Success in the Details

"So what is feigning death"?..the voice of my biology teacher boomed in class. For someone of his stature such deep voice was hardly expected. The class was eerily silent for awhile and then after some seconds a few hands were raised. I need'nt turn my head cause I knew the set of persons who would raise their hands to salvage the situation.Always.

These were the ones who stood out in class due to their intellectual ability. These ones have no competitor. "I knew they would have an answer" I said to myself with a little touch of disdain or shame? I couldn't say which emotion stood out more. My head was always lowered when questions were being asked in class to avoid eye contact with my teacher or at that particular moment ,I find the very mudane design on the floor of my class suddenly fascinating all in an attempt to avoid being called on.

My name is Chioma David a girl in senior secondary school three (SS3). St Mary's Catholic School located at No. 33 Habour Road was where I schooled. A prestigious school I must add and quite a beauty to behold. It stood out from other schools due to it's high level of decorum and morale. The ambiance, very enjoyable by the students. I was a Science student by choice, I offered pure science courses such as Geography, Physiscs, Mathematics, English Language, Chemistry, Biology and Agricultural science.

These courses I offered was being taught by teachers who understood them very well. Like I said before my class boasted of a set of highly intelligent students. It stung at some point to know that I was not recognised in class by name, though by face I assumed I was known.

During break periods in school then, some of my teachers most especially the ones who taught Physics and Biology would enter the class and peruse for familiar faces of those who always participate in their class and exchange pleasantries with them. Attimes they bought lunch for them. " I am almost invisible" I said to myself during one break period. I wanted to be recognised like them, but Chioma had no strenght to engage in any form of reading voluntarily.

One event that stood out in my memory was a time when a quiz session was carried out in class. That day, the class was filled up. The teacher randomly asked questions and quite unfortunate for me that day, I was asked a question. I was suddenly pespiring, beads of sweat formed on my forehead on that cold morning.
"Ah..em...sir" I said fidgeting on my feet. I looked to the floor and felt ashamed of myself. Toochukwu a classmate of mine, part of the intelligent crew who sat closest to me said in a whisper "you never have an answer to any question being thrown at you in class. Are you not ashamed"? I saw the mean mockery gleaming in his eyes.

"Then you would have to stand till the end of the quiz" my biology teacher said with finality laced in his voice. I went home that day with my tail between my legs. I was angry and ashamed to say the least. Disgraced infront of my colleagues...I thought again and again. Well he was right afterall, wasn't he? I thought solemnly.
If only I could try and read for some minutes when I returned from school maybe I wouldnt be this dumb..this empty headed.
There and then, I made a resolution to read no matter how little the time I spent on it. I had to prove Toochukwu wrong.

That I could be as smart as he is or better still, smarter. I had a ground plan already, I would draw up a time table and follow it strictly. My school closes by 3:30 pm everyday so when I returned from school i'ld bathe, eat, do some chores, rest and then start the gruelling process of reading.

It was far from easy at first, but I couldn't give up. My aim was to shame Toochukwu. It was a small start. I read for 30 minutes everyday form Sunday to Sunday. Whenever I sat at my reading table I tell myself " I want to be smart, I want to be known and recognised in class" mentally repeating it to myself like a mantra. I carried on like that every day for 30minutes, reading what we were taught that day in class. Later I found out that I was'nt motivated by what my Colleague told me that day in class but by the fact that I then enjoyed reading.

I progressed considerably in class and I increased the time I spent in reading daily. From 30 minutes to an hour, two hours, three hours and finally four hours everyday. I read both what we were taught that day, what we would learn the next day and way ahead of the teacher. I sought out the school curriculum for my class and followed it religiously to the letter.

In class one-day our chemistry teacher was giving us a lecture about combustion. He asked a question on why flames appear yellow in color. Due to the fact that I had come across it before the lecture that day, I had an answer to the question. The class was silent, no body raise their hands up. I waited for awhile and then slowly I put up my hands. I explained to him in details the reason for such. He was very impressed and asked for name, which of course I told him. That was how the answering of questions began.

I started answering questions in class, asking mine also. I became popular, teachers soughted me out, noticed when I was not in class and asked after me. I became part of the "intelligent crew".
What crowned it all was the period close to our WAEC exams (West African Examination Council). We were told that we would write a mock exam before the main exams and it came with a cash prize of N50,000 and also an award as the best graduating science student. I put in more effort to read and prepare for the forthcoming exams.

The time came and we wrote the exams gut the result was not yet known to us. We also wrote our main exams. My school principal told us the award would begiven on the day of the gradation ceremony.
The day had finally arrived and we were seated in the hall. The chiarman of the occasion. Started calling out the names of students to be given different awards aand my name was mentioned. To say I wasn't surprised would be a lie. But I knew I put up a good fight. I smiled as I walked down to receive the award.

"Yes! I earned it, yes! anything is possible I said quietly as I smiled to myself and took my seat".