Friday 24 August 2012

My Oxbridge Experience by Iwere Eyitene

My Oxbridge experience was a very unforgettable and eventful one. I never planned on going to Oxbridge but I found myself there due to circumstances beyond my control. I decided to enroll in the accelerated A level programme. This meant that I was compressing a two year programme into one year.

I found out that the teachers were really dedicated. Not only were they dedicated, they paid attention to each individual; acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses. It was more than the pay-check to them. They were greatly concerned about our progress both academically and otherwise. I want to use this medium to thank my teachers for imparting knowledge, most especially Mr.Adeleke and Mr. Oduniyi. Not only were they useful in the classroom, they also referred me to tons of online resources which were vital to my success. One advice I would give is 'make YouTube your best friend’. You will find many topics simplified for you. I know I did, especially in Economics. Another thing I discovered was that the teachers never gave up on their students, so there was no stereotyping. Oxbridge also taught me to be confident and independent, especially during tests and exams. I learnt how to pass on my own steam and not to rely on other students.

Oxbridge wasn't just about the academics. I had a very active social life. The students organized parties and we gave back to the society by helping the less privileged. We donated towards worthy causes like HIV and cancer. We also visited the HIV patients at the Ikeja General Hospital.

Oxbridge wasn't all rosy. Even roses, they say have thorns. I disliked the fact that students did not have direct access to the MD and we had to go through many people to get through to her (people who didn't know what we were going through or how best to solve our problems). It is a small college so I don’t think such protocols are necessary. This area needs to be improved upon.

All being said, Oxbridge is a wonderful place to be and it was my stepping stone to greater heights. People kept on discouraging me from completing my programme especially when it became really stressful. I knew what I wanted and I believed in myself. I kept on praying to God to make me smile when the results come out and he did. My grades weren't inferior to those who opted for the two year A levels. Right now, I'm not afraid of the future. I can't wait to start university. To all of you considering A levels, put in your very best and never tell yourself that you can't do anything. You can do anything if you put your mind to it. Best of luck in your studies and always put God first in all you do.

Eyitene just completed her Accelerated Advanced level programme from the college coming out with ABC in Sociology,Geography and Economics.


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