Kenyan Wits

Freedom, emancipation, independence are what comes in mind when you think about campus. Do you remember the time you yearned so hard, and maybe even fought sleep, just so you could get the right grades to enable you get to campus? Well, here you are now, freshers. The friends you make, the connections you get, the talent you utilize, the skills you acquire and the street smartness you learn from campus plays a major role in who you become. College is fun, as long as you don’t die, so they say. Here are tips that might help you make it worth your while and make your stay on campus easier 1. Attend Orientations How well will you know about your campus if you refuseto get directions? Orientations offer a platform where the new students get tobe introduced to campus and where all their questions and concerns getaddressed. How programs run in the institution is well explained here. 2.Attend most lectures, if not all Excessive freedom in campus often leads to mediocre thinking, for instance...

There is no other place where the statement ‘work smart, not hard’ applies more than at university, a place with unlimited freedom jostled by numerous events and activities, which create a sense of confusion and constant distraction from academic focus. This is unlike any other stage in life prior to and after. This is where working smart really separates you from the rest. Therefore, here are some smart and effective study tips you should apply in your university work-smart strategy. 1. Write colored notes Back in elementary school,our teachers insisted that we use a number of colors to write differentsections of our notes; Red for titles, Black for dates, subtitles andcalculations, and blue for paragraphs. Well, some thought this was just to makeour work look beautiful. Little did we know that colorimproves our memory through enhancing mind-mapping capabilities. Notes writtenin color are easily readable and can be organized into structures in the mind,which are easier to recall. This...

It is highly likely that you have already heard of or seen scooters, especially the kick scooters. What about electric scooters? An electric scooter is just a motorized scooter that uses an onboard rechargeable battery and other electrical components. The electric scooters have gained significant popularity in such countries as Japan mainly due to the desire to reduce environmental footprint. Despite most electric scooters being small, they are sturdy gadgets that can support almost anyone including adults. It also has handlebars, lights plus brakes, and it’s creatively designed to ensure optimum comfortability. Additionally, electricscooters also come with additional features like seats. Generally, thedriving force of this machine allows one to move constantly. Environmentalconsciousness, the ease of use associated with the electric scooters and theconvenience make them a popular choice among students and professors in suchnations as Japan and the US. Professor Eric Chang of Univers...

It’s a fact that men are generally wary of smart outspoken and successful women. Is it wrong though? I don’t think so. I believe it is a result of the way our ancestors set the responsibilities and roles of both men and women. Since the beginning, thesociety has required of the man to be the provider and protector of the family,which made him the head. Yet this status has been greatly challenged today withthe wake of feminism and unfortunately, men are finding it hard to adopt. Recent studies in the UShave revealed some interesting facts about the preferences of men in smartsuccessful women. When asked, most claim they would date a smarter and moresuccessful woman. However, once theyinteract with intelligent women and are outsmarted, they would rather not dateone. In addition, it is quite lucid that most marriages with very successfulwomen rarely last. I guess the problem is partly, the male ego, so frail andfragile, yet so fundamental to his existence. It is the reason why mensolve is...

Mackenzie Tuttle recently become the 3 rd richest woman in the world, how? By divorcing the richest man in the world; Jeff Bezos. While the settlement was rather a peaceful one, in most instances it’s never the case. Rather, it’s a dramatic series of cases finally leaves a dejected man with half or more of his hard-earned wealth gone plus an endless number of alimonies and child support checks to write in the following decade or two. Why? They didn’t have a prenup. On the other hand, casesof men who have lawfully been awarded a portion of their woman’s wealth after adivorce are very rare. For this reason, I believe that it is very ignorant fora man or a woman but mostly a man to marry without a prenup especially in thiscentury where gender equality has been corrupted by undeserved entitlement onboth ends. First things first, aprenup; short of Prenuptial Agreement, is a written document that stipulateshow wealth, property and other things will be divided between a man and a womanin cas...

Have you ever met someone who gets interested in you as much as you are interested in them, and that person vibes in the same frequency as yours?  Human nature dictates that we seek love, a weapon so powerful it can either help you fight your battles, or even blow you to bits. It falls right at the doorstep of some while others have to traverse all corners of the world like love pirates in pursuit of this magical treasure. Finding that one person whom you fit together like pieces in a puzzle is key to a happy life. These tips will improve your chances of meeting your perfect match! 1. Be true to yourself Follow your inner moonlight, don’t hide the madness. Weoften let others define who we are and make decisions for us. Do not trade yourauthenticity for peoples approval or perfection, be yourself. After all,happiness is when love is shown to your bona fide self, than when it is shownto your fake self. Be real! 2. Attend a lot of social events Most millennials were raised in a cocoon...

Joining university is cool, perhaps even deserving of an award, especially in this century where population growth is toppling all available resources and opportunities. However, you know what’s much more fulfilling? Starting or securing a part-time job while still in university. Why? Because if you don’t get something to do, you remain vulnerable to limited employment opportunities among other issues. A bold step into work life while still young prepares you for the harsh life out here and gives you an edge over your peers. To put this into perspective, here are seven reasons why you need to get a hustle while still studying. 1. No Jobs out Here If you had the illusion that you’ll just study hard get good grades and then people will come and beg to pay you 100k for knowledge and skills, then you are in for a wild ride. That used to happen before 2000. Today you have to trek, knock people’s doors, stalk them on social media and literally pester them to get employed. Unless you know peo...

Social interaction is like a routine in university. In fact, you cannot avoid it because of the numerous avenues where you meet people. Hence it is very crucial to always be the best representation of yourself. However, when creating this best self-representation, we occasionally forget to take care of one very important aspect; how we smell. Did you know that ladies are consistently attracted to men who smell great? In recent research by Kampusville, 332 university ladies were asked how high they place scent in their male attractiveness charts. An astounding 83 percent placed it in the top 5. You’d be surprised that looking as sharp as John Allan Namu or Ian Mugoya won’t guarantee you’ll get the girl but smelling like a star will. Ian Mugoya So what exactly can you do to ensure you are always smelling nice? Here are quick tips you should apply to smell like a star. 1. Take two compulsory baths daily. One in the morning immediately after waking up to get rid of sleep sweat and freshen ...

Are you exhausted with the habit of being overly nice to others at the expense of yourself and desire to turn a new leaf but have no idea where to start? Are you sick and tired of being a doormat and want to start standing up for yourself? Do you want to express your ideas and have people listen and consider them? Well, this is your lucky day. It takes a while to understand the difference between being nice (good) and being overly nice (bad). The life lessons below if applied will help anybody experience a transformation while at university and in future career life. 1. Build your self-confidence. With every action of an overly-nice person aimed at pleasing other people, there lies fear. Fear that you are not good enough. Fear that you must do something for others to gain approval. This is pure lack of self-esteem and it is the biggest culprit to this niceness menace. In fact, if you conquer this issue, all the rest will fall in place When you walk around campus, you should understand ...

What is it like when you feel obliged to defy your busy schedule against your wishes so that you can attend to someone else’s issues? How does it feel to sacrifice your needs so that you can provide for a colleague and expect something in return only to be disappointed? How do you cope with living in accordance with other people’s approvals and expectations? You think you are being nice and believe the universe should reward you, but do you really benefit? Yes, being nice is a great attribute, it draws people towards you and your social life tends to be successful. However, being overly nice to other people at the expense of your beliefs and interests is detrimental to your life. Short story When I was 10, I noticed I had taken the nice guy attribute and at such a time when I was surrounded by innocent kids like me, being nice was adorable. I quickly embraced the habit and enjoyed while still young until I joined high school when things suddenly changed. My new friends asked me for unr...

Valentine’s Day is finally around the corner; so soon in my view, because I was just getting started with a girl I like and suddenly I now have less than a week to convince her to abandon her V-day plans and reject all proposals from many suitors so that I can take her out. I would have tried but unfortunately, some boring store manager claims V-day is not a public holiday so she can’t take a leave on that day. (Oh yeah, my date has a part-time job, she is ambitious and gorgeous.) So, all I’m left to do is to fantasize about the wonderful things I would have done for her on the day of love. Since I enjoy sharing my ideas, here is how I would have spent my V-day with my valentine. You can pick up a few tips applicable in your situation. 1. Write her a love poem. First, on the eve of valentine, I prepare a written message of love. Seated on a comfortable chair in a pin-drop silent room with spectacular lighting, I draft an enchanting love letter expressing my deepest and most sincere emo...

It’s quite apparent that university lecturers, just like the Doctors, are not relenting their fight for implementation of the salary and working conditions agreement they made with the government a few years ago. The government, on the other hand, has cast a blind eye on the matter since all they care about right now is how to get back in power come August 8 th . So, in this dramatic tussle, the group of people being affected is the youth especially those in colleges and universities. We have already lost January and it seems like it’s just the beginning of a year that will be subjected to massive wastage. However, one thing we fail to remember as the young energetic generation of this country is that we have the power to allow or not allow situations to affect us. We forget that we are the drivers of our destinies. Many students have decided to stay in their homes, watch TV and movies all day, party all night and live abundantly under the mantra of YOLO. If asked they bluntly whine th...

It’s always a delight when university political campaigns approach. Well, a delight in disguise because of many exasperating reasons such as the endless string of zany messages propagated on social platforms, the tension breeze blowing through campus, the glittering faces that greet you on the streets and beg you to vote for strangers, just to mention but a few. However, the one delightful reason I long for such periods; the incentive that clouds my mind whenever I hear ‘comrades-power’ might shock you beyond words. It is so stupid. It’s founded on the simplicity of a man’s brain which occasionally delegates its functions to excited body parts fueled by immediate short-lasting pleasure. This motive is to get ‘dem’ hugs from lady-student politicians. Haha, there it is. I spilled the beans. I know what you’re thinking, It’s idiotic and very trivial. I like it. In fact, I love that am so simple, an adolescent at 21. This strategy employed by lady politicians has worked a ...

Most of us, if not all desire to be loved by everybody. Yet when we get the opportunity to make others interested in us, we screw up. In today’s society, who you know matters a lot. So these are some basic principles you need when interacting with people to make them like you. Inspired and derived from Dale Carnegie’s Book; How to win friends and Influence People . 1. Be genuinely interested in other people. The hardest way to get friends is by trying to impress by people and living according to their standards. Rather, you should invest more time in getting interested in the people you want to be friends with. For instance, know their birthdays or other special days and surprise them with gifts in such days. 2. Know people by both their names and a little bit about their families. The average human is more interested in their name than any other names in the world put together. When you master someone’s name and call them the next time you meet, they will feel precious and recognize...

It’s Friday evening, I’ve just had my supper, half a loaf, and 4 bananas. I am seated in my room watching The Goldbergs, a 2013 sitcom about a geeky boy who uses a video camera to document his family’s crazy life. Suddenly a brilliant idea hits me; it’s Friday, I should go take a walk around Juja and see what college guys are up to. I fit into my jeans, put on my Timberlands and in a jiffy, I’m out of the hall. On my way, I spot a close friend, I walk up to him, wide-grinned because apparently, when am not smiling I seem grumpy. Guys tell me that. But it’s at night, so what the heck. “Hey man! How are doing?” I greet him as we do our usual guys-salutation; an echoing clap of palms followed by a mighty brush of shoulders. Thank God this guy is an inch taller than me, am so tired of brushing peoples’ spleens and pancreases, let alone ribs. My guy was talking to a friend before I interrupted. So, as courtesy dictates, I greet the guy too then am back to my guy. “Dude, you doing a gr...

1. The era of being lazy and dependent is over . You are now a burden to your parents and hence you have to go into the world and strive to survive on your own. You will work hard just to put food on the table. There will be no space for laziness because the consequences will be upbeat. 2. Learn to get what you want through your own effort . Don’t wait for people to solve your problems. Nevertheless, never pass a free offer of assistance 3. Procrastination will drain your life . It is one of the biggest time wasters, entertaining it reaps bitter results and pulls you further away from your dreams. One way to conquer it is by focusing on the results you expect rather than the work to be done. Don’t think ahead, just think of now, don’t plan to do, start doing 4. Don’t complain. Another big time waster. Either do something about it or shut up and move on. Also worrying doesn’t change your future 5. Understand that there is life as an individual . Happiness should come from within. It ...

Wow! Calm down! I know I’ve just touched a very soft spot and you are already checking for your critic ammunition and preparing to attack. You’re probably wondering what on earth I’m thinking by babbling such unspeakable words. With the current shift in the Kenyan education system which has seen the scrapping of ranking in national exams, it would be far-fetched for a young man to wish to take Kenya back to the old times when ranking made top students perform better and students at the bottom to fail more. However, endeavor to give me a chance to explain myself, folks. I am a firm believer of ranking. I know if there was no ranking, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Ranking gives me the motivation to satisfy my inner need to be recognized as a successful person. Ranking disorients me from my comfort zone, alarms my focus and puts me back in the race for excellence. Nevertheless, we don’t all share in this perception. In fact, more than three-quarters of people don’t understand the benefits...

When we move from one stage to another, we often find ourselves remembering the good old times, wishing we can go back and change the things we didn’t do well. Yet each of us has a chance to make things perfect. Here are certain things you need to do before leaving high school that you will never regret. 1. Get into good terms with your teachers. It’s very unfortunate that most people think that when they graduate from high school they will never need their teachers again to succeed in life. This is definitely not right. First, you will come back in the next few years to seek a recommendation for job applications. If you left a bad reputation with a teacher, it’s a sure thing you’ll not get a great recommendation. Secondly, you might meet these teachers as influencers in your professional life. That teacher you looked down upon might be your connection to the company you’ve dreamt woring for. The principle here is never to underestimate the value of anybody. Lastly, Teachers...

Before joining university or college, many students wonder about the difference between high school and college life. Is it more fun in college or does the pressure increase? Will I finally be free to do what I want or is it a trap? But before I answer those questions for you, let me admit; High school was such an adventure. I mean, being called a mono, cleaning floors, tables and wearing shorts for some, in form 1 and getting rowdy, unruly and sleeping a lot in form 2. Then cladding hot for all manner of functions and writing mails during preps in form 3 and finally asking form ones to wash your clothes in form 4 so that you can ‘read’ for the big exam, are just but a few of the indelible memories. Well if you’re just about to join university, then be prepared for a much more memorable ride. Be ready to be your best and worst, get sober and crazy and learn through easy and hard ways. Here are some of the differences between high school and college. 1. Freedom in college, timetables in...

This past weekend I visited a friend at Kenyatta University and was wowed by their new smart card id implementation. They use their IDs to pay for fees, for meals in the mess and even to save money. This kept me thinking, JKUAT the epitome of technology in Kenya, can’t we implement such a system? Imagine a campus life where with the swipe of a card, you can eat dinner, photocopy notes, attend premium functions, and open locked doors, just to mention but a few. Wouldn’t it be wonderful? Well, it’s rapidly becoming a norm in developed countries’ institutions. Students don’t have to walk with money everywhere so as to buy stuff or access services, neither do they need to carry bunches of keys to access buildings. A smart card is all they need. What’s a Smart Card? So, what do I mean by a smart card? Simply, this is a card which is smart. Ha-ha! Gotcha. That was so rude of me I guess. A smart-card is a pocket-sized card with an embedded microchip that can be loaded with data and...