By:Miriam Busingye
E-mail: info@campusbee.ug
At the beginning of this year2014, there was this Whatsapp message that really went viral, I really don’t remember what was in the content but what I remember was it started with the statement ‘Tubileeke mu 2013’ well, as I sat down and thought to myself how years have rushed and now most of my friends are in their final semester at campus, it hit me that there are some things that happen in campus and these shouldn’t be passed on into life after campus and after one graduates. So I guess I could still use the statement and say ‘Tubileeke mu Campus’ Let me just hint on five of these things.
Change your wardrobe
UCU students have already mastered this due to admin policies. Now in this case I am mostly speaking to the MUBS and MUK guys because I am positive that three quarters of the wardrobe is made up of leggings and jeggings of different colors and a variety of prints, the floral prints, animal prints and also stripes, tank tops, damaged skinnies the list is endless. The boys decide to go for the shorts, jeans and the sandals from first day of the semester to when they finish their exams. Well the reality is campus is coming to an end and your going into the cooperate world. Honey! No one dresses like that in that world its ‘legit iiissh’. Your not going to wake up one Monday morning after graduation and start wearing formally because you will feel strange and trust me when a person wears something they are not comfortable in or used to wearing, people can tell and worse still, its an awkward sight.
So for the ladies, get yourself some formal outfits. Thanks to fashion these days that has brought a casual touch to some official clothes. So get yourself a pencil skirt or two, cute blouses, nice dresses that can be worn to work and a pair of short heals and nice black pumps. It will be good if at least if in a week you dress official for instance on a Monday and slowly you will get used to those kinds of clothes. For the boys, it’s always good for every boy to have a suit because once in a while it comes in handy. Get yourself some long sleeved shirts; try out different colors to avoid the monotony of white shirts in suits. Avoid buying only t-shirts every time you go shopping. Once in a while put on a nice shirt and trousers and complete the look with nice close diplomatic shoes. (Stay away from crafts) Trust me this is not obvious because I have seen some dudes do that. By doing this, switching from campus to the real cooperate world will not be as frustrating as trying to fit in as you adjust to wearing clothes you find so strange.
Crashing parties
I don’t know if this is mostly common in girls or boys but I know it happens a lot in campus. As long as my friend’s friend’s friend (you get what I mean) is having a birthday party, that is plot. You feel you should get all your friends and dress up go crush a party and dance all night and yes take the free booze that will be there. Well in the cooperate world this doesn’t happen. You need to go for a party that you have been invited to because I mean that is the way things are done there. There are just those few exceptions for instance when your boyfriend or girlfriend tells you to give them company at a friend’s wedding or birthday party. That’s okay and better still, this will help you get to meet his / her friends but crushing parties with your whole clique of friends, kiss that goodbye when you graduate.
Never cooking
This is mostly to the guys because it’s the boys who will pay money at some restaurant around their hostel and go their for all their meals right from breakfast, lunch, supper and all this is because they don’t want to cook. Well when you leave campus and you start working, and later start staying in an apartment, you will have to put saucepans, spices and gas in your kitchen. Its just good training that you have an idea about cooking and then once in a while eat from somewhere else so every guy should at least know how to prepare their best dish and also some basic dishes like spags, rice, an egg omelette and yes! You have to know how to cook your girl friend’s best dish so that when she comes to visit you once in a while you give her treat by cooking g for her. It doesn’t always have to be the other way round, the girl cooking for you.
Grinding in bars
I don’t go out but I have a couple of friends that are done with campus that go out to hang with their friends at bars. There’s this specific guy who would always tell me about what happened when he’s out with his friends. He always tells me that’s the time they get to interact with lots of guys and exchange business cards as share their ideas with different people they are sure they are going to benefit from. One thing he told me would be weird is a guy grinding a chic and you know getting her all pinned to the wall and blah blah. This caught my attention the most because I know that’s what some campusers call having fun at the bar. Well this does not happen, when cooperate guys have gone to hang out. Its about relaxing and having a good time, you sit down with your friends, have chit charts as your being entertained by a band or a musician.
Using empty liquor bottles as décor
For this I have also seen so don’t even start saying who does that? I have been to some guys rooms at campus and these boys have decided to line up empty bottles of ‘zingez ‘, wine bottles, UG, name it on top of their wardrobe, window seals and some even put them above the curtain rail box. These bottles come in different sizes and shapes but I have really never understood why they do this. I keep thinking to myself that may be its because they bought them with a lot of bucks and they just can’t throw the bottle, or may be each bottle brings back a specific memory, or may be its just swag. I have really never known but dudes, you cant do this in your apartment after campus because this will bring a wrong impression on you. Your either going to be portrayed as an alcoholic and you won’t be taken seriously by the people who come to your apartment, putting in mind that not all your meetings will be at your place of work or in Café X sipping coffee. Some times you might want to call some business partners for a casual meetings at home about your side businesses you do apart from your official job and this might not be a good way to portray yourself. Get rid of the liquor bottle as soon as you’re done taking the last drop.
