BOOK OF LIFE: THE TWO SIDED COIN
Last week Monday, I was walking towards Nnamdi Azikiwe hall when a guy ran past me. I could tell he was on the phone because I heard him say ‘hello’ and like a flash, he took to his heels. I kept wondering what could have him run like that. My heart almost skipped a beat when the sudden realization of what could be out hit me: Book of Life. It then became my turn to run like the wind.
I got to the room as fast as I could and my roommate confirmed my fears. Book of Life was indeed out. My heart kept thumping against my chest as I waited impatiently to get the document from her. I lost all the courage I had as the fear of the unknown gripped me. My roommate decided to help my predicament. She took the phone from me and calmly told me what my CGPA was. It was almost as though I had not heard what she said as I hurriedly took the phone from her to confirm what she had said. Satisfied with my result, I proceeded to do what all UItes exasperatedly do- search for other people’s names and console those that were lamenting. I felt no pang of guilt because I knew somebody was checking mine somewhere also, so life goes on.
That is just a slight experience an average UIte has had regarding the Book of Life. The fresh students must now have an idea of what this sacred book is. Nonetheless, here is the gist for anyone who is not a UIte. Book of Life is an official document which is meant to be strictly confidential but still finds its way into the hands of UItes. The document contains the CGPA of all undergraduate students with their names and matriculation numbers (you know on a casting level). The document must have earned its name through its symbolism with the book of life mentioned in the Holy Books, considering how important it is for a man’s name to appear in it.
Book of life can then be likened to a coin with both positive and negative faces. On the positive side, it may be a tool to foster better academic performance among students. Everyone wants a result they can be proud of and the mere fact that somebody somewhere is interested in your result is enough reason to perform better. Presidents of associations, class representatives, the Yoruba demons, slay queens and the entire school will all be forced to work very hard to at least get a praiseworthy grade point.
On the positive side also, it gives students the opportunity to challenge themselves to do better. When a student has access to the results of his class, he is challenged to do more. In a situation whereby he only knows of his own result, he may relax in his world where he automatically allows himself to think he is the best.
However, the coin cannot always land on the right face. The negative effect of this Book of life especially on the freshmen who are just beginning to get grounded in the school scheme of things, is that they may get psychologically displaced if they fall way below expectation, sometimes forgetting that the document may not always be accurate.
The effect is not limited to the fresh students alone. Some stallites may also get emotionally displaced if they find out that they had performed below expectations. Not everyone can deal with issues. The fact that some students’ GP are low and everyone knows it, is enough to bring them down.
It may also be a platform to embarrass some other students. Some study harder and smarter but feel more depressed to discover that they made no improvement at all. Well, as is it commonly known, nothing in this world is fair.
And to compound all problems, some students cannot just mind their business. They are the ones that give analysis of everybody’s CGPA. They are the ones who dish out comments like “ah that guy was on a 3-point o but since he started dating that girl ehn… This one that can jack all the books in the world…”
Book of Life has surely shown UItes both faces but in the end, all that is required is focus, more hard work and re-strategizing regardless of what your CPGA says.
