METAMORPHOSIS OF KENYAN CAMPUS STUDENTS
Most people join campus while a bit naive, especially in this time and age where form four leavers do not have to spend two years out before admission to higher institutions. Campus is a freedom full zone, you know, no matron to wake you, no prefect to draw you as a noisemaker, no principal to check on your dress code and no parent to conduct a curfew. It is just you against the world. How about we explore the stages of a campus fellow.
1ST YEAR
It is labelled the fresher’s stage; where virgin Mary’s can fill a hall, the chapel never lacks believers, decency in dressing is key during the first month. However, as time goes by, the continuing students get into the life of most freshers in their process of handling the `ponyoka na fresher’ project. Most ladies fall in the trap of senior students and that’s when they know about sleep overs. At first, they fear and feel it is not fit but confidence builds up after witnessing that ladies outnumber men in men hostels. Slowly by slowly, they adapt and blindly fall in love. They want to experiment and just like that the number of Virgin Mary’s cannot fill a 14 seater. Every roommate begins complaining of the number of exiles and it gets even worse when couples start cohabiting. The senior students exploit their hidden talent of being players exclusively applying the hit and run, pick and drop strategy. It is not a wonder to get a man who has dated 4 roommates in turns. The kind of lies used on first years are the whitest I ever heard but in one way or the other, they fall for them. As the year comes to an end, a first year has x+1 number of exes, no clue of the units he/she is supposed to take, some get STD’s, others pregnant and few get out clean.
2nd YEAR
By now, one feels like they have a package of experience in campus. They discover that he/she was just being used as a field as that `lover’ played with her/his heart. To avoid coming into contact with heart breaks, they start heavy drinking in a way that the time they would use in cuddling is reciprocated by spending it in clubs. From Mondays- Sundays, they have to fill the register at the club. It’s their strong believe that they can handle hard drugs and just like that they are tagged weed/cocaine/shisha/ cigar addicts. Their class attendance is poor, well reflected in their grades. In fact, lecturers keep complaining that 2nd years are the best users of external memories. Men get the chance of `ponyoka na fresher’ while ladies tend to have a spark for the guys with bulging pockets; by now, they know that one cannot eat, drink and dress love, money talks, money is everything. The sugar daddies get clients, dressing is very seductive and the wardrobe is upgraded. In a nut shell, this is the hyper stage.
3RD YEAR
Students have now become mature and they are aware of what they need in life and are attempting to put their priorities right. They are moved by a need to invest their HELB and class attendance is just perfect. Many souls give their life to God and those who go drinking don’t overdo it, in fact they prefer mature clubs with mature attendees. Relationships become a bit serious and hardly will anyone be a hit and run project. Men get interested in acquiring a lady whom he can settle with for a long term kind of a thing. Decency in dressing is observed. Basically, people become tired of living a hyper life.
4th YEAR
The only orientation I attended was that of the DVC, simply because of the added advantage of soda, snacks and fruits. Frankly, the only message I so well recall was when one of the speakers said that 4th year ladies are known as `mama mboga’ for a reason I forgot. During this year, most guys are just from attachment and have tasted life out of school. They are aware that `maisha ni ngumu na hayana huruma’ (life is hard and pities no one). They get busy with classes, projects and even join clubs to get as many certificates. Most of them hardly pay attention to their grooming like trends and fashion; they are just official. As for relationships, they get serious and now men start looking for a wifeable lady. Nearly everyone is in a serious relationship, I think they buy that `if you don’t get a spouse in campus, you may end up in the singles’ club’. A serious mood, is the dominating factor and people begin thinking how to start businesses, get jobs, side hustles, life is just busy for them.
It’s a new month, new week, and this is a new article. Wishing you the best month ever.
HAPPY NEW MONTH!!
