Are you an undergraduate? Is your school
observing the strike by the Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU)? Do you intend
to make the remaining days of the strike
productive? If yes, then this piece lays the
compass needed to navigate you
productively through this strike.
It is no longer news that lecturers of
government owned universities are on
strike. As a student, you might be at home
wondering when this strike will end. You
need not worry nor lose sleep. Within this
strike period, you can achieve a whole lot of
things.
Below are possible six things you can
engage yourself while the strike lasts.
(1) Develop your talents: The natural
abilities in you can be developed this
period. Embedded in everyone are talents.
These God-given traits need not lay fallow
in you. Discover your talents if you haven’t
and harness it. Who knows, your talents
might just set a table before you when
utilised.
(2) Hone work related skills: Just as we
live in a certificated hemisphere one need
not overlook acquiring skills relating his/her
field of study. This is the time to hone such
skills. Research on skills needed to be a hot
cake in your chosen profession. Learn such
skills. Employers are in high demand for
skill oriented employees. Skills acquired are
a handy tool for a prospective
entrepreneur.
(3) Read voraciously: This might sound
strange. Nigerians have no reading culture.
Develop such culture while on this
indefinite break. Read educative materials
of interest. “The more that you read, the
more things you know. The more that you
learn the more places you will go.”-Dr.
Seuss
(4) Internship: This is the time to gather
experience in your field of study. At no
cost, apply to organisations for internship
jobs. This will help develop your skills and
understand work environment. Experience
is valuable than money at this stage.
(5) Learn a new language: This is not
odd. Learn a new language instead of
harnessing your prowess in social media
lingua franca. A Foreign language
advisably. Before the strike is called off, you
might become a professional in this. I am
sure your lecturers will be proud of you.
(6) Be an entrepreneur: Rather than
hobnobbing on social networks with tweets
and posts, start up a business. You might
be the awaited entrepreneur to mop the
streets of unemployed youths. Create
genuine avenues to make wealth. No harm
in starting small. Harness your
entrepreneurial abilities. Doing so might
just add some wads of naira before school
resumes.