Can you imagine?
I was in a large auditorium, I had been criticized by my mother and brother for accepting to be in the faculty of science, instead of engineering. That day I got to the hall, very sad. To make matters worse . The course happened to cut across all engineering student and physical sciences students. On my seat, I looked at the engineering students feeling bitter, wondering why I did not write the certificate exams again, to at least have a credit in further mathematics.
The lecturer stepped in, talked and talked. I was far away. At the end of the class, something clicked within me, immediately I heard the lecturer talking about the book we are to use for the course. He just published a comprehensive outline with questions and answers and much more. What captivated me was his offer to give five copies free to the first five students that gets the answer to the question, he wrote on the board.
I drew the diagram, and kept staring at it. Not long as he left the auditorium, I could see a number of engineering students concluding on their answers.
I was just staring at the diagram. Until the diagram began to rearrange in inside my subconscious. This was a question I had no idea of solving. All I knew was the basic formula for the topic. With that formula I totally bisected the question to bits. By the time I submitted my four page answer. I was number ten. But I knew within me that I was to win.
At the next class, the lecturer walked in with two copies of the textbook. He complained that the engineering students used a formula and got it right, but he said he wasn't pleased, he raised my script before the class, explaining how I bisected the question into bits.
Long story short, I was the only one in the class, that got that book. That day was my answer to my mom and brother. No matter where you are, if you're bound for success. You'll get it.
That was the happiest day of my life.