Undergraduate / CHESS; MY LOVE, MY LIFE [2]

Like love, like friends, like music, chess has the power to make me happy. Perhaps one of man's great creations, chess is an art which expresses the science of logic. As a child, I never understood the arbitrary rules as I watched my parents play every weekend. My mum told me about how the game stretches the mind to its utmost limits. But I thought to myself, "hopefully not beyond!"

As time passed by, I have learnt to play this game- a product of tinkering and refining. I have found the game to be a declivous combat to the finish between opposing armies, yet one that is non-violent. The game is my testing ground to experiment and act out my personal dramas with no repercussions other than wiping the board clean and starting over. From setting traps, methodically building a position, analyzing variations, memorizing common patterns, to finally making the 'kill', I'm able to engage the minds of my fierce opponents with a special blend of primitive instinct and accurate calculation. The board is just the right size and every chess piece is embedded with a metaphor that mirrors life's values - the pawn for hope, the queen for personal responsibility, the bishop for education, the knight for self-advocacy and the castle for support. Like famous paintings, chess is a canvas whereupon great players like myself can create masterpieces that serve as legacies.

Certain life applications have become apparent to me since I got 'married' to playing this family game. The values of strategizing; having foresight; willingness to endure; flexibility and changeability; establishing a secure position before attempting an aggressive and potentially perilous move; being alert to making out and seizing unexpected opportunities; considering all possibilities before settling on a single choice, even when the "right choice" might appear pronounced , deceptively obvious; reining in hasty decision-making; recognizing when it's beneficial to keep fighting and when it's sensible to admit defeat and move on; developing a studied plan of action based on previous experience and theoretical knowledge; studying the opposition and looking for cyclic weaknesses; and continuing to learn and improve, even when I have achieved prolonged success.

In the game of chess, I may be a master player like my parents, trying to build a strong career like Bill Gates and thinking of having a solid physique like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but if a moment's heedlessness causes me to swerve into the oncoming lane on the long journey in life, it may all be for naught. The game requires tactical themes and goals, to be certain, and a special skill set overall. Chess demands a lot of exposure with common strategic and tactical themes including memorization. The opening can determine how a round of play may end. Openings have proven to be my hardest time - both in chess and in approaching girls. At this point, the game can go in diverse directions because the game is literally wide open. As time passes by I learnt to from all my previous flaws by making a strong, general moves that covers a vast variety of situations in order to win. Though a cliché in sport, the best defense is a good offense.

As of today, I know that that the world is full of so much possibilities and that my perceived limitations are self-imposed. Things that I consider as weaknesses on my part have proved to be completely irrelevant in a given context. I'm fixing my inner game - eliminating psychological insecurities - probably more significant than addressing the weakness itself. May I know who is up for a game?

Undergraduate / DEFINE RATHER THAN DEFEND [5]

It's was that time of the year in my school's academic calendar when students' leaders are were to be elected. As a senior and the number one contingent for the position of the president of the Students' Representative Council (S.R.C), I did well to pick my forms and submitted it just in time for scrutiny by the Electoral Commission. My forms was approved and short listed for public vetting and a presidential debate contest. The day finally came for the pubic scrutiny and presidential debate. 11 fellow students were shortlisted with me being the only science student. This was a big problem because in Ghana, science student are only geeks and not found to be associating themselves with activities of that sorts. They are either always reading their books in preparation of the next big chemistry test or taking a physics practical. My life was that plus much more. I was always the Oliver Twist in my year batch.

As the siren rung for all students to assemble for the commencement of the much awaited public scrutiny I could feel my heart in my stomach. I quickly picked by school blazer which a coat of my colours just like that of joseph of the bible. As I make my way towards the assembly hall I saw posters of most of the delegate all over the campus. The various campaign teams of the other delegates were doing their best to advertise their choice to the other students. All I could think of was, "Were is Eric", and here he was standing by my semi empty stand. Frankly the sight also brought my inner spirit down and since my parents were not in support of my intention, due to the fact that prospective medical students are not to involve themselves in student politic and other club duties. Doubt wanted to settle in but I quickly brushed it off by the mere fact that I was able to make to this crucial stage and also I had the opportunity to work with the outgoing executive in the capacity of Executive Without Portfolio (E.W.P). I made my way to the podium for the commencement of the day activities. The principal came to give the introduction speech and congratulated all of us for coming this far in the quest to serve and be trained to become future leaders to combat corruption and other unfair treatments which most leader are putting their followers through. Shortly, the outgoing president delivered his report. The aspirants were then introduced. We were each given the opportunity to read our manifesto out to the hearing of the student populace after which questions could be asked. As I wait patiently for my turn, fear of not being able to deliver the speech or not winning the election based on people perception and other factors. I just reminded myself that am into this process to define myself not to defend myself. The fact is that we have four types of "self". Thus, the real self, real other, ideal self and the ideal other. Therefore people perception do matter but I was ready to give my all. It was finally my turn to deliver the much awaited manifesto. I decided to deliver it without using the hard copy because I wrote the manifesto myself and everything on the paper was dear to my heart. After I delivered the speech I had a laudable applause from the audience than expected. I was surprise no one question my manifesto. The outgoing council had to meet to decide which student will qualify for the debate. I expected them to be fair and transparent in their decision because the council's slogan is "For Truth for Progress". I was selected and proceed to the debate round later in the afternoon. The election was done the following day which was a Saturday. During the election I casted the vote for another guy with the hop that he will also cast his vote for me. On the Monday after the election, the results were announced at the assembly ground. As they mention the number of vote casted for each person, all you could hear was "oohhhh","oooohhh"". I got curious as I was not hearing my name. Finally my name was mentioned," Desmond Mensa Jesse- 213 votes and Michael Ayi 214 votes. Michael was the guy I casted my vote for because we all in the same dormitory. All said and done I was named the vice president of the Students Representative Council (S.R.C). It was a mixed feeling at that point because that one vote I casted for Michael made the difference at the end of the day. The vote set the line between who becomes the president and the veep. But that was not what was important to be because at the end of the day I learnt to define myself and prove the whole school wrong that science student can part take in politics and even do it better. As the vice president I was known in the whole region even more than the president himself due to my active involvement in other activity on campus and also I was able to set up the iCare Fundation to cater for the needy but brilliant student. I was also very instrumental in my school getting a biogas plant and also generating other source of light to aid learning since the country is facing electrical power problem at the moment.