The Diary Game:On Having No Electricity For 2 Days (Date:04/07/2025)

I never imagined 2 days without electricity could feel this long and testing. When the lights first went out, I thought, “Oh, it’ll be back soon. Maybe it’s just a usual outage.” Little did I know that I was stepping into a mini survival game right in my own home.

Day 1: The Beginning of the Darkness It all started with a simple flicker. The lights blinked twice and then, complete darkness. At first, it felt like an invitation to rest. I lit up a few candles, charged my phone with the last bit of power from my power bank, and thought, “Let’s enjoy a peaceful evening.”

I started reading books,I hardly read books but I had too to keep myself busy and useful by using rechargeable touch to read,The silence was unusual. No fan humming. No TV noise in the background. Just me and my thoughts. It felt calm, even cozy. But as the night wore on, the heat crept in like a thief. I tossed and turned,praying for even a whisper of a breeze. I missed my fan terribly,Even though it was cold

Day 2: Reality Kicks In By the second day, the rechargeable touch light had worn off. My phone was dead. My power bank was empty. The refrigerator had started to defrost, and I could already tell the food wouldn’t last much longer. I opened the fridge as little as possible, hoping to keep the cool air trapped inside.

I couldn’t go online, no messages, no social media, no music. Just silence and cold. I felt completely disconnected from the world. I went outside to see if others were affected too and yes, the entire street was in darkness. Some people have their solar panels well charged that why you can see light in some houses,There were whispers of a fault from the transformer, but no one had any real answers. NEPA had disappeared like a ghost.

The worst part? The water pump wasn’t working. So now, no power and limited water. I filled up every container I could find

Mood Swings and Meltdowns This was the hardest day. My mood went up and down like a seesaw. At first, I tried to stay positive. I cleaned the house, did laundry by hand, and even tried journaling. But then, as the sun got hotter and the house felt like an oven, frustration set in.

I sat on the floor for hours, fanning myself with a plastic fan. My head throbbed from the heat, and I was constantly thirsty. I missed my blender, my kettle, even my iron! My body started itching from sweat and fan to dry me off.

The only comfort was stepping outside in the evening when a slight breeze came. Neighbors sat outside too, all looking tired, sweating, sharing stories and complaints. We bonded over our suffering. I realized how electricity connects us—not just to devices, but to each other.

My body still feels tired, but I’m not panicking anymore. I’ve accepted this is the situation. Surprisingly, it has taught me a lot. I’ve learned to appreciate the little things I often take for granted like the sound of a fan or cold water on a hot day. I’ve learned patience. I’ve learned community. And I’ve remembered that life isn’t just about online presence and gadgets it’s also about being present in the moment, even when it’s hard.

If there’s one thing this “no electricity” game has shown me, it’s that we are stronger than we think. We are resourceful when pushed. I found new ways to stay busy—reading old books, drawing, even writing this diary. I found time to connect with neighbors I’d barely greeted before. We shared meals, ideas, and even water. We encouraged each other. In the darkness, we found light in each other.

Another big lesson is gratitude. Something as simple as a working socket or a cool breeze becomes a luxury when it’s gone. I now understand how deeply electricity affects our health, mood, hygiene, and comfort. It’s more than just convenience; it’s a lifeline.

As I go to bed tonight—on this second night without light—I find myself praying, not just for electricity to return, but for Nigeria to get better power systems. This shouldn’t be normal. We deserve better.

Still, I’m grateful. I’m grateful that I had food to eat, water to drink, and neighbors to laugh with. I’m grateful that even in this hard time, I’ve grown. And when the light finally comes back oh, the celebration will be loud! I already know the moment my bulb flickers back on, I’ll dance in joy. My landlord children had to pump the water I rushed into the bathroom to check my tap if it rushing out I was so happy and shouting