Academic Consultation

Can we meet you ma?

My name is Titilope Osuntade (nee Banji), and I am a Mechanical Engineer. I am currently pursuing my PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University in the United States. I am a believer and a lover of Godly principles. I was a TACSFONITE when I was an undergraduate at the University of Ibadan, too.

What can you tell us about your undergraduate days?

What aspects of my undergraduate days?

The Academic aspect; the ups and downs…

I went through a 5-year (scheduled) program, which took roughly 6 years to complete – B.Sc Mechanical Engineering. The extension was as a result of strikes and student protests. I started out in my first year as a first-class student with a CGPA of 6.5 out of 7.0. However, in my second year, it dropped due to issues relating to being too relaxed and also involved in a lot of extracurricular activities. By my third year, I improved a bit. In my fourth year, I dropped slightly, and by the end of my last year, I finished with a CGPA of 6.1 out of 7.0. It was still a first-class grade, and I almost slipped into second-class upper if not that I took it very seriously in my final year, so I am still grateful. It is true that the CGPA is not enough to classify a student academically, but it is a significant sign.

One thing that helped me maintain consistency though, was the realization that others could help, and I could help too. Interacting with people during tutorials helped and also, getting help from other students like myself.

Hmmm, that’s very true. Thank you ma’am. So, you said in 200L your CGPA dropped, there are people in this kind of category, how did you pick yourself up again because it can really be painful?

Yeah, it was very painful. Nevertheless, I reminded myself that I could do better. I knew that was not my best, and I determined to do better. I started by working on my schedules and making time for study every single day. On some days, it wasn’t a long period, but I still went ahead with it. There used to be this public display of results on a PDF called Book of Life, so a number of people had checked my result and it was painful just to walk into a class, or even into the fellowship because I felt people were watching. Even in places where no one checked, I still felt ashamed. It’s funny, but that was how I felt. So, reminding myself again and again
helped me to see that I could do better, but more importantly, I ran back to God for a better footprint for each semester afterwards. I would always review the semester and the methods I used. I started to gather materials ahead of classes and start reading ahead in order to have an idea of the concepts. Even when I didn’t understand, I just read, hoping that the lectures would clarify more things. I also asked lecturers questions as much as possible, whether or not they were interested in answering or not.

There is this belief going around that “School is a scam” and this is affecting the attitude of people towards academics, what do you have to say about this?

Okay… that slang has been around for a long time. However, school is not a scam. Beyond the notes, homework and classes, education challenges your thinking and broadens your mind to areas you may have never considered. For example, you are taught something in class and an example is given, then you are given a tougher homework. That brain exercise involved in finding a solution to the homework is a mental exercise that helps you for life. You build an attitude that doesn’t meet challenges unprepared. Even if you become an entrepreneur in a different field from your course of study, the application of that mental skill is second to none. It’s just like going to the gym and building muscles. You can use that muscle anywhere. Also, knowledge remains power. If you practice what you study (I know this will not be everyone),
getting a good education in the field gives you an edge over others and leads you to even getting better pay in some cases. God gave Daniel and his friends an excellent spirit for a reason, to apply to different scenarios. So, if the difficulty faced in school makes people say school is a scam, why not ask God for help and wisdom.

Some say that because they have seen people that went to school and couldn’t get a good life after school. Probably, it is because they didn’t apply what they were taught in school…?

True. Nevertheless, when people do not get a good life after school, it is not because of
school. There are so many factors involved. Sometimes, it may be as a result of applying to fields where one does not have strength, or the unavailability of jobs in the country, or the lack of recognition of their skills in entrepreneurship and all. Despite the various challenges, school is still not a scam.

Very true ma’am. Just as you said, I believe education broadens our mind…so while in school, you were into extracurricular activities. How did you manage it with your studies?

So, while in school, I was highly involved in TACSFON UI, PSSF (Prelim Science Students Family), TCSF (Technology Christian Students Family), NIMechE-UI (Nigerian Institute of Mechanical Engineers) Press, Asido Campus Network (a mental health advocacy group), NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers), WIE (Women in Engineering, a section of IEEE) and the likes at one point or the other. I held leadership roles in some and was just a key member in some. They had their meetings, and for TACSFON alone, there were also TFF (TACSFON Freshers Forum), where I was a leader and member for 3 consecutive sessions. I was able to prioritize these activities and delegate activities where possible. When I absolutely needed to show up, I did. When I did not necessarily need to show up, and
another academic activity was at stake, I took permission from whoever needed to be asked to excuse myself. When someone else could do something, I let them do it, and when I had to, I put in the work. Nevertheless, to balance these with school work, I made sure to dedicate time to study every day, like I said earlier. If I couldn’t read on a Monday, I made up for it by increasing the time allocated to study on Tuesday. I am not perfect, and I would not say I was completely consistent, but I was very close to being so. Also, I had friends who I made myself accountable to. They did not know it, but I tried to check with them how well I was improving. For example, talking to them about what was taught in class, or about their reading habits. These helped a lot.

Delegating roles, showing up when you have to, accountability etc… Thanks for these points. In terms of accountability to friends, how do you think we can go about it ma’am?

Okay, I will just say it is very good to have friends that can check up on you academically. They may be your classmates, fellow unit members, hostel mates, and the rest. To go about it, you just need to find like-minded persons that you can ask about how they are faring academically from time to time. Just ask them if they are reading, how classes have been, what kinds of tests they have had in their classes, what time they read, and you know, questions like that would lead them to ask you too. If you see that they are not helpful, that is totally fine, you can look for other people and try again. This would help you calibrate your progress and efforts, and keep you in constant reminder of your academic responsibilities.

Thank you ma’am. Have you ever been in a position where you needed help academically, how did you go about it?

Okay, yes, I have been in such a position. I identified the courses giving me issues and walked up to my classmates to explain to me. When that was not enough, I checked you-tube videos and learned from there about certain concepts. I also asked questions in class, and went to see lecturers (those who seemed to be willing to help) for more clarification. There is
always help available.

Thank you very much for your time. So, what advice do you have for undergraduates, ma’am?

Yeah, so…make the most of your undergraduate days. Those days, 4 years, 5, 6, or even 7 years in school, will come and go. After school, you will never be called an undergraduate. So, when it comes to your academics, make the most of this time to study and do well. You will not need that rigorous study again after school, except in grad school if that applies to you. Just go through the process now, and you will be better for it. Also, when you need to improve yourself in various areas, financially, health wise, and the likes, this time of your life is a very good time to start setting that up. You can be a better version of yourself when you graduate. Don’t stop adding to yourself. Learn skills now that will be useful anywhere you go. Let God be your guide, and you will see that your ways can be moulded in a beautiful manner. When you need to rest, take a break, but make sure you pick up where you left off after every sort of break. I can say so much, but God alone can help you have a great time in school, so never leave Him out of anything you do or any decisions you make.

Thank you very much for your time, ma’am. We are so grateful.

Thank you, too! This is a pleasure for me as well.