Joining in the Chorus!

2003, I'm super excited.
I just made it into the University.

I'm a bit apprehensive.
Time for lectures.

First week of lectures over, not sure what to think. I think my classes were pretty cool and the lecturers generally were alright.
Everyone else is discussing, and the conclusion was, 'as for Prof. Awotwi, his class is difficult'. So, me too I say, 'his class is difficult'.
As one of my course requirements, I had to take Prof. Awotwi's class from the animal science department, Biology of Farm Animals (honestly, what do I care about farm animals aside the taste of their meat?). My first impression of Prof. Awotwi, was, this man is so cool, funny and interesting. But everyone said his class was difficult, so it had to be. Fast forward to the end of semester, I write my exams, results come out the next semester and my worst grade that semester was in Prof. Awotwi's class (it was a very bad grade). Was I surprised? No, because I did not study, his class was difficult.

Second year in the University, and one of my classes was Human Physiology I. This course was also taught by Prof. Awotwi, but at least it was in my department and it wasn't about animals. People had already started grumbling because all of us had taken Prof. Awotwi's first year course. First lecture done and the general consensus was, 'this class is too difficult'. But I did not get it. The thing is, Prof. Awotwi gave us everything we needed to pass his class. He dictated notes, he drew diagrams and made copies for us. One thing he said in first year and again in second year was, he knows how things are at the University. The books are not available in the library, which wasn't our fault, (even if they were, I wonder how many of us would make it to the library), and since he doesn't want anyone to have an excuse to fail, he will give us all we need. We just have to study what he gives us, which is what I did this time round. I studied all the material he gave. It was a lot but it was everything.
Result? I was the best student in that class. I remember we had a mid semester exam, when Prof. Awotwi was done marking, he came to class and expressed his disappointment at the general performance. Then he says, there was however one student who performed extraordinarily. This student surprisingly almost scored the full marks. My heart is pounding, my heart is pounding, and then he calls out my name :D

Second semester of second year, I took Human Physiology II, same story. I was the best student in the class. By this time, I was in love with Prof. Awotwi.
Third year, no Prof. Awotwi in my department. So, I follow him to his department and take a free elective, Anatomy and Digestive Physiology. This was about animals, but I didn't care. As long as it was Prof. Awotwi teaching, one of the best lecturers the University of Ghana ever had (my personal opinion), I knew I would be fine, and I was fine. I was one of the best students in that class. Interestingly enough, some of the students majoring in Animal Science, who had to take that class failed the course, but I came from another department, opted to take that course and aced it.

Hmmmmmm... I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't joined in the 'Prof. Awotwi's class is difficult' chorus in my first year. No, I don't wonder, I know if there'd been a grade better that an A, I would have had it.

- in loving memory of Prof. E. K. Awotwi