Surviving College: Semester In Review 3.1

Hello peeps,

I have been having a pretty swell couple of days, if I do say so myself. So, I figure why not use the high of positive vibes to write this post.

Realistically speaking we are 3 weeks into the new semester; third year of college, second semester. What y'all would call the last semester of junior year. So far, we are time barred, some classes just started this week or a week late, there is an ongoing lecturers' strike but, I will say, we have met nearly all our lecturers(literally going out  on a limb for us) and they mean business and I like that.

Let's back track a bit though, to last semester. Fam, it was rough. I only had three units, which I will admit I took for granted. I really want to pin the blame on someone. Something. Anyone? Anything!But, when it is all said and done, excuse me while I put my big girl pants on, it was all me.

Class attendance. Them Friday classes tho'. I know I can count on one hand how often I missed class on Friday but the impact was felt. Of course, I met the attendance threshold, in fact, surpassed it, but bruh! Missing one college class is a definite no-no especially with the bulk of the units that I have.It's a no-brainer, but I learnt that the hard way sad to say.


Work-school balance. There was no such thing, not even remotely, work won and I am disappointed in myself for that. I had one afternoon class which ate into 4 hours of work. I still had to meet my weekly hours regardless. Long story short, I would work 9 hours two days out of the week, leaving little or no time for all things school and school related. There I said it, I messed up. Of course I was tired, dog tired, hence the whole attendance 'thing'.

Time was of the essence and I think it was abused. I was not reading or studying enough, we have already established that. But nearly every week one class or another was cancelled, some topics, given that we were in a little crisis situation could have been covered in a single class which had us having classes to the  very last day more or less. I mean whatever happened to study leave? There was also this thing where each unit had at least two facilitators and coherence was not a thing, nearly every one of them on a different wavelength from the other. Welcome to public university, where being shortchanged is the order of the day.

Back to me though, exam season was in full swing when I realized that I do this really stupid thing, where I wait to master key concepts or actually familiarize myself with certain course material a few days to the exam. Often, a few days to finals, I am just a huge ball of throbbing nerves on legs; pulling all-nighters, cramming, minimal study breaks, bluntly put NOT 'A' material.

Improvements? For one, this semester, I plan to be attending every class. So far, not too bad, I missed one class last Friday since I had a  hunch that it would be cancelled and what do you know? It was! Punctuality will also have to make several guest appearances. Getting ahead on my lessons would also be the ultimate dream seeing how notes and course outlines have been graciously flooding my inbox. Study time's bar on the graph just has to increase.

My war paint is on, and I am ready for the assignments and study binge weekends. Hopefully it will be a different story in the next semester in review.

Have a good one!    

Surviving College: How to Pick An Internship

By now given that I have shoved it in your face a couple of times, when it comes to internships I have my fair share under my belt. That being said, I am pretty sure out of five or six, give or take, only one has been lets just say not what I expected. Of course that is putting it lightly, simply because libel defamation is real so are lawsuits and honey, the can is no place for me. I mean, it was not all bad, after all, it was the inspo behind this post, classic win-win situation, I guess. Now I know what I should be on the look out for next time I jump in both feet first and I figured I'd let you in on it to.

Experience. Well, what do you know? It does not get any more obvious than that. Pick out an internship that offers you legit experience in your field of interest. You have an interest in working the old 9-5, clock-in, clock out flow? Or maybe just develop a work ethic. Go for something with structure and definition, from defined daily work hours to your job description (which is always subject to change) with set out responsibilities. These need to be set up from the get go, be it on the application or from a piece of information received from someone or simply ask. This way you are not groping in the dark or second guessing yourself when you are in too deep. If things are all too vague, do not be afraid to start looking elsewhere, you will thank yourself later.

Compensation. You kinda need to get yourself from point A i.e campus, home or whatnot to B, said internship. Typically a set amount is already put aside if it was indicated on the application. The general figure on the ground is Ksh.300. It's not rocket science, if the amount barely covers your transport needs you may need to reconsider. But if the amount goes the extra mile and even leaves you with a little something for your troubles, you hit the jackpot and that has a go-ahead from me.

P.S. This is not always the deal breaker if you can finance yourself through, go for it!

Remuneration. This is usually the ultimate dream. Mostly because paid internships are few and far between and you know us humans, we want what we can't get. Rough estimate, I have none, but what I do know is more often  than not it's a weekly stipend steering you clear of tax and other statutory deductions. If you swing by one of those, roll up your sleeves and get your grind on because you, homie, you got it real good. How to legitimize if or when you are actually going to get paid is another thing, there are people out there who are just plain savage and incentivize what is not there, so you best be on the look out for that.

If you are looking for an internship just out of trying to keep yourself busy or curiosity or just plain interest the not so structured traditional internship is right up your alley. Typically it involves meeting a couple of times a month mostly geared towards an event of some sort. Or better yet those that allow you to make your own hours. As lucrative as it sounds ensure you are getting tangible  results from it, case in point, recommendation letter or even a certificate. You are likely also to be paid in kind with snacks during meetings, meals during the said event which will run over a couple of days and transport because again these are not the traditional working hours , you may go well beyond 11 p.m and that is just on the earlier side. If there is nothing tangible expressed early enough, you can A) Follow up and/or/then B) make a respectful exit. Simply because, you are investing a whole  lot of your time, money and energy on someone or whole entities that are brutally put, exploiting your labour and precious whole chunks of resources for their own selfish needs. If that doesn't hit home, only experience can teach you.

Not all of these have to feature but may I emphasize on a tangible product for your efforts, this doesn't always have to be monetary, even if there is a special something for the most exemplary intern/volunteer you who may not be as exemplary as the next guy, you still deserve call it what you want validation, recognition or proof that indeed you put in the work. That in mind,

Have a  good one!

Surviving College: Semester In Review

It's over, the holidays are over! Like all good things, I guess this too must come to an end.

Getting right into it my semester in review. Second year of college. We are past the half way point and boy hasn't it been one heck-uhv-a-ride. Theoretically, I am one of those people who like to live their life with no regrets. Everything happens for a reason right? Coupled with that, I am a self proclaimed over thinker. So, again regrets not so much, but I go heavy on the what-ifs.

First aspect of review, getting right into it like an African parent, academics. My transcript, in an effort to kick start this on a positive note, no fails. You have to be grateful for something, am I right? On the realness end though, I am just above average or average or worst just below average. Average, gives me the  chills. Now this is where, y'all expect me to confess how much of a slacker I have been, au contraire. I truly feel that this school year, I hit the books harder than I did freshman year. Attending all my classes-check, class participation-check (okay,not entirely), frequent library study sessions-I cannot even lie, not as much as they should, lecturer consultation- nil, but in my defense...okay no excuses, study time-check, though, I will say from where I stand it looks like I am studying harder as opposed to smarter.

That awkward moment when you realize the problem is you.

Clearly a couple of things need to change this school year. Library visits and smart study especially. Folks, it's crunch time.

Co-curricular activities. If there is even dash of expectation that you that you think I take part in a sport, I am awfully flattered. A work out alone is a task. Genuinely, a minute ago, I was all about that, "I could really careless" attitude but now that I look at it surely a work out will get the blood rushing, encourage an aspect of discipline, release feel good endorphins and all that good stuff.

White flag is up ladies and gentlemen and at this moment I declare I am on the look out for a good workout routine or better yet, face my fear of running.

Participation in the 15th Annual Kenya Model United Nations was rewarding. Rewarding-used to describe the painful process and the wonderful outcome.. There maybe a blog post in the works with the conference through my eyes, who knows, no really, I do not even know. Either way doing things besides school work, my way of sugar coating I need a break every once in a while is welcome with open bear hug arms.

This brings me to one of my most neglected co-curricular activities. This li'l ole URL over here. My claim for the love of writing is such a joke, more so, the theory that I do not have time is the biggest setback of all time. You heard that here first kids. O f course you didn't but you get the picture. Until I stopped writing, I did not know how much I loved it. A whole new world of Youtube channels, music that I am in absolute love with, working girl chronicles remains unlocked.But that changes now, with the new found will of writing a post a week. Miserable, I know but I realized two would be pushing it. Baby steps, grasshopper, baby steps.

An air of an unintended reading slump. A book a week, more like a book when I can. In the past four months I have read two books, two! A book a week is back with a bang, okay maybe two books a month. Now that's realistic.

Might as well just slide in there a weekly movie night/day plus naps, loads and loads of naps. I seriously feel deprived of down time. Between school and work, a slounge sesh is my cup of tea. Speaking of tea, Kericho Gold flavoured tea are out of this world and movie night and tea, you can't make this stuff up! The price tag is a bit on the higher side, but you know, treat yo' self.

Let me take you to church. On a spiritual level, I mean it is no  wonder my semester as per this blog post was shambles ridden. Do not get me wrong there is an aspect of #Blessed. But, bruh, I do not give God the time of day and it kills me. I will say though that earlier this year I fasted food for the first time ever for Lent and I had absolutely no option but to get closer to Him. Isn't it funny the near "death" experience that comes with letting go of a material object even just for a time? You know the saying show me your friends and I will tell you who you are? Let's just say, God did a little spring cleaning in my life during this time in regards to the people who are constantly in my life. Best part? I only went in looking to strengthen my relationship with God and know Him more and better and He gave me a bonus.

So help me God, the irony, I need to be on that Bible and prayer tip at least everyday this last quarter of the year.

Have a good one!  

Surviving College: How to find an internship/job over school break in Kenya

There comes a time in a student's life where you have to get out there and do stuff. Career stuff or just work related stuff to gain this thing called experience, prevent death by boredom or any other relevant reason you can think of. I have been at this crossroads enough to know some tricks of the trade. Every time I get asked by a peer or two how I got the gig, I tend to give a rather vague answer that goes something like, "Oh, you know, I just applied" and that just has to come to a stop,

Let's go back all the way back, I am talking my teens, eighteen, nineteen thereabouts. My freshman college days in Strathmore. Now, I am certainly not being paid to say this but Strath definitely has got the keys. Nearly every week there was a campus corporate event of some sort; career fairs, round tables, hack-a-thons. These shindigz almost always had the right people you needed to make the first impression of a lifetime to guarantee a job position of some sort.

Back then those were my selfish years. Honestly speaking, I had better things to do on a Friday afternoon (or so I thought) than attend these career jolting things. They were geared towards seniors any way who brought their A, for aggressive, game. Follow up meetings or word on the street the week after would be that someone scored an internship at some major company just by how much they put themselves out there. I hope you get where I am going with this. Basically, the world (your campus) is your oyster if you position yourself in the right place at the right time (said events) and actually put yourself out there; read up on the company or individuals just like you would if you were preparing for an interview so that you conveniently have some thoughtful insight to whatever is the topic of discussion.

Still around the same time I was an AIESEC-er which by the by has similar of the above said events, actually hosting quite a number even liaising with some really big names in the Kenyan corporate scene. That being besides the point, my VP for my portfolio at the time, Global Internship Program(GIP), worked for his dad. Hey Dwayne! To the human eye, you would probably go on and think classic silver spoon in mouth situation, probably didn't have to work quite as hard. On the flip side though, he used his connections. So who cares that you "didn't have to work quite as hard" my say, connections are meant to be used. Even my first internship was courtesy of my D-A-D. How is that for food for thought.

What I swear by though and has worked brilliantly for me in the past at least is online job adverts. Brighter Monday might as well make me their brand ambassador because I have got all but one of my internships from there; Storymoja, Tahoe Solar and now my current spot. During my cyber tarmacking days, I would type in something like "Internships in Kenya in July 2015" or "part-time jobs in Kenya in July 2015" and most times something that I was qualified for would pop up. Plain and simple, your search engine is your best friend. Finding it is just the the tip of the iceberg bookmark it because you know, life happens and apply...immediately before you get that pesky notification when you go back to submit your application, "This position is no longer available". It also helps to be on various job sites mailing list so that you are the first to cop that position.

You may want to go old school and drop your CV at offices physical address. Does this work? I have no idea but it's worth a shot . There is always a new building popping up in Nairobi nowadays, heck even whole business parks. If it is a new business they are almost always looking for an extra pair of hands. My advice always fake that you are office hunting or have an appointment because security isn't exactly very cordial towards job seekers. Hey, in this concrete jungle you have got to be shrewed.

On the new school front, more and more jobs are being advertised on your timeline at least on my Instagram feed. Diana Opoti @dianaopotipr advertised for twenty something African designers not too long ago, Kenya's favorite t.v duo Brenda Wairimu @brendawairimu_and Nick Mutuma @nickmutuma called for scripts a few months back for Kenya's first rom-com, Kiko Romeo @annmccreath @iona_mccreath (who by the way has a clothing line under her mom's label Kikoti and modelled for Kiko Romeo,now what did I say about connections again?) just last week set out an ad looking for models@lublaq looking for interns. Class up your social media, this falls under always having an ear to the ground.


That said,

Have a good one!  

Surviving College: Legal Attachment

It is super surreal that I have been on holiday for a whopping five weeks already. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was super unprepared for my Equity and Trusts final? Confessions of a college student, why don't you?

Well, I am on some genuine feel good hormones right about now so I figured why not ride on them to fuel me through writing this article.

I might as well just put it out there that I am not quite done with my legal attachment just yet. This is just a reminder that possibly, the worst is yet to come.

So, I was attached to Kibera Law Courts. The actual reception we had was now that I think about it rather warm. Security gave us a  point in a vague direction but it is not the what they told us, it's more of how they told us, you dig? It makes all the difference.

On the real though they did not expect us. You would think that with my email inbox blowing up with subject UPDATED CLINICAL ATTACHMENT LIST every two seconds the HR department surely must have gotten at least a peek, but no in the words of the executive officer and I quote "... this is like a bad joke...". Although it may seem like I am throwing a baobab tree's worth of shade, in retrospect, the blame could maybe even should be thrown to say, I don't know my faculty. What would you do if you saw a good 33 souls showing up at your doorstep without so much as a heads up?

In true ambushed fashion they basically just told us to find something to do between the courts and  the registry more emphasis on the registry. Knowing me, I like to jump in both feet first so the  registry sounded like the ultimate challenge. When I look back on it, I clearly went into this expecting a whole  lot mostly in terms of hospitality; the whole shabang a warm smile, couple of handshakes, formal intros, it happened alright just not at the  expected time. Not to say that the cold shoulder was the order of the day but it was one of those, "Toto, I've a feeling we are not in Kansas anymore,"  vibes.

They started warming up to us after two hours, give or take, and I have to say the work was hella basic and in this case, that was a good thing. Filling in files  receiving  files not rocket science at all.There was an attempt to organize us later in the day , break us down into smaller groups which for the most part worked.

The highlight of the first week? There was a cheeky little public holiday and it could not have come at a better time, nuff said: I am a basic lazy bum.

On the fourth day we got to meet our magistrate. I have no recollection of my sentiments at the time but she turned out to be lit. Now, she, she understands hospitality. Warm smile-check, intro-check and a couple of ground rules...see, easy, peasy and not even sleazy.

Most importantly, the legal proceedings. The first time in court gets real old real quick but I will say the first few minutes that fish fresh out of water feel, super real. Then you get the swing of things, basic procedure being mentions a whole lot of them, a couple of hearings and on Monday's there's a side of drunk and disorderly petty cases. Cases that are worth your entertainment? Sexual offences and assault. To sum it up a fire prosecution witness is all you need to keep you attentive. But be warned, when the lawyers get to asking the tough questions, a never ending cycle of answers mostly which are repetitive begins.

Flash forward to week two. I only had to go two out of five times, apparently my magistrate had a retreat and French leave was in order. Didn't  I tell you she was lit? Of course not squarely because of this but excuse me while I slide that in there as a contributing factor.

Before I go ahead and write a memoir out of a four week internship, I'll see you on the other side with part two. But with such a strong start, could anything possibly go wrong?

Have a good one!

Pulling An all-nighter

At some point in the semester if you are not the perfect student like myself (go figure), you realize the rubber has met the road, sleep might as well become a rumor and you and caffeine might as well become besties. Maybe you were slacking or have a professor who goes from zero to a hundred covering more than you can handle or more often than not you have a pesky deadline. What better way to get your life than pulling an all nighter? Of course there are better ways, for starters giving organization a go, but let's just ignore that for a minute, kapish?


First make a list of some of the goals you want to achieve within these few hours. Let them be realistic goals, small ones if you may. It could be covering a few topics in your course outline other than the whole syllabus. Look at it as working smart other than working hard. You could either make a mental list or if you are more of a visual being , write them down and cross them out once you achieve them.

Pulling an all nighter needs you to be all in. I am talking physically, mentally, emotionally. That being said, psychological preparation is a necessity. Your state of mind definitely  influences how long you will stay up hitting the books. Once you know the goals you want to achieve and the limited amount of time you have to do this you will be less distracted. You will definitely get a whole lot more from your all nighter.

Have some motivation/ reward system as you read. Reward yourself with a cookie every hour on the hour or a minty sweet to get that sugar rush going. Your milestones don't go unappreciated and it keeps you going towards the next pit stop and the next after that. After satisfying your sweet tooth do not forget to brush to keep them cavities a long way from your pearly whites.

We would all like to imagine that we are lean mean studying machines, but the harsh reality is taking little breaks every now and again does more good than harm during these hard times. Stretch to get some blood flowing, fix yourself a sandwich, a mug of coffee or tea, listen to your favorite jam of the moment (Sorry from the Biebs, just had to throw that in there). You are fired up all over again this time for the homestretch.

At some point in time during the all nighter, reality hits even harder. Chances of you covering everything you intended to are not looking good and you are just about ready to fall into panic mode. One word, prioritize. You may be good at one topic not so great at another, cover the topic that is most challenging first and breeze through the other at a later time . Panic mode has hereby been aborted.

Study in silence. If you are the type that needs music blasting at maximum volume do whatever suits you don't let me bust your bubble. I find that studying without having anything else on has me more productive. Otherwise, lyrics and what I am trying to read mash up to form one hot mess of mush which goes without saying, is not good, not good at all.

So, here's the thing all nighters generally should not be your usual  go to. Sure it produces grades above average, but it would probably be easier to study all through the semester on a moderate basis  and have nothing but As on your transcript other than going to the extremes. And that's the truth, Ruth (can you tell I just watched Do The Right Thing?)

Have a good one!

Surviving College : First Week Hacks

*sigh* I  just had one of the easiest mornings in a while; cancelled class, sleeping in and waking up to one of the best DJ sets courtesy of Just A Band's, Blinky Bill topping it all of my tweet getting favorited by him. Can you blame him? My hashtag was, how do I say, fire?

In other news, it's a new month. Besides smoothly easing into it, one month into the school year and homie we made it! Let me be completely honest and say that this whole month felt like the first week of school. Sure it flew past but getting into the hang of things, not so much.

Either way, I figured let me share a few pointers on how to get your bearings on the first week especially in college where the temptation of cutting class is at a record high.

Go your first day. Have an early night and a mindset that vacation is over, sadly. Of course there's the little leeway that  you don't have to rock up on time, so in my humble opinion use the heck out of it, but don't abuse it. Use it because chances are, your professor also hasn't gotten the hang of the schedule plus it is an unsaid rule. The upside besides getting your academic life? Seeing all your friends and classmates. Maybe you missed them or missed seeing their faces. Either way get to know whether their vacay was yay or nay. It takes the dreadfulness out of the first day anyway.

My schedule/timetable comes out nearly a week before school starts but there's always the possibility that a few changes may be made. Usually this is just for rules of engagement between the class and the lecturer i.e moving a class that would otherwise start at 8 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. or 9 a.m. Some professors go out of their way to tell you when your group assignments, tests, individual assignments and the like may be. Does being M.I.A on day one scream no-no yet?

Now that you got your schedule, it's time to know your schedule. The location of your classes, materials  you need each day for instance rolling up on Wednesday or Thursday without my Sale of Goods Act, yup, not happening. Your schedule also lets you know when you do not have class which is a good time to schedule, drum roll please...library binge sessions, study time and group work dates. Slowly but surely by consistently attending class this schedule and your personal schedule become second nature.

The first week is also prime time to size up your lecturer. Are they drill sergeants or the easy going type.Chances are you already have the down-low on them from their past classes but just keep it old school and hear it all from the horse's mouth before you form an inaccurate opinion about them. Of course, accord to each of them the same respect. The first week basically sets the pace for the whole semester and you can gauge whether this is going to be "that" class (exciting) or "that" class (meh).

You and I both know that the first class equals introductions, ground rules, the ol' what-do-you-expect-from-me, what-do-I-expect-from-you run down and course outline. It can take anywhere between twenty minutes and an hour. If you are lucky telling you where all the course materials can be found marks the end of a class. Or does it? Some lecturers waste no time and dive right in. I am not such a fan of this, (who is?) but they are usually the type to complete the syllabus in record time leaving you ample time to study for finals. If anything, I think this is reason number one why you should get yourself to class on your first day/week.

All in all my first month back to school is of to a bumpy start with concluding internships and prior  commitments which thankfully I am done with but on the flip side, the library is seeing a lot more of me these days. No, I do not have tests (yet) or exams, just, you know, working smart. One can only hope that this whole "star student" thing lasts.

How was your first month back in school? Up, down, can't get any better? Let me know in the comments,

Have a good one!  

  

Surviving College: Holiday Memories

'Sup guys!

It's only the first week of school and I am just about ready to tap out. Or it's just a severe case of holiday withdrawals. What better way to get over it than looking back on the period that was. These are just a couple of highlights that made it memorable; the good, the bad and the neutral.

Nairobi floods. It seemed like just another rainy evening. Myself indoors nice, warm and toasty. If only everyone else could have sung that same tune. Traffic jams that lasted until four a.m and power outages that lasted even longer. I guess it would be safe to say that since then Nairobi has learnt a valuable lesson on the importance of maintaining the city's drainage system. Well, hopefully. But still, what a way to kick start the holidays, huh?

Driving license. Guess who can now be legally behind the wheel cruising at a few kilometers per hour? This girl! Yes I may be two years too late on this bandwagon but I finally got round to it. I would love to say that my skills give Lewis Hamilton a run for his money but it is what it is. There was also the driving test from hell which I may or may not write about. Probably will. All in all , homie we made it!

Posting  three times a week. The month of May would have had you thinking that blogging was my full time job. Posts three times a week, quality posts, somebody call the fire department because I was on fire; Media Monday, Surviving College, Book Reviews, didn't I spoil y'all or what? Well that fire was put out soon after,  be careful what you wish for.

Internships. I had two in four months, talk about a personal best. Of course there will be more in depth posts but this is what you guys you should know; it was the best of both world with one being the liberal artsy environment  and the other the traditional 'profesh' situation plus I learned a tonne from both. This may be my very definition of productivity.

Interviews. In a span of four months I had two interviews. This little experience here taught me a little something about preparation. No stones were left unturned and I sure wasn't about to disappoint my foyn self. It is at this point that I feel like a post dedicated to acing an interview should be in the works, yup, I'll go ahead and put it on my to-do list. That being besides the point, I aced one of them and tanked in the other...until I got a call back from the one that I was supposedly 'unsuccessful' in. Take that failure! That just goes to show what putting yourself out there gets you.

Goals. Especially for my blog I was aiming for nothing but the stars. 36 books were to be read; let me break it down. Two books read a week, 18 posted while on holiday and the other half scheduled for the last quarter of the year. A couple of sewing, knitting and crafting D-I-Y's, find bae, walk down the aisle, start a family, buy my first home. You follow? Yup nearly none of that happened but it still makes for a good laugh.

Other cool stuff: my sister's graduation. YAAASS! She sure showed college, slight obsessions with summer 2015 music playlists, joining HerCampus. retweets from Marcus Hanley by far #1 cool kid from where I stand, Jay Aysher and MTv Africa Music Award (MAMA) Best Pop and Alternative Act 2015 Jeremy Loops.

Little story for you. I have been continuously convincing myself that I was the first to congratulate Mr. Loops on his MAMA win. Him favouriting my tweet had me on cloud 9. It doesn't end there.Well with Jeremy Loops it does. JSomething from Mi Casa mentioned my little old self  in a comment on Instagram. Might as well kick this degree to the curb and be some type of social media guru!

Not convinced that I'd make one heck of a social media guru? Now y'all know in my head, Jack and Finn Harries are my woes. So when I made it into the What do you believe in? video, I knew they felt the same way. Girl in the white sweater with pandas across it, reppin' the 2-5-4 at 0:42, that's me. My clip is only a second long but I always thought fifteen minutes of fame was a little too long anyway.

Yup, as I suspected a walk down memory lane was the perfect cure to holiday withdrawals.

Have a good one!

Surviving College: What I Learnt My First Year of College

What it do, good people?

 Back to school is in a few weeks time, so there wouldn't be a dandier time to walk down memory lane other than now. Shall we?


Let me be the first to put it out there that this last school year technically speaking was not my first year of college. I did a diploma which took a year and four months to complete making that my very first year of college. Now, I am on to my degree, having completed my first year, earlier this year. So if you were a year or two behind me in high school and are thinking, "Say what!" now you know. If you weren't, well you also know.

It's no cup of coffee. The making friends, long classes, getting up early for class, cancelled classes. It does get a little overwhelming I'll tell you that much. During my diploma making friends was not so easy. That's what gave me the most anxiety. By the time I started my degree though, I couldn't care less, one of those been there, done that, bought the t-shirt type of situations. I thought about it less and eventually found my social circle.That's another cheeky lesson for you, do not overthink it. Hey maybe it found me. As for the long classes and getting up early, I wish there was an antidote out there because I am still dealing.

It gets easier. You'll probably find your kind soon enough; people you can vent with and share a light moment during that never ending class. They will be your lunch buddies, snack buddies, walk-home buddies, any buddy (get it!). After a while even a cancelled class does not sting as much and long classes will not necessarily be boring, they may be even be highlight of the semester.

Join a club or two to break the monotony. I am just going to go right ahead and say it, Model United Nations which I talked about here and here give you a week off from school. If that is not a good deal, point me in a direction towards one . That should not be a why you join though. You still have your fair share of school work to catch up on thanks to your, "leave of absence", but it is well worth it. Also most clubs give you that hands on experience way ahead of time in your career field, possibly even explore other options inside and out. This year I got the best of both worlds; some much needed leave and some hands on experience. You simply cannot go wrong with that.

Most people are cool once you get to them. First semester I barely talked to the people outside my social circle. But by the second half of the school year there were hugs all around, inside jokes, heart-to-hearts, roasts; bonds of some sort. Turns out we just needed some time to get to read each other, don't we all?

When you are sick rest. Of course don't be the person that goes overboard and misses nearly a whole week in the name of a mild case of the sniffles. In my case, last semester alone I had tonsillitis, sinusitis and some stomach situation which I will spare you the details and me the embarrassment. Fortunately (you have to look for even a little good in the bad) they happened at either, extreme of the school year where classes were not yet in full force or they were just winding up. While I was doing my diploma on the other hand, I twisted my ankle but limped through a couple of my classes since I had tests and what-not. Sometimes you just have to be a trooper.

Money will be tight. You know how Johnny Bravo would open his wallet and a butterfly would come out proclaiming freedom as the only contents of his wallet besides i.d., well I was not too different either. Of course there's no butterfly in my purse, I'm pretty sure that's cruelty to animals, but on the  buckaroos front I pulled through. This serves as testimony.

And finally...


Procrastination is the enemy. Especially when exams swing by. You will probably read that chapter later, huh? Or go to the library tomorrow. Mhmm. Tomorrow is usually the weekend before exams which has you collapsing under the weight of a few unread chapters that eventually morphed into whole books. This, if I follow through will probably counter this tale of horror.

I guess I made it through freshman year. Second year, we might as well get this show on the road.

Have a good one!  

Surviving College: What to do with your Weekends

This post was meant to go up on Saturday, here comes the but...it was also meant to be scheduled...but my attempt at being organized has failed tremendously. Heck! It is up now and the weekend swings by ever so often.

Weekends are usually a great excuse to sleep in, laze around in your pajamas, chill, maybe hang with friends, stay up late and do your assignment(s) last minute. The problem comes in when all your escapades leave you starting the week even more tired than you finished it. Well it's time to break the cycle.

image from: thejobshop.wordpress.com

Set your alarm. I know, I know, it's the weekend. Here is where we agree to compromise. Set your alarm a few hours later than your usual weekly wake up time, of course at cock's crow is out of the question. The sooner you are up, the earlier you get to start your to-do list and the earlier you get to finish it. See, it's not all bad.

Clean and neaten up. If you are anything like me, early mornings leave your room in utter disarray. Clothes stuffed in the closet, my variation of folding and a spread, lumpy bed. The weekend is my time to right my wrongs. A little closet organisation, actual folding, sweeping, dusting, moping equals a sound mind. It takes between 45 minutes and an hour.

Then I proceed to the next best thing.

Laundry. I dread every minute of laundry but hey, what has to be done, has to be done. Usually I have a couple of things soaking and others sorted while I clean so that it's one of those in-'n'-out jobs. It isn't. Either way, there is no need to have a laundry pile giving Everest a run for its money.

Meal Prep. I live at home so I do not have to this. But  I did see Youtuber Jayla Koriyan do this and I thought, what a way to be organized. If you have no idea what a meal prep is, let me school ya, this is where you pre-cook and pre-package meals for your consumption during the week. Prepare a healthy menu of your choice, cook everything on it on a given day (the weekend), package it in Tupperware, toss it in the fridge and after one long campus day, pop it in the microwave, eat to your fill, then you can hit the books or the sack. It's all up to you. No hustle, no bustle.

Treat yo' self. Give yourself some TLC. From a lady's end, this would be the perfect time to detangle, wash, deep condition and style your hair for the week. A facial mask may also have my name all over it. If you are into mani-pedi's there could not be a more convenient time to do it. Easing into the chill part of the weekend and you don't even know it.

Chill/Hang out. You can either unwind solo with a good read, binge watch a series maybe even watch a movie. Or if you are one social butterfly link up with a homie or two and have a good time at a festival, party or one of those campus soi·rées . Did you have a doubt in your mind that the fun was never going to begin?

Schedule blog posts/videos. If you are a content creator who has to juggle this thing called college you probably want to write or film during the weekend since you are heavily swamped with work the rest of the week. The last thing you want is your viewers/readers thinking you pull a disappearing act every time school is in session.

Church. It is always god to show the Almighty your gratitude for getting you through the week and you just might be fueled with inspiration to tide you through the next week.

Assignments. We are kicking last minute assignments to the curb. Your professor is not about to leave any stones unturned as they test your understanding  of the latest topic of discussion thus the dreaded weekend assignment. Schedule some time to get this done. Reasonably early Sunday morn'/mid-morning is a good bet, leaving you ample time to enjoy a second dose of chill time and have an early, anxiety free night.

Sleep. This is one of those legit ways to re-energize for the week. A siesta on a Sunday afternoon does wonders while turning in early enough has you set and ready to roll come Monday morning.

Put some of these on your weekend to-do lists. You will not regret it.

Have a good one!

 

Surviving College: The Professional Look

'Sup guys!

It was Monday yesterday, but there was no Media to it. I weighed quantity against quality and quality won. Surviving College it is then. But before you  get to whining, Media Monday will be back with killer bands, maybe solo artistes, Youtube channels; basically the usual, whatever tickles my fancy and has a shot at tickling yours.

So, you are probably packing up for college you Freshman you. You have got your shower caddy on you, some cleaning supplies, school spirit merchandise, a back pack you will be hauling around campus, the list goes on and on. Guess what? It gets longer.

Little story for you here. No one told me, "Your career starts in college," "You may just be in need of a business suit there honey," "Don't forget to whip out that resume". Career starting in college? Business suit? Resume!? Yeah, right. Yeah. Right.

Boys and girls it is time to put our business looks in the front and party/chill/slounge (sleep+lounge) looks in the back, just for a while at least.

Exhibit A: The business/power suit
Didn't think you needed it this soon huh? Chances are during your first year of college or at the end of freshman year you will be out there looking for an internship or a job, heck maybe both. When going in for the interview, there is a need to be looking sharper than a knife's edge. This is where the suit comes in. Let your future superiors know you mean business. Come in with a clean, crisp, white collared shirt with a well tailored fitting suit and you will be the candidate etched in their mind. You might want to store this in one of those suit bags, keep it in it's prime condition.

Exhibit B: The shoes
You may be scanned from head to toe so do not let anyone tell you any different that the shoes department does not really matter. Black is usually the classic option and also the safest. Don't shy away from the status quo, go get yourself a pair , who am I kidding? Get yourself a couple. The professional world is calling and more than a pair is preferable. Ladies, those chunky heeled, closed black shoes is the better option, strappy heels not so much.

Exhibit C: Office wear
So you nailed the interview and now you are a member of the workforce. You got the part, now you need to look the part. Long-sleeved dress shirts, neckties, dress pants, blouses, you get the picture, around these parts are all the rage. This trend depending on your career is here to stay. I suggest you get on it. Cheer up, this is a legitimate excuse for a shopping spree.

Exhibit D: Cover letter
Most of the time or at least in my opinion this is the major seller. In a paragraph or three, summarize why you are the most deserving of the position together with your qualifications and experiences. Put some major effort into one,which will be your template and when that job pops up, you make the relevant edits and Ka-pow! Jut wait for that interview call.

Exhibit E: Resume
If you prefer, curriculum vitae. This answers the question,  Who are you? on paper. Talk about yourself in the most clear and precise way possible in no longer than 2-3 pages. The internet has some templates on how to write one if your completely lost on this one. Your work experience may not be exactly up there given that it's only freshman year but if you've job shadowed or even worked for your parents, put it down, it may just be the reason that earns you a callback.

Exhibit F: Portfolio
So you are an aspiring writer, photographer, artist. Then show me. Put together some of your best and most diverse work you have ever done because as the saying goes the proof is in the pudding.

Exhibit G: Letter of recommendation
So what do other people think about you and your work ethic? The age old recommendation letter. Wer you a teacher's pet? Well here is your chance to use it to your advantage. Ask for them to write you a letter. Ever volunteered/worked/interned? Ask your supervisor to do the deed. 2-3 letters is a safe number.

Exhibit H: Resume Holder
Something to carry it all in. Bold and professional. One of those faux leather folders that keeps all your papers crumple free plus you look organized. Win-win situation anyone.

Go forth and conquer the professional world!

Have a good one!

 

Surviving College: Saving Money In College

Hi guys, the weekend is finally here with us. I feel like just a wink ago, yes you read that right, wink, it was Monday. Oh well! Whatcha gonna do, the latest Surviving College installment awaits.

College in our house hold is one of those rude alerts where it dawns on you that Mom and Dad are not fountains of ever flowing cash. It hits you, and it hits you hard . To survive in this dog eat dog playground called the world, saving is essential and here are just some of the ways I try my hand at it:

Budget. The rule of thumb when it all comes to all things money is budget. That pesky b-word. Well love it or hate it budgeting will never go out of season. Necessities over wants any day. I am talking books, stationery, toiletries over that killer leather jacket you just have to have. On the plus side if budget is not in your vocabulary, why can't we be friends?

Hitch a ride. Once you have drawn up your budget, chances are the future is looking very grey, all 50 shades of them. Moving numbers around does not make the situation any rosier, so here is where the magic happens. Some good old street smarts! When it comes to commuting and your mom, dad or even better, a classmate is going the same way get in to that car. You may very well end up saving 50% of your budget, but do not spend it just yet.

When it comes to the actual commute weigh your options; if you walk to another bus stop that so happens to be further from your regular stop but cheaper it is not rocket science that you need to do the pocket-friendly thing.

Carry lunch, snacks and water/beverages. To pry my hands open of my daily budget is literally impossible. It was not always like this, believe it or not, I once used to spend a LOT of money on food alone but I was still holding it down in the beverage department. What? Give credit where it is due, no? Once it hit me that there was certainly no money tree in my yard, I got on that lunch and snack tip. Yeah, so occasionally a juice box and strategically placed supermarket popcorn go further than tempt me, I am human. However, you cannot imagine how much you can save from eating from your own kitchen.

Walk. Put that energy from your lunch and snack into use. If you have a walkable route from home to school or even half your commute, just put one foot in front of the other and you will be at your destination. Hey, plus side is you get to keep fit while doing it and of course save anywhere between 15-100% of your fare. Classic two birds one stone situation.

Shopping. When it comes to stocking up, when you are on a budget there's an art to the whole escapade. Be on the look out for supermarkets with the lowest prices. Do not just waltz in there any old time, go during offers; Back-to-school, End of Month, Easter, Special offers,usually Buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF), sales etc. Then you step it up by getting an economy pack of some sort like a pack of pens, pencils but be warned, do the math, the economy pack may not be as economical as it is painted out to be.


Money jar for pocket change. So you have been saving up, bits and pieces here and there and they possibly cannot add up to much, right? Wrong. Empty the coins or whatever that has been jingling in your packets nearly the whole day into a designated mug or jar, funk it up by maybe painting it or labeling it your dream destination. Dolling it up motivates you to save  so in a month you will have quite the amount, in a semester lunch with a plus one might as well be on you and at the end of a year start up capital for a business you may want to start is no problem.

Do not impulse buy. Usually this leaves you reeling in regret and self pity, having to tighten your belt even tighter because of the now dreaded impulse buy. Solution: Do not frequent places where impulse buying has become a norm for you, if you have to walk by these places, put your blinders on. Do not worry, self control will kick in soon enough.

Do-it-yourself. Giving up any luxury is usually the toughest part when it comes to saving. Getting hair and laundry done by another individual is all the rage when money is no object. But if you are a student, you might want to consider squeezing in laundry day and being your own one stop beauty salon.

These are just a couple of ways that have worked for me when it comes to stretching my budget a tad bit. I am no millionaire but at least I have a fortune, no matter how meager to my name. Just a little self discipline and you can join me on the other side of almost financial stability.

Have a god one!

Surviving College: Presentation Preparation

And I am back! Second day in a row. Take a minute to appreciate how much I am trying to earn back your support.

Well, let's get to it.

It is no secret that just over a week ago I managed to embarrass myself after one lousy performance that I talked about here. Rarely am I caught off guard in such situations so the whole episode was quite the wake up call. The saying goes that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Imma put my big girl pants on and admit the whole five minute from hell spectacle was all on me. Pinning the blame on somebody or something else will only land me in a pit of quick sand; stuck, struggling and ultimately sinking.

Whoo! Feels good to let that out, even better to see it documented. So what happens next? Pumping myself with a few pointers that will have me better prepared for future presentations and climbing out of the six feet under joint of humiliation that I have since embraced as home.

1. Early preparation. The moment you have your hands on your assignment, the work starts then. Procrastination can take several seats. Starting the process early has a number of perks, you can make several mistakes, identify these flaws, fix them and take a shot at being perfect.

2. Know your team. That is if you have a team but bare in mind that presentations rarely see you working solo. Identify  your partner(s) early enough this way you get to: divide the work fairly and accordingly, get the hang of each other and be each others judges. This way you have a couple of opinions and constructive criticism in due time.

3. Consistency. This would be in regards to knowing and understanding the assignment in question, individual and group oral practice, group meetings and individual and group reading, re-reading and understanding research findings.

4. Be thorough. Research on everything that could trigger a question. Now, I cannot stress enough  how important it is to read and re-read your research findings then understand them. Read. It. All. You do not want your own deer in headlights simulation similar to mine.

5. Language. If there is a way your audience is meant to be addressed, go through it from the get go. Have a mock audience and address them as you would the real audience. The more times you do, the faster and firmer it will stick.

6. Confidence. Project your voice, let it fill up the room. Dress the part. Put all the hours and hours of practice in to use, that moment depends on it. Relax, breathe, be sure of what you are saying and talk at a normal pace. This should have you managing curve balls thrown at you mighty well. Most importantly, remember you've got this in the bag.

These are just the few lessons I learnt from watching the OG's of the internal rounds do their thing and if it worked for them, they surely have to work for me and you, right?

Hmm, looks like I did take away something other than dire humiliation from the whole spectacle, Hopefully next time, I can put into practice what I have preached to you.

Have a good one!

Surviving College: The Worst Five Minutes of My Existence Yet

It's been a century ey?

I trust you are having yourself one hell of a weekend. Let’s take it up a notch  as I tell you about my Moot Court experience from hell. I guarantee a few laughs if dark comedy is your cup of tea, because this, this was a dark experience.

Quick explanation on my one week or so hiatus, it all came down to Thursday 11^th June midday. All Africa Moot Court internal rounds. There were hiccups along the way, major  and minor ones at that. These were probable warning signs, “Don’t do it!” that’s just paranoia talking. Yeah, it wasn’t.

I would like to tell you about the moments that led up to the most treacherous five minutes of my life, but that would postpone my embarrassment which you are probably aching to know by now.

My name just had to be the first on that list. I would be arguing the first issue, only problem is I was prepared for the third and fourth. In fact I was beyond prepared. The relevant law was on my finger tips, the relevant articles in the African Charter were mastered, international declarations and resolutions were in the bag, I had historical facts up my sleeve, Heck! I even had a quote that was for sure going to blow the judges away. My argument for luck of a better term was going to be …fire.

The only thing “fire” about my little situation because it was definitely no argument was how I crushed and burned, into ashes. My introduction was pathetic, let’s just keep in mind that the term pathetic in this situation is mild. There was no strong start, in fact  there was nothing strong about those five minutes, don’t keep your hopes up, don’t even have your fingers crossed.

Remembering the whole ordeal is painfully embarrassing. The memory sends me into few bouts of shortness of breath, but writing is risky business and my readers are worth the risk.

Quoting an article from the African Charter sent me on a downward spiral and the beginning of the end could not have been  clearer. At that moment I felt my eyes well up, yup the water works were on the brink of being turned on and it had nothing to do with the case Blyth v Birmington Waterworks that I would have cited. Besides being on the verge of letting my emotions get the utmost best of me, my temperature either dropped or rose maybe even both. All I know is if I was a couple of shades lighter, I would have probably turned berry red. All the while, I had goose bumps all over me, the hairs at the back of my neck were doing over time standing at attention and my hands were cold, ice cold.

All the while questions were coming at me left right and centre. You know how questions usually have answers, my mind changed it up and instead of answers, blank stares were the name of the game. It gets worse the language of the court also known as the fancy language used among those in the legal fraternity went out of the window. Everything and anything I said warranted a question, it is at these points that I should have just shut up.

Disappointing yourself is one thing , disappointing yourself in front of a good number of people is another. My situation was the latter. The icing on the cake, no? My five minutes were up and so was my life as I know it.

When I went back to my seat after that terrifying , humiliating, self-esteem, depriving, grueling experience the first thing I thought, I kid you not was, “Well won’t this make for an epic read.” I also thought of wimpering in the corner or finding a hole to bury myself in as I waited for my impending death. The long walk home would be far from therapeutic if anything it would amplify my fail not to mention how the weather was an accurate reflection of my exact sentiments; glum, gloom, grey, cold and lonely. 

For the past few days I have just wallowed in my own pool of misery reliving the humiliation over and over again. I would like to say that the world has since come to a standstill as I cope with this traumatic experience but if you’re still moving, you guessed it, nothing and no one stopped even for a split second, as  Chris Cooper finely put it in The Company Men. 

My weekend is usually laundry, lounging and literature now I get to throw in looking past this. Feel free to re-read this post if you ever feel the need to feel better about yourself.

Have a good one!

Surviving College: What Should Be In My Bag

I actually wanted to write this really early in the day around three p.m when the sun took a peek out, kids were playing outside and for once their excitement didn't bug me. Energy was at a high. Well, procrastination took over, so here I am writing a few hours later than intended.

What's in my college bag? A lot. Most of it necessary.With these bad boys the phrase fully equipped would be a perfect description of where I am at on any given day immediately translating into productivity.


These are the essentials that have me set and ready on an average college day. Note that one or more of these things fail to get in my bag thanks to a chronic case of forgetfulness so this post might as well double up as a checklist.

1. House keys. These are rarely in my bag. They are usually on my person. Literally attached to the hip. Before leaving the house, patting my side pockets has become a ritual just to confirm their presence. Experience could not have been a better teacher after an incident that left me sitting outside my own home for a good four hours.

2. Phone and earphones. Interestingly enough I have never forgotten my phone but I can't say the same for my earphones. One thing's for sure I am not the type of person to borrow earphones. If they aren't there, there goes my sweet escape from the now.

3.Little bag. The bag within the bag. There is no mystery here. Just some meds which will save my class the horrors of seeing me in full sinus mode i.e sniffles, chesty coughs, wheezing, red eyes etc. and me the embarrassment cum misery. Other stuff include tissue, pads and some good old fashioned oil, you cannot afford to be walking around with chapped lips or rough hands something a little petroleum jelly could fix.

4. Gum/Sweets. These are usually saved exclusively for the library, afternoon classes or classes that generally have me nodding off. They are not 100% effective but bare in mind the fight between myself and the Sandman still goes on, it doesn't necessarily have to be won.

5. Books. These are just one of those necessary things. You either have them or you have a system that works for you.

6. Stationery set. Everything in here remains compact and intact; pens, pencils, sticky notes,a ruler, eraser there used to be a sharpener. The only down side to being this prepared is people around you tend to think that your set is communal as they frequently proceed to help themselves to the contents. Although sharing is caring it can escalate into being annoying.

7. Water bottles. Two 500 mls usually do the trick since I have become very particular on getting a liter of water daily in my system. I could carry a one liter bottle but a bonus health life hack for you, smaller bottles are less daunting so you get to your one liter goal in a more relaxed manner. Two bottles is yet another instance which is mistaken for sharing is caring when it's really abuse of the sorry soul who hurls a liter of water from home every other day.

8. Lunch and break box. Carrying my own lunch and snacks saves me a tonne in the financial department so an investment in  tupperware  has gone a long way. One perk of carrying my own food, I can eat during lunch just to keep the hunger pangs at bay during those mid-morning classes.

9. Novel. A good book plus my favorite tunes just before the beginning of an early morning class does the job. A nice calm way to start the day since I am not a morning people person. It also comes in quite handy when I happen to be stuck in a never ending Nairobi traffic jam.

10. Wallet. Holds most of my money. You always have to have a secret stash somewhere else in case of an emergency.

11. Raincoat. This used to be an umbrella but after I lost one and replacing it would cause a dent on my tight, tight budget. The next best thing was a raincoat I've had since primary school which has served me well enough. Hey, it's either my primary school raincoat or having a psychological breakdown every time I see the clouds gather. What would you do?

12. Coins. Public transport always has me experiencing change woes; you can't give the conductor too huge an amount lest you spend your entire commute home eyeballing the conductor who may be cheeky enough to make away with your change that also happens to be the rest of the week's fare. Or forgetting that you had change altogether. Take my advice and play it safe either with exact change or when the conductor asks that all too important question, "Uko na mbao nikurudishie finje?" you will be making it rain on them with nothing but coins.

I hope these essentials become as important to you as they are to me. Well at least some of them. It is the last day of May so see you next month. Until then,

Have a good one!

Surviving College: The Kenya M.U.N. Experience #2

Your probably thinking , "Now this girl enjoyed the heck out of Kenya MUN, two articles in a span of a few days?" Well, it would be gravely hypocritical to negate your thought. What I will say however is that the previous Kenya MUN article stood a chance of being rather long. So, what better way of stopping myself from writing a novel from a one week experience than splitting what was meant to be a single article into two.

The final and second part of this series serves as pointers to you and reminders to me on how to get the most out of an MUN experience. I would have honestly preferred it to be your go-to guide on being the best delegate but I figured,that would be one of those it-takes-one-to-know-one situations and although I know of a couple best delegates, I am not one myself. Therefore I choose not to lurk in unknown territory but spill on my observations from the trenches.

1. Rules of procedure. Be as acquainted as you can with these. This fancy jargon can be either hell on earth for newbies or a walking on sunshine fete once you get the hang of it. The good news is the more you are around it, the easier it becomes. It should not be the reason why you are not leaving it all on the dais.

2. Know your country. From the not so big things like being a kingdom or republic, its location to the gargantuan things like allies and enemies, foreign policy, GDP. This is just to prevent embarrassing moments like supporting a resolution that is not even remotely close to your countries foreign policy or worse the complete opposite of its policy.

3. Confidence. Chin up, shoulders back and head for the dais like it ain't nothing but a thing. Speak with the confidence of a rapper spitting the illest rhyme. This coupled with relevant content makes one lean, mean debating machine.

4. Content. Keep abreast of the current and past details of the issues in question. When you know what you are talking about, your confidence is at a record high as opposed to when you are just winging it.

5. Participate. Write, submit and read your resolution, raise your placard for both time for and against, be heard in crisis situations even though I am not a fan of those, get called out for two-way conversation, raise a point of parliamentary inquiry or even move a motion to adjourn debate. Of course do all this sensibly. Keep in mind, however big and powerful  or small and unknown your country is, it does not matter. I am pretty sure I made the Kingdom of Tonga proud, yes, that is a country. The last thing you want to be is the delegate who raised the placard only when it was time to vote.

6. Dress to impress. I would say go crazy but the fact remains that it is an official environment and the term "going crazy" will not do it. But still do not be a plain Jane or John about it. You can  afford to shake it up a little, for instance it doesn't have to be all suit and tie, you could be the definition of bourgeois and throw in a kravatt into the mix or be a show stopper in cultural wear.

7. Have fun. Make friends, have a sense of humor, Heck! Be the committee clown if you have to while adding to the quality of debate. Make it memorable for you. Your best thing about the entire conference should not be the super comfortable swivel chairs, although I do admit a break from the wooden chairs back at school is much appreciated.

I would be happy to hear anymore of your own pointers since there are a lot more tips out there or even contradictions you may have in regards to my own. Other than that,

Have a good one!

Surviving College: The Kenya M.U.N Experience

Hello there! It would be rude for me to start this post without wishing all mothers out there a Happy Mother's Day so here it goes...Happy Mothers Day!!

Reading Jackson Biko's article in the Saturday Nation did one of two things; made me have a warm, fuzzy feeling inside and made me think of a time when Mom simply will not be there. She won't be there to ask me how I am doing in Math, a question that will always send a cold sweat over me, neither will she be there to make a sarcastic yet hilarious comment. So to the lady who has helped me in all aspects of life and continuously puts herself last giving up some of her dreams just so that my sister and I can recognize ours, who gave me and herself manicures even as she ran late for work when I was a toddler, who organized the most Turnt sixth birthday party a six year old could ever ask for and never passes up a good thrift find for either of us, I celebrate and appreciate you, always.

Enough with the mushy stuff. My account of Kenya Model United Nations awaits.

Since high school, I have always been a club bug. Not just any club though, clubs where I felt accomplished, successful, top of the crop even. But for this mix of my then and to some extent current definition of self-worth to come about I joined the best clubs. Clubs recognized the world over, a golden ticket of some sort or an all access pass to the world. Of course, even with my mind set on goals the equivalent of world domination, I did not pass up the "small time" clubs either.

Fitting the description of a club and society that also doubled up as an all access pass to the world was Model United Nations. East Africa Model United Nations (EAMUN) to be exact.

Saying that I enjoyed EAMUN would be an understatement, of course enjoyment was there, definitely, but more than that was the experience, all of it. The good, the confusing, the intimidating, the silliness, the work, was all enough to leave me craving for more. What better way to satisfy this craving than joining Kenya M.U.N.?

The two organizations could not be more different. The first thing you notice about Kenya M.U.N is that it is absolutely student run. There is no teacher telling you where you can and cannot go or reminding you that your bus is leaving and you might as well make plans of teleporting yourself home if you miss it. Forget it being a simulation of the real world, it is the real world, complete with hierarchies and everything. It's all you and on you. Daunting and scary yet exhilerating and riveting at the same time.

I would be lying if I said that KenyaMUN was a walk in the park. Maybe it was the fact that I had been out of the game for a while and was rather rusty or maybe it was the confidence that seemed to be oozing, leaking even, from everyone but me. Whatever it was had me questioning whether it was worth it. Not for too long though, in no time I had made a 360 degree attitude turn, that should be read to mean we moved into committees which meant smaller less intimidating groups. We were back in business.

My resolution, if I do say so myself was the bomb dot com or so I would like to think since it did pass Security Council and General Assembly with the help of my fellow delegates from Fiji, Thailand, Israel, Cuba and Committee 1 at large. Shape the future was the hashtag and #ShapeTheFuture we did.

It wouldn't be MUN without the guest speakers and there were plenty of those. The one who carried the day, no, the week was one Ambassador Kimani, Kenya Permanent Representative to UNON, Ambassador Martin Kimani to be precise. Besides recognizing the delegate from Kenya and making him feel all boss, he gave us some note-worthy step-by-step pointers on what to do if you want to be a diplomat summed up by this quote from his speech "Remember, delegates are soldiers in suits". At that point, he should have felt free to drop the mic and expect a standing ovation which he would have undoubtedly received. But of course in true diplomatic decorum he left apologetically in a hurry to go meet and brief Mr. President on some important matters I am sure. If those are not life goals, then go ahead  and define them for me.

The conference was not without fault seeing as to how there were a couple of disappointments; take for instance the number of guest speakers, a never ending list of them to.You know what they say about too much of a good thing. Fortunately this was made up for by the light-heartedness within and outside of debates where humor was in plenty.

Flaws and all, I am already thinking of Kenya M.U.N 2016.

Have a good one!

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