This month I was fortunate enough to attend TEDxUniMannheim, in Germany. The theme ‘Out of the Ordinary’ gave wide scope to the nine speakers who ranged from polished Oxford professors to, German spiritual rappers and long-haired hippie travellers. However, the message of ‘Embracing the ‘C’ Student’ from motivational speaker, student and businessman, Kaene Disepo, truly hit home.
Then there is the ‘C’ student, the chaser…realising that there is more to life than getting a third…
At the age of just 23, Kaene has an impressive list of accolades. He came second in the Top Ten Black Students in the UK 2017; he started his Botswana-based conglomerate, Siness Group, in 2015; and he received a Presidential Award for second highest GCSE results in Botswana.
An eloquent and vivacious Kaene spoke of three types of students: A, B and C. The ‘A’ student delights in alcohol and chases life’s pleasure while neglecting their education. The ‘B’ student is commonly referred to as the book worm, fixated upon the idea that achieving the best grades is the only route toward financial freedom: job security. Then there is the ‘C’ student, the chaser. The ‘C’ student strives to be multifaceted, realising that there is more to life than getting a third or that, in fact, a diploma is not the only guarantor of success. ‘C’ students have an array of hobbies and interests which thrive alongside voluntary and part-time work; their view of the world extends far beyond the spine of a book.
Kaene describes himself as a ‘lazy worker’, but I met an industrious man whose vision of the future takes a sledgehammer to the concrete ideals of the ‘good student.’
Kaene told me how he thinks the educational system pressurises students into becoming ‘B’ students, and how education needs to develop in embracing the ‘C’ student. He himself rejected an offer from Cambridge to pursue an International Relations degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science, criticising Oxbridge as promoting the stifling sort of academia which inhibits the livelihood of ‘C’ students. In attempt to change or redefine the concept of academic excellence, Kaene founded Inspired Horizons Association in his home country; the community organisation aims to inspire and stimulate Botswanan students.Kaene describes himself as a ‘lazy worker’, but I met an industrious man whose vision of the future takes a sledgehammer to the concrete ideals of the ‘good student.’
So, let’s not be afraid to pursue our own interests for fear of wasting revision time. Read that book you’ve been putting off; take that part-time job you thought you didn’t have time for; embrace the ‘C’ student.