It will be of no harm if get blunt about how difficult it is to study at a Nigerian university. Studying in a Nigerian university could be one of the most challenging things you will probably do in your life, and there are reasons I have come to this conclusion, which I will tell you as we go on in this guide.
Throughout this guide, I have included scenarios of my experience as a graduate of one of the top federal universities in Nigeria. In some cases, I will have to personalize my tale so you can understand and relate.
I was admitted into Micheal Okpara University, one of Nigeria’s top and sort after federal universities. The school is reputable for its intensive student training and probably has some of the best students in Nigeria.
It is not a joke when I tell you that graduating from university takes lots of hard work and dedication unless you are in the institution for another business.
I studied Mechanical Engineering, which is probably the university’s second most demanding course. Due to its difficulty, we cannot participate in school SUG politics; our college politics are limited to the department.
It is like that so we can focus on our studies without having excuses for not getting good grades in our exams.
I know many universities in Nigeria are like that, so you should pay close attention to details. I will be dropping here.
As a university student in Nigeria, you need to be brighter than average, or you won’t get the most out of it; you need to be up and doing, and you need to be very serious about your life unless you are from a wealthy home or you have politicians in your family.
I didn’t understand this until I was in the third year of my five-year degree. Even if you are in your finals and have not yet realized these things, it is not too late. You can still make changes that will positively affect your studies and life.
1. Go To Lectures and Attend Night Classes
Going to lectures is very important in your studies, and you should do that with your heart. It is during lectures that you will learn what matters and how the lecturer will set exams for you.
Let us face it: making A and B is what matters to them. Even if a student who doesn’t understand the course makes an A, it is no big deal, and there is no way to know if he or she cheated on the exam.
However, our goal is not to get an A or B but to understand the class and be able to apply it in real-life situations.
In my 4th year at the university, we learned about MathLab under Simulink; I attended the class but didn’t understand it.
If I am to take the exam, I know I can get a B or a C, which I consider an OK grade. But I wanted more. I knew it was something I could apply in real-life situations, which could earn me an income, so I had to dedicate my time to learning it, and after some struggle, it paid off.
Now, this is where night classes come in. I was a student doing some IT job to support myself at the university, so I had to work on my laptop during the day and then read at night.
By the time I finish my work after classes, I will not be motivated to read at night since I am staying alone, so I have entered the school to join my friends in reading. Most times, we read till daybreak, we share ideas, and each person will teach what he or she understands best.
I could get a B grade in the course since I didn’t have the money to pay for my CA. Making the B was an outstanding achievement for me since I had better grades than most people who paid.
2. Get Familiar On How To Use Youtube
In my final years, I had some issues that prevented me from attending classes as I should have, but I found a way around it, and that way was YouTube.
I discovered that most of our courses are already on YouTube, and those teachers are good in that you can not misunderstand any step or instruction you are given and can play back any place you feel you do not understand as a student.
The advantage I have is that I know how to use keywords to get what I want, and I was doing that; I taught some of my friends how to do that, the learned and I can now search on YouTube and get the desired result they want.
You must familiarize yourself with YouTube and use the school’s free Wi-Fi to study. I promise you that you will get better instructors on YouTube.
3. Study Exam Past Questions
Earlier, I mentioned night class and how it helped me study and prepare for my exams. Past questions are our tools, and they pay very well.
Nigerian lecturers, for some reason, repeat questions they have set for the previous year, so if you can solve some of them, you are sure of getting a D on your exam without a CA.
You need to buy past questions and use them as your study guide, learn how each lecturer sets his other questions, and use that to your advantage.
4. Learn Needful IT Skills
It is a known fact that there are fewer jobs and more graduates in Nigerian society; now, if you want to risk your future, ignore this advice, but if you’re going to do something after graduation, you must head to this advice.
Learn an IT skill; you may be wondering how much time you have. You will have lots of time on your hands; you just need to be serious and dedicated to learning to be able to pull that off.
During my university days, I learned web and app development, how to use Android, and how to program with the Dart language.
While others were busy partying and doing all sorts of things, I was learning, improving my skills, and using them to my advantage.
I said I was not going to classes in my final year; it was because I was working for a company then, which money I used to do clearance and other top expenses.
You need to learn any IT skills that people will need, study world trends, and learn something someone will need, no matter how small or large.
5. Do Not Be To Close To Lecturers
I know how many times you have been told to get close to your lectures, but the truth is that sometimes this may have a negative effect on you unless you are familiar with how to associate with them.
I never associated with them because of what I have seen happen to other students at the university. I decided to attend classes and read my books, which paid off at the end of the day.
Many good things could come out of it, like you getting favored by them, them gifting your grades, or you having to get important information beforehand.
Then, you may be used for something terrible, blackmailed, distracted, or not graduating because of a fallout between you and a connected lecturer.
You need to be careful and approach it wisely. I am not in any way telling you not to associate with your lecturers, but you need to do that with your head.
6. Work Hard On Acquiring Skills As You Work On Your Studies
Working hard on your studies alone is not a good idea when you are at a Nigerian university; a lack of jobs after graduation can be devastating. So make sure that as you work hard on your studies, you also put that same effort into your skills so that you will have something to do while you wait to be employed.
Many have a well-paid job after school, so many made a significant impact with the skills they acquired while still in school.
In what way does that work for you? Make sure you have both with you to avoid being disappointed. You may, in some way, be a source that employs your mates after you have graduated from school.
After graduating, I never bothered to apply for a job since I was already making more income than I ever imagined possible.
Conclusion
I know you have a lot on your mind, but I will give you advice: stick to the moment, learn as much as possible, and graduate with a good grade from Nigeria University.
Study as hard as you can and work with time while you study. Be serious and dedicated, and then you will see significant changes in your life.
Do not fear getting bad grades when you have already prepared to excel in academics and skills, the feature will be as pleasant as expected.