By Aisha Lamidi

In few days to today, the 17th of January, 2022, the University of Ibadan would resume for a new session and the whole campus would be bustling with freshmen. While the leaving freshmen- Now Sophomores have had their own taste of freshman year; their experiences, their wins, amongst all. AlFaaedah Press, being interested in the freshman year, decided to talk to sophomores, get to know about their experience and the advice they have for the incoming students.

Just like it used to be for every other freshman, it was a rollercoaster of emotions and quite overwhelming. But I am a kind of ” I would figure it out” guy and AlhamduliLlah, with the help of my able associates, I was able to contain every situation.
I would advise the incoming freshers to try to seek help in any possible way on anything. University of Ibadan has its ways of doing things, so seeking help from appropriate quarters would make you figure things out easily and stress free.
Adekunle Rasheed Olalekan, Civil engineering.

100 level has been amazing, AlhamduliLlah. I was able to learn a lot of things: Academically and outside school.
I feel 100 level is a time to make mistakes and learn from them. I made quite a lot of mistakes, but they were minimal because I met a lot of right people.
Right people in this sense are the people who would guide you to achieving your sole purpose of being in school. These people actually helped, guided me and we did things together to achieve the common goal. The right people also are stalites. They are there to share their experiences and guide us through the path.
My advice to the incoming freshers is that they should find seniors who would influence them positively.
Another thing is discipline. I lacked discipline while I was there. Also, you have to be time conscious because you have limited time. You should learn how to manage your time. Being time conscious doesn’t mean neglecting people in need. I know some people who had better grades because of the people who gave a helping hand and this didn’t affect them. When you help others, and they succeed because of the help you rendered them, that is a great source of happiness.
Importantly, work hard and work smart. When you follow the advices of the seniors, you’d be able to work smartly.
May Almighty Allah help us all.
– Anonymous

My year as a fresher wasn’t what I hoped it would be. I had a lot of stuff to adjust to.
My advice to the incoming freshers? Invest in people, not just any people, friends who have what you don’t, not materials things per say. I mean people who are better than you in aspects you suck at.
– Tajudeen Miftahudeen , Mathematics
My first year, perhaps being a virtual class, was interestingly stressful or stressfully interesting, if you like.
It was interesting because I got time to study more and engage in beneficial activities. And, it was stressful because I didn’t have opportunity to meet those who could guide me in navigating through the strong tides of university especially in choosing courses.
Therefore, my advice for freshers will be in tandem with course chosen. I have come to know that students often borrow courses for two reasons: for knowledge and for grade. I would rather exhort students to borrow courses they can easily four-point in order to boost their grades. If then, they have another courses they love to know more about they could find time to learn from someone who is well-versed in that particular course.
Of course, I’m talking from experience. This path I have chosen may be an impasse for another person.
– Ajibola Mojeed, Communications and Language Arts

Describing my first year of being a freshman is what I have kept somewhere hidden until I get the time to form a didactic and diaelectic story with it. It was a time filled with blossoms, distress, love, beautiful people, ugly ones, spiritual upliftment amongst the host of other beautiful narratives.
It was the time I discovered what purposeful living means, the need to always strive for the best and pray fervently to Allah for optimal outcomes.
My first year was when I realized the inherent potential Allah bestows on me and how I can efficiently utilise them for my betterment and towards an enabling society at large. In short, it was a year of blossom. Alhamdulillah.
Regarding the advice I would give the incoming freshmen…
Well, relating with right people is what I can never overemphasize. It is extremely important. Relate with right people such that when you are derailing your attentions would be called.
Never underestimate the power of prayers. Of course, this is what we have always been told since the time immemorial but we don’t discover the practical occurrences of some things until they start to manifest.
Make Allah your source of reliance. Of course, you will have to relate with people because no one exists in isolation. But, make Allah your first and last resort, then He would fix everything appropriately.
Connect with right people just like I said earlier. I am placing a primary stress on it. Have good friends, friends that will be aware when you are not in class, the ones that will remind you of your assignments, those that will call you for intellectual discussions, friends that will be after your spiritual growth and all. Check up on them, have a sense of belongingness and responsibilities.
In addition, pray for a favourable GES tutor. It is extremely important. Those two units courses have a lot to cover for your GP. That brings me to saying take every class, course, and assignments very important.
Then, don’t be a one way student. Discover your areas of versatility and improve on them. In the end, they will be worth it.
Don’t run away from responsibilities but be smart in accepting them so that everything will not be choked at the end.
These are the little I can presently say. May Allah make your stay on campus worthwhile and grant you what you aspire for.
–Waleeyah Olalekan, Faculty of Law
It was great as a freshman you know?
You have a different thinking like so I am now a university student? Lol…
It was very fun as I met a lot of personalities. You will see those that are brilliant, extremely brilliant. You will sometimes wish to be like them. I will describe the year as a year full of worries, a year of fall and rise for me. A year which I was able to discover who I really am regarding academics. Don’t feel too pompous to ask about things you don’t understand. This is UI, you can’t do it alone. know your purpose of being here. Do not misuse that privilege you have to be here.
Think of how to make your parents happy about your grades. Think of how you want be happy with your grades.
Set your goals.
You can participate in other extracurricular activities too. The goal is to know what you are doing. It is better to discover how reading works best for you from the outset.
Do not live the lives of others. Discover yourself. It is normal to make mistakes and feel empty after your first test. Rise up and learn from your mistakes..
As a freshman, your slides should be first. Read your slides, understand it ,solve questions on it and look out for past questions to have an idea how the questions are being set. And lastly, have fun.
Enjoy all the process. Enjoy the registration aspects (could be stressful, demanding and all but I want you to enjoy every moment). They are the steps leading to your to a success story after all.
Know your purpose of being in the university. Never be hopeless. Help your mind in pushing if you feel like quitting. Believe in yourself and work towards it. Still, don’t compare yourself with others. We all have our weaknesses and strengths. Never forget that.
Pray like you will never read. And read like you do not pray.
Don’t take any class with levity. Always pay attention.
Be contended with what you are given at your homes. You will meet personality that are very rich you know? But don’t be carried away.
May God ease all for you…

Hammed Balqees Dasola, Human Nutrition and Dietetics.