In the life of each individual, there comes a time when he or she needs to be in a completely new environment because of life’s circumstances, be it school, work, family, displacement in any way and so on. Usually, these changes in environments could bring a lot of problems to people until they adapt to their new environment.
Each year, S.H.S graduates join various tertiary institutions to pursue their degree certificate, a step toward achieving their career goals. The KNUST Counselling Center (KCC) in the quest to help students to cope with things related to their psychological, emotional and mental health, organized an Academic Life Seminar on Saturday, April 2, 2022, at the OSC auditorium on the KNUST Obuasi campus.
The seminar comprised talks on the topics: Becoming a Grade “A” Student, Making Your Relationship Work for You, Adjusting to Your New Life Away from Home. In the wisdom of the KCC, they have realized that most students find it very difficult to adapt to their new environment on campus and therefore, the need to organize seminars like these, to provide them with practices and advice, that can help them to overcome the anxieties they face in their academic, social and emotional lives.
The first presentation made by Dr Mrs Elizabeth Anokyewaa Sarfo Fordjour, was about ways students can achieve their very best versions of themselves in their academic life: Becoming a Grade “A” Student. She addressed the kinds of memory storage and various topics about studies and how to achieve efficiency in studies and also gave tips on how to write exams without fear and also making very good grades at the end of the semester.
Ms Akua Afriyie Addae was the next counsellor to make a presentation. She presented on the topic, “Making Your Relationship Work for You.” She discussed the kinds of relationships, ranging from those we have with our roommates, coursemates, neighbours and also, the boy-girl-relationship. She went on to advise the students on the ways they can maintain their relationships with others without necessarily making enemies out of petty, problems they face, especially the ones that stem out of the differences in character for roommates, who are usually in quarrels.
Adjusting to Your New Life Away from Home was the last presentation and it was delivered by Mrs Bernice Serwaa Ofosuhene Peasah. This presentation was so lively, as there was very good interaction with the students, asking them questions and getting back answers and also with so much humour, as the topic combined both the two previous presentations.
The facilitator combined the ideas used in the first and second presentations to address the various situations we face on campus, as leaving home to a very new environment with new different people was something that was a great headache to students. She advised students to know their value, what steps they need to take to adapt and to also concentrate on their ultimate aims of being here without forgetting the other aspects of life.
The students present were allowed to ask questions relating to the topics discussed and there were fitting answers given to them and even further deliberating on the things that were hidden during the actual presentation. Both presenters gave their views about the questions asked and also motivated them to be the best version of themselves, combining their academic, social and spiritual lives to make them a “whole” being after their various degree programs.
Report by:
Agyemang Francis Hilbrands.