Thursday, May 04, 2006

ITC 101; "Guys, You have to Practice"









ITC 101 (Introduction To Computer) was a first semester course. It was a core course for all majors. It was the course that "chop the chunk" of all AAUN first time. This Russian gentle man you see here is Dr Butakov, our computer instructor. He ensures that he keeps us all busy while the semester lasted. At the begining of the semester, he shared us into groups of two's i.e. every one has a peer mate with whom to do assignment together and believe me, there was really LOTS OF ASSIGNMENT to do. Did you see this girl whose shoulder my left hand is over? She is Radiya Nasir and was my peer in the course and she is my very good friend." Thank God it is all over". That was our words as we have a cool snap of what Idi (the Joker of AAUN ) called "close up picture." We were happy because the bulk of assignments and practice before class for in-lab assignments and good morning quiz were all over since there was no final exam on that course.

Really, the series of exams that we had (two weeks interval) and good morning quizes were an enough doze for us. We were very happy as the semester was coming to an end. At last, we could go home to have enough sleep. Our instructor would no longer remind us of the need to practice before the coming to class again because of course there would be no classes again. That moment reminded us of our primary school days of singing the song

"holiday is coming..., holiday is coming..., no more calling bell.., teachers good bye, all friends good bye..., I am going to spend my jolly holiday.

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...................

hei somebody, help me to laugh. I can't laugh further. Laugh Out Loud because again, life would become beautiful when one wakes up from the bed in his fathers house and say thank God, there is no assignment due today.

My Saddest and Happiest Moment; only a Five minutes interval

It happened on a Thursday afternoon the 19th of January, during the spring orientation when I led parents for a tour round the temporary campus. We proceeded to the permanent site with the school bus as the University Public relations officers toke the lead this time. The next point was Abti Press (a publication house) before going to the club house.

While in the printing house, I saw the AAUN monthly newsletter just being printed. On the first page were students who are in the merit list (President and Dean's lists). I browse through, though I knew that I would not be one, since I did not performed up to expectation. But it reminded me of many of my lapses and things I took for granted during the last semester which robbed me of this opportunity, and I became sad.


Just then his Excellency, Vice-President Atiku Abubarkar came with his entourage and I was introduced and invited for a handshake, as a student who led parents for the campus tour. I was so overwhelmed that I felt I had won the greatest award on earth. It was a unique opportunity and in short, my happiest moment.

AAUN First Thanksgiving Day Celebration







Thanksgiving is an American custom and is a tradition celebrated around the world. It is said to "commemorate a 17th century feast prepared by the Pilgrims- a group of early settles in the United States." [AAUN thanksgiving programm]

Here in AAUN, we also celebrated it. The first celebration took place on the 24th November, 2005. It was held in the community hall (School Cafeteriat).

On the thanksgiving day, we all thought it was going to be a celebration full of music and dance. But this was notreally it. It was just a kind of dinning night, sitting with friends and snapping pictures though with music playing at the background. Each table had at least a professor sitting among the students and discussing with them on any issue that was raised while dinning on different kinds of food went on. There was a big turkey meat that was sliced and cut to the individual's choice. It was a lovely day as we have different photos with our faculty members and ourselves (students), being sumptiously dressed. Some of our faculty members also danced with us. For example, my writing Professor, Cheery Pavlick and the Dean of students, Dr Barry Morris. I and I'm sure all students will live to remember that day.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Professor Sue Gurufalo, a Writing Professor



You see this Lady here ehrr, she is Professor Sue Garufalo. She is one of the Professors whose Lecture Style I love so much, here in AAUN. She takes the course WRI 101 (Academic Writing).
Anyway, she isn’t my writing professor.
Each time I go to study in the “Enugu” Class room, I always see a powerful quotation which I take down immediately, in the note pad of my laptop computer.
I later understood that she starts and end each class with ‘quotations’ and ‘wise sayings’.
That is her style and I love it.
I would therefore implore the academic department to fix me in her class next semester for the academic writing 102;
For those powerful quotes, you know!
They are really very inspiring.

Spring Semester Students Face the AAUN Challenge

The desire for a world class university has become a reality for some students. But it seems they, just like the Fall students, had not known the requirement for being a world class university student before coming here. Five weeks after they started classes, they have begin to realize that it’s truly rigorous. “I can’t get through every thing” a student complains. “The professors demand too much from us” another says, during the first Saturday night freshman get together. Enyinnaya Chinedum Okoroafor, another spring semester student, admitted that it was tough but he says it is the best system because it makes one read throughout the semester, very unlike the Nigerian University system when a student have to wait till the last month of the semester before he/she starts studying. He agreed that the system was strange to him.

A fall semester student in their mist agreed that it’s truly rigorous and worth complaining about. He however enjoined them to face the challenge as they would be used to the system. According to him, “it’s all freshman’s problem. Every one complains in his first year. But one gets used to the system with time. The most important thing is for you to always realize that the university education system is teaching you something important which you have to apply in your daily activity to be successful in your endeavor. One of these is how to keep track of time”

Music Club and the first AAUN Chrismas Carol Night


In AAUN, not only do my professors encourage us to participate in extra-curricular activities, they participate as well. For example, in the music club, we have four of our professors as members and it is lovely to have them practice with us. The photo you see above is the one taken during the chrismas caro night we did as chrismas break was drawing near.

On red is Dr Cheery Pavlick, my writing 101 professor. To her left is Dr Laura Dobson (African civilization professor) and Jenifer Okekearu (a student). Then me on the extreme. To her right is Lydia Amadi, also a student. At her back (on red) is Chioma Malvi (also a student) while the others are Dr Michael Smith (on white) - the dean of the school of Arts and Science, and Dr Barry Morris (dean of students). Sitting on the carpet is Mr Kayode, the Music Director.

The Birth of Social Life in AAUN

I remember vividly, what the first school day was like;
Dull because very few students were on campus.

And what about the campus social of the students orientation?
Not quite interesting because not many students participated.

But in subsequent weeks, the social life has been on the increase as students got used to themselves and the environment.

There are sporting facilities that helps create a nice social life but it will not be complete in the absence of music; so held the opinion of students who had always become crazy about parties.
And I was one of those students.

On the 12th of November, just two months after the resumption of classes for the first class of freshman students, the social life became balanced with students’ academic life as the first party was organized.
Guys and Babes danced out the tension of the BUS 101 exam that was held earlier in the day.
It was the First party organized by the First class of Fresh man students in the First American University in Sub-Sahara Africa.
But the greatest was yet to come.

On the 27th November, there was a big “groove” (party), held atthe lawn between Dorm A and B, in which students of the Federal University of Technology, Yola (FUTY) were invited.
It was one in which none would like to have missed. With guys and babes “digging it” on the dance floor, no better thing could be on earth!

With good musical selections from the DJ, one would be forced to get down on the dance floor.
Thank God civilization exam was over and it was an opportunity for many students, such as me, to dance away the pain of cracking their brain for what happened in the “Middle- Ages.”

I give “Kudos” to the organizers because it matters to them to make AAUN great socially, just as they do academically.

And “kudos” to every students who came out to “dig it” on the dance floor; “3 gun shots for you all.”

And what about those hospitable students that came shaking hands with our guests from FUTY, welcoming them to our campus, a big “gbozza” to you.

And one more “gbozza” goes to the organizers of the party.
Keep up the good work, I say, because this is just the beginning;
The best was yet to come.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

AAUN; An Atmosphere of Love





What I like most in AAUN is the love which flows among the staffs and the student.

It flows like the gentle sea breeze of the tropics.

It results from the mixed cultural diversity that converges in the school.

You feel this love by the concern which staffs have for the students and which the students themselves have for one another:

Don’t come to class one day and you see your professor send you a mail or call you on your mobile phone.

And if you miss a class on the second time, the next mail you will receive will be from the dean of students.

But who is that student that would like to miss classes here in AAUN ?

I haven’t seen any yet because all the professors here are very charismatic and jovial.

I would forever be glad that I made the right choice for being in AAUN

Monday, May 01, 2006

My Madness is Over; What I had been Cooking is Cooked


On saturday, during the orientation, When I received my laptop, the first thing I did was to start composing a write up, the draft of which I had written on the evening I arrived AAUN campus. I titled it a "Guaranteed Future at last." This article was then published in the student voice column of the Campus Newspaper, The Desert Rose.

On the last day of the orientation, i.e. on sunday 11th November 2005, I wrote another write up attesting to the culminated state of my madness. It is drafted below. Happy reading.

All my life had been ruled by my philosophy:
A great joy exist in madness known only to those that are mad and only they being in sane can explain the joy of it, and when they do, others may not understand simply because they are not mad themselves. This is why the madman does not reveal what he cooks not until it is cooked.
Even when it is cooked, those without the third nose cannot smell what the madman cooks just as those without the third eye cannot see the great and limitless opportunity that AAUN is presenting to the continent of Africa.

So, let those that had thought that I had been mad, redefine my state. I am in a sane state of mind. I had only been cooking a stuff I shall now reveal:

– attending a world class university

And right now the stuff is cooked

– I am now in a world class university

ABTI-American University of Nigeria; a school driven by a global technology. Hence set to meet the challenges of the 21st century.