I spent four years in university, and honestly, sometimes I feel like I learned more from 15-minute YouTube videos than from 8 AM lectures.

I remember sitting in my secondary school class back then, sweating and trying to calculate the "velocity of a falling object" or some other thing I have never seen in real life since I graduated. I was there memorizing formulas like my life depended on it. Fast forward to today, and the only "falling object" I’m worried about is my bank balance when I see a "debit alert" I didn't plan for.

We were raised in a system that worships certificates, but doesn't actually teach us how to survive. We spent years learning the names of people who died before our grandfathers were born, but nobody taught us how to file taxes, how to negotiate a salary, or how to manage a team.

The "A for Apple" Betrayal

The biggest scam is the idea that your grades are a direct reflection of your future. We all knew that one guy in class who could recite the entire textbook word for word. He had all the A’s. He was the "star." But you see him in the real world now, and he’s struggling because the real world doesn't give you a marking scheme.

In school, if you follow the rules, you pass. In life, you can follow all the rules and still get "F" in your career. School taught us how to be obedient, not how to be resourceful. It taught us how to remember things, not how to solve problems.

What I Now Use

If I’m being honest, the things I actually use daily are the things they didn't even grade me on.

I use my ability to "reason" with people (which I learned from arguing with the woman selling food at the buttery). I use my "structure" and organizational skills (which I learned from trying to juggle five assignments and a social life). I use my "Naija grit" (which I learned from surviving 4 years learning in a land without water).

Nobody gave me a certificate for "Common Sense 101" or "How to Not Panic When Things Go Wrong," but those are the only things keeping me sane right now.

The Truth: The Degree is Just a Ticket

Is school a scam? Well, yes and no.

The knowledge is often outdated. Let’s be real, half the things they taught us are already obsolete because of AI and technology. But the experience? That’s where the value is.

School is just a four-year long "stamina test." It’s there to show that you can start something and finish it. It’s a ticket that gets you into the stadium, but it doesn't guarantee you a place on the field. You still have to show up and play.

The Bottom Line

If you’re currently struggling because you feel like what you studied is "useless," don't beat yourself up. Most of us are in the same boat. Your degree is a foundation, but you are the architect. Don't wait for your certificate to define you.

Start learning the things they didn't teach you. Learn how to speak, learn how to sell, and for heaven's sake, learn how to show your skills because that is another topic on its own.

School gave you the paper, but life is going to give you the test. And trust me, it’s an open-book exam.