Real-life tips on surviving your stay at university

Joining university is no doubt one of the most impactful phases of life. And perhaps if you look back, even without trying  very hard, you can visualise clearly how things unfolded and progressed for you back then. Remember that boundless joy and excitement that came with the thought of living all by yourself for the first time, being completely in charge of your finances and being free to explore your true self? University was, for most people, the most elaborate initiation mark into adulthood. So, how was that experience for you? What was the biggest lesson you left with? Well, now that the new semester is about to begin, we give Fourth Years the rare opportunity to speak to this year’s Freshmen about their experiences and tips on surviving college, mistakes they made and how they made amends, and what new students should expect as they adjust to their new lives.

Philip Yauma, 21, Fourth Year Student, Kabarak University

I joined university in May 2016 at age 17. I had so many expectations. For example, I was excited about the impending freedom, and the fact that my parents wouldn’t be watching my every move any more. I looked forward to mingling with female students, to attend parties, and to be in full control of my actions.

I have always been smart, so performing well was not a concern. In fact, at that point, my focus was not so much in my academics because in my head, I had already made it. In secondary school we were told that when we make it to university, we could do whatever we wanted. I had also heard that in university, I did not have to be the best student, I just had to maintain a good grade. My focus was mostly on having a good social life.

Looking back now, I can say that I got what I wanted in terms of my social interactions. I entered into romantic relationships and attended several parties, but nothing comes without consequences.

It took a while but I soon realised that I was making mistakes. Because my classmates were all older than me, I felt a deep desire to fit in, so I did whatever they wanted me to. In my first year, I performed well despite having been distracted from my studies. As time went by, it occurred to me that in university, one was expected to balance their social life and their academics. No one will push you. When you put more emphasis on having fun, you begin to lose sight of your academics, and it will show in your performance. When I discovered this, it was almost too late.

If you are joining university, it is important to understand that there is no one to supervise you, and this freedom could be dangerous. Sometimes you may make mistakes out of naïvety or ignorance, or because of the newfound freedom.

Another thing, I used to make a little money from producing portraits. But at 17, I did not know how to handle the income so I wasted it all. I wanted to live like the university students I saw in movies, going out and hosting parties and looking cool. So I spent my money on taking my friends out and buying them alcohol. Many are the times I woke up with nothing. I wasted even the pocket money I got from my parents.

Financial discipline was one of my greatest lessons. By the time I was done with my attachment in Third Year, I had learnt to make a budget and to stick to it. Too much partying, like I had done, is not good because it could lead to addiction. I almost got there. I have friends who have been to rehabilitation centres for drug addiction several times, and are still not able to stay clean. I also have friends who ended up dropping out or who just stopped attending classes.

But I wish I was given more time before joining university. I finished my secondary school education in November 2015 and joined university in May 2016. I think that was a very short period. I should have been given at least one year to interact with those who are already in university to get a better understanding of that world. My parents are very strict and protective, so maybe I wasn’t fully prepared to take up that kind of boundless freedom.

I completely lost track at some point. I never thought I could perform dismally. I never even checked my transcripts carefully until I found myself having to re-take two courses in my  third year because I had failed exams. It was then that I realised that I had also posted poor grades in Second Year. I took responsibility for this because I couldn’t ask for money from home to re-sit the classes. I started working and saving money to raise the Sh30,000 I needed. I painted shops and produced portraits especially on the weekends. I learnt to own my mistakes. Later, I decided to use my life experiences to generate money. I formed a team of like-minded individuals and together we organised camps, hikes and team building activities for students. During these activities, we reminded young people of the importance of staying focused on their studies.

Ann Kendi, 23, Fourth Year Student, University of Nairobi

I joined university in September 2015 aged 20 years. I had lived in Chuka, Tharaka-Nithi County, for a long time, and was really looking forward to coming to the city. I was eager to interact with people from different parts of the country. I was aware that in university, many girls ended up getting pregnant. I was also told that experimenting with drugs was normal. However, being a born-again Christian, I was determined to be different. I purposed to focus on my studies.

When I got on the bus to Nairobi, the only thing I knew was that I had been admitted for a course called Bachelor of Arts (BA), but I had no idea what it entailed. A few days after I arrived, I went to the Careers Desk to seek more insight. Eventually I settled on Literature, which was the branch of BA that I felt most passionate about. What surprised me most was the freedom I had. In university, you get to decide exactly what you want to do with your life. You can choose to either build it, or to destroy it. It all depends on your decisions. I understood very early that any decisions I made would have an impact later.

Another thing that surprised me was seeing people from different backgrounds coexisting peacefully. I was happy to make friends with people from different ethnic communities. Before then, I had assumed that Kenyans are tribal by nature.

When you get to university and feel that you are not studying the course you like, you can make an inter-faculty transfer, although this is not always possible. I selected my course based on my passions for reading and writing. I ended up performing very well in Literature, and was selected to represent my school in an exchange programme in Japan. My advice is, if you have been called to study a course you know nothing about, seek advice. Recognise that you have been offered an opportunity to study, one which you shouldn’t squander. Even if you don’t like the course, you will benefit from the knowledge. A university education empowers you to become whoever you want to be. You can use the knowledge to either get into employment, or to start a business.

In my case, my strong Christian foundation is what made me stay in the straight and narrow. I made friends with some members of the Christian Union, and we motivated each other. Eventually I found myself giving my best in school. You should be careful with the friends you keep because they may corrupt your morals. Don’t succumb to peer pressure.

There were times when I struggled financially, especially when the HELB loan was not disbursed on time, so I got creative. I started getting involved in hustles such as brand promotions to earn money to buy books. Many times, I borrowed books from my classmates and read fast. It was challenging, but it really helped me stay on track.

Philip Agumba, 23, Fourth Year student at Mt Kenya University (President, Mount Kenya University Students Association)

I was 19 years old when I joined university. I was excited about it because there is some prestige associated with being a university student. I was also happy to start pursuing my dreams. I had hoped to study Commerce because I am passionate about it, so getting a chance to do so was exhilarating. Outside academics, I was looking forward to the freedom to do whatever I wanted. I saw my older siblings who were in university going to clubs whenever they wanted, and I was excited to do so as well. However, the freedom I had anticipated didn’t materialise, because I joined the Christian Union club immediately after my admission, became born again, and dropped my ambitions to party. I had just come from secondary school where teachers put notes together for us. In university, lecturers simply led discussions in class and it was up to you to write down whatever you needed. They left behind assignments and it was up to you to do them or not.

No one really bothered with your class attendance, or whether you did your assignments on time, or if you passed exams or failed. I adopted a laid back attitude and stopped viewing my classwork as urgent.

After the first month, my brother, with whom I was living with, noticed that I was slacking in my classwork. He reminded me that working hard was important for me to succeed in life. That helped me change before it was too late. From that moment on, I religiously did my assignments and studied for exams. My advice? Start working hard early, otherwise you may end up performing poorly in exams and this will negatively impact your final grade.

I joined associations such as business clubs, religious associations and they helped me stay away from drugs. As president of the students’ body in my institution, I advise students to always work hard. Some students feel that even if you work hard, you won’t get a job, but I usually tell them to work hard, get their certificates, and leave the rest to God. Female students need to be wary of some unscrupulous lecturers who might ask for sexual favours in exchange for higher grades. I have dealt with such cases as a student leader.

Kawinzi Musau, 26, Fourth Year, USIU-Africa

I have been in school since July 2013. At first, I thought going to university meant finally being free to be myself. I was even allowed to draft my own schedule. Also, I liked the fact that I wouldn’t need to go for morning preps. At the end of the day, however, I realised that what I had in my hands was not freedom. It was an advanced level of responsibility where I was expected to do the right thing without supervision.

I have been in school for many years because of challenges with school fees, which forced me to take breaks in between semesters. However, I do not consider that a disadvantage because I ended up learning a lot more. I took classes under the old and the revised curriculum. I also got a lot of work experience through attachments and internships. Should you find yourself in a similar situation, take advantage of your prolonged stay in school to gain work experience. As much as you have fun, take your classes seriously, even if people might call you a bookworm. You join university alone, and will leave alone with your degree. If I had realised this earlier, I’d have posted more impressive grades. Don’t wait for Third Year to become responsible with money, relationships, and academics. Start being accountable from the onset.

I also got to understand that true independence was getting to be responsible for my freedom. Low grades towards the end of my third year was the wake-up call I needed. I had to deal with some low moments at some point, especially watching my classmates graduate and leave me behind. At one point I felt as if my life was stagnating because I was comparing myself with others. Remember that there is a lot of peer pressure in university, especially with the advent of social media. For me, that was depressing and emotionally draining, but once I stopped comparing myself with other students, I achieved true peace.