NOT YET DONE

Have you wondered why sometimes you plan things and they don’t turn out the way you expect? Have you ever thought why they don’t turn out according to your expectations or you just shrug off? Have you sought any help from any other person deemed fit to help you? Well sometimes in this life we tend to believe that we are able to do many things by our own without inquiring for help from our seniors, this is well known as narcissism and it’s so evident among many youth of this generation. The ignorance of not wanting to be informed at all ("generation we know it all").

Photo courtesy of Google.

Most of the youth in the current society tend to divert from the common societal norms and have introduced their own style of living. A young boy or girl of this generation minds less about the importance of family name in the society which is accorded high respect depending on the origin of the name but to them they are after fame...this which they want to attain using the dirtiest ways not caring on how it will impact to themselves later on.

They tend to act so cocky around people them, especially the old whom they feel are so analogue to understand the current era...termed as the digital era where there has been a complete transition of thing from the past. They are trying to find their place in the world, they are trying to curve out their own identity and this can be difficult.

Photo courtesy of Google

So, the older generation should chip in and stop painting the youth in a negative light but try to be positive with them, this may help not perpetuate stereotypes. They ought to be handled in a rather more technical way where they can understand that narcissism is not a peradventure to get it done...because it’s not yet done!

Courtesy of Google


Author
Kageha Deborah

THE MOST VULNERABLE IN UNIVERSITIES

It's always a pleasure whenever you are admitted to campus as it's a beginning of a better future.However those who have gone through the  system will let you know there is more to University life than the known positive idea of getting knowledge , skills and a better job.Many people join campus having hopes that the place will prepare them for their future careers. And during their first semester you will hear them talking about their careers and definition of a brighter future.

Photo courtesy of Google.

Other than education, weekend dinners and night outs ought to be essential necessities for some of the students. University also comes with the pressure of fitting in a certain social class so as not to be considered "a village idiot". Hence, majority of the students rather than focusing on their careers, they are busy perfecting their social life to impress the community unaware of the later outcomes.

The female counterparts are the most vulnerable species in such an environment. Unknown to them, their emotional and physical states are the most endangered. Physically they are prone sexual abuses with the worst being victims of rape cases. Emotionally they aren't spared either especially when it comes to matters of the heart. This comes with the complicated love triangle where every lady in campus is dating but at the same time every guy in campus is single. The outcome to this, are heartbreaks which might in turn lead to suicide cases.

For ladies, each academic year brings self discovery ideas that lead them to engage in new crazy things and they are always ready to test the experience. The outcomes for these are a series of life threatening abortions, heartbreaks and constant drop down in academics. For instance, hitting the gym for physical fitness and wearing of heavy make-up to enhance their beauty, so as to become attractive for the opposite gender, are some of the self discovery ideas for majority of the campus females.

Beauty, they say is a gift from God but to most beautiful young ladies in campuses, it's some sort of a curse which they heavily get punished for. This comes with the situations where they are forced to pay for their good grades using their bodies. Some of their lectures who are supposed to be there gardians and protectors in such an environment, turn out to be there most dreadful nightmares. In order to satisfy there lustrous bodily pleasures, they take advantage of this young ladies, by blackmailing and threatening to fail them in examinations. Most of these shameless lecturers are even old enough to be this girls' fathers.

It's always heartbreaking and a pity to realize that after graduation, most of the ladies are already wasted hence ready to settle with anyone who accepts them for marriage. What pains the most is to realize that most of these ladies are already infected with life threatening diseases hence the acquired education will nolonger be beneficial to them.

It's high time the community and the education sector join forces and fomulate measures to cushion the girl-child in higher learning institutions.

Author

Kageha Deborah.

NO. 1 SILENT KILLER IN THE WORLD

" Am okay..., am fine..., I will be alright...." These are just some of the statements they usually utter while in reality they are NOT okay, fine nor will they be okay. Being the number one silent murderer and also the main cause of disability worldwide, Depression knows no age nor gender.

It's difficult to identify those suffering from this condition of mood disorder which is characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in favorite hobbies. This is because not everyone will display the typical symptoms of sadness and dispare. In order not trouble one with their issues, they are prone to forcing happiness while around people yet inside they are crying, shouting and begging for help. They pretend to be strong infront of a crowd yet, when alone, they drown themselves in tears.

Illustration of the kind of feeling one has when depressed.
Photo courtesy of Google

Being a victim of this condition, I am inspired to write about it so as to educate the world. It all started with disinterest in my hobbies and later the inability to control my moods as I easily got angry and irritated  over small issues. These were later preceded by constant fatigue, insomnia and drastic loss of weight which was brought my total loss in appetite. It then got difficult for me to think, concentrate and make decisions since  I was usually lost in my sad and sorrowful world engulfed with feelings of worthlessness. This saw a drastic drop in my academics. I could only see the option of ending my life as the solution. To cut the long story short, I decided to seek help and am currently undergoing treatment.  But before then, when asked what was wrong with me, "I don't know.. and  I am okay.." used to be my answers.

Signs and symptoms a depressed person exhibits.
Photo courtesy of Google

Although trauma and stress brought by living by living with persistent pain (as for my case), are the main triggers for this condition, there are other causes and risk factors involved too. For instance, personality traits which include low self-esteem and being  pesimistic. Genetics whereby it can be inherited from one family member to the other. Hormones which causes postpartum and premenstrual depressions in women. Bipolar disorders, life events e.g bereavement, loss of job, changes in relationships, financial problems and medical concerns. One is also at risk of developing depression if he or she; has chronic diabetes condition, previously sustained head injury, has previous episodes of major depression and acute stress, using recreational drugs e.g alcohol and also lack of successful coping strategies.

Photo courtesy of Google

Depression being a general term, there are different types of it. Postpartum Depression is one of it's kind that affects women who have recently given birth. This is brought by hormonal changes that occur after delivery. This kind is servere as it leads to one commiting suicide or killing the born baby, if treatment isn't done. Psychotic Depression caused by delusions. This is where one starts having false beliefs, detaching oneself from reality, and also experience hallucinations eventually leading to mental disability. Major Depression(my case) is where one is in constant state of sadness and shows disinterest in hobbies which also leads to suicide. Medications such as antidepressants and psychotherapy have through the years proven to be the best treatment for this kind of depression. Persistent Depressive Disorder is also another type of depression otherwise known as dysthymia, whose symptoms can last up to 2years.

Photo of a depressed woman.
Courtesy of Google

Depression can also be managed and treated through; joining a support group and also also asking family or friends for support, psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), socializing with others, improving self-esteem through positive self affirmation. Eating a balanced diet also helps alot. As for my case, the kind of treatment am undergoing includes; drug treatment whereby am using antidepressants drugs, natural remedies which include use of chamomile that contains flaronoids with antidepressants and also the use of lavender which reduces anxiety and insomnia. Am also trying to reduce stress through meditation, deep breathing exercises and yoga. Psychotherapy has also helped me alot.

Please don't wait for someone to loose his/her life living a suicide note behind then you start lamenting of how u wish you knew. With this condition it difficult for one to open up hence it's left for you to read the handwriting on the wall and respond to their silent distress calls and cries.

Illustration of Depression.
Photo courtesy of Google

Author
Kageha Deborah

MOST DANGEROUS WORM ON THE COASTAL SOIL

President Kenyatta flagging off the SGR train.
Photo courtesy of Google

"From now onwards, it would only take 5 hrs to travel from Mombasa to Nairobi and at the most lowest affordable price." This statement brought joy to travelers who use the Mombasa-Nairobi rouute as they will not only spend less time on transit but also save them money during this tough economic situation in the country. The Standard Guage Railway. It's coming also so our youths get employment opportunities as part of it's cabin crew.

Female train drivers.
Photo courtesy of Google

Part of the the cabin crew members.
Photo courtesy of Google

Although the railway came with these goodies for the citizens, the country's economy especially the Mombasa economy is on the verge of death. Discussed below are the negative impacts on the coastal economy as brought by SGR;

The port, which serves as the leading revenue collector for Mombasa County, has been directly attacked by the railway. The port is suffering a slow and painful death. This comes with the announcement that the transportation of containers be done through the SGR, which in turn has resulted to loss of jobs for employees working at Container Freight Stations. If correct measures are not put in place fast, the port will be singing a different song come two years.

SGR Cargo Shipping Train.
Photo courtesy of Google

Second, though the railway opened up job opportunities, it is also the cause job loses in the county. The transport sector is the one paying this price as firms are now laying off drivers since a small amount of cargo at the port is bound for coast region and the remaining destined for Nairobi and other African countries. The fims, except those at the Coast, have then resorted to the use of SGR to transport their cargo hence firring their drivers thus resulting to loss of jobs and employment opportunities.

Hotels, lodgings, fuel stations and garages along the Northern Corridor have closed down. This is due to lack of customers who where majorly comprised of the long distance truck drivers. There are no more trucks to be fueled at the fuel stations and to be serviced at the garages. Also there are no more people to eat and a pass their nights at the hotels and lodgings hence their collapse. This is due to the directive of the government, stating that all cargo be transported via the rail. Consequently, it has resulted to the lose of billions of revenue to the County Government of Mombasa.

Photo courtesy of Google

Market disruption is also another disadvantage brought about by the rail. Many traveling companies along the Coast are counting losses and others have closed down due to stiff compention and lack of market. This is because alot of long distance passengers now opt to travel by the Standard Guage Railway because of its efficiency and affordability compared to the buses and shuttles which they say are expensive and slow.

Lastly, the cost f living in the Coast has drastically shot up. This comes with the introduction of VAT on zero rated items. The County Government opted for this measure in order to compansate the  revenue lost due to the introduction and use of the Standard Guage Railway. The poor citizens are the ones now paying the price.

Author
Kageha Deborah

THE MYSTERIOUS MURDERER

Coronavirus is the culprit! And covid-19 is the newest strain of Corona virus that has been identified in humans recently, in Wuhan, China. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. The name coronavirus originated from a Latin word 'Corona' meaning crown, since the image of the virus looks like a solar Corona under an electron microscope.

Image of the virus under an electron microscope

Coronaviruses cause illnesses ranging from the common cold the more severe diseases such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), both which are life takers.

Fever, cough, breathing difficulties and respiratory symptoms are the common signs of the infection. However in severe cases it causes pneumonia, multiple organ failure and even death.

Patient exhibiting the symptoms of the virus

Apart from being zoonotic, it has been confirmed that the virus is also transmitted from human to human since it's airborne. This is why there are standard recommendations to prevent its spread which are, regular washing of hands, covering the mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing and avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illnesses. Self quarantine is also advised for those with such symptoms.

Image showing human-human spread of the virus and the symptoms

However, one must be very careful because most infected patients can be asymptomatic, meaning they don't display any symptoms of the virus despite being infected.

China is the most affects country since the discovery of the virus, with vast majority death cases reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province. The virus has then spread to many countries in the Asian-Pacific region and well as Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa. This being a result of people traveling to this countries for China.

Photo courtesy of Aljazeera

And the economies of affected countries are the ones paying the bitter price for the spread of the virus.

Though yet to be proven, there is a MYTH surrounding the origin of the virus as stated in the novel, The Eyes of Darkness.

The book states that the virus was scientifically created by a Chinese scientist, as a biological weapon to conquer the world years ago. 

Amarture image

Sylvia Browne, in her book 'End ot the Days', also foretold that the virus would be unleashed in the Year 2020 with no remedy to it, and that is what is happening.

Amarture image

As per now, the virus has no cure nor vaccine hence lots of efforts is being used to curb the spread of the virus. For instance, China has sealed off Wuhan restricting movements to and from other cities. Also,any international airlines have cancelled their flights to and from China. Meanwhile, scientists around the Globe are racing to develop a vaccine and treatment for the virus.

Author

Kageha Deborah

VARSITIES REALITY

This week's article is finally here. Read and critic where possible.

         VARSITIES REALITY

University. A new life and a new journey to self-reliance and self-discovery. This is the place where one gets to  discover more about self that vhe/she didn't during the previous education levels.  Being a gateway to a better future, it's both heaven and hell to its target depending on how they use the freedom and privileges associated with it.

Most students consider University as an escape goat from their strict parent and guardians but being a second year student, I see it as a halfway house between leaving home and getting a job. This is because once getting to campus, the academic and life exposure one gets is enough to equip one with the skills to fit in the job market. It's  always a pleasure whenever you are admitted to campus and it's always a beginning of a better future.However those who have gone through a system will let you know there is more to University life than just a known positive idea of getting knowledge , skills and a better job.Many people join campus having hopes that the campus is going to prepare them for their future careers. And during their first semester you will hear them talking about their career and final destination.

Deborah

Balancing academic work and social life is one of the biggest challenges faced by campus students. With lots of freedom, many students rather than focusing on their career they are busy perfecting their social life that at the end result to disastrous experiences. I remember during my first year, it was hard for me to balance the two. I would spend alot of time partying and doing movies leaving less time for my academics. The only solution to this is to set your priorities right and adhere to them. This is possible with the application of good time management skills.

Like many other students, adjusting to the new life also possed a challenge to me. Being brought up in a nuclear family, I found it hard to open up to socialisation. It was a difficult option for me. But as time went by, I easily adapted to the chance making new and real friends. Homee sickness also took a toll on me since I was hundreds of kilometers away from home and my family with whom am really attached to.

Academic nuclear family

Although studying is enjoyable since you get to learn new things everyday, it comes with alot of pressure which affects a student both phycologically and mentally. Such pressure, if not controlled at an early stage,it might lead to depression. I was once a victim to this due to the overwhelming pressure brought about by the urge to pass my exams. Also bulky assignments with fixed deadlines was one of the leading causes of academic pressure.

All in all, during the two years I have been in campus, all the experiences were both educating and life changing.  Credit goes to my friends and my lecturers because both parties have contributed to the experiences I have.

Author

Kageha Deborah

SWEETEST, ABUSED KILLER DRUG IN VARSITIES

Hey guys welcome to my second release of another inspirational post. This post is about relationships and campus students. Hope will enjoy and get inspired. Comments and critics are also welcomed.

   SWEETEST, ABUSED KILLER DRUG IN VARSITIES

Love, they say is a beautiful thing. But this phrase only applies when one finds unconditional and true love. Love is best enjoyed when it's shared between two people who really understand and appreciate each other. While love is experienced among all age groups, the youths takes the fun to its climax. Especially those in universities. It is in such learning institutions that majority of youths form relationships based on love which eventually become long lasting to the extent of marriage.

Courtesy of Google

Although  campus relationships are sweet and lead to marriage, not all of them end up being successful. Such kind of relationships are those build on the foundation of greed, lust and mistrust. Such attributes lead to failed relationships which end up with  expensive prices to pay. In simple terms, it has resulted into toxic relationships.

For instance, abusive relationships are considered toxic. Many students in campuses are involved in abusive relationships but fail to address the issue in the pretext of love. The abuse is revealed in both physical and verbal forms. The physical abuse comes with one of the partner torturing his/her other half by beating them, thus causing physical pain. Mostly the victims of such abuses are the female counterparts because they consider themselves a weaker species and can't fight against the male. Verbal abuse comes with a partner shouting and using abusive words against their partners. This won't cause physical but rather emotional pain. The victims of this abuse are specifically the men, since most of them are 'weak' when it comes to word of mouth.

Due to greed for money, most campus students especially ladies, engage in illicit relationships with old, married men all in the name of SPONSORS. Ladies engage in such relationships so a to facilitate their bills and maintain their expensive lifestyles. Though, such kind of relationships don't end well. Some end in death cases. For instance the case of Sharon Otieno, a student at Rongo University, who was allegedly killed by her 'sponsor' fiance after a  love gone sour.

Lust and mistrust are also other causes of toxic relationships. Most of the youths nowadays no longer get into relationships because of love but rather to satisfy their bodily pleasures. This has made them engage in various relationships with numerous spouses. In this cases, one of the partners finds himself/herself in the receiving end since he/she had genuine love for the other party. This results into heartbreaks and feelings of betrayal which are the leading cause of deaths in campuses. Many students have committed suicide  just because they can't stand the pain of betrayal from the one they love the most. We have heard of many cases where students lifeless bodies have been discovered in their rooms or even in rivers.

Betrayal in love also leads one to commit murder in search of revenge. Not long ago we have had cases of lovers killing their partners because they were entangled in a love triangle. Ivy Wangeci, a medical student at Moi University,is one illustration of students murdered by their fiance's due jealousy and betrayal.

Courtesy of Google

Campus relationship are not build on true love rather they are build on a foundation of deceit hence many students end up being heartbroken more than 5 times in their campus life cycle.Toxic relationships in campus have resulted in establishment of a phrase that consoles their hearts and you will hear them shouting "Just be a wh**e it will all end in tears".

From the above, it's high time students understand that relationships are not a child's play hence should not engage in one of not ready to do so. If one sees that a relationship is intoxicating, for instance, an abusive one, though not easy but walk away. Parents should also take up the responsibility of guiding the children especially on matters to do with love. These will help save lives and one's sanity.

Author

Kageha Deborah.