Fond memories, memories I regarded as full of confusion, jealousy, cliques, and many more including intimidation were the first things that came into mind each time the prestigious and all-knowing KNUST was mentioned. The school I had never dreamt of furthering my education at, with respect to the course I desired to pursue. You would always find cliques or groups trying to figure out where to choose in order to meet once again as friends and others so unconcerned just ready for anything at all. KNUST was my least choice when it came to tertiary institutions. I had a lot of perceptions about the school and some included; the school not been that good in my field of study, little or no fun, the school been a nice one in terms of structure and design and many more which have yet escaped my mind. I liked the school though and was looking forward to been admitted as far as I had purchased the admission forms, that was the fate I looked up to.
Fortunately or unfortunately, my dad didn’t want me far from sight so he insisted it was TECH or SAT (where I would have been under my auntie’s supervision), no LEGON, no ASHESI. At this moment, I had no option than to accept defeat and face the fact that it was tech for real since I wasn’t really prepared for the SAT. The worse of it all was when I got the notification that I had been admitted and we had to come to school on the 23rd of September, 2011 when I wasn’t really prepared for school. My dad and I came to the school on the 26th of September; we went straight to KSB to settle all payments. I must say I was astonished by how they welcomed the freshers. There was one guy who really amazed me. I admired him (no negative thoughts) so much that I had to question a continuing student about him and he confidently said the guy was up to something that we the freshers would find out later. “IDTS” was my reply. “Eih! Saa…” he added. “I liked his reception” I replied. He continued to talk but I was quiet exhausted so I didn’t really pay attention to him anymore. As observant as I am, I took time to look around just to comment when I was given the chance to do so.
The only thing I had a comment about was the notice board. I bet you don’t want know what it was, right? Time was far spent and my dad had to see me through the hall processes, so we left for the hall. As I sat in the car, all that kept ringing in my mind was how I was going to make it in the hall in case I found myself in a room full of unpredictable mates. I had to face that even if it was. The hall master was very entertaining and strict. He ordered my dad to leave the office as I was old enough to do all payments. “Come this October, you would be grabbed, then you would tell me whether your dad should speak for you or not.” he said. There and then, he spoke about October rush where continuing students try their very best to grab freshers. “I am not falling for that” I assumed. In some few minutes, we were done with all payments, I was sent to the annex and my dad left for the house. Now, I was alone and my roommates were not around but the few things I had seen in the room convinced me with the fact those two roommates where continuing students. I made quite a number of friends starting from some wonderful guys I had an encounter with in the main hall, down to some of the hall executives then the hall bursar and even the few people I met at the faculty. Independence hall is full of amazing people and I was very lucky because all these people made my stay in the hall a blessing.
The next thing that came into my mind after performing some security services for my room for three good days just because I wasn’t comfortable with the room and couldn’t sleep was how to get a new matriculation card since I had misplaced the first one. I considered matriculation to have been a mega and worldwide ceremony so I planned for it by getting a special dress and a pair of shoes. With so much jubilation and excitement in my heart, after a friend had gotten me a new matriculation card (sign of relief), I mistakenly burnt the dress in the process of ironing. I arranged for something else to wear immediately and even got to the grounds late with my hills polished with a little mud as we walked through the rain. Some few minute later, the programme ended.
Now the true story had begun, I felt like I was a housemate in the Big Brother Africa house, who was up for possible eviction and had been told I had just 15minutes to the live eviction show. When I got to my room, my roommates where around and one had already commenced the use of my rice cooker without my concern. I quickly took my other assets to a friend’s room in the main hall and later came for the cooker. I never cooked, ate nor stayed there just for day. Most of the times; I slept in my friend’s room and would come over to my place just to inform my roommates that I still existed. To others, they termed it perching but to me, it was F& F (freedom and fun). After all, I had my own reasons. During tough times, I would buy food from either the Hall’s market or the restaurant, especially when I was too busy to cook.
The semester had already begun and the academic work wasn’t that piled up. Some were relaxed and others seemed to be full of energy to continue right from SHS. I got encouragements and discipline from friends and most importantly my sweetheart, to focus and study hard. Yeah right!!! I had been grabbed by then. The worst part was when we had to face our results for the 1st semester with our names and index numbers pasted on the notice board on the 14th of February this year which was Valentine’s Day. It was quiet unfortunate for some of us but to the unyielding; it wasn’t an excuse to refute the fact that that day was a day for the duo and that they must have fun. They were so unperturbed. Mostly, on my way to lectures, I would get a lift and you would always find me in the midst of the guys in class thinking it was the best alternative to help me to concentrate but would end up enjoying funny pranks and comments which somehow disrupt my attention however, it was exciting.
One of the things I would miss most is when I got missing at the commercial area in trying to find my way back to the Hall. It was really uproarious. I actually had help from these two guys who made me have a trip around the school before taking me to my destination. They told me to use that same route anytime I came to the commercial area and wanted to find my way back to the hall. It wasn’t their fault, was it? I was too ignorant to defend the fact that they were deceiving me. Thanks to the Welfare Chairman of the Hall, I got the right direction and this time round, it was really short. The only two places I had been to by then, aside the Halls, Splendor Hostel and Hall 7 were Tech Junction and Adum. The second thing would be about my visitation in Katanga, it was very somber, what!!! No need to go further, I think you would appreciate it if you tried visiting a friend over there. It was an inconceivable experience but I enjoyed it though.
I must concede that my first year was full of experiences, both magnificent and forlorn moments, trying really hard to fit into the new environment such as my class and figuring out the kind of company to join and even how to face people’s emotions, thoughts and comments about myself and the number of guys who would approach you with different speeches and for different reasons whatsoever. Mine was quiet a memorable one, full of fun, love from new and old friends, the Hall Bursar, and even secret admirers. Later, I came to the conclusion that, I hadn’t made a mistake and it would have been quiet unfortunate if I had missed all these experiences.
Trust me; TECH is full of so much verve.
Henrietta Tetteh, Africa Hall, KNUST
BSc Business Administration
Class of 2015
(Credit: Victoria Ebbuoe)
