“Excuses are tools for the incompetent”, a good friend once said to me while I was growing up. These words had an impact on my mindset and the lifestyle I have led till date.
As a young girl, I grew up battling what everyone my age was battling- social media addiction. Although I remained tops of my class, I noticed a decline in my academic work and resolved to do something about it; I weaned myself off social media.
At another stage in my life, my younger sister and I moved the television out of our room when we saw how much power we were giving to it. It was fun to de-stress after a long day at school and some studying, but we realised that more and more series were coming up and would take up more of our time, so we took action.
Before writing my BECE, I de-activated my accounts on all social media. That meant I couldn’t be reached and I didn’t have intentions of re-activating them until I was done with my examination.
The common trend I want to outline in this story is the fact that, I didn’t wait for my parents or siblings to tell me that I was on the wrong path; I conducted self-analysis and realised that sacrifice was necessary for my own good. These were grave sacrifices I made; I felt the pain of living without television, without refreshing my phone every two seconds for social media updates, without texting my friends to catch up. Yet I knew it was for a greater good, so I subjected myself to it.
I do not have the recipe to success, trust me. But I know that God can give ANYONE the right tools to thrive. Throughout my journey, I have always acknowledged that anything that starts and ends with God can NEVER go wrong. There are people who are equally brilliant, if not more brilliant than I will ever be. Others as equally talented, but, it is God who gives direction and discernment and blessed his children’s efforts. He gives wisdom and knowledge and makes a difference.
It is equally of prime importance to respect our teachers. We spend a greater part of our time in school and most of the time, these teachers guide us in the capacity of our parents. The Bible says in the Ten Commandments, “Honour your father and your mother so that your days may be long in this land that the Lord your God has given to you”. There are special blessings that lie in giving respect to your teachers, whether they appear to like you or not; do not let these divine blessings pass you by. There is also some “magic” that lies in constantly visiting your teachers and making enquiries about areas where understanding is not clear. These visits broaden the scope of your knowledge beyond what is said in class and may possibly lead to your acquisition of some information which will be vital to you in the future.
While in Alsyd, one of my teachers described me to my parents as a chatterbox; I just talked too much! Still, her words remained with me. It’s not easy to keep mute when there is so much to share with your friends especially when your friendships are growing. I, however, learnt that the more I spoke, the less wisdom and knowledge I received. More information was coming out than was being fed to my mind and thus I continued remaining stagnant and caused those around me (listening to the little I had to offer) to also remain stagnant, which should not be the case. It’s good to have chats during break times and sometimes, while waiting to be picked up after school because a social life is of extreme importance. When the talking gets out of hand, however, you need to conduct a self-check.
Another important element of our lives is humility. It is highly important to see others as better than ourselves. NEVER ever downplay anybody by virtue of what you are seeing physically. I learnt that, regardless of what people say and think about someone, every single person on this earth has a wealth of potential lying within them. It is up to us to tap into that potential or join the rest of the world to condemn that person. Don’t befriend people because you are seeking something like fame, popularity or security from them. Befriend people out of the love that you have for everyone as children of God.
In order to get to the top, in my opinion, you need a HOLY ANGER and thirst to find yourself there. It is not an easy battle you will fight with yourself. It is not an exciting journey from beginning to end. Several times you will try and fail. Several times you will cry yourself to sleep out of frustration and sadness and discouragement. But you need to tell yourself that “I am an excellent student. With God, I can and I WILL. I am not a failure. I will continue to work hard for as long as it takes”. Be persistent, dedicated and hardworking. Continue to push, pray and persevere. Nobody, but you, can make any difference in your life. Believe in what God alone says and nobody else. He says “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s very own possession” (1 Peter 2:9)
I have not always been tops of the class in EVERY SUBJECT that I have taken BUT I have made a conscious effort to work towards especially the ones that require more input from me because there is NOTHING THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE. Never use a standard being too high as an excuse; you can reach out to it. And when you do meet that standard, you smile knowing that you are a product of impeccable quality. Do not request that a standard is lowered for you to excel because in that case, your value becomes questionable.
I wish you all the best and the blessings of God wherever you find yourself. Never forget that, if I did it, you can too. It is NOT impossible to succeed!
Always praying for you,
Jessica Quaye.