School living, whether in time past or present, play a major role in how a student’s life is shaped. Whether it is easy, hard, fun, or dull, there is always something to remember and learn from. There is also nothing more refreshing than good memories and reeling in nostalgia. Living as a student in the early 90s was something and an interesting adventure. I sat with Mrs Dorcas Esievo who was a law student at the University of Benin and listened to her talk to me about her experiences at that time.
“Living as a student at the time was one with a flexible routine, and was all about you and your choices. Classes were spaced out and there was enough rest. There was enough liberty so you either put in the work or didn’t and whichever one it was it would come to the fore. I got into school at the young age of seventeen which was sort of the oddball then because there were a lot of older people. I got in excited and a bit naïve and lost track of a lot of things at the time, I didn’t balance my academics properly with socials until a while later when I realized I had to do the work and not be lazy. I picked up the pace and began to enjoy being a law student” says Mrs Esievo.
Different things kept her going while at school and she looked forward to things like dressing up and wearing nice things to look smart as a law student. At the time, there were no black and white uniforms as the case is now. The students were expected to look formal or semi-formal. There were all sorts of social events and clubs that were encouraged a lot and she took part in them. Attending parties, meeting new and different people from all spheres of life, and learning new experiences. Filling out time with friends, talking, and so on. Socio-cultural clubs, moot courts and exquisite dinners were the things that helped with etiquette and lifestyle. “I can’t go to a party or event and feel out of place till this day because we were well-groomed through our dinner parties at school,” says Mrs Esievo.
The lifestyle, in general, was described to be balanced and bittersweet in the sense that despite challenges regarding survival and financing, academics and cultism (which was very intense at the time in federal universities with people being harassed and shot down), things still played out fine. Opportunities were met, experiences were shared and lessons were learnt. Sharing all this, you could tell Mrs Esievo had enough balanced experiences and lessons, good or bad.
Comparing the present state of schools and the lifestyle of students with the past, there is not a lot of difference she says, except there are a lot of younger people getting into school and now the older ones are the people out of place in the classrooms. There is still a little bit of financial struggle and a fairly strong system of education which could definitely be better and stronger. Right now, a lot of parents know the importance of education whereas, back then, it was like doing your child a favour paying or sending him/her to the university. And in all this, we have gotten to experience great people and things.
The impression still stands that between the past and present, a lot of work still needs to be done to help shape the life of a student in Nigeria. The country has a lot of excesses to be looked into and fixed, and conducive space to learn and grow without all the chaos and stress would be great. No matter how it is looked at, the lifestyle and experiences of a student prepare one for the outside. So make the most of your opportunities and shoot for the stars despite the obstacles.
