A Nigerian university student in her final year has sparked a widespread conversation online after openly sharing the immense challenges she is facing while writing her school project, despite using artificial intelligence tools for assistance.
The Viral TikTok Confession
The student, who uses the TikTok handle @thetunjiprecious, posted a video on the platform detailing her academic ordeal. In the clip, she expressed her frustration, stating that the research and writing required for her final year project is proving to be a "hectic and demanding" task. The core of her lament was a question directed at older graduates: "Those of you that wrote your final year project before AI was invented, how did you people do it?" Her revelation that the process remains tough even with modern AI help resonated with thousands of viewers.
Social Media Reactions and Advice
The video quickly attracted comments from a diverse audience, offering both sympathy and practical tips. Many users recommended specific research platforms. User @kate.dumpski advised using reliable databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate. Another, @Tejumade, suggested Google Scholar journals and Deep Seek, noting that "old journals are the best."
The post also became a gathering point for students expressing their own anxieties. User @made_by_mo wrote, "I’m scared of starting my project," while @Abah Rose admitted, "You’ve started ???? I haven’t even figured out topics." Others shared their own coping mechanisms, with @Igwilo Abuchi humorously revealing a heavy reliance on ChatGPT for drafting and incorporating supervisor feedback.
A Perspective from the Pre-Internet Era
One of the most poignant responses came from @Ige Olumuyiwa, who graduated in the 1990s. He provided a stark contrast to today's challenges, describing an era with no laptops, no Google, and certainly no AI. He recounted how students had to physically travel to other universities to access materials, a process that was not only stressful but sometimes tragic. "We even lost a female student in her 500 level who had an accident traveling from our UI to Abeokuta while looking for materials," he shared, highlighting the extreme lengths required for research in the past.
The discussion underscores a generational shift in academic work. While modern students have instant access to information and AI writing aids, the fundamental challenges of synthesis, critical thinking, and original work in a final year project persist, leading to a unique form of digital-age academic stress.
