One Photo, a thousand lessons

Friends walking beside a storey building. Despite a few differences in their dressing, they appear neat for a school session. You can see pens in his shirt pocket and books in his hands with a shoulder bag too. In the background, you can see trees, a tarred road and streetlights. It looks calm and serene, just how an academic institution should look like. The whole scene tells one of the everyday moments in a student life, not just in a classroom.

I'm the one at the right with my close friend back then in my Polytechnic days. What first impression did that photo gave you? Did it remind you of when you were in school, or how school is treating you presently? But school life is not always a smiling face. Behind that photo were hard days too: frustrations, hunger, exhaustion and lessons about life that books alone couldn't teach.

Now, lets use this moment on the photo to talk about how friendship can help in a successful academic journey.

FRIENDSHIP IN LEARNING

Joel and I were reading mates. We had passion for the accounting field and that is what brought us together. When I started, I didn't know much about my course, but I paid attention and wanted to really understand what I was doing because I made a personal commitment about my profession. Gradually I started getting it. With Joel by my side, it was perfect.

Our course is a professional course, full of monetary calculations. School was the practical and preparatory aspect of it. Then imagine how it will be in reality. In class you can make mistakes and correct it as many times as you want. But in reality, you know what it means to be an accountant, you don't joke with people's or an organization's money.

We never joked with our courses, especially during our final year. Most of our courses had calculations that needs attention and consistency to understand. There were times I cried because I tried and tried and tried but I couldn't get a calculation right. Next day at school, Joel came to my rescue. He had tried that same calculation before and discovered the figures in the textbook were not correct.

There were times too I followed closely every figure and despite the struggle, cancellations, I later got it right. See the way I'll be smiling😁 Sometimes Joel and I and sat together smiled widely on our effort finally rewarded. Financial students can really relate to the happiness it brings when their account is balances. Those moments were so lovely.

It wasn't only calculations. We sat out and enjoyed ourselves too. Had dinner, sleepovers, especially during exams period and other recreational activities.

That's why this photo means so much to me. Whenever I go through it in my gallery, I don't only see two students walking but I see two people who were there for each other throughout the hard times in school.

HOW YOU DRESS FOR LEARNING

There is a saying:

"Dress how you want to be addressed."

So, I'm pursuing an accounting profession, I have to dress like an accountant. Joel and I were serious about what we wanted, so every Monday, in accordance with the dressing code of our department; we dressed in white shirt and black trousers for male.

How you dress matters a lot, it molds your mindset and self-confidence. Dressing well makes you think serious about what you are dressed up for. When I dress in corporate like that, I felt more responsible.

I guess that has explain why Joel and I took our courses so serious, because we have a target, a future to pursue. That corporate wear were not just clothes. There were uniforms for the accountant we are becoming.

MY CONCLUSION

If you are a student reading this, always have this in mind: Take your academics seriously. Make friends that motivate and stay with you during hard times. Dress to fit your ambition. Free yourself for enjoyment too. And don't forget that one day you'll reflect back at your photos or any other memories and realize those school days were actually building your future.

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I invite: @shahidalinaz, @ruthjoe, @ukpono, and @manuelhooks to check out my writing, how is it?

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