My achievements and challenges while studying at usiu

Life as a university student can be both challenging and rewarding and my experience in the university has been exactly that. After attaining my KCSE results, my father opted for the University of Nairobi instead of coming to USIU but after a bit of persuasion he agreed on me attending USIU. Coming to USIU was the best decision I have ever made even with the challenges associated with university life. This was the best decision because the pros of the university are less than the cons. I will discuss both my achievements and challenges I have experienced while studying at USIU.

One of the major achievements is that I acquired confidence in my time in the university by having to participate in different activities such as class presentation and club activities. Before coming to USIU I was not able to present an assignment before an entire class or a group of people but after joining the university and realizing it is a requirement in every class I was forced to step up and find the confidence to speak before a group of people in a convincing manner. This is a skill that will be useful even after graduation as while working on is sometimes required to carry out a presentation before a group of people.

Another major achievement of USIU education is learning self-discipline. Ever since I was young I was used to rules and timetables, even during the holidays my parents would have me set a timetable for my days at home. Coming to USIU where they were no rules and the only time table available was my class timetable gave me a whole another level of freedom. No-one was around to tell me what to do or check to see if I have done the work I was supposed to do. Through this I learnt on how to plan my own time since I still had assignments to hand in and still had attend classes. I learnt to rely on myself on going to class on time and handing the assignments in on time.

Learning team work is also an achievement I have gotten from my USIU education. Working in a group is one of the class requirements required in any USIU class and even though working in groups can be hectic and tiresome. I have learnt patience and tolerance while working with people as every person has a different character and one needs to put aside their own pride and prejudice so as to work well with others. Through this I learnt that some people need encouragement to produce their best work and some will always rely on other people’s work this has helped me learn how to handle both types of students so as to produce quality work.

Another of my major milestone in USIU is defining my career and acquiring the skills that are in line with that career. Before coming to USIU I did not know what career path I wanted or what direction my life would take but within a semester of coming to USIU I defined my career course and took the courses that were in line with that career. I also engaged with lecturers who knew a lot about my career path and what it would take to achieve my goals, they gave me insight on my career and encouraged me to join clubs and participate in activities that would help me learn more about my career.

Another achievement brought about by my USIU education is time- management. Before coming to USIU I had a problem with time management. Most of the lecturers in USIU do not tolerate lateness so I had to learn to always be on time and since I lived in Thika which is not in Nairobi so I had to learn how to be on time. I created a routine for my morning classes which helped me save a lot of time. And now am hardly late to my classes as I keep to my routine.

Another advantage of my USIU education is it has given me a global perceptive. My secondary school was a national high school this gave me the chance to interact with students all over Kenya. With the globalization of the world it has become important to understand other country’s cultures so as to be able to work and live together peacefully. In high school I was only exposed to Kenyan culture but in USIU I was not only taught about global cultures and how it differs all around the world but also able to interact with different cultures. I got to learn the do’s and don’ts of different cultures, what different cultures love to eat and how they dress and most importantly how to live together with all people. I learnt to respect and understand everybody’s culture.

Even with all these achievements I encountered some challenges in USIU. One of the problems I encountered in USIU is managing my finances throughout the week and not asking for money before the week was over. At first it was very challenging due to the impulse to spend even when it was not necessary, I coped with this challenge by making a budget and following it strictly. It was hard at first but over time I adapted to this change and I am now comfortable with my current budget, whenever I follow it to the letter I reward myself by buying myself something I have been admiring for a while.

Another challenge I encountered in my experience in USIU was peer pressure. In many ways I found that even though I did not want to be influenced by my friends, they ended up influencing me.