By Mercy Jelagat
Ever wondered how some students seem to possess
the creepy ability to perform their best work when the clock is ticking towards
the deadline? Those are the last-minute students, masters of procrastination
and wizards of efficiency under pressure. The campus environment with its
abundance of profusion of assignments, exams and deadlines provides a fertile
ground for procrastination to thrive.
Surprisingly, last minute students claim
that their best ideas and creativity emerge when they are under the gun. Two
weeks before the final exam, you will observe the library teeming with students
each striving to salvage their semester through private studies or group discussions.
The library is crowded with students, including those who do not attend
lectures.
The night before an exam, the frantic
attempt to cover an entire course in one night might seem absurd, but it's a
common occurrence here on campus, my friend. It's quite amusing when a
socialite, who typically enjoys partying, finds themselves in a last-minute
cramming session the night before their morning exam. Picture them sitting at
their study table with a bottle of water, a basin filled with water at their
feet, as they struggle to ward off sleep and diligently absorb the contents of
their textbooks. Surprisingly, this scenario is not uncommon."
During these times, you'll find that many
cybercafés around the institution are bustling with both male and female
students. It's because the assignments given out three months ago were
completed just a few hours before the deadline, and students are now rushing to
print them on the day it's due.
This happens every academic year. The
graduating class rushes at the last minute to search for their missing grades
all over the campus, striving to secure a place in the graduation list. Of
course, nobody wants to be the one left behind while others are celebrating
their graduation. It makes you wonder where they were during all those years
when they could have followed up on their missing marks
Some students, when they receive their
school fees, spend all the money in clubs, betting and spoiling their partners.
Later, just before the exam period, they go around with a promissory note,
asking and bothering everyone for whatever little they have, so as to avoid
missing the exam. It's infuriating, I feel like someone's going to get a
well-deserved wake-up call one day. The power of eleventh hour.
As is customary, many students wait until
late at night to purchase vegetables like sukumawiki or other food
items, assuming that the ('mama mboga') will provide them with the
remaining stock to prevent it from spoiling if left until the next day. A
friend of mine, Jacky can often be spotted at around 11 pm, assisting the local
food vendor ('mama mboga') in closing up her grocery. In return, she
receives items like tomatoes that are set to expire the following day.
The last-minute hustle and bustle that
characterizes campus life is both a fascinating phenomenon and a source of
perennial frustration. From late-night cramming sessions to rushing for
assignments and hunting for missing grades, students navigate a whirlwind of
activities as they navigate their academic journey. As we celebrate the marvel
of last-minute brilliance, we're reminded that the art of the eleventh hour can
indeed be an enchanting one, filled with moments of brilliance that keep us
captivated and inspired.
