Degree Dressed In Ignorance

What Else Did You Do In School? 

There was a very cautious man
Who never laughed or played
He never risked, he never tried
He never sang or prayed
And one day he passed away
His insurance was denied
For since he never really lived
They claimed he never died 

Have you heard of the popular saying of someone passing through the university and the university not passing through him?  Well this is the case of many young people on our campuses today.  I have sat at numerous recruitment panels and marveled at the complete lack of exposure exhibited by most graduates.   Education is not just learning to read and write, but majorly to acquire exposure that would expand thinking and life perspectives.  Alvin Tofler, a prolific writer says, “The illiterate of the twenty first century is not the person who cannot read or write but the person who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”  Education opens your mind to a variety of social and leadership skills that transform you from ‘Bush’ to ‘Savvy’. 

Robust education can also help you get a job faster than others because you would easily fill the requirements organizations are looking for.  Many times, the descriptions you find in the papers explain exactly what to prepare for to get your dream job, such as: "We need people who can set  goals and surpass them; people who have flexibility, imagination and resilience…” “Someone who wants to take responsibility and likes to use their initiative; Somebody who has the confidence and the credibility to challenge and come up with new ways of working…” “we require someone with an enquiring mind and the ability to understand and solve complex challenges…” “We are looking for fresh, innovative minds and creative spirits ...” “We’re after ambitious graduates who can respond with pace and energy to every issue they face…”

These quotes are all taken from job adverts in newspapers and they are all asking for more or less the same things:  The ability to use your own initiative, to think for yourself, to be creative and pro-active.  The ability to resolve problems, to think logically and/or laterally, to use ingenuity to overcome difficulties and to research and implement solutions.  The qualities required here are not found in books; they are learned from activities you become involved in.

Although you cannot learn these skills from books, you can get them from interactions at different fora as you journey through life.  In the university for instance, there are all sorts of groups that can help you build up these skills, such as Student Union Government, Faculty/Departmental associations like , National Association of Computer Science Students, Law Students Association etc. Social clubs such as The Rotaract Club, AIESEC, JCI, JAYCEE Drama groups, Students In Free Enterprise, Literary clubs and a host of others. And when you join, don't just be a member, strive to get into leadership positions where you can develop and hone your skills.

 

It is not a good choice therefore not to participate in any extracurricular activities in school or to be buried in the crowd as an ‘also ran’.  The popular excuses I hear often are, ‘I focussed on my studies and came out with a first class’, or 'I was too busy working on things that mattered, see, I have an award to show for it!’ or 'I did not want any distractions while I was in school'. But think for a moment; in which organization will you be asked to define chemistry or to write an essay on transportation?  Rather, what they would be interested in will be what leadership skills you have, whether you can work under pressure, if you are creative, are a goal getter and whether you know how to use your initiative? They would want to know if you give up easily, if you are able to influence people and manage them to achieve set goals, if you are proactive and have business acumen?  Do you know how to mix and mingle, initiate conversation and lead a discussion? Can you hold your own in public speaking and presentations, are you persuasive and effervescent in mien?  Do you have a network that you can nurture for life and draw on for business?  In other words, are you socially and emotionally intelligent?  Only when you are involved in social activities would you avail yourself of the education that would deliver your dreams.

So now you know.  My advise is this - If you are still an undergraduate, find time to participate in extracurricular activities.  They are a part of education and a very vital part indeed.  Enough of displaying ignorance with pride by brandishing a degree that cannot be supported by relevant knowledge in today's competitive work environment.  A friend of mine described it as 'demonstration of ignorance with pride'.    Show that you went to SCHOOL.   Be a part of the positive activities, be known and recognised on campus for growth and development.  Don't just pass through the university like a ship in the night.  Choose exposure over myopia.