A 27-year-old graduate from Imo State University (IMSU) has shared the powerful story behind his remarkable academic achievement, revealing moments of silent struggle and the strategies that led him to excel.
From Tears to Triumph: The First-Class Journey
Anosike Hyacinth recently graduated with a first-class honors degree in Philosophy, achieving an impressive Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.59 during the 2022/2023 academic session. The indigene of Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area in Imo State set this lofty goal for himself from the very beginning of his university education.
However, his path was far from easy. Anosike opened up about the immense pressure he faced, particularly due to a lack of parental support for his education. "There was a time I cried in silence because the pressure was real," he confessed. "Having no parents to sponsor my education or people I could rely on. Yet, my ability to rise again and again to keep studying when I was tired, to keep believing when my confidence was shaken, and to keep moving forward even when no one could see how hard it was."
The Three Pillars of Academic Excellence
Despite the challenges, Anosike's resilience paid off. He credits his success to three core principles: consistency, curiosity, and collaboration. He did not treat studying as a mere chore but cultivated a genuine love for learning.
To execute this strategy, he made significant personal sacrifices, often giving up leisure time, sleep, and social activities to maintain focus on his goals. His unique study schedule involved learning from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m., leveraging the quiet hours of the night for intense concentration.
Understanding the power of collective effort, Anosike went a step further by forming a dedicated study group named 'Academia'. He described the group as a collective of focused and intelligent students who mutually agreed to sacrifice distractions and leisure to achieve academic success. "I spent evenings with friends, explaining terms to each other and doing research together. I was very consistent with that, and teaching them helped me understand concepts even better," he explained.
Balancing Work and Study for Success
Anosike's journey was also a testament to his work ethic. Throughout his university program, he worked as a part-time secondary school teacher, juggling responsibilities to support himself. His achievement, he says, is a dream realized and proof that with faith and hard work, nothing is out of reach.
The graduate, who scored 273 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), stated that earning a first-class degree was a confident goal from the start because of the deliberate effort he invested. His story serves as a powerful inspiration to students across Nigeria, demonstrating that strategic planning, peer support, and unwavering determination can overcome significant personal and financial hurdles to achieve academic excellence.
