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IS SCHOOL REALLY A SCAM?

Hi, I'm Bolanle, a 400 level Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Ibadan. Most kids while growing up really don't have an idea what they would want to be but my own case was totally different, I always knew I would become an engineer. I loved to destroy things and fix them, maybe the right or wrong way but I still loved fixing. In high school, I was nicknamed Bolafiko and this nickname still stays with me, it was derived from 'efiko'( bookworm). I was a straight A student and gaining admission into the university was an easy task as I passed my jamb examination as well as my WASSCE.

I have 5 close friends and they all seem to be involved in doing a business. Tolase, a fashion designer. Bimbo is a baker. Tope is a make-up artist. My best friend, Gbolahan, is a web developer and Kabiru sells clothes and shoes. They are doing really fine, combining school work and business, I mean everyone sees them as superheroes with a very bright future. So where does this leave me? I knew you would ask. Well, I'm doing no business, absolutely no business, I'm just doing school. Have I ever tried doing a business before? Hell yeah.

Let's go back in time a little bit to when I was in 200 level. All my friends had just started their businesses and all our conversations usually centered on business ideas and strategies. I always felt left out because I really wasn't interested in delving into any business, but the pressure became overwhelming that I started thinking of something to do too. I really just needed something else to do and so I decided to start doing catering services. Did I think of the pros and cons? No. Did I seek business advice? No. I just thought all those things were going to waste my time and if I wanted to make money quickly and be tagged an entrepreneur, then I had no time to waste. My business, "Bola Foods" became a reality and crashed almost as quickly as it started. I was losing on both sides, my business wasn't flourishing as I thought it would and my grades were dropping slowly. I had no time to run my business as school was really demanding. My health started to deteriorate, I became really depressed, seeing that my friends seem to be doing just fine and I wasn't. I knew if I wanted to keep my health, my happiness and my first class then I'll have to tell myself the truth and believe in it; I wasn't cut out to do business while in school.

Everyone wants to have the CEO (chief executive officer) title attached to their names. Society makes us believe that you can only be termed successful if you are a CEO before 25 and so the rush to get the title is seen majorly amongst students. The bitter truth is not everyone can be a CEO and it's even harder to be one while in school. It takes time, sacrifice and a lot of patience. Society also makes us believe that If education is all that you do and you are not in some type of business, If you are not entrepreneur then you are a complete failure. Bolanle was pressurised by his friends , directly or indirectly and society, that keeps clamouring; "school is a scam" and decided to delve into business so he can be accepted as a total success.

A lot of people have been pressured to do what they don't want to do because everyone is having a source of income while schooling. So three out of ten students are bakers, two out of every five female students are make-up artists. Every industry is choked up because there is really no time to think of something new and innovative to do. The pressure to be called an entrepreneur is so much and everybody seems to be doing the same thing.

It is worthy of admiration, if you are a student and at the same time an entrepreneur or you have some sort of business that is bringing you good income but if all you want to do is focus on school and you love education then don't let even your best friend tell you otherwise. If you have a passion for school and only school, do not be moved by societal pressure to start up a business just so you can look successful in the eyes of the society because when all is done and your business fails, society would still tell you that you have no right to be depressed because things are not working out as planned, they won't help you come out of depression, No, they would not.

So, to all Bolanles out there, focus on education if that is what you really want, give it your best, become really successful and leave us with a story on how you did it so people can get inspired. To you who keeps clamouring; school is a scam, remember there is someone out there who really depends on it, watch what you say, so your words don't cause a heart to bleed.

~Adapted