By James Wakahiu
Worth Noting:
- The VC urged the First Years to take time and understand systems, regulations and procedures. “The FIFA World Cup 2022 ended recently and I believe many of you are fans. Those who understand football know that there are operational guidelines and there are rules of the game. As you go through the process of orientation, please ensure that you understand the operational guidelines and regulations of your academic environment,” he added,
- He tipped the freshers to have strong aspirations. “Aspiration is a strong desire to achieve something that you value. You cannot begin this journey of studentship in MKU without knowing what it is you are pursuing,” he said.
First Year students joining universities have been told to change their mindsets from working alone to pass exams as they did in secondary schools to seeking help and collaborations with fellow students and lecturers in campuses so as to succeed in their academic life.
“Sometimes school conditions us to work alone but I urge you to learn to relate with your colleagues, mentors and teaching staff to help you achieve your goals. Never fail to ask for help when you need it. Do not walk alone,” says Mount Kenya University (MKU) Vice-Chancellor, Prof Deogratius Jaganyi.
“As a student pursuing to succeed in your career aspirations, keep your goal in mind. The moment you lose sight of that pursuit of success your dream will start dying. Always stay in motion,” the VC told First Year students joining MKU this month.
Prof Jaganyi spoke to the new comers on ‘The Road to Success in University’ at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre at the institution’s main campus in Thika town. “The journey to success is paved with failure, difficulty and pain. According to James Gitau, expecting to go through life without downs is unrealistic and it sets you to fall harder when failure occurs. On the other hand, if you avoid failure, it prevent you from focusing on gaining the resilience needed to cope with it, a vital element of bouncing back,” he said.
He warned them that academic success has nothing to do with skillset or financial backing, but it is all in the mind. ‘Keep in mind that there is no ceiling on success, decide how far you want to go in life. Enjoy the process. Colton Black said: “Getting there is more than half the battle and if you are miserable or unwilling to appreciate the pursuit, then you will find a hollow joy in finally reaching your destination,” he added.
He compared orientation to preparations that cabin crew make before a flight takes off. “The flight attendants takes the passengers through safety procedures when at the aircraft. Similar to your case, before you take off we are taking you through student orientation to create awareness of the university governance and management structures, regulations, procedures, support systems and teaching facilities that are in your environment,” he said.
The VC urged the First Years to take time and understand systems, regulations and procedures. “The FIFA World Cup 2022 ended recently and I believe many of you are fans. Those who understand football know that there are operational guidelines and there are rules of the game. As you go through the process of orientation, please ensure that you understand the operational guidelines and regulations of your academic environment,” he added,
He tipped the freshers to have strong aspirations. “Aspiration is a strong desire to achieve something that you value. You cannot begin this journey of studentship in MKU without knowing what it is you are pursuing,” he said.
Students must also set achievable goals – a plan of action that guides you on how you will attain your goals. “Always monitor progress of your achievements as this motivates you and keep you committed to your goal. Remember that goals are backed by actions,” he said.
The varsity don reminded the learners to be determined and not to forget to work hard. “University education requires a lot of hard work and one must be self-driven. No one will follow up if you are attending lectures, but at the end of the day, the University Administration will check if you attained 75 per cent to be allowed to sit for examinations. No one will follow up if you visit the Library to study but at the end of the day it will show on your end term examination results.
He told the students to be prudent managers of resources, including time “You have a lot of time at Campus but you must avoid involvement in activities that do not add value to you and those that do not support your aspirations. Remember that you are here on a specified period of time depending on your respective programmes,” he warned.
END
New Students Orientation
