PRIVILEGE OF FREEDOM

 

 By Chloe Adhiambo.

The joy of being a first year cannot be compared to any other feeling. Freedom, money, new friends, new everything. It’s like starting over. Turning a new page. New personality and discovery of new things about ourselves.

When we joined the university, it was a statement on most parent’s mouths’ that the hostels would be our second home. Sure, most parents were lured by their kids to live outside the school compound. And it worked. The alleged reasons for staying in the hostels were to familiarize with the environment and because it was safer.

Why you may ask? All because you’re a mere innocent first year with no experience of living alone. If only parents were here to witness what goes on in the supposed safe spaces, I’m sure the narrative would change completely.

I remember when I first came to Moi University, I had a totally different picture of the hostels. My mind was enclosed in a box that I was coming to an apartment but with a roommate. I forgot for a minute that I was going to a public school. A public school I repeat.

The men’s and ladies’ hostels are adjacent to each other. The first years who are excited and idle are mingling and getting to know each other. Some already branding each other ‘best friends’ because of having one thing in common. Some stay in their rooms avoiding to socialize and waiting to make movements when going to eat. I get it it’s the first week. No rush.

You’d slowly start seeing people pairing up slowly by slowly. I’m not saying people of same gender but of opposite sex. At around 7 o’clock is when you’d see people strolling dragging their feet heading to Megabytes or other eateries of their preferences to dine. Hostels started having other occupants and you could tell from varying tones of voices.

Some hostels had security and no man was allowed in the ladies’ hostels past 7 p.m. Personally I never understood why you could call someone to your room when you can meet and chat outside.

As time passes it’s now a small percentage of the students walking alone. By this time classes have started. The focused ones would camp in the library and read; some will go use the internet which would work when it felt like. Others will go to the famous F2 to have their own meaning of enjoyment. It's not wrong but it’s best to not misuse your freedom by drinking. My opinion.

Aside from the slowly deteriorating behaviors of the freshers, the hygiene of the hostels is not so welcoming. One can easily get sick and sometimes it’s not a personal problem but how the washrooms and bathrooms are handled during ‘cleaning’.

I appreciate the work being done by the subordinate staff but I feel more effort should be put in making the bathrooms a conducive area of hygiene. I hope the entrusted leader who deals with students’ welfare will look into that issue.

 The freedom that is in university makes most of the students think without involvement of critical thinking. Sure, it can be enticing to do some things but the consequence should be considered more than the action itself. It’s my wish that soon the mentality of being unsupervised will make people responsible and wise decisions makers at least for their generation’s sake.