“Let him who will enjoy a good future waste none of his present”- Roger Babson
Many were happy when it was rumoured that school will not resume as planned last week because the NASU were commencing a strike action. Some did not even turn up for classes on Monday, June 8, 2015 and had to come quickly because of rumored tests. Although the University management has added two weeks to the school calendar to make space for the two weeks lost as a result of the break, students must be careful so as not to be oblivious of the ticking time.
In the buzz of our daily activities, it is easy to forget our aim in the long and short run. In attending classes, we should always be conscious, not of the boringness or otherwise of our classes, but of our goal for even attending the university at all. Whether or not we are in love with the system, our department, lecturers, and course mates, what is important is the goal for which we seek an education.
It has been said that the goal in attending school is not to get an education, but to learn how to educate one’s self. Therefore, each individual is responsible for his/her success or otherwise. The real problem begins when we expect other people to be concerned about our lives as if it is their own.
As an aside, this is the same problem which our country, if not every society, faces: When everyone works but some take others silence toamass wealth for themselves. The evil is not really he who takes advantage of others but of him who silently accepts “fate”and spends all his energy talking instead of acting.
While it is easy to believe that school is “just for going sake” and that ‘’first class students will work for those who are dull but smart”, the reality still remains that that is the exception to the average rule. A person who does not take his academics seriously as he does other ventures will not succeed as much as a person who takes both his academics and venture seriously.
As examinations begin to roll at us again, we should try to utilize our time properly. In chapter two of the GES 301 textbook, the writer highlights importance of leadership and time management skills. The importance of using to-do lists, prioritizing our activities, and scheduling our time is emphasized to reduce the time we waste. Also it is important to prevent distractions that could waste time without giving back anything worthwhile in the long run. For example, when using the social media and networking sites, we should ask ourselves what positive value will such interactions give for the time lost.
Hence, we should utilize our gadgets and social media to get value. We could subscribe to websites which align with our area of interest. The “StumbleUpon” app, for example, helps to achieve this better. It simple helps to pick web pages which align with the interest added. Such applications and websites can be visited to help improve ourselves academically and other areas instead of wasting time on websites that give no value. Even on social media, there are different types of users. We should try to follow positive role models and get the best from our interactions.
The textbook also suggests picking some “must-do” items each day. For example, if one has a 10 paged assignment due in two weeks, one can make a must-do in the following days to gather materials and write at least a page in a day. Another example is having a reading timetable where one breaks down reading tasks. One could also decide to read at least 20 pages of a non-academic book everyday. By deciding to have must-dos either of a short duration or to develop a habit, one achieves a lot faster than if every activity was just spontaneous.
In managing our time, it is important to realize the importance of appreciating seeming little efforts. For instance, the one or two hour break between classes can be spent going through our notes or reading online articles instead of roaming about or chatting endlessly. If one divides the time and spent 30 minutes of a one hour break reading online every day, by the end of the week, one will have been 150+ minutes smarter than a person who spends all the time chatting.
It has been said that the difference between a successful person and an unsuccessful person is how each utilizes his/her time. Therefore, we should seek to get the most out of each moment because unlike goods in a supermarket, time once spent, whether or not in good condition, is not returnable.
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Time management has been one of the determinants of successful people. ask the likes of Dangote, GEJ, Egbe Ohiosumuan Emmanuel, even our footballers and jesters have their time laid out properly for effective functioning. use your time wisely else someone will use you for their time.