Falayi Oluwatosin, 21, was the best in
the Department of Physiology, University of Ibadan in the 2014/2015
academic session, having had 6.0 CGPA. She tells TUNDE AJAJA in this
interview how she was able to lead others
We learnt you were the only one who had first class in your department. Did you see it coming or it came as a surprise?
I would say yes and no. I didn’t see it coming at first. Just like most
people in my class, I applied to study Medicine and Surgery. So, when
the admission list came out with my name in Physiology, I was depressed.
Getting a first class then was the last thing on my mind. All I was
concerned with was getting a good Cumulative Grade Point Average to
cross to Medicine. After the first year, I still couldn’t cross.
Gradually, the reality that I was stuck in Physiology dawned on me. The
usual saying when you don’t get the course you applied for is “The
university gave me the course”. So UI ‘gave’ me Physiology. I remember I
had to start browsing about Physiology the day the admission list came
out. I didn’t know much about the course before then. I then decided
that if I was going to be stuck in Physiology, I would make sure I
emerge as the best Physiology graduate in my class and that must be a
first class. Even then, I still wasn’t certain. My result in 100 and 200
level were far from encouraging. I guess the moment I started to
believe was when I had a CGPA of 6.9 out of 7.0 in my third year.
Afterwards, I knew it was definitely possible because this was a major
improvement from my second year. The way my CGPA spiked was so high and I
was convinced then that a supernatural being (God), was on my side.
Even though it was Medicine at first, now, Physiology has brought out
the scientist in me. When I was young, I thought being a doctor was the
only way to impact lives positively but being a physiologist would help
me to still achieve that dream and I don’t think I could have asked for a
better course.
Since your course enabled you to know how the human system works, did that knowledge in any way help you in your studies?
We learnt that the more familiar the
brain is with something, the easier it is for the person to recall that
thing any other time. And that helps. I always say that crash reading is
okay only if you just want to pass the exam. But for someone who wants
to learn, you need to study, not read. I’ve found out that it is very
hard for me to forget things I write down. Besides, our brain stores
things as images so you can literarily ‘see’ your book on examination
day. But that’s only if your brain has been made familiar with it by
frequent study. And I would suggest that students should know
themselves. What works for someone else might not work for you. The key
is not to study 20 hours every day. You might only need to study
religiously for two hours every day and you are good to go. Most
students just copy their friends and that is where they miss it.
However, one important tip that also worked for me was to study what had
been taught in class that same day it was taught because I noticed that
our brains thrive more on repetitions.
Given the volume of what you had to read, did you have time for other things?
I didn’t socialise much, compared with
my other peers. This has nothing to do with the volume of books I had to
read; I’m a reserved person, so my nature didn’t allow me to do much of
that. I did hang out with my friends a couple of times. About reading, I
didn’t really have a fixed schedule. On a typical day, in-between
classes, I could look for a quiet place to study with my friend, Yota,
and after class, which usually ends most times around 1 to 2pm, I would
go back to the hostel to rest. Usually, I read for four to six hours and
it could be longer than that sometimes but I never deprived myself of
sleep; I slept when I needed to sleep. Yes, there were times I studied
late into the night, like 2 – 3am, but I also had days I slept very
well. I know the importance of sleep so I didn’t joke with mine. I
understand how my body works. I rested during the day so I could study
better at night. I used the library quite often and I did make use of
the reading room in my hostel very well. Overall, I think students
should identify what works for them and maximise it.
Did you win any award or scholarship as an undergraduate?
I didn’t win any scholarship but I won
the most outstanding student award in my department in my third year and
the ‘Brainbox’ of Physiology in my fourth year. Thank God I was able to
combine my academics with being the editor-in-chief of my departmental
press since my second year till I graduated. I was also an executive in
my fellowship. I really had to find a way to balance all these or I ran
the risk of destroying all my hard work.
Were there times people saw you as too serious with academics?
That happened many times. Some of my
mates called me ‘book worm’ but only my close friends and family got to
see that I could be very playful. Even though I love reading, singing,
watching movies and sleeping were also part of my hobbies. When I’m
upset, the first thing I do is sleep, which some may find funny. Beyond
reading, I went for a few social gatherings, including my departmental
dinner in my final year. I was even a part of the dinner committee. I
went to see movies a few times with my friends, and I must say I love
movies so much.
Were you in a relationship or was it a no-no?
I was in a relationship in my fourth
year and it wasn’t a distraction in any way. On the contrary, it
actually contributed to my having a first class because he supported me.
SOURCE: PUNCH NEWSPAPERS
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