Why did you choose your major or program?
I decided to get an MBA to ease the jump into tech entrepreneurship and figure out what it means to run a company and start a business from the ground up.
What is a fun fact about you that few people know?
I'm a migratory bird haha. I've lived in 11 cities over the last twenty-seven years. I grew up in different parts of Nigeria and have moved around a lot since coming to the US.
What is your favorite song and why?
This changes so often but lately, it's been Jazmine Sullivan's acoustic rendition of her song Pick Up Your Feelings. Her vocal abilities are just out of this world.
What is your current favorite streaming binge and why?
The Golden Girls! The themes that the show touches on: friendship, aging, death, relationships, being an immigrant; and their takes on said issues, somehow remain timeless to this day. There's a Golden Girls episode for every life quandary..
What is your favorite hobby or activity you like to do in your free time?
Over the pandemic, I've been taking on a lot of nature-related hobbies so learning how to fish, gardening and growing vegetables, etc. There's something deeply fulfilling about seeing the lifecycle of the foods you consume; it really illustrates the beauty and connectedness of nature's inner workings.
How have your identities (race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender) affected your college experience?
It's taught me to find and build community wherever I am; to identify people with shared experiences who can relate, and to recognize allies.
How do you practice self-care?
A sensible eight hours of sleep every day, and enjoying hobbies to help de-stress from the parts of life I can't control.
How are you adjusting to the "new normal" as we're emerging from this pandemic? Do you have any tips for other students who are going back to college this semester?
We're coming back from extreme self-isolation so where possible, enjoy the in-person interactions where you can safely. But where that's not an option, still utilize technology to build those connections virtually. A key part of the college experience is making social connections so whether in-person or virtually, don't miss out on those!
As a Point BIPOC Scholar, what is your message to other LGBTQ+ BIPOC students?
Your difference and your uniqueness are what make you special. Don't give that up to try to fit in or be like everyone else. Your specific life experiences and your background create a unique value prop that only you can deliver to the rest of the world. Focus on that and on how you can give back and make the world just a little bit better for someone else.
This post’s responses were submitted by Point BIPOC Scholar TJ Olojede (He/Him/His).
TJ is currently studying business administration at Harvard University. Read more about the Point BIPOC Scholarship for LGBTQ students program here.
