Becoming a First Class Graduate

While many see the goal of becoming a first class graduate as an impossible task, others are naturally achieve it without burning their fingers. In this inspiring interview, Mr. Anthony: A first class graduate of Chemical Engineering shares his personal story on what made him stand out and specifically the study habits that worked wonders for him.

LBC Crew: Please introduce yourself.
LBC Guest: I am Anthony Emmanuel Omachukwu: A graduate of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun. I finished my university program with a CGPA of 4.51, which is conventionally considered a first class grade.

LBC Crew: How was your study habit like during your undergraduate years?
Mr. Anthony: I don’t read always. I had a tradition of reading 30min before going to bed. I gave more of my attention class attendance, assignments and test. My goal was to achieve a score of at least twenty-five over thirty in my continuous assessment test. This was to reduce my pressure in preparing for exams. I never missed my lectures. I do my assignments and copied my notes personally. I attend lecture earlier that the stipulated time. This was to ensure I review past notes for about thirty minutes before the next one. At the end of the day, I review all the lecture notes before going home.

LBC Crew: How long does it take you to prepare for test and exams in the school?
Mr. Anthony Emmanuel: Sometimes it takes four hours. After which, I retire to bed for sleep. I don’t joke with my sleep. In my preparation, I focus on courses with high credit unit, and less time for lower credit unit ones.

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LBC Crew: What are your life routine?
Mr. Anthony: During my undergraduate days, the first thing I do when I wake up is pray, then go for morning masses. There after I take breakfast and go to school for my lectures. Sometimes at the end of the day, go to church.

LBC Crew: Do you see some elements of luck and destiny or its more of hard work?
Mr. Anthony: I think it was more of grace. I just did my own part and God did the rest. I had a friend in my higher level, who helps me with materials and past questions ahead of my next session resumption. I did study and rehearse them during holidays and before school resumption, I would have ended the session before it began. During my school vacation, I will spend four hours daily to prepare for the next semester.

LBC Crew: What skills did u develop within the undergraduate period?
Mr. Anthony: The first is communication skills followed by digital skills. These skills helped me research for information for my classwork, exams and project. I also developed technical skills at Petroleum Training Institute at the Biofuel Lab, where I was exposed to equipment usage and pilot line. I also carried out analysis using some software.

LBC Crew: Do you think that someone can make a first class and not have some technical skills?
Mr. Anthony: Yes! I have met several persons in this category without any technical skills. The only thing they know is just study, and pass exams in school.

LBC Crew: How do you understand life beyond first class? Do you see first class as the end or as the means to the end?
Mr. Anthony: I see it as just the beginning. This is because as a first class graduate people, society already has higher expectations from us, than the regular grade C students. It is a motivation to become better. Also there is an unconfirmed report that most first class turns out to be very good employees, with only a few thinking out of the box to create businesses for themselves and others. This is because many of us dedicate our lives in understanding already made concept. We do not go the extra mile to question the norm and create new processes and concepts. It’s more like just waiting to get a job and keep to a routine. We are used to routine. The world now sees us as a stereotype who works for the C students. we don’t put our ingenuity out of study.