A Moment of Reflection

At times one gets home sick while at school. I thought it was only going to be during my first semester but at the end of the second semester, I was home sick again. Eager to see my school daughter, Cynthia Ewemade, but I would not because I was not going home during the summer holiday. I wrote this poem one night when I woke up thinking of her.

Dear one,
Oh my dear one.

Where are thou?
How are thou?
It is six months now
I have not seen you
Yet your blood flows in my vein

Your beautiful blood that irrigates the field
That blood that flows incessantly
Flowing up and down my system
As each day goes bye

It seemed just like yesterday
When I was leaving
When tears ran down your cheek
As if I was leaving forever

But I did assured you
That I was going to come back soom
For that I could not resist not coming here
Because it was a dream come through
A desired change for the better

And after a month
It seemed I would not keet to my promise
As you never saw me
I know you were worried
Just as I am over here
I feel your pain
and hear your cry
As my heart bleed tears daily

If only I can just see your face right now
Wearing that your usual smile on it
I would have feel a bit relieved
But it would be till another six months time

My dear one
Oh, My dear one

A "Some How" Day of My Freshman Year!

My freshman year was really a year of delima for me; not knowing whether I would be return to my former school (University of Benin) or would continue. I was always lonely - I'm not quick at making friends especially while so depressed and confused. I can recall an experience when Sheriff, a course mate called me through Waheda's phone while we were on maths study group class and I was thinking of answering it or not.

I really behaved funny on that day. Actually, I had made up my mind not to call my parents and uncle and even switched off my phone completely. I did this because I was tired of being persuaded to return to my former school. At this particular moment, I was thinking who it could be that was calling. I was not willing to pick any call for the fear it might be from my parents or uncle but some of those class mates of mine would not understand and claim I was somehow. Ha-ha-ha, I was some how really, but for a reason!

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.

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.

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

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 21^st century.

Second Semester was Hell, I Dropped All courses

Life in school became tougher during my second semester. But I would not give up, although I had to, when it was obvious I cannot get going. My personal resources was not going to see me through the semester. I still was not in good terms with my guardian (really personal issue anyway, but suffice to say it was because I came to this school). Oh, I did not tell you I abscorned to this school. Well, that was it.

My personal resorces was running out and thank God for workstudy during the first semester. But I think the greatest mistake I made was to have contested as one of the vice-president of our company (Maravilla, field experience course in Entrapreneurship), robbed me of the time I ought to have engage in work study programm. Thank God that course is no more because it was NOT worth a freshman project and 3 credit load too. But I cannot decline from it at the time I realised that it was going to be too hectic a project. So I was getting confused and this made me to decide dropping out and sacrificed myself for the company that still could not break even, though did not perish.

I need come back fall 2006 else loose my studentship. That was the policy. As one of the strategies to enable me come back, I decided spending the four months summer break in Yola. But if I must tell you, it was another hell for me. I will write about it sometime in another entry.

Pragmatic and Creative Learning Style

I now know my learning styles. Do you know yours?

1. If you were required to act in a play, would you prefer to
a) have the director tell me how to say my lines
or
b) read my lines the way I think they should be read

2. Do you prefer courses that have
a) a traditional structure (lectures, assigned readings, periodic exams, and assignments with deadllines).
or
b) an informal structure (clas discussioins, flexible assignments and students selected projects)

3. How would you begin an ideal day?
a) planing what I want to do during each hour of the day
or
b) doing whatever comes to mind

4. If you work in a factory, wuld you prefer to be
a) a machine operator
or
b) troubleshooter

5. In selecting a topic for a research paper, what is your more important concern?
a) choosing a topic for which there is adequate information
or
b) choosing a topic I find interesting

6. When you are able to solve a problem, what is usually because you have
a) worked through the solutioin step by step
or
b) brainstormed until you arrived at a solution

7) If you had one last elective course to take before graduation, you would chose one that presents
a) practical information that you can use immediately
or
b) ideas that make you think and stimulate your imagination

If your answers are mainly "a" then you are a pragmatic leaner while you are a creative learner if "b"

Adapted from Successful College Writing by Kathleen T. McWhorter

My First Day of Class (Writing II) Second Semester Class was Quiz Day!

Although my second semester did not really excite so much compared to my first semester, I still found some little things that gave me joy.
Writing II, WRI 102 was the second semester course that excited me the most and here shown at the left is my instructor Prof Amy Greene.

Naturally, I like writing and it was one of my hobies, maybe because I am naturally tacturn, and so like to be heard from what I put down on black and white.

I dreaded this course because it was gonna be tougher, compared to WRI 101 of the previous semester. The course excited me the most because I was having a new faculty (Prof Amy Greene) who had just joined the university.

The memory of my first day of her class still linger in my mind. That day really prooved that the course wasn't really going to be easy. On that day of class, she gave the class a complex topic to write on as our in class assingment after she, and all of us had introduced ourselves. We were asked to write on which one of these is more important, "MEMORY" and "REALITY" under 5 minutes just before class discussion of the topic. This was quite shoking, you know. Quiz on the first day of class?!
It looked like a bombshell that hit not just me alone but the 18 students in that class.
It seemed awkward a topic to write on at first.
How can one compare memory and reality?, I thought.

As the first minute was gone, whe announced that it was four minutes left and even then, no one had yet started writing anything. She mentioned that we should write our thinking and that it was all she require from us to do.

Oh, I seemed to have got the logic. I shuld write anything I think. "None is more important", I thought. I began to put my thought on the paper we were given. Believe me, it was the toughtest quiz I had come across in AAUN.

This morning, as I came across my script, I feel so happy that I could write a good piece like this under five minutes. I still doubt the Reality that I wrote it. But my memory is not that poor that I have forgotten so soon that I wrote it. After all, my name is there and the date is there too, my first day of the second semester class.

Memory and Reality: None is more important

Memory is the recall of a stored information. It could be natural such as when it is the brain that is involved in it or it could be artificial, e.g. computer memory.

Reality can be seen as something that has a possiblilty of occuring or has once occured.

On comparing memory and reality, we can find that there is no solid basis for comparison. Hence, hard to understatnd, if not impopssible which is more important.

In my opinion, each is as important as the other. Memory is important in knowing the time, place and generally, the details of an event. It helps one to know what the scene of an event is like. I remember when I was small and I was required to draw water before going to school every morning. This was because we lived in an area where tap water was very rare. On growing up and in this civilized world, we have seen that individuals now sink their bore holes and can get water. so the event of my old days is not quite easy to remember and somehow there seemed not be need for it. This is because man tends to live by the moment and that is reality. It now appears that my experience while young is becoming abstract and not real.

We can now see that it is easy to think that reality is in this case the most important. For anyone whol thinks this is true, I would like to say that the experience of an event (memory) calls for one to live at the moement - reality. Just as the hostorians would say, "history is what makes people know where they belong and where they are heeding to."

We can now see that Memory and Reality are two intertwined comcepts.

Ode To the First Class

Once upon a time, there lived an old man. In those old days, he knew that you would be schooling in the best university in Africa. He anticipated the challenges you were to meet from the future as a moment from the past. This challenges he relayed in his poem, "the purpose of the American Education."

At that time, he was a student and with the birth of an American University in the sub-sahara africa, he has come to offer advice to the fresh man class.

The experience he relays is not the past education wheich he received in his old days but he himself in the past imagining the future and what he looked forward to was not also the future in itself but himself in the future, retrieving the bone he buried in the past.

The old man, A masked Mystery Student I was, as I welcomed the Second Batch of the first class students with an ode (a lyric poem):

The purpose of the American Education

From the deep mist of your distant location
I sensed your coming.
From your enthusiastic preparations
I knew you were anxious to be here.
Because never has there been this kind of pedagogy
In this part of the continent

I noticed your moves
Right from when you set out
To get your flight ticket booked
Till the moment you landed at the Yola airport.
I even greeted you,
But in disguise
Because, you would run away.

As the angel of protection
Sitting by your side there in the school bus,
I lead your way to this academic Eldora do;
The school of your dream.

As we journeyed together,
I pointed at those tourist monuments;
Those high hills that characterizes this state
And the gentle flowing river that runs the under bridges.
Never has there been such an adventurous journey.

I knew that you were to encounter a change.
A change from memory retention ability to reasoning ability
And I remember vividly that I told you,
But you would not listen.
The imagination of a new university life pre-occupied your heart.

However, I knew you never thought the voice could make a meaning.
Why be distracted at the core of a blissful moment?
When you had just realized that you are a member of
The first class of freshman student,
in the first styled American University in Sub-Sahara African
After us, being one of the 200 students in a World Class University,
is about the greatest rare privilege any young adult can have.


And as we stepped into the school,
I assisted you in moving your luggage from the school bus
There I was, in your room making you feel comfortable and welcomed
You still would not notice me
Because you were so overwhelmed with the facilities you saw around

Even when I mention the word change.
You wondered what it was, that you heard
But I knew you heard it quite well
So I left you to puzzle over it.
But you still could not make anything out of this
I had better not told you

In the following day, I appeared and smiled
And said welcome and be prepared for a change
You heard me quite well again this time
You still would not understand
Because it was a strange voice as I choose to still remain invisible
You weren’t scared anyway
Since it was all a lovely scene
There was no doubt that you enjoyed it all
But you would continue to imagine

In three weeks time I heard you say
I can’t get through everything;
Assignments after every class
Such was the change.
You complained of managing you time effectively
So as not to be late for each class
Or leave certain assignments undone
Such was the change
And you also complained of
Writing reflection paper on the humanity courses.
Papers of at least 1,200 words.
Such was the change; the desired change.
You have to think critically
And this is the purpose of the American Education.
Teaching you to think critically
And put down your thoughts on black and white

Dear student, you've heard from the old man - a mentor.
Lets wake up to face the challenge before us because AAUN is an academic battle. A child that did not go to a battle field will become weak, even physically.

Learning Style: Rational and Emotional

I now know my learning Style. Do you know yours?

In making decisions, I am more concerned with
a) whether I have all the available facts
or
b) how my decision will affect others

2. Which set of terms best describes You?
a) fair and objective
or
b) sympathetic and understanding

3. Is it more important for you to be
a) consistent in thought and action
or
b) responsive to the feelings of others

4. If you give a wrong answer in your class, your main concern would be
a) finding out the correct answer
or
b) what others in class thought of you

5. As a member of a jury for a criminal trial, you would be primarily concern with
a) determining how sitness testimony fits with the other evidence
or
b) judging the believability of witnesses

6. If you came upon a serious auto accident, your first impulse would be to
a) assess the situation
or
b)comfort any injured people

7. I can best be described as
a) reasonable and levelheaded
or
b) sensitive and caring

If you have more a's you are rational
and if you have more b's, you are emotional

Adapted from Successful College Writing by Kathleen T. McWhorter

What is your Learning Style? Independent or Social

I now know my learning style and it is helping me to learn effectively.
Do you know yours?

In class, do you usually
a) make friends with just a few students
or
B) get to know many of your classmates?

2)At a socialll event, do you
a) usually wait for people to speak to me or
b) initiate conversation with others?

3. As a volunteer for a community organization that is raising funds for a hopice, which of these following tasks do you prefer?
a) Stuffing envelops for a mail campaign
or
b) making phone calls asking for contributioins

4) If you decide to learn a musical instrument, would you prefer to make
A) one-on-one lessons
or
b) group lessons

5) Whenever possible, do you choose to
a) Study alone
or
b) study with a study group

6) A career in which my work depends on that of others is
a) less appealing than working alone
or
b) more appealing than working lone

7) To solve a personal problem, you prefer to
a) think about it yourself
or
b) talk it through with friends


If you have more of a's as answers, you are an independent learner and if you have more b's, you are a social learner.

Adapted from Successful College Writing by Kathleen T. McWhorter

Who Wins the First Class Prize?

Think of the cost of the cost of schooling in a world class university, abroad.
Think of the hurdles in securing a VISA.
Think of the weather which you, as an African, will not easily get adapted to.
Think of your families you might miss for the four years because in most cases you would really not like to return home when on a semester holiday on considering it in economic terms.
Think of all the set back of schooling abroad; lots of them which I can’t get a grasp of right now and you will agree with me that words are not enough to say thank you to this great man whose dream is having a world class university in Africa.
Yes, I mean that I have not yet found any word to use and if you do find one, a huge prize awaits you.
If you are a ‘lexicon professor’, this is a chance because you could be the first person to win the First prize in myaaun.blogspot.com
Just to find a more powerful world than
‘‘Thank You’’ and you will win the prize.
No one is exempted, not even me.
My contribution is:
Thaaaa….nnnkkkk You veeeeri veeeri much, sir. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL
And the entire First Class of Freshman Student Says:
Na gi dadi
Na gode amma fa,
Naji dadi
Na yi Farin ciki.

Info: Do you know Isaac Asimov?

Perhaps Isaac Asimov and I have something in common, writing. Once called "the human writing machine," according to spotlight on literature, Isaac Asimov (1929 - 1992) was the author of over 470 books. "I must write," the prolific Asimov would say. "I look upon everything but writing as an interrution".

Spotlight on literature says he is perhaps the most widely known science fiction writer in the world. Among his honors were five Hugo Awards from the world of science fiction series (for his foundation services); best novel 1973 (for the Gods thenselves); and best short story1983 (for "the Bicetennical man").

The science fiction writers of America voted his work"Nightfall" the best all the science fiction story.

Asimov also wrote dozens of popular nonfiction books and articles about science, maths and other topics.

A Weakend Taken for Granted

“Thank God it is Friday”
This is a statement that is common among workers. I was yet to know why this is so, prior to my coming to AAUN, but the week that ended 15th of October, 2005, made it clear to me.
The week was a very hectic one, as usual and that weekend, I was not less busy, either. But it did promise to be less hectic as there were no classes and this made me took it for granted.
There were lots of assignments to be done over the weekend.
-there was the statistics assignment which I knew I could do under two hours.
-there was SBE 101 assignment, but the due date was farther than others, so I kept it aside.
-the chemistry assignment for that weekend was a group one, so I need not border about it yet, since we (my group members) had agreed to meet in the library on Sunday evening to do it.
-the most tasking assignment awaiting me was a reflection paper on HUM 101(western civilization), and the due date was a week from then. I had already started it though, but I just needed to put it by the side because more impending ones were at hand. These were on WRI 101 and ITC 101.
I was happy that I had succeeded in arranging them to a scale of preference. Oh “Two major assignments to do”, I felt there was more time to do them – Saturday and Sunday.
I decided to join my friends in the football pitch. “Thank God, it is weekend, let’s have fun guys, let’s have fun.” This was my voice as I ran out of the dorm, and dashed into the pitch like a mad dog chasing a bone. I was really doing this to free myself from the shackles of the academic rigor (bulk of assignment). In fact I played the game like I have never done before. I had to make it an interesting one. I really played like a first class footballer, just what it should be expected of an AAUN first class student that I am. And it was my first football game in AAUN. It was like there was no problem in the world, when I was playing – I was totally oblivious of my impending assignments.
We eventually came to the end of the game. I returned to the dorm, took my bath and went for lunch in the dinning hall. The time was 12 o’clock noon and I decided to take my siesta.
I slept for about 2 hours and I remembered that I needed to do some washing. In fact, almost all my clothes were dirty because I had not washed my clothes since the three weeks that I had been in the school. This was an opportunity, I thought. I then decided to wash all of my clothes which took about five hours. Thereafter, I brought my “to do list file” and browse through the items that were in my lists. I saw my list of campus newspaper publication entry to be proofread and my course assignments that were pending.
Although, it was easy for me to recognize that my course assignments were the most important, yet I found it hard to select which assignment needed to be done before the others. The usual thing for me was to do the less difficult ones before the harder ones, but in the time management workshop I had attended recently, then, I was taught that doing the most difficult assignment before the less difficult ones was a better option. Much as I would have like to try this latter new method, I taught it wise to make my choice base on the due date for the assignments. I was to have western civilization, statistics and chemistry classes on the following school day (Monday). So I made up my mind to do those first.
No sooner had I made up my mind to start doing the assignments, than two of my friends came saying it was time for dinner and we went for it. “Oh yeah”, let’s go and we left for the dinning hall. Then the “what’s next guys” topic was raised by one of my friends and somebody reminded the trio of the night movie that was coming up in the next 30 minutes, then. At first, I thought about my assignment and told my friends that I was not going for the movie night. They would not like that I know, but I just have to say it. The power to say “NO” learnt during my time management workshop, was yet to be fully established in me; Behold, I agreed to their demand.
The movie ended 10’o clock and in the next fifteen minutes, I was asleep in my room. I was very tired. I woke up in the middle of the night. I imagined how the time had flown. I thought of the achievement of the day and I was surprised that no meaningful successes were made through out the 12 hours of that day. I was depressed as a result of this and I pitied myself for my condition.
I tried to be courageous and tried to do some of the assignment on that night, in my room. But it seemed the room was not ok then I decided to go to the room where I can place my books on the table to write but I could not. I kept on thinking how I wasted the whole of the day time. I try not to think of this, but the more I tried, the harder it becomes for me. My enthusiasm was then very low and I was very lazy. I then packed my books and left the reading room, for my room to sleep.
It was a sunday morning. I woke up early as I was a morning person. Without wasting any time, started working on my assignment. I was glad to be through with those I needed to submit the following day before lunch. I had my bathe, went to the cafeteriate and then to the library for the chemistry group workassignment sheduled at 3 o'clock.

Monday was always a busy day for me because I not only had three courses, but because I have laboratory class to attend on this day. The closing hour was 5 o’clock and got to the room. I had to have some little rest before going for dinner at 7. But a little rest turned into, not just a short nap, but a very deep sleep. I woke up 3.o’clock at night. I was surprised that I had slept that long. I could not accept this time on my table clock to be correct. I looked at my room mate’s clock and it was correlating with it. I felt like slapping myself on the face for not setting the alarm on, so that I could wake up to do my assignment. I was very hungry and this was unusual. I then realized that I had missed dinner. So I took some snacks, then I quickly brought out my ITC 101 textbook and with my laptop, went to the reading room to do my assignment.
There were three tasking assignments to be done but I still found myself still battling with just the second one. That is ITC; a course that eats more than half of every AAUN student time. It was dawn and I then put off the assignment for the writing assignment.
The reading assignment was to read and annotate a five (5) page passage and I needed to do this because we were to have a test on it on this particular day. So I dashed on it with the hope of coming back to my ITC assignment. But the passage seemed very complicated to grasp at first read. I then settled down to read it quite slowly; this time got some lines underlined.
How foolish was I not to be time conscious.
I had settled down to do the assignment, since we had our test on the passage that morning. Writing was the first course for that day, an 8 o’clock class! No sooner had I noticed noise coming from students who were going for classes, than I realizing that I it was time for classes. I quickly rush to the bathroom, had a 5 seconds bath and got dressed for classes.
The full realization that I had taken the weekend for granted came when I stepped into the class and saw that the test had started 15 minutes ago. I learnt my lesson!

Verbal and Spartial Learning Style

I now know my learning styles. Do you know yours?

1. Which would you find more helpful in studying the processes by which the U.S. Constitution can be amended?
a) a one-paragraph summary
or
b) a diagram

2. If you were studying one of the laws of motion in a physics course, you would prefer to have you r instructor begin the class by
a) stating the law and discussing examples
or
b) giving demonstratioin of how the law works

3. If you wanted to learn the proper way to prune a rosebush, you would prefer to
a) have someone explain it to me
or
b) watch someone do it.

4. You learn best when you
a) write down the information
or
b) form a mental picture of the information

5. If you took appart a complicated toy or machine to repair it, to help you reassemble it, yo would
a) write a list of the steps you followed when taking it apart
or
b) draw a diagram of the toy or machine

6. You prefer to keep up with the news by
a) reading a newspaper
or
b) watching television news programs

7. For recreation, you would rather do a
a) crossword puzzle
or
b) jig-saw puzzle

If you have more a's then you are a verbal learner.
But if you have more b's, then you are a spatial learner.

First Class Orientation; a welcome to AAUN

Before coming to AAUN, I have always had the intention of studying abroad to have an American Education. This was my desire since being a high school student. There is no doubt that AAUN has enabled me to achieve this. I got to know about the school one thursday afternoon in July 2005, as I read an article about the school on Punch newspaper. Though I was already in a Nigerian University studying mechanical Engineering, I immediately made up my mind that I was going to attend this school. I read about the facilities the school has and the vission and mission of the school. On visiting the school's website the day after, I immediately downloaded the application form and started my application process.

Dr Cherry Pavlick was the first person to interview me while looking through my documents ( during the registration process of the orientation). Standing at her back is Professor Kah, the dean of the school of informatioin technology.

I was driven most by two things. First was the fact that the school has Information Technology; my desired course of study from birth. So, I knew it was going to be a dream come through for me. Although many of my friends and relations (parents and Uncles) never saw the need of me leaving my 200 level Mechanincal Engineering in a Federal Nigerian University, but I was convinced that it was the desired change I had seek all my life.

The second was my desire for having a (modern day) world class university in West Africa. The website of the University says it is going to be the first of its kind in the Sub-Saharah Africa. This has been my quest and I had been (am still) thinking of building one in Nigeria (in the future). I was then so curious to see how the first modern world class University in Sub-Saharah Africa is being built and to contribute my quota towards the project."What is it like to be taught by "up-to-date" world class faculty with modern facilities?", I had always immagined. How would the school be viewed as one situated in the midst of an already decayed educational system? It would be a total new begining for Nigeria and the African continent in general. At last we would have a world class university that can compete favourably with its counterparts in other parts of the world.

On thursday the 8th of September, 2005 saw my coming into the AAUN campus to be welcomed by the most hospitable set of community I have ever come across all my life; the AAUN community. The orientation was the first meaningful one I had and it seems it was going to go on and on. Starting with the President's babeque dinner so rich and spendid, the memories of the FIRST CLASS OF THE AAUN FRESHMAN STUDENT'S ORIENTATION can't be wiped so easily. The orientation came to a climax with a movie in the eve of sunday 11th. Then it was time to get started.

A time to Prepare for the first class (lecture)! That was surpose to be it, after a student have got his books and time table, but I never realized this before then, as being the trick for college survival (preparing before class) and I was so tired that the next thing I did after the movie was to go to bed and wake up by 7 o'clock the following morning. My first class was statistics but I ended up having it as the course that bored me the most in the school. Other courses were just great.

My western civilization course is about the course that excited me the most. The Professor, Bill Hanseen is extremely wonderful. He is nothing but the down to earth professor being very diplomatic and charismatic in his teaching style (though it is typical for all my Professors). By the way, I didn't tell you something that astonished me during the orientatioin. The manner in which my professors were/are modest and very active, unlike my former school. My professors and the deans where all engaged in the orientation that welcomed us to the school. I observe on so many occasions, my professors and even the deans having to move (arrange) chairs, for us to sit. I also remember how they had been active in ensuring that we all (130 students in the fall semester) got registered and get our identity card a day before the start of classes. A math placement test was done a day prior to this registration and the result of this was used in determine which maths class a student should best fit into so that every one move at his own pace. I will not stop talking about that first class orientation.