The effects of COVID-19 on the average college student's home.
More often than not the average Nigerian student cannot wait to get back to school when he/she is home, however as resumption draws near, we lose the morale to return to the midst of our peers, preferring the safety, security and guaranteed feeding at home to the uncertainty that comes alongside the activity-filled days at school. However once in school, we realize that for most people, school is a sanctuary, a place where we have the freedom to be who we truly are. Leaders, followers, entertainers, bookworms, spiritual enthusiasts, atheists and so much more. We are afforded chances at debauchery and or righteousness, free to indulge and explore our innermost vices; Marijuana, fornication, alcohol, and truancy with little or no institutional systems to hold us accountable on one hand, while on the other hand, some of us are afforded the chance to think outside the pressured environment of the external influence from friends and family, giving rise to liberal views such as pro-homosexualism, free-thinking, religious tolerance and acceptance of foreign ideologies such as socialism and communism. These to some parents or guardians are simply unacceptable. Thus many students develop a Dr. Jerkyll and Hyde complex; being one thing at home and another in school, unfortunately for some of us, these personalities cannot last too long and the compulsory stay at home order will cause them to overlap. Without a doubt, some of us have already begun to fall out with our parents due to the fact that they cannot comprehend that we are no longer what they want us to be but who we are, this lockdown will force some parents to realize that a lot of us are not what we have seemed in the past one month holidays that they are used to and they will not like it. For students like me, this break has already began testing my limits, I wonder if it has tested yours.
This is the alpha and I am urging you to share your experiences, they may seem silly to you, they may seem smart, but know that they will help someone to cure boredom and you to get it off your chest. There is only one rule; whatever you say, say it with your chest!
This is the alpha and I am urging you to share your experiences, they may seem silly to you, they may seem smart, but know that they will help someone to cure boredom and you to get it off your chest. There is only one rule; whatever you say, say it with your chest!
My mother and I had a falling out when I refused to attend a family devotion. Honestly I'm not sure I believe in that kind of stuff anymore, and I'm sure we have more fights coming up.
ReplyDeleteWe havent fought but cant deal wiith the fact that all they want in this house is for everyone to succumb to their desires, no room for counter motions. Boys don try
ReplyDeleteThis is the case with the bulk of us and I'm glad you put it out here. It'd be better if our parents could be more liberal about many of the things we're passionate about in school. They already have a preconceived notion that the things holding us back are sinful or immoral which isn't always the case. Nonetheless, I feel our generation can do better as parents.
ReplyDeleteFor me, they think I'm still their model son because I've shown nothing so far to make them think otherwise.. little do they know that the art of disguise is something I've comprehended to near perfection.. we die here
ReplyDeleteBeautiful writing and quite true. I hope families come out of this stronger and more united than weaker and unable to stand each other. Lord help us all.
ReplyDeleteAs known by most of my friends I leave with my granny, aunties and my uncles at home , it is a whole different scenario entirely from my life in school..... At home there is more of naging, insulting , exploitation of child labour ( mind-blowing errands/chores) and no freedom of speech
ReplyDeleteIn school I am more of life ..... I pray I don't get to a point of word exchange with my elders..... I AM TIRED OF THIS LOCKDOWN
It cool u brought this up. Something happened recently, I did something that didn't derseve abuse cause it was a mistake. Suddenly I heard them scream and rainy abuse. I got fret and walked out of the room, they were surprised. Walking out of the room made feel uncomfortable but that was the best thing to do at the time. What am just trying say is that parent should let us be free at home that we can do whatever we like,than pretending to be what you are not. You guys should am not saying they shouldn't correct, they should but with love and respect.
ReplyDeleteIt feels so refreshing seeing all this comments. Knowing that i'm not in this alone. My Mom wants to kill me. HELP
ReplyDeleteThis is so true, I've not been at home this long in recent times, I have been frequently having issues with my mum lately. I'd just rather be in my room, but she doesn't even like this still, this lock down cos a lot of see finish, unlike before when we only talk on phone and when I come home , it's just for few weeks.
ReplyDeleteSo apt! I had a fight with my parents this morning. Apparently, they feel I should be doing things they'd normally have done if I wasn't home. Also, since I'm the only child at home, I get all the blame. I can't wait to get out of here!
ReplyDeleteI think it's really amazing that you thought to write on this.
ReplyDeleteIn my case, sometimes it feels like they are starting to accept this "new me" but on their bad days, I'm the rebellious child who they do not want to influence their other kids.
My experience this break started right from the airport about how my skirts keep getting shorter and how there are too many accessories on my wrists and fingers...we got home and a few hours later, everyone but me is getting ready for weekly service in church, my new offence became that I use my phone too much and I'm most likely learning my rude behaviour from it.
It is what it is!
Beautiful piece, Alpha!
ReplyDeleteFor me , the best way with which I can maintain my sanity all through this period is to remain in my room!o
But lately, that also is a problem...
We shall survive this!
Same here o, they'll be like you are always in the room....
DeleteWettin man go con do now
Very profound article. Avoided this by not even going at home at all. I decided to spend the break in my guardian's home. To be honest, there is a huge divide because of expectations and the perceptions from home. Our parents sometimes will never comprehend the complexity of our natures. They have us in a wooden box, we are freaking trees.. Great article by the way
ReplyDeleteI swear this lockdown has caused too much see finish
ReplyDeleteParents that would practically be begging you to come home to see them are now suddenly acting like what I can't even describe.
U stay in ur room and don't come out, it's an issue.
U don't watch news in the sitting room with them, it's a crime.
For God's sake to put on the TV or pick the remote 2m away from them is suddenly a Herculean task and u have to be called from ur room to do it.
Little do they know I'm light years more informed than them..
Pressing phone is an issue.
U take a book and say u're reading, they tell u u're at home to relax and not read like u're in school.
U drop the book and pick ur phone again, they tell u u're never serious and u're addicted to ur phone 24/7.
U're watching movies, they want to know what u're watching especially mothers..
U tell them u want to go a nearby friend's house and suddenly they become CSI agents and Interpol.
U don't want me to have peace, u don't want me to flex.
U don't even want me to sleep in peace.
What exactly do they want sef?
Me I want to get married and leave their house for them oo.
I've promised myself that they won't see me for 2 yrs in the house after this lockdown
My mum and I have fought a lot on everything and nothing. My dad has given up on me. My grandma decided she cant deal anymore. My brother is becoming annoying. I can't deal anymore. Yet, they are not allowing me to leave the house.
ReplyDeleteNo one can give up on you. You were never their property to begin with. Keep moving!
DeleteNice piece.
ReplyDeleteI still find it hard and unnecessary to show my school traits at home, though parents are very away. And yet their trust is still there. ��
This lockdown has made me realize that school is a "safe place" for me and I'm an extremely different person in school and a different person at home. The lockdown is getting to me and I'm getting to the point where I feel like I can't deal. Everything I do annoys my parents, I can't even do anything without it pissing them off, I'm tired!.
ReplyDeleteIf I try to stay out of their way, it's a problem, if I sleep, it's a problem, they complain that I don't like to watch TV with them even when they know I'm not a big fan of TV. I'm tired and I'm really close to loosing it.
This is a beautiful piece and it's really nice to know that I'm not the only one going through stuff like this at home.
The lockdown would be over soon hopefully!
Since we saying it with our chest, I'm a person of.mynown principles and I find my own path but we all know how that runs down in a typical Yoruba family. I really hate it when societal standards determine how you treat your kids. I hate the perfect parents cliché and in that disagreement, toxicity breeds and i sure as hell wanna go back to school where I can work around wearing what I want and my brother doesn't keep eating my food and my sister stops using my data for YouTube videos. But you know what, these differences and arguments is what I love about them. If everyone thinks like me, I'd have clones not a family. And yeah, wonderful writeup frizzy, your blog feels and looks like my dream room. Wonderful layout
ReplyDeleteI was quite hesitant to come home, as I knew it'd eventually get to this. But I came home anyway, enjoyed the first few days.. And now, I'm just surviving through it all. The last thing I wanted to do this lock down was to be pressured by anyone..
ReplyDeleteBeautiful piece Bro, on my own part here, we've fought and made up and fought and made up over and over. I just try to keep my respect intact for them but when necessary, omo I go loose guard o... Lol
ReplyDeleteTo me.. all I want is for this to be over cause I can't just deal... fetch water, cook, do the dishes and all.. if I'm on campus, I'll do just mine alone... I think school life has really impacted us, we are now stucked in between what we want and what we have to accept. Can this lock down just end already
ReplyDeleteThis is literally the most exhausting thing I have experienced all my life, just having to wake up each day to the same routine is crazy. I cannot wait to have my life back
ReplyDeleteThe first few weeks are fun - ahem semi fun. But as time progresses it seems like we've overstayed our welcome. Too little space for different people with different mindsets. Parents that refuse to acknowledge that we're growing and so will have different opinions, different ways of doing things, different interests. They forget that we aren't their little babies anymore. They feel the need to impose and once we refuse to yield like we used to, gba gba gba kasala don burst!.
ReplyDelete