Experience, they say, is the best teacher. It is pertinent to one’s success in life to seek out to people who are repositories of knowledge and experiences so that they can feed one food of their experiences and knowledge.
Few days ago, I met, by coincidence, someone from my hometown at the University of Ibadan’s Senate Building. I was happy to meet him for it has been some years we have seen each other. He was happy too.
After we had exchanged pleasantries, I asked why he was in UI. He told me he was there for his certificate. After this, he said I should wait for him at the Love Garden, behind the building, because he was about completing the process.
He arrived not long after I got to the garden. We talked at great lengths. He told me some of his experiences fetched from his undergraduate days in the university.
Guess you are ready to learn from his story.
Let’s go.
He said:
“Guy, I spent about five years in this university as an undergraduate. But, when I graduated, though I did my best to make an extraordinary achievement in my academic endeavour, I learnt that there were many things I failed to learn while at the university.”
“First, all my years in the university were devoted to studying. I was so engrossed with my studies to the detriment of my interpersonal relationship and social interaction with people.”
“I read both day and night, and I usually avoided any interaction or social talks with people. I hardly talked to anyone after the lectures. I had just a friend then. He was my only friend then because we both had zero tolerance to social interaction.”
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“We would both go library or reading rooms to read after lectures. We boycotted any social event or interactive session we were invited to. All we did then was to read—nothing else than that.”
“There was a time I was persuaded by one of my course mates to join one literary club on campus. I shunned the request and faced my books squarely.”
“However, when I graduated from the university, it appeared to me that those years of total devotion to studies has affected my social relationship with people. At home, my kinsmen would complain that I hardly talked to anyone. My old friends would say that I had become very proud.”
“Asides the above, the first problem I encountered when I started work in Lagos was how to relate with people because I had no clue how to. I would sometimes feel sad when my colleagues engaged me in a conversation, and I would find it hard to contribute meaningfully.”
“The worst case scenario, whenever we hold a social event at my place of work, or we are invited to an event or a party, I would feel somehow uncomfortable when I see my colleagues doing some things which I can’t do.”
“Another thing is that, I usually thought, while at the university, that schooling was all about getting job. This is the worst murder I have ever committed on myself.”
“I worked so hard while at school so that I would, ultimately, have a sweet job that pays handsomely after my graduation. I shut my eyes to some beautiful opportunities I could tap from education.”
“All in all, God is so good. I have got one social counsellor, and I’m happy that I have changed a bit from my former old self. So, young bro., never ever let schooling shut your eyes at the beautiful opportunities you can tap while on campus. I’ve learnt that everything is not about book. Perfect your social interaction with people. And…”
His phone rang. After receiving the call, we bade each other farewell. He said he had to quickly meet someone.
- NB: This story is a fictitious one. However, it is an attempt to emphasize the significance of interpersonal relationship among students on campus. Read, comment and share.
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