Why do you always read your books with all seriousness, even when it's not time for exams? My twin brother looked at me and nodded his head in disappointment at this question.
When I was in lower primary school, studying was fun, especially the rhymes and the multiplication table songs. I was always looking forward to attending school with my twin brother. We were in the same class, doing everything together, and we always took the first and second positions every term in our class, but something happened when we moved to the upper primary. I was getting a bit mature then, hehehe, say 10 years old and above. I left my twin brother's company in school and made new friends for myself. My extroverted nature has been dealing with me right from time immemorial. This time, I was more interested in my friends and gave little or no attention to my studies. I was always craving a break period so I could catch up with the girls and be happy. While I was doing all of that, my twin brother was this studious type to the point that he hardly observed break periods, and I kept wondering why he was always reading his books even when exams or tests were not forthcoming.
If not for the little natural intelligence I am blessed with, I would have made Fs in my results back then; however, I never made a great result in primary level when I lost interest in academics and got carried away with friends. I remember visiting their homes during break periods and will never return to school until after dismissalš. Now that I remember all these act of mine, I feel ashamed of myself. I never understood the importance of studying ahead of exams. I didn't see the need. I felt that the only time to read was during exams, and as I moved to higher classes, the workload became so much that cramming everything that needed to be covered was difficult for me and this affected my academic performance badly.
My twin brother didn't keep quiet over my new-found attitude; he was warning me, but I didn't care. Unfortunately, my dad received our term results and saw the level of backwardness in my result while my twin brother still maintained his first position. Hmm, it wasn't a pleasant experience. Trust our African parents for a severe and undiluted kind of discipline. Haha, it was an unforgettable experience with him.
Firstly, Dad asked my twin brother about my behavior in school, and my twin didn't leave any stone unturned. He said everything, and I was dealt with. What broke me down completely was when my twin brother asked me if I would love to repeat a class due to my strange behavior while he left me for another class. I didn't want that to happen. As little as we were then, he told me the importance of reading ahead and why I should embrace it. I tried retracing my steps, but I didn't recover from my action so well until I left primary and secondary school. My first school leaving certificate was a pass, while my twin brother scored distinction. The day mom collected this result, I shed tears as she compared the two results and reminded me that she carried both of us in her womb, gave birth to us the same day, and we have received the same family training. She wondered what I was turning into; perhaps she shouldn't bother herself with training me further but rather enroll me in tailoring. Those words melted my heart, and I promised myself to sit up.
I didn't attend secondary school in the same place as my twin brother, but I tried setting a standard for myself. I wanted to prove to my family that I had changed. I still made friends, but this time, I observed the most intelligent girls in our class and teamed up with them. We created a study group of so many vibrant and serious-minded gals who only spend their break period in the library. My secondary school experience was awesome, and the credit goes to those gals I mingled with who pushed me rightly. They influenced me positively, and till date, we are still close friends in our respective husbands houses. During my university days, I maintained the same standard, studying ahead and being deliberate with the people I got along with. I was able to graduate with second-class upper division, just 0.5 to cross to first-class.
I wasn't an ideal student at a stage in my life, but there was a rebound at last. The turning point that changed the narrative for me and for the good. The best part of me was unveiled, and I became so responsible and even a positive influence on others. The experience has been like a manual for guiding my kids correctly. I wouldn't love to live and see them follow the same path that nearly interfered with their academic journey, it's a win win for us , no wonder the popular saying that experience is the best teacher.
What kind of student are you, or were you?
You can also participate in the Hive Naija weekly prompt. Click here for the link.
Ps: all images were designed in canva
