THE GREATEST SECRET OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE 4

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PRINCIPLES OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE 4
I highlighted "Developing quality relationships and developing oneself by acquiring knowledge" as the fourth and fifth principle of academic excellence, respectively. I believe you are taking acting on these principles, and getting results from them. When you act on them, that's when you've completely acquired knowledge.

Principle six

Develop a strategy

To do this, you have to come up with a detailed plan of action on how to achieve academic excellence, success will not just fall on your laps, you will have to go for it. You cannot succeed by accident. You cannot get good grades without first strategizing for it.
The word strategy is used by soldiers to mean a plan to defeat enemies during war. Success in the higher institution is not funfair, but warfare. Your enemies include: playfulness, waywardness, laziness, procrastination, amongst others. If you don’t defeat them now don't be surprised they may defeat you.
Graduating from school with flying colours has got a price tag. You would have to sacrifice many things to achieve academic excellence. You would have to sacrifice your time and effort, resources and money, so you have to strategize. In every nation, every soldier knows that thier weapons of war are not as important as tier strategies. If you don;t want to end up in tragedy, then you have to develop a strategy. Without a strategy, you might at the end of four years in school wished you had one. Then, it would be too late, so you have to be conscious of time.
The strategies for success in school are:
1. Prepare for exams early
Holiday period is not a time to relax, and catch fun alone, it is a time to prepare ahead of time, by reading ahead. This way, you are digging the well when you are not thirsty. Excellence in school demands you read each of your courses once, at least, before the lecturer comes to teach it in class.

2. Don’t be too involved

Don't put your hands into too many things, they can distract you. You have to concentrate on your studies, that is the reason you are in school. Any other thing should be secondary to that. Being tied up with other things will only dilute your concentration, and that will affect your grade point. You have to be careful of joining societies or organizations that demands too much of your time. Be careful of dabbling into leadership positions, it comes with responsibility.

3. Don't fall in love

At times, what you think is love is mere infatuation, and you can be disturbed when a girl ditches you, which might affect your performance in school. I remember the time a girl jilted me about two weeks to my examinations. I lost concentration, so much, that I couldn't read my books, let alone assimilate what I read. I have learnt my lesson-be careful of the love you have for a girl or a boy.

Principle seven

Decide to be a good student

Good students have so many things in common. They seat in front of the class, so as to hear the lecturer clearly. They get to school early before the lecture arrives because they know that it is students who should wait for the lecturer, not otherwise. As a good student, you will pay your dues and school fees on time. You will respect your lectures even when they are wrong.

You can make your sponsor proud by getting good grades in school. Little drops of water, they say, make a mighty ocean. Reading your textbook for one hour everyday will improve your academic performance. One of my lectures told me that all I need to do as a student is to read my books for two hours daily, and attend tutorials twice a week.

If you imagine that success is as easy as failure, you will see that really, it is easy to graduate with a good grade by following the principles of academic excellence. In summary, they are:

1. Determine your purpose
2. Develop reading skills
3. Develop a retentive memory
4 .Develop quality relationships
5. Develop yourself by acquiring knowledge
6. Develop a strategy
7. Decide to be a good student

What you have to do now is to act on these principles. In the next thirty minutes, do at least two simple things that will help you to improve on your academic performance.

You have to strike when the iron is hot, so do it now.

My purpose is not to teach you all there is to know about improving your academic performance, it is to let you know that if it is to be, it is up to you. Remember, if nothing stopped you from being born, then nothing can stop you from achieving your wildest dreams.

Agbolade Omowole, runs Interpersonal Skills Training for corporate organizations. He is also a financial adviser with Aims Asset Management Limited.

Contact: 08020777803/agboolaa_coach@yahoo.com
Blog: www.101youngentrepreneurs.blogspot.com