– Tunde Rafiu, 300 level, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife
My experience on campus is a memorable one, the type that I would carry with me for life. Life on campus is impactful. Not only has my thinking changed, my philosophy of life has also changed. As a freshman who was naive and knew little about life, I was elated to have my freedom, to live my life for the first time on my own, the way I want. It was a great opportunity for me. I had streams of thoughts running through my mind about what I should do, and the kinds of friends I should keep.
I was completely confused. Actually, I wanted to go to parties, flirt with girls, and all sorts of unimaginable things. At the same time, the good side of me wanted to be a good boy who always goes to church, which was the warning my parents give me. This is the first time I would be in a place where I would have to look out for myself without my parents.
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I went to church when I had the time, but never missed a party when the time calls. I met a lot of people whose behaviours are at variance with mine, the crazy people, as well as the good ones. Academically, I was slow to acclimatise myself to the university system. I thought it was the same way we used to do it in secondary school; that is, you only read when examination is approaching. This affected my performance in the first semester examinations. Thank God the successive ones were great.
Omolara Oladipupo : ND2, IIJ, Ibadan
Campus life is very interesting but stressful. My most memorable days are on campus. You get to do what you want without being under the watch fuleyes of your parents. I have met people; I have made friends and have roommates – the good and the bad ones, the friendly and the unfriendly ones. Campus life has really helped me to know how to relate with different types of people. On campus, we have to endure mosquito bites. The stressful part of campus life is when you get to go to class on an empty stomach and return same way. Sometimes, there are periods when one doesn’t have a single penny. For me, the most painful experience on campus was when I was robbed.
Bello David, ND2, Statistics, The Poly Ibadan
Life as a student is a bit interesting. It is 30 percent interesting and 70 percent awful. For those of us who stay off-campus, we find it difficult commuting from home to school due to high cost of transportation. Again, I initially wanted to study Public Administration, but I found myself in Statistics. The issue now is, most of my classmates (they are geniuses) are doing well in class, but they ignore some of us who are average students, not minding if we understood what was being taught or not. This has always been a great challenge.
Korede Oladipupo, 100 level, Microbiology, Unibadan
When I came in as a fresher, I could not secure accommodation in the hostel which I had paid for. Every day, I have to go to school from home. Aside that, lecturers ask us to read hand-outs meant for first semester for second semester examination, which most of us had even misplaced. The only thing that makes campus life awful is examinations. Other things like social activities are interesting.
Fareeda Ademola300 level, KWASU, Malete, Kwara State
KWASU is a hell of a place. The school is frustrating. It does not allow me to think straight. There is no network there. I feel like crying. Malete is not a place for me. The weather is not friendly at all. It is a dead zone.
Omotola Saibu, Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti
On campus we went to clubs. The midnight classes, the impromptu tests, the jackasses called lecturers; all these are part of the experience of being a student. Amidst all the madness, even when I have a test the following morning, I still go to the school gymnasium. I can’t kill myself. Though I am here to study, I still have to experience a social life.
Akolade Adisa,300-level, Architecture, Unibadan
Life on campus could be interesting. At some point, I was sexually harassed by female students for refusing to join their cult group.
Bolaji Balogun, 400 level, FUT, Akure
School life is the best; however, there are a lot of destiny-breakers in school. There is cultism, drug addiction, and a lot of bad things. While in 200 level, I was called to join a cult group. But God helped me and they left me alone. Also, politics on campus could help in good and bad ways. Some activities could help one’s career while some others could destroy one’s life.
Bolakale Adesokan, 200 level, Fountain University, Osogbo
Campus life could be interesting, boring, stressful, frustrating and annoying. Students are often restricted from doing some things on campus or to go out of the school compound. We don’t cook. We only go out twice in a month. We don’t dress the way we want. The authorities treat us like kids. We also have both nice and wicked lecturers.
and then