Remember the saying
if something is worth doing, its worth doing well?
Well, that was my mantra but there was a time in my life when I threw that saying to the dogs and did the opposite of what I believed in.
image source
Here’s what happened
I was the best in my department in the university but I made sure I put in the work, so I missed out on a lot of social events just because I needed to study or do one or two school work, I didn’t have a social life because I was trying to build my grades and graduate as the best. My school organizes student week yearly just a few weeks to exams and I miss them every year because I wanted to fully prepare for exams with no distractions.
in my final year, I knew I was going to be part of the student week, it was my last month in school and I wasn’t going to miss the only chance I had to socialize with my friends and school mate. I had everything planned out because the student week included events like
- Old school day ( where you get to dress like a character from the past)
- jersey day( where we get to wear the jersey of our favorite football club)
- cultural day(where we get to dress in our cultural custom with lots of eating and dancing)
- Dinner night, the events of all events (Where we get to be dressed in our best evening gown, and received awards).
These activities need lots of money to prepare for and I have been saving up and I was ready.
the student week itinerary from my school
The week for the event started, just the morning when I was getting ready for the old school day, I got a call from the head of my department to meet him in his office immediately. I went to see him and I was told I needed to represent my school in a national competition that very day.
The invite had come in since but the assistant didn’t see it till a day before and seeing the location was about a 2hr drive we had time to make it but I wasn’t ready, it was too sudden, I had plans still my HOD insisted I go.
Seems it was just a day I was comfortable missing old school day ( Day 1)at least. I went back to my hostel picked a few books and got prepared for the competition. We had over 100 students in attendance, I still didn’t understand the price or what to expect, all I needed to do was participate and see what happened from there.
The competition started and we were told to answer about 20 questions in 10min. I did that and luckily made it to the next round with the other 49 candidates. Now we were 50.
The next round took a while to begin and I thought the competition had to end that day besides we had to travel back to school but I wondered how they were going to get top 3 from over 50 people in a short time.
Thanks to Facebook I found pictures from 2017 of that day
The next stage came 25 questions again but this time in 5 minutes and again I made it to the top 20. And we were told to return the next day for continuation.
I was so pissed, this wasn’t the plan, the next day was cultural day and I already spent money making my costume and paid for participation. I was so sad this was happening but I needed to finish the competition anyways
Arriving there I had to ask if that day was going to be the last but the coordinator said it was just a stage to streamline the candidates to the TOP 10.
There was no way I was going to allow myself to get to the top 10, the next day was dinner night and I wasn’t missing that one for anything, because I had spent so much more on my dinner wear, hair and makeup because I was sure I would be getting an award.
So I decided to not take the questions seriously, pick wrong options so I can be kicked out of the competition.
Oh yes I barely listened to the questions while I gave my answers, putting in wrong options just because I wanted to attend my final
Year dinner party. When my name wasn’t called I was the happiest in the room, my lecturer was so disappointed and sad he kept asking what happened, reviewed the questions, and saw how easy it should have been for me but I just told him I did my best I guess the best wasn’t enough ( i lied)
my final year dinner look
I ran back to school so happy and prepared for the dinner night and it wasn’t so nice, I had an issue with my dress, the makeup artist didn’t show, it was a messy day but at least I got my award.
MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMALE.
It was truly an honor but I didn’t understand the opportunity I had missed from the competition until Monday morning when I had to see my Head of Department again who informed me that the winner got a free scholarship to study abroad after his final exams here in Nigeria and the TOP 10 got lots of prices from the petroleum association and were given jobs offers in the company’s that were present. He went further to say he wanted me to go because the benefits were for me, not the school or himself. And even congratulated me for making it that far.
I felt so bad about what I had done. now we would never know how far I would have gone.
I wished another opportunity would present itself so I could do things differently but unfortunately, it didn’t till I graduated.
I remember this story every time I get rejected from a job interview or when I apply for the various scholarship programs to further my education
The other day I looked up the winners on LinkedIn because their names were published online and I saw how each of them is doing so well in their field, seems they kept their promises regarding the job and scholarships.
I would have done better if I knew what was at stake, but the organizers never mentioned the prizes to be won but if I even had a glimpse of how important it was I would have tried harder.
See how not giving my best made me lose a lifetime opportunity to start my career at an early age or even further my education for free. Now I am stuck with a first-class degree in a course I no longer have an interest in because years have passed with no practice or experience.
From that Day till now I ensure I give my very best in whatever I find myself doing.
In Conclusion
whatever you find yourself doing or getting involve in, even when you think is is meaningless please give it your all. Do your best in whatever you do.
My entry for this weekend engagement, answering option three. Interested in participating, check it out here