The Voice Magazine recently had a chance to chat with Pearl, a 17-year old Psychology student living in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
This future psychotherapist stated, “I just finished high school last summer and decided to start schooling online at AU so that I can continue learning different trades while schooling.”
Pearl let us know a little about her study habits. “I love to make schedules, but sticking to them is what I’m still trying to figure out. I like to schedule when to complete each quiz or assignment ahead of the recommended time, so if circumstances beyond my control occur, I still have more time to try and recover. It’s not always easy because I am currently running a small-scale pastry business that takes most of my time during the day, so I mostly study at night- which can be tiring. What I do to remedy that situation is to give myself about two days a week to just study and do nothing else. I’m still trying to stabilize since I just started this February but I’m adjusting pretty well.”
And her advice for new and/or prospective students? “I will always advise new students to become conversant with their course materials and recommended deadlines even before they start their courses at the beginning of the first month, so that once you start your courses, you already have a system and goal to meet every week. It’s way better than starting on the first of the month and trying to figure it out at the same time. This is something I did not know at the time when I started, but I definitely plan on using that prepping pattern for my next courses.”
When she is not studying, Pearl “love[s] preaching. She continued, “I’m very religious so preaching is a good way to feel satisfied and good. Apart from that, I also like watching series and short entertaining YouTube videos.”
She credits her friends and family with having the greatest influence on her desire to learn. She stated, “My friends and family have all played a part in my desire to learn more about psychology. I also feel moved when I see people confused as to why they behave in a certain way, or why they can’t change some habits easily. I would like to be their motivation to not give up and work on themselves to become better versions of themselves.”
As for her experience with online learning so far? “I am definitely a hands-on learner, and reading a lot of material isn’t what I would have preferred to do, so that’s the downside of online learning for me so far, but it’s taught me how to be disciplined and how to stick to a schedule; that, I love.” And communication with her course tutors? “It’s pretty decent for online schooling. They are very nice and don’t give off any bad energy.”
Since she has only completed three courses so far, she has “yet to notice . . . [if any] is better than the other.” She explained, “ENG 255[:Introductory Composition] has really given me a different perspective on how to write effectively. I view PSYC 289[: Psychology as a Natural Science] and PSYC 290[: General Psychology] as sibling courses, they both use the same textbook, and the message is really similar. Those are the only three courses I have done so far and I’m loving them.”
The Voice Magazine asked Pearl what her first project would be if she were the new president of AU. She stated, “I would definitely introduce a system where tutors and students can interact via video conference periodically to feel more connected to each other and the courses we study.”
We also asked which famous person, past or present, she would like to have lunch with, and why, and she chose Sigmund Freud. “I just learnt a bit about him from my psych courses and I think he had a very unique line of thought that I would love to hear him expatiate on,” she explained.
Pearl also let us know a bit about her proudest moment in life. “My life has just begun! So far completing high school is the highlight of my academic life, I’m sure there will be other moments to add to that. Also, starting a business at only age 17 still shocks me sometimes, I’m very grateful for that opportunity.”
On a final note, she added, “I’m a very passionate and driven girl; once I’m done with school, I plan on starting a firm that will help in furthering psychological research and all sorts of help in psychology. Mental health is becoming more rampant, which I am very grateful for. I can’t wait to impact people positively in this aspect by making mental healthcare more accessible for all who wish to have it.” Best of luck, Pearl!
At times, in an online learning environment, it can feel like you are all alone, but across the nation and around the globe, students just like you are also pursuing their Athabasca University (AU) studies! Each week, The Voice Magazine will be bringing you some of these stories. If you would like to be featured next, do not hesitate to get in touch!