Balancing between studies and social life in Universities

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By now most Kenyans who sat KCSE last year already if they are proceeding to the University, Tertiary college or seeking alternatives in other areas depending on grades.

For those joining colleges and universities, there's a whole new life ahead.
There's the registration, getting used to big buildings, especially if one is from rural areas, and making new friends. The harder part is settling down and balancing between school work and the “free” social life.
Presented with this freedom, it can be very overwhelming; especially if you lack self-discipline. Had someone come to me at the beginning of my first year and imparted to me this knowledge, he or she could have saved me a lot of time, headache and guilt over how I spent my days in campus.
And so this is what I learnt over the years.

1. Make priorities
If you have a class in the morning, prioritize on that.  Get some good rest and also ensure you have your books and notes ready so that you do not have to rush in the morning and be late for a class. This is simply because every minute may not show but it counts at the end of a semester. Organize your time so that you can accomplish what you need to do and have fun.
Even if you just assign one or two nights a week for “Play time,” do it. You can go to a movie, buy tickets to a show, attend a party, go for a hike or visit your parents. The key is to do something just for the fun of it. It's necessary to release some of the stress of the week by finding something enjoyable to do to blow off some steam.
All work and no play is just no fun at all. Even if you just assign one or two nights a week to “Play time,” do it. You can go to a movie, buy tickets to a show, attend a party, go for a hike or visit your parents. The key is to do something just for the fun of it. It's necessary to release some of the stress of the week by finding something enjoyable to do to blow off some steam.


2. Have a timetable
This is hard even for me but the important thing is to have some form of a plan so that you do not waste most of the free time one has doing less important things.
New students often find themselves with as few as four classes a week and it is way too easy to treat that as all you have to do.
Get up at a sensible time  even if its  past 7am, and go to a the school library to go through books and surf on school-related work.
If you get the work done during the days like this, it means you won’t have to sacrifice going out with friends when they make plans, or sacrifice your work for the sake of going out.


3. Build a network.
One of the most important things one has to do in school is make all type of friends. It’s the only time you have because life after campus is a bit hectic, be  sure of that.
If you spend three or four years in an institution and graduate with only two friends then be sure that life on the outside will be tough for you. This is because most of the friends we make in college are the few we keep even after university because after school life work takes up all the other time and we cannot be outgoing as back in campus.
Keep in touch with the folks you meet throughout your campus life. They may connect you with opportunities later.


4.Exercise
Most universities, except those set up in town centers have very good sports facilities and most of our best sportsmen are products of these universities.
However most people in campus spend time going out or indulging in alcoholism and sleeping, especially for the ladies.
I cannot stress this point enough but exercise is a great way to relieve stress. It also keeps you feeling energetic. When you take time out of your day to exercise, you give yourself your own time to reflect and organize your thoughts.

5. Learn to say No
In Universities, peer pressure is real than in another institution. With the little money that students get from Higher Education Loans Board, it's very easy to be pushed by friends to go do other things when you should either be in class or revising. This is because there is a lot of freedom in universities. Its very hard but one must learn to say No to their friends because we cannot always be living on the fast-lane. I was once told that each person goes to school alone and leaves alone, I believe this is the best part to apply that saying.