PulsePop Magazine

10 Ways to Romanticize Your Life on a Nigerian Budget. Nigeria is chaotic. From the hiked fuel prices, heat, NEPA, traffic and everyday wahala. But even in the madness, you deserve softness. Romanticizing your life isn’t about spending big. It’s about slowing down and making small moments feel special. Here are 10 low-budget ways to tap into main character energy, no matter your vibe or bank balance: 1. Romanticize the mundane Doing chores? Play your favorite music and take your time. Clean your room, fold your clothes, arrange your space — no rush. Even small things like making your bed or cooking can feel good when you’re present. Enjoy the little moments. They matter. 2. Curate your life’s soundtrack Create playlists that match your vibe. Whether it’s calm R&B, hype Afrobeats, gospel, or throwback jams, let the music fit your mood. Stuck in traffic, at the gym, or just doing chores? Plug in your earphones and let your soundtrack carry you through. Music makes everyday moments f...

How many of these iconic reads were part of your growing up era? Magical schools, middle school chaos, demigods, diaries, and dystopias. These books didn’t just fill our shelves, they shaped our personalities. They gave us worlds to escape into, characters to root for or obsess over, and quotes we still remember without trying. Some of us still remember where we were when we first got lost in their pages… or argued about the movie adaptations. Here’s a list of 10 unforgettable books that defined our childhoods. 1. ⚡ Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling The moment you got your Hogwarts letter (even if it was imaginary), your life changed. This series taught us about friendship, courage, grief, and the thrill of magical rebellion with small trauma. Every chapter felt like unlocking a new piece of your own imagination. Let’s be real: you probably still know your house and your Patronus. If you never waved a pencil and whispered “ Lumos ” or took a buzz feed sorting quiz… are you okay? 2....

NYSC Camp is one of those rites of passage almost every Nigerian graduate has to go through, whether you feel ready or not. It's a rollercoaster of drills and duties mixed with drama. The Camp is a strange mix of minimal sleep and maximum stress with moments that are low-key unforgettable. It can feel like organized chaos, but with the right mindset and a few hacks, you can actually turn this wild ride into something manageable or even fun. Here are 10 Realistic ways to survive NYSC Camp 1.) Become Besties With 4:30am The 4:30am trumpet isn't for the weak, it will yank you out of sleep whether you are ready or not. It’s a signal to start parade prep and the soldiers expect you out on that field fast, no excuses, otherwise be ready for frog jumps or public punishment that will humble you. Tip: Try waking up early a few days before camp to get your body used to it. Also keep your essentials close to you so you can freshen up as fast as possible and move. 2.) Essentials. Bring Eve...

Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems baby, is a phenomenal singer, songwriter, and producer.  But who was Tems before the spotlight? She was just a girl in Chevron, Lagos quietly building her world one song and one beat at a time. She loved books, art and when she wasn’t making music, she was writing poetry. Her voice is unlike anything we’ve ever heard before. But before the world tuned in, she was a young woman with big feelings and even bigger dreams. Born and raised in Lagos, Temilade always stood out, not because she wanted attention, but because she couldn’t hide her light even if she tried. Tems left Nigeria for university, studying Economics in South Africa. A practical route, though it never truly set her soul on fire. After graduating, she briefly worked as a digital marketer. A 9–5, a stable routine, but if you know Tems, you know that couldn’t last. In her quiet Chevron apartment, Tems produced her own music; beats, vocals and ideas from scratch. She didn’t wait fo...

Studying is hard. Not because we’re lazy, but because there’s just too much going on. Group chats popping, YouTube calling, and somehow you’re on your third personality quiz of the day instead of actually reading that one topic you swore you’d finish. If you’re part of the “I’ll just check my phone for 2 mins” club, this is for you. Here are 5 realistic study hacks that can actually help you stay focused and productive, even if your attention span is currently on life support. 1. Set Smaller Goals A lot of us love to overcommit. You start your day saying “I’ll finish three chapters,” and next thing you know you’ve been staring at the same sentence for 30 minutes. Calm down. It’s not a competition. Set smaller, achievable goals, things you can smash in one sitting. Like reading two pages, solving five questions, or summarizing one topic. When you tick those off, it builds momentum and makes you feel like a productivity machine. Also, ditch the idea that you have to study for 8 straight ...

Big life changes don’t usually start with big moves, they start with small shifts. The kind of things that seem too minor to matter… until you stick with them for a few months and realize: damn, I feel better. Here are 10 tiny habits that could drastically improve your life by December if you start now. Consistency > intensity. Let’s get into it. 1. Brush Twice Daily (Yes, Really) We’re starting basic for a reason. Poor oral hygiene doesn't just give you bad breath. It also affects your heart health, your confidence, and even your immune system. Morning and night. No shortcuts.  Floss too. An alarming number of people don’t floss. It’s bad for your oral health. You should floss every night before you brush your teeth. You’ll be happy with the results. 2. Reduce Your Screen Time by an Hour or Two Drop that phone; Our parents were right. It really is that damn phone. You don’t need to go full digital detox. Just take back one hour a day . That’s 30 hours a month, enough time to re...

Owning a business in Nigeria? Not for the faint of heart. Factor in economic instability, fluctuating costs, and the everyday chaos, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for stress. Unless you’re someone like Eniola. Meet the mastermind behind NIOLUXE; a vibrant brand known for beaded accessories, engraved jewelry, and curated gift boxes with intentional flair. But NIOLUXE didn’t always start out luxe. Image from Pinterest  Eniola’s hustle journey kicked off under the name “Beaded by Enny”, crafting intricate handmade bags and jewelry. But as the economy shifted and profit margins for beaded pieces started to shrink, she knew it was time for a pivot. “I really just wasn’t feeling it anymore,” she admitted. Beading was time-consuming and, frankly, wasn’t bringing in the kind of money to match the effort. So she diversified by leaning into products that could be created faster and scaled more easily. Then came NIOLUXE. Navigating Customers, With Boundaries Over two years in the game...

Love, loss, ambition, confusion. Your 20s are a rollercoaster of becoming. You’re half grown, half guessing. These films understand the chaos, the heartbreak, the hope. Here's Pulse pop’s top ten movies recommendation to be seen in your 20s. Watch them and feel seen. 🎬 Frances Ha (2012) This is what it looks like to chase a creative life with no money, no roadmap, and nothing but stubborn dreams. Frances is chaotic, idealistic, and heartbreakingly relatable. This movie gets what it means to feel left behind while everyone else is “figuring it out”. For those still trying to find their rhythm in a world that won’t slow down, this one is for you. --- 🎬 Isoken (2017) Love, class, and cultural pressure collide in this beautifully modern Nigerian story. Isoken isn’t just an ordinary rom-com, it’s a soft rebellion against everything you're told you should be by a certain age. For anyone who's ever been asked, “So when are you getting married?”, this one...

Hi, my name is Chisom, and I recently did something that changed my life I broke up with stress. Yes, we had a long, toxic relationship. Yes, I kept going back. But not anymore. This year, I’m choosing peace, ease, and positive vibes only. The moment I realized I was not born to suffer was the day NEPA took light while I was working three jobs from my tiny Lagos apartment, with one eye on my dying laptop, the other on my bank app showing I had a balance of ₦5,000 naira. I paused. I sighed. I whispered, “Is this really my portion?” The answer came to me as if God himself were whispering in my ears. “No, babe. You were made for a soft life.” I decided to cut off anything bringing stress into my life. I cut it the way you cut off a toxic ex. First to go? That "let’s suffer together" friend that calls me every 3 market days to rant about a man that doesn’t know her birthday. I have enough on my plate as it is and I don't burden you every minute of the day. Next? The client th...