The Campus Paradox: Where Dreams Are Built, Tested and Sometimes Lost

By Njeri Mickeydan Kioko,

Campus life is a curious blend of the rational and the absurd, of discipline and recklessness, ambition and distraction. Beyond lecture halls and exams, the university presents a world of experiences, some enriching, many questionable. In many ways, campus truly has everything under one roof.

The HELB

For a majority of students, survival hinges on the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funds, which cater for both tuition and daily upkeep. Yet, for some, the pressure to “fit in” and maintain appearances often leads them down a different path. Flashy lifestyles tend to attract fair-weather friendships, what students jokingly call “ninjas and ninjaresses” who quickly disappear once the money runs out.

Betting

One of the most gripping trends on campus today is betting. What began as a casual pastime has evolved into a full-blown obsession. For many male students, it has overtaken gaming and other hobbies; for female students, participation is steadily rising.

Betty, a student at Kenyatta University, confidently claims she rarely loses because she operates multiple betting accounts. While a few manage to win, the reality is that most lose and sometimes disastrously.

Reports of students gambling away their tuition fees and upkeep are no longer shocking. In extreme cases, some are forced to drop out of university altogether due to financial ruin. Nationally, studies have shown that a significant proportion of Kenyan youth have engaged in betting, highlighting the scale of the issue.

Mwakenya and the nearest neighbour analysis method

Academically, the impact is evident. Lecture attendance is minimal, with many students appearing only to hand in hastily assembled assignments. When exams come, it becomes a scramble for survival.

“Confirming answers,” a polite term for copying, is widespread. Ironically, those who spend hours in the library on movies and series seem to master the art best, applying their own version of “nearest neighbour analysis” during exams.

What do you expect her to write in the exam room when she only attended classes to submit take-away assignments, often copy-pasted from Google, AI tools or even from a smitten boy? She walks in wearing a micronised skirt and crop top, don’t even ask where she hid her mwakenya.

Social security

Relationships on campus also take unique forms. Co-habitation, often discouraged by university policies, is increasingly common. Driven by financial pressures, companionship or even cold weather, students move in together under the guise of love. In these arrangements, roles quickly mirror those of a married couple, with the young woman often assuming domestic responsibilities while the man becomes the de facto provider.

Campus Families

In some cases, the realities run deeper. It is not uncommon to find students with children, families that remain unknown to relatives back home. These are the students who rarely visit their rural homes, citing “holiday jobs” while quietly managing responsibilities within campus.

Peter, a student at Chuka University, admits he only visits home twice a year, staying briefly because his real obligations lie within campus. Strict or unsupportive family environments often exacerbate this situation.

The exit plan

For first-year female students, popularly known as “freshas”, campus life introduces another set of challenges. Their “freshness” often attracts attention from senior students, not all of it genuine. 

Some fourth-year students openly refer to engaging freshmen as an “exit plan”, forming short-term relationships that rarely last. What begins as mentorship or affection often ends in disappointment, leaving many young students emotionally drained and wiser the hard way.

Bachelor’s in ‘Comrade Must Enjoy’

Unwanted pregnancies happen more frequently despite the gospel of practicing safe sex having been widely spread to a point where the condom dispensers are always fully stocked. Sexual health remains a pressing concern. 

Despite widespread awareness campaigns and the availability of free protection, often through stocked condom dispensers, cases of unprotected sex persist. Ironically, universities have even experienced occasional condom shortages, such as the widely reported crisis in 2025. The casual campus mantra, “comrade must enjoy,” continues to fuel risky behaviour. Excuses such as “Latex ilipasuka” have become all too familiar when dealing with unintended pregnancies.

Dangerous methods for abortion

For many female students, the consequences are severe. Some face these challenges alone after partners disappear. Others, feeling unprepared for motherhood, resort to unsafe and life-threatening methods to terminate pregnancies. Disturbingly, myths and dangerous practices such as ingesting harmful substances continue to circulate, posing serious health risks.

Entertainment event VS drugs abuse

Amid all this, opportunities for growth often go unnoticed. Corporate organisations frequently engage universities, offering career talks, mentorship programmes and networking opportunities aimed at preparing students for the job market. Yet, attendance at such events is typically low. 

In contrast, entertainment events, often characterised by alcohol, shisha and unchecked indulgence, draw overwhelming crowds.

This contrast paints a telling picture of campus priorities. While opportunities for personal and professional development exist, they are often overshadowed by the allure of short-term pleasure.

Campus life, ultimately, is a defining chapter. One that shapes not only careers but character. The choices students make within this space can determine whether they emerge equipped for the future or weighed down by the consequences of missed opportunities.

Njeri Mickeydan Kioko is a Journalism and Mass Communication student at Chuka University.