I.N.S.P.I.R.A.T.I.O.N
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
♥ Wednesday, April 09, 2008
For all those who are having their exams, and all those who are about to, this post is for you.afflatus \uh-FLAY-tuhs\, noun:A divine imparting of knowledge; inspiration. Afflatus is from Latin afflatus, past participle of afflare, "to blow at or breathe on," from ad-, "at" + flare, "to puff, to blow."
What is the beginning usually like? We start with no clue whatsoever on what the topic is, reading it once or twice is perhaps insufficient; there are the more interesting things to do, better storybooks to read, the enticing allure of that snack and of course what could possibly be more tempting than the seductive comfort of the bed and the nap. At this point in time, you've only started facing the reality of studying. At actually getting down to it, you still have no clue, but you know that well, you had better start finding out. So you spend 2 hours on a question that you think would have taken your friend 15 mins to accomplish. You call him up, he gives you the answer in a second. You experience the pleasure of understanding somehting, finally, but the agony of knowing that you are that far behind. It is at this point in time that work makes all the difference. Consider the fact that there is simply no time to give up; consider the fact that whilst you've had mediocre grades in your previous sem, this sem is yet another opportunity- and whilst realistically speaking it perhaps might not give you the grade you believe you deserve (maybe your expectations is something that we should be discussing!) this exam is still an opportunity to prove that you have it in you. Then, afflatus steps in. What you didnt know then, you sorta know now. How do you attain this? Well, Edison's formula works quite well. 99 percent sweat and 1 percent genius. Of course, works needs to be done. But there will be some divinely inspired light on the subject, some angle at which it all makes sense. What your lecturer said in the past, that you've had hardly any comprehension of, begins making a teeny weeny bit of sense. For that is the breath of wisdom whizzing past your intellect, giving it a fresh perspective and greasing the rusty hinges of the mind and opening up the door to elucidation.That is the beginning of understanding. And that is where your destination comes into focal clarity (be it A, B or C).The patchwork of information, those vast heaps of notes that you memorised will then begin fitting into its respective places. That formula, with that lecturer's comments, with that dean's lister's notes, coupled with the tutorial, gives you a grip on what is going on. And that grip....is everything. That grip on the foundational stepping stones of your education is the exact grip you'll need for the examinations. For in all the lectures i have attended, there is always that same emphasis on basics.What is studying, really but just a re-digesting of information? Studying requires disection of materials, of asking questions and being patient for the answers. It is an intellectual quest for whatever ends. And Afflatus is the daily impetus to digest that material. It is not easy, we can all admit that, as students. However, what separates one from another, is not so much intellectual abilities, more than inquisitiveness. It is inquisitiveness that will give him that grip and that same inquisitiveness that divides the A from the B. But its fascinating isnt it? From being ignorant to being informed. The intellectual stretch with every equation solved; the affirmation of every right answer; the satisfaction of each comprehension..is where the joy of studying is. And that, is inherent in every single subject, be it pharmacy, chemistry, engineering or law. The stretching of the mind not only to memorise but to assimilate, to determine what is relevant, to acknowledge which formula goes to solve which question is a journey for which everyone has embarked upon, not only in the beginning of education, but the beginning of life! For an engineer, like a lawyer, like a pharmacist, like a doctor asks, "what works?" "i do not know" should NEVER be a stumbling block. Our knowledge for subjects is humblingly finite (and alarmingly so, in the midst of exams). However, our capacities for acquiring them, isnt. And if you can find that deep-seated joy in the simple activitiy of studying, you'll see that studying becomes more effective, more worthwhile and the grades you expect will definitely become feasible.
