Meet Endurance Idowu, a graduate of the Department of Mass Communication. In the past 6 years, she has grown to become to be an award-winning voiceover ariste, a presenter, producer and content creator with experience in both radio/television production
In this interview with Toluwalope Adebayo she talks about life during and after university.
How will you describe your journey through the University?
My Journey through the University was not a triangular lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, it is not that I wasn't social when I was in school but I wasn't so social.
My eyes were fixed on the future because I knew what I wanted to do before I gained admission into the university; I had always wanted to be in the broadcast industry.
While I was in school, I tried to accumulate all the knowledge and experiences that I could gather for the greater goal; which was getting out of school and working in the industry.
Also, I won't say I was an exceptional student, but I was more focused on my garnering knowledge and didn't really give room to a lot of extracurricular activities. Most of the extra activities I engaged in were in line with my career goals.
While I was in school, I used to present at Crest FM, which was the monocasting channel that the students' union had, and when the department started its monocasting channel, I also joined in. Besides, I was a member of Sparkle Media; I was part of when it started.
Another thing was, I surrounded myself with people that had the same goals and not people that just wanted to live in the moment. Of course, I had fun and I also lived in the moment, but I knew that AAUA wasn't my last bus stop. In fact, I only attended two parties while I was in school. The first one was my department's freshers' party and the last was our dinner. However, I enjoyed myself with friends through group readings and some other things.
What were your low and high moments as an undergraduate?
I had a lot of highs and a lot of lows. For me, one of my low moments as an undergraduate in my 100l when I had an issue with Yoruba language, which was one of the subjects needed to be admitted into the Department of Mass Communication.
As a result, I didn't get to pay my admission and school fees until a week to my first semester examinations. Interestingly, I was attending classes without knowing what my fate would be in the department. I had seen level-mates who had the same problem go to other departments that would admit them, but I was adamant and just knew that wasn't an option for me.
I've always wanted to study Mass Communication. Thankfully, I gained admission into AAUA after writing JAMB for the first time. So, telling me I won't get to study that course because of Yoruba deficiency was a "no" for me. I just started reading, and God being great I eventually was given a waiver of the Yoruba deficiency. That's one of those low moments for me.
One of my high moments was when a lecturer who seldom gave positive feedbacks, praised me during my SIWES defense. According to him, my presentation was the best defense he had seen that day. That made me feel good that day, and I got an A in that defense.
The other high moments were times when I had to work with Spackle Media Group to cover events, interview people, and carry out other journalistic assignments.
What was your most memorable moment as a student?
I can't actually pick one because I had a lot of memorable moments.
My most memorable moment would be my SIWES defense in 400 level. The experience made me feel really good about myself and in a way reinforced the fact that I wanted to go into talking for a living.
Also, getting that kind of positive feedback publicly inspired me to go back into that act of talking, and further made me register with a media house right after my university programme.
Did you face challenges academically? If yes, how were you able to overcome them?
Of course, I got all the grades that AAUA could offer except an F. I couldn't understand come course's especially when I had to choose an elective course.
There were times when I calculated my CGPA and it didn't turn out to what I expected. In the first semester of 300 level, I had a 3.00 CGPA. This made me feel so down because I had maintained a 2.1 record between 100 level to 300 level. Fortunately, that was the least CGPA I has till I graduated.
Meanwhile, It wasn't a matter of overcoming the challenges faced, it was a matter of doing the best I could do because I knew that at the end of the day, It was not about the grades, it is about the craft and the art of mastering the skills that I had learnt in school. It was also about the ability to survive in the labor market and the world.
Yes, having good grades is great and good. However, when it comes to doing the work, putting in your inputs, making value, can you do that?
So, I didn't let some bad grades withhold me because I knew I was not just doing that for the moment. Also, I wasn't doing this to impress somebody at home, nobody was asking me about my grades at home, but I knew I was doing that for myself, and I was focused on that.
In addition, I believe examination is not the best yardstick to measure intelligence and how good some people can be in a particular field. It just motivates you and helps you to be better because in as much as you don't want to about how bad the grades are, they still matter when you have to do certain things; like pursuing a masters degree.
Hence, endeavor to have good grades but know that your grades don't define you.
Can you describe what life as a graduate is?
Life as a graduate literally means more than the bubble, you have to have a tough skin, you need to be in control of your emotions, you have to do a lot.
Life as a graduate is not easy but it's something that you can handle, it's something you can deal with because that is just life, and you have to prepare for it. There are no motivational words that can prepare you enough, it's something you have to experience to know.
Of course, you can prepare for life after school right in school but how you would relate with it, how you will evolve, and how you will learn is not something you will prepare for while in school. It's something you have to experience, then you will know how to develop your coping mechanism.
So, for me, life as a graduate has been great, bad, ugly, pretty. However that's just life, you know?
How do you think undergraduates can deal with the confusion of knowing what to do after school?
Hmm. As much as I knew what I wanted to study right from secondary school, there were some points during my undergraduate studies that I didn't see a clear picture of what I would eventually use my degree for until I went for my internship programme in a media house. It was during my experience that I fell in love with telling stories, talking to people, bringing information to people, and the process of broadcasting.
The truth is, some people might not have that moment of realization while they are in school, some people might have it after school, so don't put pressure on yourself. It's okay if you can determine what you want to do with your life while you're in school, but it's also okay for you to finish school and determine that because it is a wide big world out there, and you might not exactly know how things are planning nj out until you're in the pan,
Regardless of that, you should take life seriously but not too seriously. If you can't figure it out right now, I'm so sure you'll figure it out outside.
If you were to become a university undergraduate, what are the things you will do better?
Probably make friends, not too many friends. I will study better but I think I did my best. I would live life on my terms.
Amazing read 👌
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