THE GRIME BEHIND THE CAMPUS GLAMOUR

Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it Proverbs 22:6. After a University hostel experience, at the end of the day we all surrender to a pitiful yet inevitable conclusion, We are all humans. Forget about the lavish uptown hostel life portrayed in the popular television series, Hostel, there is more to relationship drama, religion issues and football debates. Banking on the series for a wealthy real life account of hostel experience would be as foolhardy as expecting a mirror reflection of a soap opera love story in your own relationship. There is more that goes behind hostel gates and curtains of hostel rooms, all events public secrets among students yet hear say to the rest of the world. The ugly side of hostels is fueled by freedom, limited responsibity, curiosity and financial issues. Exposing to you the grime behind the campus glamour. 1.WEEKEND WIVES Weekend wives in campus speak refers to female students who carry out marital duties over the weekends at their boyfriends residences. In real sense, students wind up the week in company of their lovers taking care of each others needs . I invite a girl friend every weekend to do my laundry, cook and of course give me stuff (read sex) . She comes on Friday morning and leaves on Sunday evening, confesses Owere Francis a third year student at Kyambogo. This trend is popular among finalists woo unsuspecting high schoolgirls in neighboring schools and the nave first year students. The mere sight of empty with wine bottles, television set, woolen carpet, and wardrobe makes them think am a wealthy guy from an affluent background, unaware it took me three years to accumulate this property, he concludes. 2.COHABITING COUPLES If you spat at weekend wives, reserve your saliva: there is more to bite, chew and grind. Some students take the courage to live as husband and wife. The couple rents a single room, well furnished complete with a double bed. The girl plays role of typical village house wife taking care of general housekeeping duties while the

boy is expected to cater for the luxury, make up and food. They pool resources from their parents to finance this lifestyle. Majority of these relationships are carried on from high school while others graduate from the weekend-wife stage. Shockingly, some couples are course mates. Because of the costs involved and need to keep up appearances as happy-well-to do couple, cohabiting couples settle for the distasteful rental premises in slums or surrounding areas like Kireka and Banda for Kyambogo, Naguru and Nakawa for MUBS. Kikoni and Kikumi Kikumi are popular for Makerere University lover students. Atim a resident of Nanziri hall in Kyambogo emotionally eulogies the story of her friend who almost lost her life in the name of love. Rhoda was a well behaved beauty, a staunch Adventist . She confessed to me she was a virgin and turned down advances from guys yet struggled financially. I regret advising her to get a boy friend because she got lost in the thrill and only discovered her two months pregnancy after STD infection. The boyfriend denied responsibility and she was only rescued by a visitor in a pool of blood after abortion. 3.THE CALL GIRL. Tired of the broke boyfriend? Do you want to own the latest smart phone or drive without having a hand in missing public funds? If yes, then the brisk call girl business is for you! Nollywood movie scripts have been inspired by this call-girl business. A female student rises from an ordinary student feigning sickness to defraud a few shillings from her parents to a loaded mogul of sorts overhauling her wardrobe on weekly basis, bank rolling open bar parties and part timing in a top company ,only if she heeds to instructions of senga, a well connected pimp. All required of her is to make money by sleeping while facing upwards! No wonder CEOs were added to group of people vulnerable to HIV. Ahem! 4.HUNGER PANGS Campusers may dress like super models heading for photo session. Dont be fooled, judge a book not by its cover: the campus figure syndrome is partly attained as adaptation to prevailing condition not a matter of choice.

Also for same reason, hunger pangs feeds the furnace of cohabiting and weekend wife trends. There is a common joke that University students feast on chicken at beginning of the semester, then resort to chicken products like rolex and finally succumb to eating like chicken finding solace in popcorns and roasted ground nuts. Affording two meals a day is almost impossible to finance if one is to live an active social life. SEXUALYY TRANSMITTED DIPLOMA/DEGREES Though some victimize students skimpy dressing, it is undeniable that some lectures are hunters setting traps in the academic fields to get into the pants of their students using the retake bait to get sexual favours To curb the vice, Mr John Ngobi a lecturer at kyambogo University proposes that only those with a background in education should lecture saying those drawn from other fields lack the professional code of conduct and ethics required of a teacher and must undergo a post graduate programme to equip them to teach learners. . HOSTEL OR HALLS; WHAT PARENTS MUST KNOW Like any other residential setting, hostels have a rhythm, a heartbeat to which life idiosyncrasies to. Before taking your beloved son or daughter to a hostel, there are priorities every parent must be clear of because the financial implications affect lives of both parents and students. HALLS VERSUS HOSTELS University students are presented with two main accommodation options. The halls of residence are University owned accommodation facilities found within the premises of the university. The halls of residence are University owned facilities found within the campus. They provide cheaper accommodation services and feeding compared to living in hostels.

However, halls only cater for a limited number providing priority to government sponsored students in public universities. Kyambogo halls charge Ug.shs, 450,000/ a semester accommodation, water, electricity and feeding. Despite the lower charges, most students detest, living in halls citing regulations and poor feeding. MIXED VERSUS SINGLE SEX HOSTELS Owor Margret a counselor prefers mixed to single sex hostels. She says, Mixed sex hostels stimulates students to develop interpersonal skills and tolerance towards the opposite sex. Boys cool off the competitive spirit, are more organized in presence of girls. Single sex hostels encourages focus on academics but remain curious of opposite sex, she concludes. RENTAL UNITS Rental units come in handy for students seeking private life. Some of the rental facilities have provisions for kitchens. Unlike hostels and halls, a student may be expected to pay water and electricity bills. Most are located in slums, neighborhoods of campus and lecturers residences in staff quarters. Charges on agreement with the landlord. Charges range from Ug. Shs. 350000/ to 450,000 for a single room for two heads and up two Ug. Shs. 700000/for single person. FEEDING Food does not have to be a hustle. The cheapest way of enjoying hearty meals while chasing that degree is developing a habit of preparing your own meals. Food joints around universities offer weekly, monthly and semester feeding packages based on the menu and the frequency of meals. The other alternative is buying from restaurants.