Opemipo Olukoga
In the midpoint of the semester, balancing responsibilities become customary for the students of the University of Ibadan. With the lengthened lectures, accumulating assignments, impromptu tests, and the challenges of daily life; students are required to find a way to navigate all these all in pursuit of academic excellence. However, within this whirlwind of stress and pressure, there also exists a sense of enthusiasm and possibilities amongst students. Despite the exhaustion that comes with balancing various activities, University of Ibadan students are fueled by a strong sense of hope and unwavering determination that keeps them moving forward.
Being a student at the University of Ibadan places considerable demands on an individual. Surrounded by a multitude of highly intelligent peers, there is an innate drive to excel academically. Moreover, the University of Ibadan boasts a vibrant community of students who are remarkably creative and proactive, striving for success in various facets of their lives.
An average UI student shoulders multiple responsibilities. While academic achievement remains a significant focus, many also engage in extracurricular activities and join organizations to acquire new skills and enhance their critical thinking abilities. Notably, some students even venture into entrepreneurship. With the semester just 11 weeks, which is a departure from the previous 13-week session, it is of no doubt that balancing the academic workload with diverse set of responsibilities can be exhausting for the students.
Speaking on how the semester has been so far, Whesu Henriette, a third-year student of law, provides us with insights into her experiences with the hybrid learning approach adopted by her faculty at the beginning of this semester.
She said, “I like that the semester is short. That means speed. Cause we’ve wasted much time in the past. The Hybrid learning is flexible and less stressful but quite expensive as data is on the high side now. Also, almost all lecturers want to give their tests on the days we go for physical classes. I run out of data and miss the class or part of the class. We’ve gone very far. Some lecturers are almost done with their course outlines. Although, balancing the heavy academic work with other areas of my life has been quite demanding but discipline and priority placement have helped me a lot.“
For Odewole Adesewa, a 200 level student of Communication and Language Arts in Faculty of Arts, the semester has been so tiring she craves a break due to the overwhelming academic workload pressed down her neck.
In her words, “11 weeks classes for this semester seems pretty normal and okay to me. In most of my courses, we’ve not really gone far and yet we’re not really lagging behind. Except for GES courses tho. We’ve barely had GES classes.
I’ve faced a couple of challenges especially academically. Having to deal with the heavy workload can be very overwhelming. I’m stuck with numerous assignments and group projects. I’m also having a hard time balancing academics and other aspect of my life. Some days I just want out or want to take a break. It’s not been easy but God has been my help.”
Adeoye Daniel, a 200 level student of the Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Social Sciences, expressed concern about the brevity of the semester. He emphasized that through effective time management and the support of friends, he has managed to adapt successfully.
“Actually, this semester hasn’t been very smooth. The 11 weeks seems rather short. I’m taking 9 course this semester, and only 4 of them are up to date at the moment. The others have been affected by the 2-day strike, public holidays and some eventualities that seem beyond the control of the lecturer. In fact, one of the lecturers has only come twice this semester, and we’re in the 6th lecture week. About balancing academics with other areas of my life, it’s not been very smooth but I’ve been able to do that to some extent due to the little time management I can do for myself although I’m still poor at time management though. Also, I have a few friends who have been helpful too. We help one another when necessary with academics and even some moderate things outside the academic works.”
On his part, David Tolulope, a 300 level student of the department of Agricultural extension in the Faculty of Agriculture lamented the issue of classes being fixed on weekends and public holidays.
Speaking with this correspondent, she said, “This semester has not been rosy as most lecturers are trying very hard to cover their bulky slides that they try hard to finish in 13 weeks since the semester has just 13 weeks. Most of the lecturers even fix extra online classes to make up. Some are even suggesting Saturdays. We have done online classes on Sunday and even on the public holiday, the lecturer said he needs to use it to cover some topics. In the long run, they just perch on each topic and ask us to read up on the explanatory parts..”
Giving a positive response, Elijah Adegbite, a 100 level student in the Faculty of Technology, mentioned that he has successfully managed to maintain a balance between his academic responsibilities and other aspects of his life.
He said, “I think 11weeks for classes in this semester aren’t too short. It will balance the academic calendar. I’m not sure we are behind in our lectures at all and so far, I don’t have any other thing I do beside schooling so I have enough time to face my academics.”
Adeniran Adewumi, a 300 level student of Botany in the Faculty of Science opined that planning out her schedules before the day begins has helped her balance the academic rigors with her personal life.
As she put it, “So far, this semester has been so fast that all the lecturers are trying to cover as much grounds as they can within the short period. The lecturers are trying, working according to the calendar for this session and we have gone far in most of our courses. I haven’t faced any challenge so far. it’s been easy for me to balance my academics with my personal life. Over time I have worked mostly using my personal schedules well planned out combining all my academic work and my personal life including my business.”
For Aluko Tomilola, a 300 level student of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, time management has contributed to her academic growth and her personal life.
“”I believe this semester is rather brief, and it would have been beneficial if we had around 13 weeks of lectures to alleviate the pressure. Regarding my departmental courses, it seems we’re lagging behind. Just a few days ago, I realized that we’re already in the 6th week, yet we’ve covered only about 10% of the course material. Balancing numerous responsibilities alongside academics is quite demanding, especially in terms of time management. I have commitments to my fellowship, I’m working on advancing my career outside of the classroom, and I’m also taking an online course. Additionally, I’m part of the Millennium Fellowship, which requires me to attend meetings twice a week. I hold a leadership position in my church fellowship, necessitating my presence on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The challenge in this third year lies in the transition. While the academic pattern remains the same, our classes are different in that we need to take notes during lectures and then construct comprehensive notes afterward. I’ve been diligent in adhering to my schedule, placing a higher value on my time, and setting both daily and weekly agendas.”
Certainly, striking a harmony between academic commitments and personal life relies on several factors, with time management being a key factor as highlighted by most of the students we interviewed. As students enter the mid-part first semester of the academic year, it is crucial to prioritize time management, establish schedules, and remain dedicated to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the challenges. With these factors in play, attaining academic excellence becomes an achievable objective.
