How One Failure Reshaped My University Journey

Failure is a very delicate thing that can prompt its victim to delve into ridiculous or Amazon acts depending on how they can handle situations, because, like we know, failure can be devastating and often brings about disappointment, setbacks, and the like. To be honest, no one wants to fail, but when you're able to understand that it's part of life, then growth, progress, and success won't be far from such a person's doorstep. Many have recounted how failure can be a source of inspiration, desire, and taste for a better future, and I do agree with that take because I've been there myself, and I'd share that experience with you below.

The turnout of failure in the life of an individual depends on how they react to it; some might see it as the end of the world and thereby give up on dreaming or hoping for better days, and these can bring about stagnancy, depression, and the like, and that's why it's always better to be positive-minded about life and situations. Being able to see the positive aspects of failure, disappointment, and the like often goes on to bring out the best in us; it often goes on to help you discover and tap into a part of us we didn't even know existed, and that's exactly what my story was prior to, during, and after the failure and personal ordeal I'll talk about below.

During my secondary school days, I was a student whose performance was just around average when it comes to my academics, but then I always got promoted to the next class; never have I repeated a class before. However, during my first year at the university, things went south because after our first semester exam, I saw my results and was moved to tears and, for the first time, became scared of failing, probably because I've heard of how students in higher institutions are given advice to withdraw when they've had terrible results. Immediately that happened, I knew I had to do something, and I did just that.

First, I recognized that my style of memorizing things isn't effective in the university, given the fact that most lectures want you to buttress more on explanation to show you understand what you've been taught. Secondly, I recognized that my circle of friends at the time were a bunch of failures like me, and if at all I wanted a change, then I needed to change my league of friends. Immediately, I went through those who did well in their results and started rolling with them, asking questions and doing things differently based on their own approach to studying, and at the end of the day, these two changes I initiated because I failed changed my story for good, because 100 level became the last time I failed a course throughout my university days.

Failing and the fear of disappointing my parents, as well as putting myself to shame, was what prompted those drastic steps I took, and I can tell you for a fact that I was no longer the same. I wasn't that guy who only memorized for the sake of giving lecturers what they wrote; I moved to someone who studied to show myself approval, someone who not only read to understand but could bring up valuable points that buttress different aspects of our course of study, and in the end, I ended up being amongst the top 40 students in my department of over 200 students.

All photos are mine.