On Being a University Student

Where the academic system feels like a joke (or prison) and you just want to live

Photo by Leon Wu on Unsplash

I hate the school system as it is, with the outdated curriculums and lecturers who can’t actually teach. But as it’s my sole avenue of semi-freedom/holding space before adulthood, I’m determined to make the most of it.

So here’s everything I know on studying, roommates, partying, friendships, adventures and relationships, basically what I know on being a university student.

Buckle up we’re going to outer space!

Studying and Classes

The thing with studying is a lot of people assume they know how to study and sometimes maybe they do but I happen to fall under the category of people that know they cannot study and still haven’t figured out how to. I mostly cram the day or night before the test or exam, learn formulas and definitions only to forget it all after I’ve written them down. Best bet is to nail the fundamentals of whatever you’re studying and starting early enough, whatever time frame suits you just take it seriously!

A lot of classes are kind of useless, most times you end up going back to teach yourself but that mostly happens with general courses with a large number of people, once you get to your department, those classes stop being so useless. So stop skipping class just to do nothing and attend your practicals! If you like carryover practical.

Roommates and Living Arrangements

Unless you are lucky enough to have a place to yourself, which will probably require you spending bands and going through one yeye agent (no shade to agents).

Whether you live on or off campus, you’re going to have roommates. First years in my school have this hostel with like eight people in a room, I can’t imagine it cause I didn’t stay in school hostel during my time but I can tell you that it wasn’t exactly terrible, so long as you’re ready to develop patience.

On a more serious note, living with strangers can initially seem daunting until time passes and you get used to it. Not all your roommates will be your friends, I remember thinking hostel life would be like all those Hollywood college dorm life (maybe it is for some people but definitely not me).

You have to be considerate with other people and not take their stuff without asking but you’ll meet people who won’t do the same to you, you’ll survive sha.

Partying

I’ve never been to one if I ever do I guarantee I’d be a wallflower but I’ve lived vicariously through my friends who have and I can say what I already knew. They’re loud, bright lights, alcohol, lots of dancing, grinding, screaming out lyrics and good vibes with lots of people. So go for it, at least once, just for the experience (I’ll go before I leave don’t worry).

Friendships

The right friendships don’t just fall from the sky so don’t be disappointed if you haven’t found your person or your clique yet. Some of the friends you make at first might just be because of proximity so the connection may not necessarily run deep but it’s okay. Friendships are a beautiful thing and I believe they should be taken seriously so if you see or meet someone you really like and would like to be friends with you should talk to them, making friends should be a priority o! Don’t be a loner with no friends! You need human interaction that’s not just surface level! Who are you going to tell about that time someone bullied you and you cried? Who are you going to tell that you don’t feel God as much anymore? Who are you going to show your drawings you always hide to? Who are you going to go to when you need a hug? Exactly!

Adventures

The least number of years you can spend in uni is four, do something you might not be able to do again within that period and if you choose not to you better not say “I wish I did this" or “I wish I did that", I will just slap you and a fly will enter your mouth.

But seriously, please do something fun and out of the ordinary from time to time. Go somewhere new like that buka you’ve never been to, try a new hairstyle, get that piercing (recently got one myself), dye your hair if you want, join a club in school, climb a hill, swim in a pool, anything that classifies as out of the ordinary FOR YOU, there’s no rulebook on what that looks like so you choose. Write a bucket list if you must (I have one hehe).

Relationships

Never been in one of these so I’m not speaking from experience but observation.

What can I even say? It’s not a rush to get into one but it doesn’t mean you should actively avoid it when it comes, life should be spent with people not in isolation (else only Adam would have been on Earth).

For real though, people these days don’t really feel or maybe I should say express how they feel as much. Everybody is nonchalant, everybody is chill, someone will say they want to talk to someone but when someone comes they’ll be closed off to them, like even if they’re not your type or whatever you can still vibe with people abi it’s me that this thing is paining ni? All I’m saying is people should be more expressive with their emotions instead of bottling them up or maybe we’re so emotionally sterile that people don’t feel as much anymore. This is a rant, ignore me at this point.

Figure out what you want and don’t want from a relationship sha, liking someone is different from being in a relationship with them, you’ll see. Also if you have unrealistic or unreasonable expectations, dey go front.

Religion

I’m not religious as it is so no church can come and be dictating life choices for me, don’t worry I’m not wayward not immodest, I’m not a criminal either so there’s nothing church people want to tell me again.

I will say this though, I’m not bashing religion nor am I one of those people who would mock people for their beliefs, never. But instead I implore people to look inward at their religious lives, some people are in it because they were raised that way so it’s all they know, it’s the truth they were offered and never tried to doubt it. Religion offers solace and safety and protection, it also offers love, warmth and community. But unfortunately in some places, it can also foster suppression however we all have our individual experiences so as long as we’re all accommodating of each other regardless of if a person is Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Pagan, Atheist, Agnostic, Spiritual etc

Allow yourself choose.

(That’s how I scared one evangelist when I said I believe in God but I don’t follow Jesus Christ lol).

Hobbies

My brother, my sister, school should not, under any circumstance be your entire life. Don’t be a boring person. Pick up arts and crafts, sewing, crocheting, coding, curating even, people keep not doing anything and wonder why their lives are boring. Engage with life! Boredom is also very necessary, it helps you find what would interest you so take advantage of it.

Finance

Take it from me now, find a job or side hustle as quickly as you can. Don’t rely solely on your allowance from your parents or money from your siblings, you can start making your own money now and learn to be financially responsible and independent before you graduate. Besides, having something you’re doing now can serve as insulation from the job scarcity in the real world, in case you didn’t know nobody is handing anybody jobs again, you will sweat. (Unless you don get connect or you’re a nepo baby sha).

Start grinding now, being a human being in this economy is expensive!

Principles

You know when people get called shallow it’s mostly because they don’t know how to think for themselves so they just follow what other people tell them. It’s easier, having someone think for you but it’s less gratifying. So please, learn to think for yourself.

Welp I think this is most of everything but it still doesn’t cover it. There’s the departments that will stress you for no good reason, make you pay for manuals you’ll barely use, lecturers that are stern as hell, adults that’ll still treat you like you’re a kid (or worse, an idiot), course mates who will annoy you, finding your personal style, growing out of things both literally and figuratively. So much to experience in uni, so even though I hate it here, I love it too.