Lessons Learned from Finishing Campus

“The next time you live like this will be when you’ve made your first million,” the old tuk tuk driver transporting my belongings from college to my new home remarked. 

“Out here, you don’t vandalize property because your tap is dry or there’s a power outage.” His tone carried a hint of sadistic sarcasm, regardless of how well-meaning his unrequested guidance was. 

In the past few months, I’ve been having numerous meetings with Mr. Reality. Just two weeks ago, while attending a graduation party at a friend's place, the caretaker stormed in, furious, and served a notice that completely killed the party. Only recently, while shopping at a local supermarket, I found out that the price of Unga has skyrocketed to six times what it was when I started my college four years ago. These are just a few of the harsh realities that the seemingly comfortable life in college shelters you from. It's not amusing at all. 

Reality is the most grotesque monster one can face, particularly when it arrives in its raw form. This is what many graduates are facing. On the final day, as we vacated our cherished rooms—where we blasted loud music, consumed as much alcohol as our wallets could handle, and, of course, other substances—I noticed the word ANXIETY etched on my peers' foreheads, FEAR on one cheek, and a TEAR rolling down the other. There was an inexplicable sense of dread that surrounded us, born from the uncertainty of what lay ahead. There are no certainties out here. 

Graduating from college is no joke. The carefree, reckless days of youth are replaced by the realities of marriage, mortgages, and conventional living. You begin to realize the fragility of many Kenyans around you. They feel insecure due to the national political landscape, the government is extracting every last cent from them through taxi fees, and the Matatu Industry exploits them daily; yet, no one stands up for their rights. In this world, the overused phrase COMRADE POWER is utterly meaningless, and even simply getting to know your neighbor can be a challenge. 

The protective shield of collective behavior typical in college disappears, and out here, everyone is chasing their personal interests with relentless capitalist fervor that blinds many to the plight of those genuinely suffering. The communal nature of college life has no equivalent in the outside world. We live a society that can’t even offer an expectant mother a seat on public transport. Once you’re in this world, you realize how voiceless citizens are until they are systematically exploited to the point that they’ve become desensitized to it. Consider the City Council.

As a student at a public university, if you get arrested, you can confidently show your school ID and create a scene, and chances are you’ll be released. Law students, especially in their first year, can be quite a nuisance to the police, and anyone in the police force who has encountered them can confirm that they can be quite challenging. As a student, you dismiss every single rule and firmly believe that the nation owes you a living.

Some of these experiences are understandable and are bound to occur during our younger years, but often we take things too far. Some of us spend our entire time at university partying and neglect to build a career when it’s most crucial. Others become preoccupied with trivial matters, allowing the best moments to slip away. By the time we realize our opportunities have passed, we may have made some irreversible mistakes.

However, college imparts valuable lessons, and many of these experiences significantly influence our social, political, and economic views. Some of the lasting beliefs we develop about the opposite sex are likely formed in college. While women come to understand that men have a biological inclination towards polygamy, they demonstrate to men that they don’t need any biological justification to be unfaithful.

Men may discover that when height, charisma, and humor are lacking in dating, money holds a similar persuasive power over women as those previously mentioned traits. Women learn that in this world, the end can justify the means. One can pursue shortcuts to wealth or fame, but danger often lies along that path. Some women trust men to such an extent that when those very men betray them, they spiral into a reckless lifestyle. So much for placing faith in human beings. Where is Jaguar to sing for them?

Everyone must navigate college in their own way as they journey through it. For women, it involves being able to support oneself while also recognizing the limits of asserting independence. For men, it's about coming to terms with the fact that women can excel or falter in ways similar to men. Just observe how women have adopted some of the undesirable behaviors typically associated with men, often responding to criticism with, “but men do it.”

As we transition into full-fledged tax-paying citizens, we encounter a life filled with uncertainty and unrestrained expectations that often surpass reality from various sources, including ourselves. While we can’t predict the future, many have experienced it, and countless others will join us. We must learn to adapt to existing systems and strive to avoid conforming to the traditional, predictable pattern of life: one spouse, two children, a three-bedroom house, and a four-wheeled vehicle.

They say ambition is the only currency that remains valuable; I wish everyone who has just graduated from college the best with ambition, hard work, a touch of luck, and most importantly, prayer. Let’s step out, roll up our sleeves, set aside our egos, and begin working towards making this a wonderful country.

Here’s to a positive start to citizenship for all those who have just completed college!