I still remember my days at the University of Cape Coast like it was yesterday.
I finished Senior high school in September 2009. With Ghana’s education system at the year, when you complete senior high school, it was mandatory to wait for one year before you can apply for admission at a university of your choice. As such, I was suppose to go in 2010 but my I had to re-write my maths and science at the November/December Remedials by organized annually by the West African Examination Center (WAEC).
I registered the November/December Remedials by organized annually by the West African Examination Center (WAEC) in 2011 and rewrote my Mathematics and General Science. By God’s Grace, I passed excellently and got admitted to the University of Cape Coast in 2012. The first day that I went to the Internet cafe ( mobile phones were scarce at the time in Ghana) to check my results, I was really nervous and scared but I had faith in this is my time so God will make a way for me. I typed my University of Cape Coast registration number and here my name popped up, I started smiling. I was so happy and excited. Dreams do really come true. Hardwork also pays. When you fail at something, do not give up, stand up and keep pushing even harder and you will win. I remember how sad I felt when all my friends I was brilliant than way back in school all started going to tertiary institutions in 2010. Imagine if I had given up. In the end, I graduated from a university with a higher national and global rank than them.
I live in Kumasi, Ashanti Region so I for the first time, I had to travel to a different region for my education. It was a mixture of sadness and happiness. Happiness because of the new experience and getting to know a new and completely different region. The road to Cape Coast from Kumasi at during 2012 was not good, so I could not stay calm during the entire four hour journey, I was so scared and just kept praying to God for a safe journey to campus.
The first day I landed in Cape Coast, I liked the city. The beaches were so serene and nice. I liked the campus of the University of Cape Coast. The environment was very serene and beautiful. I immediately liked the new school and beautiful city I was about to stay in for the next four years of my life.
I went to the hall that I was assigned to ‘Adehye Hall’ and registered my name to report my presence. It was a weekend so I had to stay in the hostel until Monday for my orientation with my classmates.
On Monday, I went to the administration to report myself and they made student identification card for me. The orientation started from Monday to Friday. I and my classmates as well as all level 100 students like me participated.
We attended our first lectures the following Monday. I had heard about university lectures but experiencing it made it even more interesting. It was slightly different from what we were used to back in primary and senior high school. In senior high school, we heard lectures at the university is not compulsory but that was not true in some cases because some lecturers of some specific courses randomly had a roll call. Some lectures too naturally demanded you attend or you might fail because there might not be pamphlets or notes to rely on except what you hear during the lectures.
University of Cape Coast has shaped me in a positive way although there were some challenges I faced in level 100. In primary and senior high school, I had this thing where I do not learn regularly until there is examinations but I always passed because I am brilliant. As a result, it got into my head and I thought I could pull that off in the university so during level 100, I hardly learned. I incorporated the same behavior and I regretted ever doing that. My level 100 first semester results was so bad and below my brilliant standard so I was disappointed of myself. Although, I never failed , I could have done better had I learned regularly and not wait until examinations.
Same thing happened in the second semester because my attitude towards studying was still the same. Then reality set in when the GPA came and I realized that I needed to sit up.
This bad outcome from taught me so many lessons and I decided to start learning everyday. From level 200 first semester, I decided and planned to study everyday after lectures. I followed my plan routine and after the exam, my grades improved. Then I realized this is the best and what I should have done in level but it was not too late. By level 300, my GPA had shot up due to my highly improved grades. I never relented, I even studied harder during level 300 and 400, and from that time, the least of grades was a B..I constantly had A and B+ .
I learnt this lesson the hard way. In tertiary institutions where you meet with equally brilliant students, do not be lazy. You have to learn.
University of Cape Coast really helped me academically and I will always be grateful to them. It is one of the universities in Ghana and Africa. University of Cape Coast is the most disciplined university in Ghana.
University of Cape Coast has always been a tertiary with strict rules, as a result, most youth hardly like the school but once you are in, you realize everything strict rule is meant to shape you into a better student.
University of Cape Coast has a way of instilling discipline and other positive attitude in a student. Although, not all the students will see or accept it but I believe some students at the end of the day acknowledges this.