WELCOME ON BOARD TO SECOND SEMESTER FLIGHT

Azeez Oluwadamilola
First semester has come and gone with all its activities—getting accommodation, course registration, new students trying to settle down and many more. It has all ended in praise.
First semester has only given way for the almighty second semester to take over. I call it a semester of fate. It is a semester full of many activities; we can feel some of it in the air already. Political campaigns in full gear, preparation for faculty week, departmental week and even hall week, picnics and excursion here and there. However, it is also a semester with heavy work load. It is a semester when many have to step up their games while others have to ensure they keep the flag flying.
Have you been disappointed by last semester, or you did not perform as expected? For some of us the exam came just too early, we had hardly settled down before we saw the exam time table, it was a shock. However, remember that the end will justify the means. Don’t give up yet, second semester is giving you another opportunity to fight again, it is left to you to decide if you want to make it a remarkable one. You did not do well, don’t give up, refire! You did well, don’t relent, and keep up the good work. Success will only be ours by this coupled up with keeping up with faith.
As students, we must ensure that we do certain things to make the semester an eventful and successful one. To have your desired results at the end of this semester, please start early. Start reading now! Don’t wait until you see the exam timetable before you start your TDB or MTN. A little drop of water, they say, makes a mighty ocean. Don’t waste a single minute in this semester, so that you can have a beautiful one.
Do not consider any course difficult or conclude that you cannot do it. Make sure you meet with people who know better than you do when you find a course confusing. Read with total concentration too. And when it seems you can no longer help yourself, you can pray too. I have tried it and it worked for me. Be familiar with your lectures and know their peculiarities early enough. Know what they expect from you as early as possible. Read to understand; don’t just read to pass exams.
We must ensure that we take adequate care of our health. This is not just our physical health, but also our mental, social and also spiritual health. Health they say is wealth. As a student, you must try as much as possible to take care of your health. These are some of the simple ways you can take care of your health, they include:
Drink enough water. Don’t just drink any water, drink clean water. Research has confirmed that drinking unwholesome water can cause certain behavioral disorder. Drinking enough water will also help ensure proper metabolism and avoid constipation. Make it a habit to drink water first thing in the morning and make sure you carry a bottle of water throughout the day.
Always break your fast: Many of us are of the habit of skipping breakfast. This is not a healthy habit, as it is causes a lot of damage to our health especially our brain. It has been proven that by skipping breakfast, you are gradually killing certain cells in the brain, which result to early memory loss. It’s a matter of determination, even if you have to attend 7am lectures, you can quickly take a cup of tea, little corn flakes, golden morning, custard or oat. This will go a long way to sustain you and supply your brain with the required energy. It has to be a conscious effort. Don’t forget your fruits too. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Avoid junks as much as you can. Always remember that you are what you eat!
Another way of maintaining a good health is to ensure that you exercise. Apart from the usual trekking from our halls to classes, we must also ensure that we engage in other forms of exercises few minutes in a week. You can involve in jogging, running, skipping, stretching or even register for sport activities, afterall, we paid for them. All this exercise will help us to keep a strong bone.
Sleep: It might be practically impossible for us as students to sleep for eight hours. However, we should not sleep for less than five hours also. Our sleep affects our brain. Protect your brain if you still need it. According to one of my lectures, 90% of the psychiatric patients at UCH are from UI. Some of the things that lead to these problems can be avoided if only we take care of little things.
Don’t forget to take care of your mental health too. Avoid depression. Talk to someone whenever you need to. It doesn’t matter if the person can solve the problem, in as much as the person will not compound the problem. Sometimes, all we need to do is just to speak out and our problems will be half solved. Never alone suffer in silence.
Another very important thing we must take note of is BALANCE. There are lots activities and picnics this semester. It as if everyone of them just woke up and remembered that they must organise a party. Don’t be carried away by all these. Right from this moment, set your priorities for this semester. Set your goals for this semester and make up your mind to achieve those goals. This will keep you on the run. It’s not a must that you attend all the parties. You are responsible for your actions and you bear their consequences alone too. Don’t forget your primary assignment in the university.
Involve in extracurricular activities too. Nobody knows tomorrow. Acquire a skill; a skill does not necessarily have to be dress making or hair making. You can acquire a skill in communication, leadership, digital marketing etc. You can also learn how to cook, bake, photography, networking and so on. And don’t be a lone ranger. And don’t forget, BALANCE AND PRIORITY.
It is also important to have a relationship with God. This semester is so crowded that it might seem impossible to have anytime for God. But remember that you cannot remove God from your success story. Don’t just go to him when you need him. Develop a daily relationship with him.
Spend wisely too. Plan how you spend your money. You are not too young to save and invest either. Keep your dreams alive. Live your dreams and the sky is your starting point.
Finally, it is election period, play safe and plan to vote wisely. Don’t be indifferent, find out about the candidates and decide who to vote for. Don’t vote because you know the person or because you are told too. Vote because of the substance you see in the candidates. Vote wisely.
Second semester is usually an eventful one and this one is no exception. My advice to you is
Be WISE
BE SMART
AND BALANCE.
AFAS PRESS WISHES YOU THE BEST OF THIS SEMESTER. BON CHANCE!