My QUOTES

THE PLACE OF INFORMATION (3)

                The farther I go in life, the more I appreciate the invaluable benefits of being informed. My daily experiences have unveiled numerous possibilities inherent in the acquisition of quality information. One of the memorable experiences that led to my daily pursuit for quality information and hatred for ignorance took place last year in February 2013. After gaining admission in the University of Cape Town, it is normal to be excited about it. However, my excitement was cut short because I was yet to complete my registration; hence, I had not gotten a student’s ID card (which is the official proof that you are a student of any school).

                Anyone that is familiar with UCT knows that the Main Campus is structured into three campuses (Lower, Middle and Upper). To get to the Upper Campus, you will go through Lower and Middle Campus, especially if you are coming from Mowbray/Rondebosch axis. As a new student, that was the only route I knew at that time. So, I would always trek from the Lower Campus to Upper Campus, and it took me about 20 – 30 minutes to complete this journey. When I get to class, I would not only be so tired but would be sweating profusely. No thanks to the topographic position of my school because walking from Lower to Upper is likened to walking from the bottom to the top of a hill.

                After some time, I discovered that I was the only one sweating in my class. I began to wonder why others were not sweating. I suspected that maybe everyone came with their cars so they would drive to class in the comfort of their cars. My theory changed when I noticed that one of my course mates who did not have a car never sweated for once and also did not complain of any form of tiredness. Because I was not enjoying the torture associated with going for lectures, I decided to ask them how they went about it.

                Then they told me that there are shuttles that the school has provided to take students from the Lower to Upper, and even from their respective residences to school. Of course, I was aware of that although I do not stay in the residences. I told them that I was informed that only students with ID cards were permitted to make use of the shuttle and since mine was not out yet, then I did not quality for such service. Immediately, my course mate burst into uncontrollable laughter. I stood still looking hapless and helpless. I wondered why they laughed at me like that. Just as if they knew what I was thinking, they told me that I was wrongly informed. They told me that every student is permitted to make use of the shuttle services, possession of ID cards notwithstanding, as long as they are registered.

                I could not believe it. I was speechless for some minutes. I stared at them as though they were not sure of what they were saying. My thoughts went back to the countless number of times I would trek to class, sweat profusely and feel tired, all because I was wrongly informed. I felt so annoyed at myself. When I finally regained consciousness that I was talking with someone, I just thanked them and walked away. I kept meditating on this new piece of information that I had received. I just could not wait to put it into action.

                On the next lecture day, I got to school as usual but I did not trek to the class. This time, I went to the shuttle stop and joined the queue of students waiting for a shuttle. When the shuttle came, I got in like every other student and off we went. That was the beginning of my sweatless arrivals to class for lectures. I started enjoying my trip to class even when my registration was not completed then and I was yet to get my ID card. From that period, my hatred for ignorance had a drastic jump.

                The truth is that it is not just being informed that matters but being informed with the right information. I would have been wallowing in pain each time I went for lectures because I was wrongly informed. It is true I had some information about how the shuttle services in my school operate but that information was not the right one. Quality information is the cure to sweatless achievements. The more the quality of the information you possess are, the higher the tendency of a sweatless pursuit. Go for QUALITY information!

Americans built America;

Europeans built Europe;

Africans CAN and SHOULD build Africa.

It begins with YOU.

***Watch out for Part 4***

Written by Godspower Chidiuto Onwudiwe (@gonwudiwe),

Master’s Degree student,

Faculty of Humanities,

School of Education,

University of Cape Town,

South Africa.

www.gonwudiwe.blogspot.com