just

Introduction

Established in 1922 as a humble technical school, Makerere University is one of the oldest and most prestigious Universities in Africa. In January of that year, the school, which was later renamed Uganda Technical College, opened its doors to 14 day students who began studying Carpentry, Building and Mechanics.

The College soon began offering various other courses in Medical Care, Agriculture , Veterinary Sciences and Teacher Training. It expanded over the years to become a Center for Higher Education in East Africa in 1935. In 1937, the College started developing into an institution of higher education, offering post-school certificate courses.

In 1949, it became a University College affiliated to the University College of London, offering courses leading to the general degrees of its then mother institution.

With the establishment of the University of East Africa in June 29, 1963, the special relationship with the University of London came to a close and degrees of the University of East Africa were instituted.

On July 1, 1970, Makerere became an independent national university of the Republic of Uganda, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses leading to its own awards. Makerere University offers not only day but also evening and external study programmes to a student body of about 35,000 undergraduates and 3,000 postgraduates (both Ugandan and foreign). It is also a very active center for research.

The University transitioned from the Faculty-based to the collegiate system on 1st July 2011 and as of Friday 30^th December 2011, Makerere University officially transformed into a Collegiate University with 9 Constituent Colleges and as at 1st July 2014, 10 Constituent Colleges including the School of Law, all operating as semi-autonomous units of the University.

As a student there are various experiences we go through as below;

My life experience

This is my life experience at this great university.

Theft

Almost every week we register many cases of theft like stolen laptops, bags and those one who fall victim beaten almost to death but police rescue them from angry student.

Actually again it was a Saturday when we were at the rotary pack near main library a 10 year kid, snatched a phone from a girl who was moving around MDD ground going toward main building, this boy snatched a phone and ran towards women and gender building, we chased the boy till we got the phone from him, it was a round 6pm.

Leisure

There are many leisure activities and recreation centers at the campus such as the pool rugbey grounds all these make the university more enjoyable, like on Saturday there was sports gala which involved different tribe to show what they do in their culture.

Strike

Since I joined Makerere, I experienced couple of strikes, at first when we were almost joining the university, the support and administration had a sit down strike, then again students’ strike because there was no water, internet in the hall, In Lumumba hall they cooked bad food which forced students to pore food then they were suspended 15 of them and this caused strike for their colleagues to demand their return and the lecturers were at the same time striking because of their incentive arrears tune of 8 months, at the end made the president to close the university for two months before it was open on second January, 2017 and lectures were at standstill

Experience in halls

In Complex life, Lumumba is somewhat fair because there is high levels socialization but what makes it hard are the bed bags found in the rooms I witness this when I visited a colleague their

Sports

Here are number of recreation and sports activities at the University. The Department of Sports and Recreation offers welfare and sports skills services to the students through a comprehensive, dynamic and exciting Inter-Hall Sports Championships scheduled to take place during the First Semester of the each academic year. The games include:

Every semester students normally organizes sports gala with all kinds’ games: chess, football, volley ball mention, athletics.

A building collapsed near Makerere

A building near Makerere University fell down recently and many people died which was very sad, this happened when I was in tax going to the main get, when I was from Makerere kikon, I witnessed the above picture.

Counselling and guidance

The Counselling and Guidance Centre helps students who need assistance on guidance about their daily life problems which might hamper their steady progress in the academic field or prevent them from enjoying their life in general. Such problems embrace the whole range of health (Medical and psychiatric) problems, Socio-Economic, marital, sexual, academic, spiritual and other problems. When I passed by on evening opposite marystuart hall on the right hand when you’re from school of education, I had a stopover then also got some tips on how I can control myself when am at campus

Fresher’s week

First Year students (Freshers) are by tradition given an “acclimatization” period of normally one week which is referred to as the “Orientation Week”. The Freshers report on Campus one week earlier than the Continuing students and during this week they are introduced to the key facilities in the University as well as other important aspects of life at the University. A programme of activities is always issued out and is expected to be strictly followed. When I went to freedom square for my first time we were many students there, then they told how lucky we were to have been on the shortlist, when there were telling us about PhD, I was wondering the meaning of that, at first thought it was Permanent Head Damage, BUT when I inquired the meaning then they told me it was highest qualification to become a professor and from day one am yarning to become one.

Accommodation at Makerere University

There are six halls of residence for male students and three for female students. Each student will be admitted to the membership of one of these Halls. Each Fresher has accordingly been attached to a Hall of Residence as shown on the admission letter. Accommodation in the Halls is for one year and renewable. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner is served to all resident students in each hall as a specified time. So here when they talked of breakfast, Lunch and Dinner I said to myself that it will then be easy for me to pass since there is food in place but to my surprise it was only those who have paid and on scholarship who can eat food and since I was just attached there then  I lost the moral.

Spiritual

Here are three places of worship at the University St Francis Chapel (Anglicans and Protestants) Service run every Sunday at these times English Service:  7.00 am, 9.00 am and 11.00 am Lugbara Service: 1.00 pm Youth Service: 4.00 pm St Francis Chapel is located behind the Main Administration Building and St Augustine for Catholics, Mosque for Muslims at the main get of Makerere on right as you enter Makerere university. so when I had of this during the orientation I had to move to find out where exactly these place were, in my searching at first I could not trace these places but when I found one gentleman around main building, then I asked him then he directed me where they can be found and this made more active spiritually in my faith at St Francis.

Coursework

When we reported back for the continuation of semester one, it was a task for me to complete all the course works we left pending which made life had because I have to finish the on time for all the six course units am taking.

Conclusion

Life experiences at this University vary from person to person and above are my experience.