nigeria

Nigeria places a strong emphasis on academic excellence, discipline, and respect, often through a stricter educational approach than I had previously experienced. The structure transformed me. The “naughty kid” who once struggled in school eventually won the Best Behaved Boy at school prize-giving day, and the idea that I had a learning difficulty quietly disappeared.

Adjusting to a new country as a child was not easy. The culture, food, weather, languages, and school system were all unfamiliar, and homesickness was a constant companion in the early years. But supportive teachers, friends, and guardians made the transition manageable—and, over time, deeply meaningful.

Over time, I grew to appreciate my years in Nigeria immensely. Those ten years instilled values that still guide me today: hard work, discipline, integrity, and resilience. I learned the importance of community and the strength that comes from deep relationships. The challenges, disappointments, and failures I experienced were not setbacks; they were foundations. They prepared me for my return to Birmingham and for university life.

I still remember the moment the plane lifted off the runway on my journey back. Leaving Nigeria came with mixed emotions: gratitude for the memories, friendships, and sense of belonging I had found there, alongside excitement and anticipation for the new chapter ahead.

Being back in Birmingham

Returning to Birmingham was far from straightforward. It took a couple of years to feel settled again, and my first year at the University of Birmingham coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdowns. The disruption, combined with a prolonged period of readjustment, meant that my undergraduate results in mathematics fell short of my own standards. That failure hit hard and led to a period of depression.

At that point, it would have been easy and okay to walk away from mathematics or choose an easier path. But I refused to let go of something I love deeply. Despite the struggles of my undergraduate  years, I held onto a firm belief that I could succeed in a Master’s in Applied Mathematics—and eventually, pursue a PhD. That belief carried me forward.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Looking back

It is impossible to capture a life story in just a few hundred words, but if there is one lesson I have learned, it is this: pursuing what you love is essential to becoming the best version of yourself. Trusting the process—especially when the path feels uncertain—has always fuelled my forward momentum.