Obafemi Awolowo University students have always been known for speaking truth to power. Their aluta spirit is vibrant and unbreakable. On March 28, 2026, Great Ife students converged at the OAU campus gate to demonstrate a peaceful protest against the school management. Their request was simple: a more functional transportation system. In response to their cry, the school management declared a sudden three-week mid-semester break to review their demands.
With the school currently on break, many students see this period as a time to rest and rightly so. However, beyond catching up on sleep and social media, this break presents a valuable opportunity for growth, self-development, and strategic positioning.
Rather than letting the weeks slip by, here are practical and productive activities OAU students can engage in to make the most of the holiday.
Academic Reset
One of the most effective ways to utilise this break is to get ahead academically. When school resumes, it is most likely that lecturers will move quickly, leaving little time to catch up. Students can use this period to revisit past topics, organise notes, and even preview upcoming course materials. If you are in your final year, this break did not come at a bad time; it came at the right time.
With the noise of campus life paused, this is the opportunity to sit down with your research work. A three-week stretch of uninterrupted focus can do more for your project than an entire semester of scattered attention. Make hay while the sun shines.
Learn a Short-Term Skill that Pays
Three weeks is enough time to go from being a beginner to a pro in a surprising number of skills like graphic design, video editing, copywriting, basic web design, data analysis, voice-over recording, etc. The internet is loaded with free and affordable tutorials. Spaces like YouTube, Coursera, and even TikTok have made learning more accessible than ever. Pick one skill, commit to it daily for the break, and you might just come back to school with a new income stream or a portfolio piece to show employers.
Rest Well
Yes, you should rest well. Nigerian university students carry a level of stress that often goes unacknowledged. Erratic power supply, transport struggles, hostel conditions, academic pressure and financial stress can take a serious toll on the body and mind. This break is your permission slip to genuinely recover. Sleep properly. Eat well. Step outside. Spend time with family. Disconnect from social media for a few days if you can. Intentional rest is not laziness. It is the maintenance your engine needs before the second half of the semester. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and the semester is not over yet.
Invest in Personal Development
As it is commonly said, your degree alone cannot make you. There is a version of yourself that your degree alone cannot build. That version is shaped by the books you read beyond your curriculum, the podcasts you listen to, the documentaries you watch, and the people you have deep conversations with. Spend a part of this break to feed that version. Pick up a biography of someone who inspires you. Dive into a self-help or personal finance book. Start journaling. Listen to podcasts on entrepreneurship, leadership, or mental health. Personal development is not a luxury reserved for after graduation, it is the quiet work that separates who you are from who you are becoming. Do not treat it lightly.
Work on Personal Projects and Goals
For students managing small businesses, this is your time to be more and make more sales. Restock, rebrand, plan your next product drop, and build your social media presence. For content creators, consistency is everything and three weeks without the distraction of class schedules is a golden opportunity to batch-record, edit, and schedule content well ahead of time.
For students engaged in other extracurricular activities, treat these three weeks like a sprint. The campus routine will return soon enough. Right now, you have time and time is the most valuable resource any entrepreneur can get.
Instead of seeing the break as a rupture to your already planned life, treat it like an opportunity. Whether it is used for academic preparation, skill development, rest, or personal growth, the outcome depends entirely on individual choices.
By the time school resumes, some students will be struggling to regain momentum, while others will return more prepared, more skilled, and more focused. Which would you be?