Moving into a campus dormitory can be an exhilarating experience, making the beginning of a new chapter in life.
The initial challenges of campus life can be overwhelming, but with the right mindset and strategies, students can navigate these obstacles and thrive.
Campus life is quietly different from our homes, it’s a life with tremendous Challenges and hope. For those that have already gone through boarding schools during their secondary schools, the campus environment is often an advancement of their previous life,
While those that had never been in boarding schools , campus serves as a new transition from local life to another large environment with enough freedom, hope and new challenges.
The initial challenges students face is the uneasy Academic workload as universities need high levels of discipline,critical thinking and also research skills which can be stressful,especially for the newly admitted students that sees themselves to new learning environments different from secondary schools they attended.
Every undergraduate student has a different story to tell when it comes to his or her challenges on campus.
Whereas some may consider financial issues, some narrate academic pursuit, while others transition and adaptability of the environment are part of their challenges.
A’isha Muhammad from Department of mass communication, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, described locating different places at University as one of the greatest challenges she confronted when she arrived at the University.
“My first challenge in the institute was locating the venue because UDUS is a very large environment, and the way lectures were not held in the few weeks of resumptions affected me , more so the weather is too hot,” she said.
Aisha can be said to just give a tip to an issue of daily discussion amongst many students of UDUS ” the uniqueness of Sokoto weather.
While responding, Omaiye Hope said that, as a Christian, abiding by some norms and the university dress code is among her challenges.
Financial issues are also challenges that students are facing. For many ,financing their education is a major challenge besides paying school fees,accommodation ,textbooks, and other daily expenses can be overwhelming, especially for those that are from lower class.
Balkisu Al-qasim a 300 level Student of the Department political science says: paying school fees is her b extra curricular activities can be difficult for many students.
Those different challenges that students confront daily can lead to mental health issues.
This can be clear as for many students struggling with being away from family and familiar environments, pressure to succeed, combined with academic and other stress, can take a toll on students’ mental health. Anxiety, depression, and loneliness are common issues, yet many students suffer in silence.
The lack of adequate counselling services on campuses worsens the situation leaving students stranded without any emotional support which can reduce their performance.
To curb the above menace, there should be a good guarding and counseling that will educate and enlighten Students about this important journey of life and challenges.
Therefore, they should resist harmful activities or bad peer pressure that can lead to unhealthy habits such as drug abuse, excessive partying or reckless spending and many others.
Open campus, university management, students union government, and all the stakeholders should join hands to ensure adequate sensitization to brainstorm Students on how to live on campus safely without tears or throwing themselves in a deep hole.
Students need to know that their primary assignment in the university is to learn and have good character,so that they should be good ambassadors of their families and societies.
