What it means to be a University student in Kenya. Here is what they didn’t tell you

While many of us think that getting admitted to universities or institutions of higher learning is something to fancy around, and a great milestone, especially with the freedom to live by our own and make own own decisions, but there happen to be a larger part of university life that we aren’t aware of.

Many of us go to university with the fallacy of ‘little paradise’ especially after working hard to score excellent grades in high schools. With freedom to decide on what is in our pockets from our parents, on top of the HELB, with think life is going to be a little paradise. Perhaps exactly what we are being told while in high school, everything fancy about life, you name them.

What were are not aware is, there happens to be a whole larger part of university life that we aren’t privy to  while in high school. Behold little folks, before one gets the honour of adorning the graduation regalia, they have to face one million and one challenges. Without determination, patience and resilience, one easily drops along the way. Yes, it’s happening.

For a good number of learners, everyday is a struggle day to afford the very basic necessities. Food, shelter, and recent internet bundle are a major one of the challenges an average university student will tell you. Nowadays most classes are taken online, and lack internet connectivity will mean not attending the class.

Another challenge in our campuses is battling with drugs and substance abuses. With the freedom, comes responsibilities. Now, you are living now your own, and drugs are allover you. It’s you to decide for yourself. However, most learners fall in the trap of drug and substances abuse, and they end up dropping out of school, perhaps from the university punishments, or just because they can’t keep up with the toughening academic leader.

While we left high schools with huge expectations of becoming academic gurus, skilled within our little professions, we end up disillusioned. It is also increasingly becoming almost impossible to convince parents to send you some financial support since many of them think Helb gives more than enough, so it is actually you who should send them. A little shock right?

With the raising number of students admission to institutions of higher learning, the systems also need to do something especially for the poor students. University systems and the government can collaborate to find long term solution to these menace. It is good to see a transformative system of education where every learner is equipped with the neccessary resources, right from the very basic needs. With that, we can achieve milestones in the education sector.