My Academic Life: Pulling Up My Socks

https://pixabay.com/illustrations/leroy-fruit-cuteness-achievement-8386525/

I was overjoyed when I saw my JAMB examination slip. I had gotten very high marks in all the subjects and I had also hit the cut-off mark for the course I intended to study. That meant that I would be getting into the higher institution soon enough. My family was happy at the results too.

I had put law as my first choice & English Language as the second. I needed to sit for another examination, the Post-UTME so as to qualify for the admission. Weeks later I sat for the said examination. I passed with flying colors and was admitted to the State University to study Law. My happiness knew no bounds.

Unfortunately I had to drop the admission because I hadn't gotten one crucial course in my WASSCE. I was devastated when I heard the news. But I cheered up and started preparing for the next round of exams.

https://pixabay.com/photos/math-numbers-number-counting-5247958/

I had about 3 months to prepare for the exams. I studied my books as best as I could. I answered past questions on each of the subjects. But my parents where not in the least satisfied with my study efforts. To them, it was underwhelming.

“This is not how you read last year and secured the Law admission.” They would say.

“I'm trying my best.” Was my reply.

But inwardly I knew they were right. My reading efforts were indeed underwhelming and my parents where asking me to pull up my socks.

At the end of the 3 months of study, I sat again for the examination, but I failed. I didn't even hit the cut off mark this time. My parents didn't fail to voice their feelings about my failure.

“We told you to intensify your reading efforts but you wouldn't hear.”

“I think it's your smartphone that prevented you from passing the exams this time around. You spent a lot of time on it.” My mother would say. She was still alive at that time.

Inwardly I knew the reason why I had failed. It was largely due to a medical condition I was experiencing at that time. It prevented me from concentrating while reading or reading for a long time. But my parents didn't understand. They thought it was because of my laziness that I didn't pull up my socks like they had told me to. But I knew better.

This particular exam failure meant I had spent about 4 years since I left high school without securing a tertiary institution admission.

https://pixabay.com/illustrations/passed-exam-graduated-university-7271323/

I later overcame this hurdle and landed a tertiary institution admission. But I haven't forgotten the experiences I had those years. I think I pulled up my socks after I got into the tertiary institution because I always had high grades in the courses. Even I though I still suffered from the medical condition, I found ways to manage it so it didn't interfere with my studies.

Sort:  

inkwell banner.png
Hello @aloysiusmbaba, You have the potential in this piece to really draw the reader in. However, it is quite lean (488 words, well below our recommended length). Also, although you may not want to share what the medical condition was because of privacy, still you could describe the effects of that illness that interfered with your ability to prepare. For ex: Did it make you tired? Depressed? Anxious? Did it give you distracting pain? this would have been a very interesting addition to your piece, and also a way to humanize it.

Thank you for sharing with us. It was good to learn that you finally achieved your goal even though your medical challenges remained.