25/08/2026
Academic Excellence Weekly Wisdom Bundle — Week 4
Three Things Academically Excellent Students Know That The Rest Do Not
1. They know that there are always two choices in life:
- Give excuses.
- Act in spite of your condition and win against all odds.
One fact a lot of students, especially in this part of the world, have failed to come to terms with is this: There will always be a compelling reason for failure. If you embrace excuses, you will keep scrambling for average scores. The system is built to impede your academic progress and success. You must build grit and resilience to fight through all the hurdles and emerge successful. From the inconsistent power supply in your lodge or hostel, to the overly congested lecture theatres and rooms, to lecturers who barely show up for lectures until tests and exams begin to accumulate, it is part of the ploy to keep you average. Push aggressively against these limitations until you win; not quietly and averagely, but loudly and excellently.
2. They know that starting early gives you an undue advantage.
I once connected with a profound coursemate from the West a couple of years ago. He was schooling in the North-East at the time, quite far from his base, so he was constrained to staying behind during most holidays while the rest of us who were based in border states fled to our homes at the slightest break. Instead of grumbling over this or going on a spree of aimless fun, he chose to use these periods of holiday to gather handouts and materials for the next semester's work, which he devoured voraciously pending resumption. This gave him an advantage over most who were away having fun with their heads in the clouds. The result was an outstanding first-class CGPA at the end of the session. Starting early gives you a serious advantage in achieving excellence. It is like being placed miles ahead of your colleagues in a marathon race. It will make your experience much less gruesome and increase your chances of achieving excellence threefold.
3. They know that asking questions is more of a sign of intelligence than answering them. I have said this time and again. In addition to this, they also understand that no one ever learns when they are talking. So, they listen with robust, rapt attention during lectures, classes, or brainstorming sessions.
I personally judge the intelligence level of students by the quality and frequency of questions they ask. You don't have to be overbearing during physical classes and lectures, asking random questions at every slight break, but you must be humble enough to shamelessly admit that your knowledge is limited in an area and to outsource the opinions and answers of your coursemates, classmates, friends, and colleagues.
These are three sound secrets you must imbibe as you continue this journey of academic excellence, and the sky will only be your footstool.
✍️ D Multitalented MEDIC
©️ Youthdestinynucleus
