ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
I started out a little bit late and, unfortunately, was very playful. I escaped the nursery class, but at the primary one, I was given the option to either repeat the class or promote on probation. Though I was little, I understood what the implications of repeating the class were—the shame of being left behind by my friends. I struggled through the ladders of elementary school, and with thanks to my dad, who loves to train his children through school, I began to top my mates, even though it took a lot of hard work and reorientation for me. I came in second place in Kwara State for the national common entrance examination, and I went with the notion of being bright and intelligent to high school, where I was fortunate to get selected after another challenging examination. I was the head prefect, and I was popular. No wonder I was able to organize a reunion of our elementary school classmates about five years ago.
HIGH SCHOOL
Having the notion of being a topper, I was shocked to the marrow when my first result was about 23rd out of about 30 students in my class. There, I realized I was in the midst of my peers and tasked with making a difference. Well, the highest position I came to before graduating from high school was 7th. It was a tough stage of academics for me. I was the labor prefect in high school, one that only a few liked. I guess I found my passion for being organized at that stage of my life. I was the type of prefect who would only be friends with you if you completed your due portions. I was not wicked; I did not even need a cane to discipline any erring junior student; the hoes and cutlass were always handy. I was equally religious. As much as possible, I did not mix business with pleasure; my ideology was not to be found wanting in one's duty and responsibilities, which perhaps earned me many dislikes.
COLLEGE
This is the interesting part. The college didn't regard juniors or seniors. We were all expected to be mature. I remember a junior student in high school telling me she never believed I was this playful when we met in college again. The freshman year was competitive, yet as many students read with the purpose of topping their departments in order to be eligible to be selected as candidates for the course of medicine. I was in that category, but I convinced myself that I would neither do more than my best nor do below. I made sure I didn't enter the school library more than three times, and even during those periods, I slept often after greeting friends and disturbing their reading. You can guess right; I was eligible even though I was the last to be considered for the course, Medicine.
The health faculty was at another site, and we were moved there. My style was simple: go to the permanent site where I didn't have too many friends, read and digest the topics taught in class, and return the following morning to the mini campus and disturb others. I was hardly seen reading among colleagues, but I was passing my assessments and examinations. I was the type of classmate who shouldn't follow his steps. The playful me resurrected, and my results dwindled. My poor grades were complicated by the passion and involvement I had for politics. Eventually, I became the student union deputy Senate president of the whole college (both the permanent and mini campuses). I was quite popular due to my political career; everyone knew Senator MJ, even though I didn't know them all. Till date, I still meet people for whom I cannot place a facial recognition who knew me in college.
IMAGE CREDIT IS MINE
I was not isolated; I had friends. I drove a car also (though my mom's) and I was one among the few. Medical students were known to be boring, always having their heads in books. I was an exception. I organized house parties with a few of my friends, and we made it a regular time to wine and dine, especially after the stress of school. Also, I kept the bond among my friends and created WhatsApp groups to keep us up to date with one another, and thankfully, to date, some of those groups exist even though they are more dormant than active.
Perhaps I dislike reading, but my last examination was in April 2021 as a postgraduate. My colleagues took three weeks of leave to write the same examination, while I requested just a week. Once again, I was seen as an unserious student, as the professional exam was difficult and costly. What my superiors did not know was that I had been reading for the examination since December (four months earlier) and had studied past questions. Eventually, I was the only candidate to have passed that examination for that period in my health institution out of five of us. Though I hate reading, I love to get prepared for my examinations. I'm hoping to return to postgraduate studies, and I look forward to the student part of me, with the hope that I will be serious this time around and be able to balance my everyday work with school.