Memorable Life

Life is a personal existence and experience. An existence in life brands you to experience a collection of events and activities from which knowledge, opinions, and skills are gathered. The events and activities that underwrite the gathering of your knowledge, opinions and skills are habitually predisposed by persons we endear. Notable among them are friends.

A friend is an associate who provides assistance. In view of this, there is a prevalent saying that “show me your friend and I will tell you your character”. We all make friends wherever we go but we create most friendships in our educational journey, especially in the universities where cautiousness is most pragmatic in the selection of friends. If an individual does not associate with you to provide assistance in your gathering of knowledge, opinions and skills in a collection of events and activities in your life: personal existence and experience, then he is not a positive friend.

A positive friend offers you the best experiences which you would never neglect in your whole life. Such an individual knows that both of you are not perfect and he is phlegmatic with that. You can be yourself, be poised about sharing anything with him. You repeatedly have fun together, which makes you super close. A positive friend will certainly not try to change you because you are admired just the way you are.

He perpetually assists to ameliorate your blunders. Your positive friend cares about you all the time and will never jurist you. Existence around such an individual makes you feel worthwhile. Martin Luther King Jnr on one occasion said: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends”. Positive friends create a memorable life and influences categorically and effectively most especially in our university life.

Be a positive friend if you are not and reach out to be with positive friends for the reason that, “if you go looking for friends, you are going to find they are very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you will find them everywhere”- Zig Ziglar. In the panorama of this roundabout, if you go looking for positive friends you will notice they are meagre but if you go out to be an optimistic associate, you will discover them all over. Caesar is my affirmative university friend. His lifestyle alone is ample to influence me positively. Caesar is a level 300 Biochemistry student and I am a level 100 Applied Biology student in University for Development Studies, Navrongo campus. Caesar my supportive friend who did not know me anywhere until I was admitted in U.D.S, has accepted me like his own brother. He advises me on my academics: how to study to fit the university standards, narrate to me stories from his past stages of education that I must learn from to excel.

Caesar cares about my day in and day out to an extent that he perpetually reminds me of my time periods and consoles and supports me whenever I am troubled. I will everlastingly recollect the moments Caesar and I will ever spend during and after school, around him and treasure in his memory more even when we are apart. Do you have a positive university friend?

The late Nelson Mandela began studying law at the University of the Witwatersrand. There he befriended liberal and communist European, Jewish and Indian students, among them Joe Slovo and Ruth First. Becoming increasingly politicized, in August 1943 Mandela marched in support of a successful bus boycott to reverse fare rises.

Joining the ANC, he was increasingly influenced by his optimistic friend Sisulu, a realtor and ANC activist. He spent time with other activists at Sisulu’s house including his senescent friend Oliver Tambo. In 1943, Mandela met Anton Lembede, an ANC member affiliated with the “Africanist” branch of African nationalism, which was virtually opposed to a racially united front against colonialism and imperialism.

Mandela embraced Lembede's views, believing that black Africans should be entirely independent in their struggle for political self-determination. Deciding on the need for a youth wing to mass-mobilize Africans in opposition to their subjugation, Mandela was among a delegation that approached ANC President Alfred Bitini Xuma on the subject at his home in Sophiatown; the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) was founded on Easter Sunday 1944 in the Bantu Men's Social Centre, with Lembede as President and Mandela as a member of its executive committee. At Sisulu's house, Mandela met Evelyn Mase, a trainee nurse and ANC activist from Engcobo, Transkei. Entering a relationship and marrying in October 1944.

The above shows how some friends influenced the life of the late Nelson Mandela positively. Beyond all God Almighty likewise, have positive friends which include Abraham. You don't need me to tell you about the supportive friendship of God and Abraham. In the vision of all, everyone must have a positive friend, especially in the University. I will forever think back of Caesar's influence on me and I am sure if Nelson Mandela was alive he will also do same including everyone who has encountered positive friendships because “If ever there is tomorrow when we are not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we are apart… I will always be with you.”- Winnie the Pooh. Positive university friends create indelible memories in our lifetimes. May you find a positive university friend, if you don't have and if you do, be grateful. May the spirit of positive friendship rain in all the universities of Ghana, in our homes, workplaces and crosswise the planetary. Amen. Long live Africa, long live Ghana.

Akumbissah Michael (a.k.a Humble lamb),

0559268776,

University for Development Studies,

Navrongo.