Campus is a very diverse place where you meet so many people with different views but one thing remains the same; it is still a society just like any other.
Every social setting has certain things and behaviors that are considered 'cool' or fancy but might not be necessarily so. Are you part of the 'cool club'? Check out these five things.
1) Being in campus
If you are a campus student at some university, just know everyone sees you as a cool person. In Kenya, young people view getting to campus as something to be proud of.
You will hear young students in high school saying,"I'd just like to get to campus" or even campus students asking the same of friends," which campus are you in?".
Is this a cool thing? On some part, it is cool if you worked hard to get accepted at a campus for a given course.
On the other hand, if you don't work at being productive by the time you leave campus then it's probably not so cool.
If you fancy being a campus-goer then it also has to mean something for your future life.
2) Being a party person
Ladies and men who attend flashy events and go to a "bash" every other weekend are seen as cool. Party-goers always have thrilling stories to share and this draws curious audiences to them.
Who wouldn't want to hear how so and so almost got caught after the police were informed of an illegal party going down and they were there? Sauti Sol performed in Nakuru over the weekend and several students attended.
They'll share how the event was including pictures of the celebs present. If you are outgoing you will definitely be popular. The problem is if that life is straining your academics or other aspects of your life such as health.
3) Being a ladies man
This one is for men. If you are seen with different ladies every other day of the week, that's a win. You might not even be particularly a "fisi" but hanging out with several ladies is a plus as a cool person on campus.
The catch here is that ladies can't get enough of you because you are that good. This is a confidence-booster for most men and one also gets some kind of "respect" from other men.
The question is, should confidence be pegged on how many women are in a man's life? Shouldn't it be intrinsic?
Most of these relationships are usually not platonic which means sex is involved. There are risks involved when one has several sexual partners.
4) Being good at something
It doesn't matter what it is. Do you know how to speak like an experienced politician? Are you the best coder in your class?
Do you get a standing ovation when you perform spoken word poetry? Do your sports bets always come through and you are known for that?
Are you the captain of the rugby team? Whatever you are good at, students will find you cool because of that.
Even bookworms are considered cool because at the end of the day we always end up needing their help.
Our focus is not limited to books only but ultimately, the main reason for being on campus is to further our education level so that still remains a priority.
5) Your group of friends
If being cool is one of your aims, then make sure you are not a loner. Being cool is defined by your clique of friends.
If you hang out with a crowd that is viewed as fancy then you'll end up being seen in the same light. Our friends form part of our identity whether we like it or not and the case is the same on campus.
There are so many factors that students identify as fancy or progressive. The term cool is subjective.
As a student, one is likely to feel the need to behave in a certain way to gain acceptance or recognition. All that's needed is a healthy self-esteem, healthy relationships and a balanced academic life to lead a comfortable life on campus.