Before you consider living in a hostel in Nigeria

Living in Nigeria wasn’t all bad growing up; I had some pretty good times…Schools on the other hand was great too but the living situation in hostels was like a tale from a horror movie.

Thankfully I started living in the hostel in my university days and not secondary (High School) .Can’t imagine what those kids went through.

It’s sad that our government don’t invest in schools and its amenities. Most of us spend all of time at the hostel, it’s where we live every semester and it’s really unfortunate that you are so uncomfortable especially after walking on the sun for hours to get to lecture.

I attended a state university and I never enjoyed my stay in the hostel because I was uncomfortable. I just loved the company of my friends and how it felt like a community but the living situation was just awful.

So before you consider living in a hostel in Nigeria schools;

Get to school on time

Ensure you get to school on time. Yeah, I made the mistake of resuming late; to be fair, it wasn’t my fault. My dad and brother were sorting the school fees aspect first (my dad paying of course, my brother in school doing the registration) and other admin stuff, they decided to make the hostel payment last. Only for me to get to school and nowhere to stay; had to squat with a childhood friend at her lodge off campus till I got a bunk space.

Nigeria hostels use bunk beds; like in a room, depending on the size – in my case we had four bunk beds that contained two mattresses each.

Since I got to the school late and couldn’t register for a room, I had to meet someone that was willing to give me her bunk space for a fee that was more that the school registration (rip off!). Anyway, I was desperate and needed a space urgently so I paid and got the lower bunk, ugh!

Stay at the top bunk

Yes guys, trust me, you need to choose the top bed -another reason why you should resume on time. Living in a hostel is not fun but it’s better to be at the top bunk so you don’t have to face the drama below.

Boy! Did I face my own share of drama? Here’s why you should choose the top bunk;

• People won’t just come around and sit on your bed and if you are like me that is a germophobe, you won’t have to keep feeling anxious and pissed each time you get back from lecture and see people mesmerizing your sheets.
• People won’t turn your bed to a charging spot where they place all their phones, especially when you have a socket on your wall.

Let me tell you what happened to me; I had this roommate that was a bully ( well, not to me)and loved to lay on my perfectly made bed each time I go for lectures . Guess what? She was on her period and stained my bed sheet. I got back and notice my bed sheet was not on my mattress and my other roommate told me the bully washed it.

When the bully got back, I asked her why she washed my bed sheet and she told me. I freaked out and told her not to lie on my bed again. I discarded the bed sheet of course and since then I stopped dressing my bed and did it when I want to sleep because I knew she won’t listen or anyone for that matter.

• Another issue is the person that sleeps on top of your bed. The one I had was pretty nasty; she would wash her panties and hang them at the head side of her bed and it would drip down to my mattress. It was so gross; I would call her on it. She didn’t listen so I had to hang mine close to hers to teach her a lesson – this led to a tearing of panties spree –ah, the memories, lol.

Chain your buckets to your bunk

Yes! If you don’t want to keep buying new buckets or fetching water every morning, you should chain your buckets.

Back then, since we didn’t have flowing water/tap in the bathroom, we fetched water down stairs and it’s really stressful doing that in the morning so what we do; is fetch water in the evening to use the next morning.

This bully girl would take my bucket to fetch water and when I get back in the evening to use my bucket, I can’t find it. So I had to get this chain (like a yard), a padlock and chained it to the bunk.

Don’t dress your bed

I know this is a bummer for motivational speakers but if you live in a Nigeria hostel then you would know why this is important –especially if you happen to be at the lower bunk bed.

Don’t dress your bed unless you are getting ready to sleep; because they just mess it up for you. If possible flip your mattress each time you are leaving the hostel. Unless you want to be like me or face worse.

I just admire hostels in western schools with just two beds in a spacious room, a wardrobe, running water and averagely clean bathrooms – why wouldn’t you love living in hostels. A Nigeria typical hostel just has bunk beds; you provide your cupboard, bucket, there is even no space for  a wardrobe if you have to bring in one.

Get a locker

Well, unlike foreign schools that has lockers… Nigerian hostels don’t! So you need to get box /cabinet where you keep your provisions (beverages), toiletries, pots, mugs etc. and it should have a lock. You don’t want anyone going to your locker to get some beverages and throwing a party in your absence.

After two years (well, I barely stayed there since I had a boyfriend that lived off campus) in the hostel, I decided to live outside campus. Those years were horrifying and that’s no good way for a student to feel when they think of going back to school every semester.

Boarding Schools (Government and Private) need to take these things into consideration;

• Ensure that there are enough bathrooms and toilets for these students.
• That there is running water in taps water closets, Kitchen and every outlet.
• That the kitchen is well ventilated and not close to a dump or pit latrine.
• Stop having too many bunks in one room.
• Ensure there are janitors /wardens and these people are doing their jobs – Most times students don’t use the toilet cause it’s clogged and no one cleans them.

I don’t know if this only happens in government schools or if the living situation has improved but I’m pretty sure some of these things happen in private schools as well.

This is just university hostels, imagine what it’s like in secondary schools where they feed these kids  and most of these students ( especially Junior secondary school ) barely take care of themselves., no clean and running water, clogged and faeces filled toilets, ugh! , I can’t even imagine.

What is your experience living in the hostel? And those of us in school and living in the hostel, do tell your experience and if these things I mentioned are no longer in existence.