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Patson Chiumia Midlands State University
Midlands State University (MSU) students are worried by the recent demand of storage fees by landlords in Senga and Nehosho suburbs in Gweru who offer lodgings to off-campus students.

MSU has a special arrangement with property owners in the suburbs to provide accommodation to students since the institution is not in a position to accommodate the bulk of its students on campus.

The demand for storage fees by the landlords comes against the backdrop that they are not leasing their properties to students since the lockdown came into effect in March, resulting in the closure of all universities. This had a negative effect on the landlords’ income.

The storage fees being demanded are pegged between US$5 and US$10 a month since May.

Some landlords have gone to the extent of threatening students who default on payment of storage fees. They threaten confiscation of students’ belongings left behind when the lockdown started.

Landlords have fabricated stories, criminalising students.

Students believe the demand for storage fees by landlords in Senga and Nehosho is unreasonable and a desperate attempt at exploiting students.

Most families with children enrolled at the Midlands State University mainly depend on the informal sector but are struggling to put food on the table due to the slowdown in their economic activities as a result of the lockdown restrictions.

Students who left their belongings in Gweru cannot go and collect them because of lockdown restrictions on movement especially when it comes to intercity.

The intercity bus services and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) passenger train service are grounded due to the rise in Covid-19 positive cases in the country.

A room with two people sharing in Senga and Nehosho costs between US$25 and US$35 a month per person, whereas a room for one individual costs US$45 a month.

However, a room in the new developing Senga KMP cost between US$50 to US$80 a month per person.

The students and their parents now hope for the immediate opening of the university to allow the students to write their examinations.

Midlands State University needs to advise students particularly those residing off-campus on the possible action to take faced with the unreasonable demands by the landlords.

The Government needs to get involved in this issue by fast-tracking the process of securing private-partnership to construct more student accommodation at all universities in the country so that students are not exploited by property owners.

Prince Nyambuya Midlands State University
It is important for students to balance their academic and social life and be themselves while at university.

A functional timetable can be very effective in avoiding stress, anxiety and depression that have been the main causes of student suicides.

Dr Julia Mutambara, a lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine at Midlands State University explored suicide cases in Zimbabwe universities. The results of her research shows that; “. . .15,7 percent indicated that they had told someone that they wanted to die; 14,7 percent had thought of killing themselves; and 13, 7 percent had a plan to kill themselves but did not follow it through”.

Social issues such as hopelessness, trying to fit in the environment one is in, family issues, failure at school and in real life play a pivotal role in steering one to suicide or having suicide ideas.

There are many students who spend all their university years trying to figure out how things work out, and balancing social life and school work. For others, however, it is as easier. Teamwork makes work easier as two heads are better than one, which is one reason students are encouraged to work as groups. This yields better results in assignments, presentations and even in real life. It improves how one socialises with others.

Depriving oneself of enough sleep can cause mental conditions, affecting one’s grades. Sleep should be a priority.

Having something to do, somewhere to go or someone to talk to can help one get their mind off school and thoughts that are stressful.

Lack of a healthy social life can lead to mental conditions. In most cases, students at some point suffer from stress, anxiety and depression, which can be dealt with if one recognizes changes to mental health.

If the mental illness is not relieved and one loses their piece of mind this can push a person over the edge. This can be the result of not having someone to advise them that nothing is worth taking their life for.

Universities understand the importance of balancing social life and school work. Students are also given time to go on academic field trips once or twice during a semester. This helps students to take time away and get their mind off a lot of things that might be bothering them.

There are also social groups at university, which consist of youths. These make it easier for one to relate to. The groups range from campus church, drama clubs, sports and debate clubs.

University is where one figures out who they really are and what they like and what they are good at in both academic and extra-curricular activities. Spending time with other students one’s age is not just fun but it opens up the other side one might not be familiar with. It also opens up how others see the world. It is also important to keep track of how one is spending one’s time.

Many students commit suicide due to poor preparation of examinations.

Nothing in this world is worth taking one’s life. Almost everyone is probably going through exactly the same things or worst. One does not have to confront life alone. Talk to someone about your experiences, learn and live the university life.

 

Michael K Ndlovu

Midlands State University

If we could all refuse to be offended or get angry every time someone does something unpleasant, there would be less hatred and selfishness.

We might not have the power to control how people act towards us, but we have every right to the way we react.

In other words, someone’s bad attitude should never change one’s good behaviour.

As a university student, one gets to meet different people from different backgrounds, cultures and societies. Some students are taught to be ungrateful.

Others are taught to be unjust to others, while others are taught to be outright racists. Against all these, we should maintain our cool. Love can be a powerful force.

We should choose to respond in love, no matter what people do to us.

When someone gives you a hard time, respond with energies of prayer for that person.

However, within university communities, only a few students treat each other with love. Students usually congregate around their ethnic or linguistic backgrounds. For instance, students speaking IsiNdebele/Shona tend to associate with those speaking that language.

The end result is that divisions are created among students and when this starts at university levels, it means that their future and the whole nation are being divided.

Tomorrow’s leaders are produced at universities and colleges and when these are divided it means the nation cannot grow.

Each university should make an undertaking to bring together its students by conducting activities specifically aimed at uniting students from different ethnic and social backgrounds.

The kind of love available nowadays is that predicated on conditionalities. This is why people get offended and even fail to forgive others.

However, if young people can become transformed into “loving one another”, then Zimbabwe and the whole world will have a chance of becoming a better place.

Universities still have a chance to be sites where young people can begin to love and care for each other. Transformed universities can transform nations.

 

 

 

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Nobuhle C Nleya

Midlands State University

The youth are the leaders of tomorrow. This is why they are encouraged to continuously develop themselves.

However, what happens when they experience depression, hurt, betrayal or even loss?  How are they supposed to lead?

The majority of the youth in Zimbabwe are facing challenges of having to put up with life’s struggles and also having to remain positive at the same time.

This can be a burden because many have had to live with issues of emotional, mental and even psychological pain – many of which are kept hidden due to fear of stigmatization and rejection by family members and society.

It should therefore be understood that if the youth are expected to be game-changers, they will need assistance and support in dealing with issues such as drug and substance abuse, anger and even identity crises.

In most cases the trauma is revealed later on in environments where an individual feels they have been exposed or feel vulnerable and therefore need an escape. Society can make an effort to understand the driving force behind such decisions.

Such issues can be identified while students are at university.

An approach to better understanding the younger generation would be to groom a generation of mentors and leaders who mentor as well as represent others and themselves.

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