My biggest academic win wasn't me graduating with a first-class. There were four of us who had a first-class in my course. A lot of people would see bagging a first class as years of dedication, hard work and commitment, even though that's true, it's less of a win than the survival of an average student. My biggest academic wins were helping other students succeed and surviving all through the hurdles of the educational system.
It's pure joy when you see students call you after graduation and say "You were part of the reasons I was able to graduate with this grade or pass a certain subject". Studying health Information management wasn't my dream course, but there were a lot of students who came there for it, however, they found it difficult to comprehend certain subjects and mathematical formulas. I wasn't all serious and dedicated, but with my roommate, teaching other students was something we did more than studying for our grades. We ensured we found simpler means to make certain students comprehend.
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The joy in their voices each time they checked their result was enough-win for me. I didn't care about mine, I already knew I would pass, but graduating while my friends stayed an extra year wasn't cool with me. The extra mile I went for them paid off after graduation. They didn't just graduate, but graduated with knowledge on how to solve problems from what they learned. Till date we still speak, and each time we discuss school, I sense the gratitude in their voices. It's like a legacy that is written with a rod on a rock.
But that wasn't all the win. Remember the period I stayed hungry throughout the day, the constant drinking of garri, the lectures scheduled during cold weather and rain, those times I wake up late to read even though my eyes were heavy, a time I had a carry over for love sake 😆, the inconvenience balancing other religious activities with academics, etc. I won in the long run despite the hurdles. All the experiences that one overcame while in school are part of the big wins.
