Former President of the Volta Region Students’ Association (VORSA) of the University of Ghana (UG), Bright Atsu Agbetsise, has urged students to be intentional about self-discovery and academic excellence throughout their university journey.
Mr. Agbetsise made the remarks as a panellist during a freshers’ welcome and general meeting organised by VORSA, held at the SRC Union Building.
He emphasised that gaining admission into the University of Ghana is proof of students’ academic capability, but sustaining that standard depends on individual effort. According to him, students must justify their admission through hard work and consistent academic performance.
“Discovering what works for you is very key here. The reason why you are here is academics. The moment you are able to gain admission into the University of Ghana, you are intelligent enough to be compared to any student anywhere. The rest now lies in your hands. The fact that you wrote an exam, passed and gained admission here, whether through mass cheating or ‘apor’, we don’t care—you are here. The results said you passed. Now, you have to prove it,” he stated.
He further advised students to identify their most productive study periods and take advantage of them.
“What is important is to discover what works for you. Some people are early-morning learners. If they wake up at dawn and study for two hours, whatever they read sticks. If you know you are that type, don’t joke with it. Find the time that works for you and stick to it, because eventually, it is your grades that will speak,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, another former VORSA President, Sylvester Mawuli Soglo, encouraged campus-resident students to be deliberate in balancing social connections with academic responsibilities. He stressed the importance of planning and discipline in navigating university life.
“If you find yourself staying on campus, you have to be deliberate about how to know people and how to take your academics seriously. I took my academics seriously when I was in the classroom—that’s when I learnt; that is my strength. Then I used the remaining time to connect and network. So somebody would ask, ‘I’m not on campus, so how would I do it?’ You have to plan. I like planning; if it fails, I’ll plan again. If it fails, I’ll plan again. If you’re not on campus, you still have to plan how you want to build relationships and manage your studies,” he advised.
The event was also attended by the current UGSRC Vice President, Gyampo Ayeh Ebenezer Derrick, the 66th UGSRC Vice President, Dr. Edward Tetteh Zanyoh, Aide to the Volta Regional Minister, K. Mensah, and TikTok influencer, Efo Hetro.
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Story by Oliver Arthur Acorlor | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
