ALL HAIL FIRST YEAR STUDENTS:

BY EMBUKANE VINCENT LIBOSSO

I

f you are reading this piece and you are a first year student; then you made it to campus. I wanted to do apiece that you as a first year will treasure and remember too since this will be your first Involvement issue.

New blood is ushered into campuses all year round. If there is anything any student remembers for life; it’s the day they were admitted to college. For me; when I landed my admission letter to Daystar; on the eve of the orientation week; I did not find any sleep.

I am sure it was the same with you, if not worse- thoughts lingering your mind; anxiety kept you insane as happiness takes the better of you.

For some; of course they had done “research” from rather unreliable sources about campus life and studies among others and thought; this will surely be a breeze.

Then came the orientation week. Accompanied by their parents; they arrived in style; pomp and color, some as early as 5 am; a time reserved only for a Kenyan voter! Our parents (God bless their hearts); as much as offices are opened at eight (Kenyan/African time of course); parents choose to start their journey early in fear of being late.

After successfully being admitted; a four year journey starts for this student who knows what lies ahead- or he thinks he does? For public universities; a Freshers Bash” is organized to welcome the new students in style and where the older comrades: ponyoka with a fresher”. For Daystarians; song and dance fills the air for a Friday night romantic dinner; as dust is blown.

Usually, first year students are put in those hostels where they are oriented again by the older comrades.

Tracing lecture halls is usually a problem. Many realize when it’s almost too late that they have been attending wrong lectures and a few even sit for the wrong exams!

The first month is all about “ballin” at expensive dining joints since you have the finances after your village flocked to wish you well and give you a lot of money. It is not long enough though; before you become old; and the “honeymoon” season ends; and you are welcomed to the “masafaras” club.

These signs and symptoms are normal for a “fresher”; so do not worry. It takes long for a first year scholar to identify their course mates by names or faces, to write their registration numbers without referring from their school identification card (don’t worry, we all hate those I.D photos too); to master unit codes and equally takes the same amount of time to know a lecturer by name.

But this doesn’t last for too long. Acclimatization happens very fist and the girl or boy who walked with their head down is now the nosiest.

They know that exams are not a big deal and the biggest discovery of them all; Google! Once they know this is a bigger source than the library; they are ready for the world.

They also know that weekends should not be spent in the boring hostels and they know all the waiters at the “local” by name. They change their dress codes; no more long skirts; no more polo necks. They now embrace fashion with both hands.

To some; dating one boyfriend looks odd and village like. They learn that they can drink from two glasses and walk unnoticed. They master the art of skipping classes and showing up during exams. And after it all; they now graduate to older students and watch first year students take their baby steps in the jungle that is Kenya University.

-this story is inspired by a piece that appeared on Sunday Nation’s Buzz; Campo Sanity segment on May 5^th 2013.