By Samuel Owino
Whoever decided that Daystar’s main campus should be in Athi River was wild for it. There was a meeting that had an agenda of, “How do we make these students survive anywhere?” Of all the places, this meeting concluded that Athi River was best. Maybe it was a good deal for money, or it was given to the school—I don’t know. It doesn’t matter though, I think most of us are okay with it, I am.
However, I wish someone had given me a guide on the things that I’d need to survive the Athi River campus, ranging from the scorching heat, salty water, and dusty areas. Luckily for everyone else, I have a manual. Here is a guide on the things that are essential for one’s survival on this campus.
An umbrella
I think that an umbrella is one important thing you need to survive on the Athi River campus. The heat at midday is no joke making moving around during the day a difficult task, one might pass out. The gents might think that having an umbrella will make one lose “aura”, but I think it would be best to normalize it.
Sunscreen
With the clear skies and the semi-arid nature of Athi River, tanning is only natural. Sunscreen is an important product to avoid involuntary tanning. I am sure most people don’t know that by living in Athi River, they get tanned now and again. I don’t think it ever stops until you reach a point of no return, a charcoal basically. I am kidding.
A water bottle
I think this one goes without saying. I can tell you a fact that I bought quite some reusable water bottles on my first day. Luckily, cafeterias have cups, so one won’t struggle much if you live within the school hostels. If you are to live off-campus, be assured the water is salty and you would need storage for the water you fetch.
A resolute mind
Like any other place, peer pressure is among us and the lack of a resolution might draw one to the deep end. The university has its good side, and a very vibrant and supportive community too. If one is not careful, however, one might find themselves in a world of all the vices known to man. A form of yin and yang, choose your side.
A lottery ticket
Due to the lack of options, goods and services around the campus can be very costly. Transport, for example, is relatively expensive. One could use public transport, which is a dollar more expensive than school transport. The twist is that school transport is only offered at specific times, the earliest being 5 a.m. and the latest being 5 p.m., with an 11 am and 1 pm option only available for those coming from the Athi River campus. Convenience would cost you a dollar more.
There are definitely many more things that one needs to survive on Daystar’s main campus or any other campus. This list is a personal take on what I have experienced and what I think are the essential five to get you going. Comment down below your essentials!