success stories (Students vs lecturers)

Jennifer and her corrupt friend

CHAPTER THREE
JENNIFER AND HER FRIEND
Jennifer is a girl one can describe as being pretty, she was the senior prefect in her secondary school, Ogba comprehensive college before she gained admission into Rivers State College of Health Science Management and Technology (RIVCOHSMAT)
She was raised by her mother, her father died when she was still in her JSS 3. The mother was a very hard working farmer, it has not been easy with her since her husband passed on but she was still able to take care of her and her other two siblings. The mother really wanted her to complete her education so she can also sponsor her younger ones when she finally gets a job, so when Jennifer was done with her secondary school the mother has a very brief meeting with her children and told them about her decision. According to her, she cannot fend for all of them at a time so she asked the younger ones to be helping her in the farm while they raise money for Jennifer’s schooling and everything she’ll need in school.
Finally Jennifer gained admission. She was very serious with her studies. She had her personal time table and also followed the school time table strictly. I never missed her night class; she studies so hard that most times she sleeps in the class till dawn. She was also very regular in attending the school scripture union fellowship and also other church activities that happened it school. Her mother raised her in the fear of God so she loved the things of God and frown at things that goes contrary to God’s word.
Jennifer did not have time for friends, she knew the kind of background she was coming from and the thought of what her mother is currently going through and also the fact that her younger ones will be depending on her for support and also to help sponsor their education. She thinks about it everyday and it was really eating her up. She never complained to her mother about the amount of money that was sent to her, she managed every little that was sent to her. She also helps her course mates and roommates with their assignment and charged them for it.
Some months later the little money the mother was sending as her allowance was no longer coming so things became very difficult for her. She asked her mother to know why but the mother told her that some cattle rearers invaded her farm and destroyed her crops. She felt broken because she knew that farm was her major means of income. Her mother begged her to find somewhere she can borrow from for the main time while she tries to fix the whole situation. So Jennifer met one of her roommate for assistance. Her roommate helped her financially for over a month until she got tired and told her to get a job and help herself. The next morning she told her about a program that will be happening on one of the hotels in town and the fee is thirty thousand naira for just that night. It sounded like a good idea but she doesn’t like the fact that it was in a hotel so she declined the offer. Her roommate persuaded her to accept the offer since its only far a night, it’s not like she’ll permanently work there, the roommate also told her that this kind of opportunity comes once in a while and it could be God who is answering prayer by meeting her financial needs. She told her that the money should at least meet her needs before the end of the month and if she doesn’t take the offer she should not ask her for money again. You should be happy you met a person like me who is willing to show you how to fish instead of giving you fish. If you don’t take it I’ll give it to someone else who will gladly take it and even thank me for it she complained again. At this point it was looking like she’s out of option, she have to take the job at least just this once, she thought to herself but Jennifer never knew it was a plan to drug her and sleep with her and that was exactly what happened that day. Few months later she found out she was pregnant and told her roommate about it who later took her to a doctor for abortion. She almost died in the process of aborting the baby. After the abortion and also having tasted sex it became very difficult for her to resist the urge so she had to join her roommate and became a slay queen. She was sleeping with men for money. She was seen as a commercial sex worker even though she was not really into the business. It became a habit and it started affecting her school activities. She no longer attend classes not to talk of her regular night class and church services. It got to the point where she no longer wait for lecturers to ask after her, she meet them instead in a bead  to get favour from them in their courses and also help her with other courses. She was ready to give her body to whoever will help her in anyway.
Exam was fast approaching, it is just two weeks to the exams and the week before the exam was the school S.U.G week. She was so happy to participate in all the activities.
One day one of her close friends in school she met in her first week in school saw her during the S.U.G week and asked her why she have not been coming for lectures but she lied that her mother was sick and she went to help her in the village. The friend sympathized with her and offered to give her the notes of lectures she missed and also help her also to copy some for her. The friend told her to forget about the S.U.G week for now and update her notes so she can read it seeing their exam is fast approaching. There are other S.U.G weeks in the future but for now do the necessary things and leave the things you think are important. She agreed but it all fell on deaf ears. The friend never heard from her again the day of their exams. She was so confident because she was banking on the lecturers who promised to help her if she’ll sleep with them. After the exam, the head of departments called for a round table marking and the fearful lecturers could no longer listen to their friend anymore, they disappointed her. Finally when the first semester result was out, her G.P.A was very low. It then dawned on her that the lecturers only wanted to get into her pant. It was at that heartbroken moment that she thought about her mother and siblings.
In the second semester she became more serious than before but still couldn’t make it to the next class because her overall C.G.P.A was less than the required point the school needed. When they added her first semester overall score to that of her second semester she couldn’t hit the required point so she had to repeat the class. Since then she took her studies seriously and now she’s now a graduate.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW, DO AND SHOULDN’T DO
No matter how far you’ve gone in the wrong direction you can always make it right.
Never let your past hold a greater part of you
Never give up.
•Never forget what brought you to school in the first place. It is your basic reason, every other thing is secondary, so never be carried away with activities that may steal your time and reduce your passion for learning and make you have less time for studies.
•Your studies comes first you must always carry that at the back of your mind.
•During the S.U.G week, be partly involved because most times what follows is the exam and because of the whole fun you’ll have no time to read.
•Most students fail to do assignments and test. You must understand that your continues assessment (C.A) is 30marks already. When you do well in your C.A you’ll need just a little mark to pass that particular course. For instance what you’re supposed to score is 100%. 30% for C.A and 70% for exam. If in your department’s credit unit is 40marks and you already have 30marks or 25 in your C.A you will realize that what you’ll need from your exam which is 70marks will be very little to pass that particular course. So I advice you take your continues assessment very serious.
•If you have the money for textbook make sure you buy. Most lecturers do not joke with their textbooks, they even attach marks to the textbook when you buy them whether you know it or not. But if truly you do not have the money for textbooks or you didn’t do well in your C.A. make sure you see the lecturers and explain things to them no matter what you’ve heard about them or how hard and difficult they seem to appear. They are humans just like you and have also gone through school, so they know exactly what you’re going through. Most of them grew up from a humble background. Give them good reasons why they should help you and make sure you explain your situation and challenges to them.
•After exams always make sure you meet all the lecturers who taught you before you go on the school vacation. Don’t be too sure or certain about your result. Beg them to show you your C.A to be certain you did well or passed the course. Don’t just go home and relax else you’ll resume school the next semester so disappointed. Be sure your result is ok before you go on with the vacation.
•Always ask your course rep. to know what is happening in class. If there is any contribution the class is making to give to the lecturer in other for them to favour the students, make sure you participate. Since you cannot meet the lecturers yourself its better you meet the course rep. to meet them on your behalf since they are the bridge between the lecturers and students. Whatever the lecturer wants to do he communicates it to the course rep. so you need to always be in touch with the course rep. to get updated since the lecturers cannot discuss or disclose certain things openly to the class.
•Sorting is only for those who did not do well in a particular course. If you did not do well I don’t think there is any need for sorting except for those who still want to boost their scores in order to hit a good C.G.P.A.
•If you’re confident with what you wrote and you happen to fail, it is legal to apply for a remark.
•Please don’t get it twisted; the contribution most course reps. take in the class is a way of saying, sir/ma. Please most of us did not do well in your course, please help us. Also accept this little token from us. It’s our way of saying, thank you.
•Most students don’t read yet they complain that lecturers are taking sorting.
•Buy a reminder book for your tests and assignments, either a 40leaves or 60leaves notebook. It keeps you up-to-date on your schedules. It helps to reminds you when an assignment was given, and the day of submission and also the date a test will be written.
Sample of a reminder book
Week one
DateLecturerCourse titleAssignment/testDate of submissionRemark
15/3/2020Mr. Amos Research MothodologyWrite a research on any topic of your choiceMon. 18/3/2020
16/3/2020Mrs. AnnUse of EnglishtestOn 20/3/2020
•Make sure you do it for every week of the month and always check it so you don’t miss any test or forget to submit your assignment. You reminder book helps you prepare early and very well for your test.
•Remark: it helps you know which assignment has been submitted or test that have been done. You don’t thick the remark box when you’ve done the assignment; you tick when you have submitted and if the test is already done.
•Test help you know when you’re supposed to write a particular test but if postponed make sure you indicate the date it was postponed to.
Always submit your assignment in time to avoid unnecessary stress. Most lecturers may not want to take the assignment and then you have to beg for him to take it, so its better you avoid such drama.

Be bold to explain to any lecturer why you submitted late of couldn’t do the assignment. If you have a good reason he/she might give you a second chance.

Always cultivate the mindset of never giving up.