Life never waited for the perfect moment to test you.
Akutu sat at her desk, staring at the list of problems she had to solve—her father's illness, her struggling group project, and the growing financial burden.
She had always believed that if she planned well enough, if she worked hard enough, she could handle anything.
But now, she was faced with choices that had no easy answers.
The first choice was about money.
Her mother had been trying to manage her father's medical bills, but Akutu could hear the exhaustion in her voice.
"We're doing our best," her mother had said. "Just focus on school."
But how could she?
She had two options—find a part-time job or cut down on every possible expense.
If she took a job, it would mean less time for her studies.
If she tightened her budget, it meant sacrificing things she needed, not just things she wanted.
She pulled out a notebook and wrote down potential jobs—tutoring, campus assistant, part-time cashier.
It wasn't ideal, but she needed to act.
The second choice was about her group project.
Daniel continued to slack off, and the deadline was fast approaching.
Akutu's instincts told her to just do the work herself. It would be easier, faster, and ensure a good grade.
But wasn't teamwork part of the lesson?
Should she confront Daniel again, involve the professor, or just carry the burden herself?
She sighed. No matter what she chose, it would cost her something.
The third choice was the hardest.
Her father wanted her to stay focused on school.
But every time she thought of him lying in that hospital bed, she felt guilty.
Should she take a short trip home to be with her family?
Or should she stay at school and trust that they would manage without her?
She knew that either way, a part of her would feel like she had made the wrong choice.
That night, Akutu sat in silence, feeling the weight of it all.
No matter what she decided, something would be sacrificed.
But wasn't that what adulthood was?
Understanding that hard choices don't mean right or wrong—just different paths with different consequences.
She took a deep breath and picked up her pen.
It was time to choose.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.