It may interest you that in Nigeria, you can find a final year Mechanical Engineering student, who cannot drive a car. When you cannot drive, how would you effectively fix a faulty car? A girl is offered admission to the university at age 16. At 20, she is a final year student. As a mechanical engineering student, she can easily solve all the mathematics in the world; but cannot do anything behind a steering wheel. Why? She has limited herself to only theoretical studies.

You can also find a Theater Arts student who is too shy to stand before a camera, let alone act. When you ask him, you discover that he has never drafted a play/script and does not have any plan to do so. But check his CGPA and you will discover that he is one of the brightest students in his class.

You will find students like these in almost every department. It is a good thing to always get high scores when you put pen to paper; but in the world we are in today, brilliant practical skills are strongly recommended for anyone who intends to break through. So being sound at theories is not enough for you. And frankly, your school cannot offer you everything you need, your internship is not enough. So as a student who wants to succeed in the labor/professional world, balancing your theories with practical should be a stringent part of your priorities.

What do you do in your free time, especially during your holidays? You can learn a vocation or get a part-time job in your field of study, during your break. Today, many companies are not willing to employ graduates with vague work or practical experience. Use your free time wisely; practice what you are taught in school.

If you are unable to get a job, you can apply to be a trainee or an assistant at an institution that practices works related to your field. It’s not all about money; you need well-grounded practical knowledge. Money will come later. For example, a mechanical engineering student can apply at a mechanic’s workshop to be an apprentice. Doing this will put you a step ahead of your peers, and make you cope with the demands of the real world when you eventually leave school.

http://www.moreview.com.ng/2016/01/balancing-theories-with-practicals-in-your-academics.html