Friday, March 29, 2024

10 MISTAKES YOU SHOULD AVOID AS A FRESHER

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No man exists and continues to without a blemish of the past or mistake irrespective to what degree of intelligence or smartness he or she occupies. That, therefore justifies the popular saying that goes thus ‘No human is perfect or infallible’.

Only the wise ones learn from other peoples’ mistake and make efficient use of the lessons derived from it. Therefore, we must learn from the mistakes of others in order to scale through buoyantly in all ramifications of life.

As a fresher in Obafemi Awolowo University OAU, below are thoroughly researched articulated mistakes to avoid, to foster and to aid your academic journey within the four corners of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria.

Therefore, do not hesitate to read and digest every aspect of this article.

FLEE FROM PROCRASTINATION

Procrastination is the thief of time. Whatever you’re to do at a particular time but you are delaying or putting off, just know that you’re procrastinating.

OAU has scheduled her academic calendar and timetable for her convenience and yours in particular for easement of academic activities. However, as a student, delaying what you ought to do could bring catastrophic occurences which might make you even blame yourself at the end of it all. For instance, you’ve been keeping a bulky note of a course without reading and all of a sudden, an impromptu test surfaces and that leads you to just binge-reading and glancing through which eventually becomes a burden on you. Suddenly, you’re engrossed with fear of failure.

However, as a fresh student, don’t allow the statement or thought ‘I will do it later’ rule your empire. Never do tomorrow what you are to do today. Procrastination is opportunity’s natural assassin. Therefore, flee hastily from procrastination. It is dangerous and wilder than fire.

BUILD AN EMPIRE OF FRIENDSHIP WITH THOSE THAT ADD VALUE TO YOUR LIFE

An old Greek philosopher once said ‘Be slow to fall into friendship’.

Friendships you form in your early days at the university will go a long way and will really make an impact on you and your academics itself either negatively or positively. Choose your friend, don’t allow them to choose you. Particularly, build friendship with who will add value to you academically, potentially, spiritually, morally, socially, intellectually etc.

Don’t make friends with who you are comfortable to be with. Make friends with who will force you to lever yourself up.

Essentially, resist keeping of corrupt associates, recall that ‘bad company corrupts good manners and habits.

SOLIDIFY YOUR CGPA; THE EARLIER THE BETTER

Grade Point Average [GPA] is derived from either letter grades or percentages that you obtain from your offered courses in a completed semester on a 9-point scale while Cumulative Grade Point Average [CGPA] is your academic performance from 0.00–5.00, calculated as an average of your GPA from all completed semesters.

However, note that early periods in school is the most convenient moment to erect your CGPA on a solid foundation. Once your GPA is terminated in the early days, to restore it will be so difficult and rigorous.

Your early days in school should be held with precaution and seriousness towards your academic pursuit to prevent saying words like ‘Had I known’.

You can’t build a great building on a weak foundation. You must have a solid foundation if you’re going to have a strong superstructure.

RELATIONSHIP TENDS TO BE BURDENSOME

On getting into campus, most stalites particularly the male excos, in departments and faculties are ready to carry out the famous ‘Catch Them Young’ exercise [CTY] with the females.

However, a sudden leap into a relationship with an opposite sex as a fresher is a premature notion and mostly delicate, particularly to a female fresher because you’re yet to discover your stand and your feet are not yet firmly gripped. Balancing both your academics and relationship lifestyles might tend to be burdensome which might endanger your academic pursuit. The best antidote is to resist this in your early days on campus.

During an interview session with an OAU female finalist, she disclosed ” I happened to have fallen ‘in love’ during the first week of my resumption as a fresher to an exco in my department. Some of my friends too got picked by other excos. Fortunately enough, I quickly realized I wasn’t getting the attention I needed so I pulled out quickly from the relationship but my other friends had gone far with their relationship only to realize that they had been catfish educated. The guys had their main girlfriends who were stalites but were catching cruise with freshers. I imagined how heartbroken my friends would have been because all these can cause one to be disorganized during exam periods. You would lose focus, it’s normal with emotional breakdown.”
She however urged, ”So as a fresher, if you can avoid relationships in your first year, please do, after all, your first year is the year to build your CGPA.”

BALANCING YOUR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TO ACADEMICS

You should avoid too much of activities that will consume your time and hinder your purpose of coming into the university.

As a muslim, christian or traditional worshipper, observe your prayers regularly and go to your worship places if you wish to but endeavor to balance the two. The main reason you’re in the educational settings is all that really matters.

An interview segment with an OAU alumnus, Bada Amoo Yusuf unveiled ” Distraction is natural for every fresh students in all higher institutions. OAU seems to be different because of the existential antithesis between the academic system and the university environment.

” What do I mean by this? The university environment is full of many social activities; parties here and there, fun moments day and night, you catch cruise with stalites and see life in a new realm.

” On the contrary, the academic system and structure is rigorous and hectic. The lecturers want you to do things the way it was done when they were students and this has strong effects on the indomie generation students getting admission these days, and some of these have even resulted in suicide cases.

” For instance, some students can read once and understand when they were in high school, same in OAU but the difference is that, some lecturers will tell you in class that ‘2+2=4’ but in the exam, they’ll ask you ‘2+2=22’, justify ?

” That’s OAU for you.”

He further said, ” what I am trying to tell you is that it is very easy to read and understand whatever the lecturer says in the class in one reading session but in the examination, it is not always like that, the question is always like a research question unlike WAEC and JAMB.”

He cited an example saying, ” when I was in part three, I had three roommates who were in part 4 then, in their first semester exam, the lecturers that set the questions were discussing how they’ll get answers to the questions they have set. The exam was economics. What this tells you is that, the lecturers don’t have answers to the questions they set and it is just hypothesis they’re putting in tests and exams for students. Many lecturers do this a lot.

” Some would have even set questions before the semester commences and if they could not cover the syllabus maybe due to one reason or the other, they will come to class and mention it briefly, it is now for you to go extra miles in finding the solution.

” The most dangerous part is that, especially for humanity and social sciences departments, your results would not be released until they approach another examination period. If the result is good, it is still fair because your mind will always be there and will disturb your concentration for another exam but if the result is poor, it will affect you psychologically towards the exam.
There, you have a combined problem to battle with. I did an exam and saw the result after three semesters.”

He however urged that, ”In all, you will win, just prepare your mind and not be carried away always before it is too late.”

However, keep focused and let this be your watchword. Don’t get easily distracted or consumed with out of academic activities e.g religious activities, gaming, clubbing etc. ‘Yes! All work no play makes jack or juliette a dull boy or girl’ but everything should be approached with caution.

RESIST STABBING OF CLASSES

Most particularly as a student, responsibility of attending classes is badged on your shoulder therefore under no circumstances should you miss classes for no tangible reasons. If courses are clashing, then attend the core or major one, then later on rub minds together with those that attended the ones you were unable to attend.
SER and LIB though 0 unit, if you don’t pass them, you’re not going anywhere beyond OAU. Also attend classes judiciously.

ALWAYS STAY ALERT TO INFORMATION

Your class representatives serve as the intermediary between you and your lecturers, therefore, don’t joke with any piece of information emerging from him or her. Endeavor also not to hold meagerly, information from the school authorities.

Information is crucial at any point in time, you know what to do and not to do when adequately informed. Lack of information is next to emotional, psychological deformity.

OPEN UP IN TIMES OF CHALLENGES

Challenges are parts of human existence and inevitable. Being a student, you’ll surely encounter one or many, therefore, as a student under this circumstance, refuse not to open up to anyone close to you or colleague/friend. Any of them might be fit to render assistance at the critical moment. Are you taking any course that tends to be cumbersome and giving you problems? then walk to the guru minded seeking for their assistance. If you refuse to open up rather forming posh, then admit you’re killing yourself silently.

DON’T ABUSE YOUR FREEDOM

Some freshers upon arriving campus tend to get super-elated as a result of their freedom from their parents/guardians. For instance; no more home chores, watchful gaze and so on. Now diluted in the ocean of feelings and thoughts of ‘Ho! I can do what I like and how I like with no restriction order.’ If you’re among these set of people with this mentality, I will urge you to discard it into the bin. However, it is a contributive factor to derailment on your path to academic goals.

Your investment in today will be your outcome tomorrow. What you sow, you reap, therefore don’t misuse your freedom and opportunity, rather make efficient use of it.

AVOID COMING ALONG WITH UNNECESSARY LOADS

This is one of the costly mistakes being carried out persistently by most freshers who are just arriving the new environment. They come with unnecessary loads, thereby resulting to bulky luggages.

You come only with necessary loads from home mostly if you’re coming by commercial transport. You can come with your money to purchase other items like foodstuffs and others.

Don’t bring the whole of your house down to OAU, you might get stranded along the journey.

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