Romance makeover at universities

By Jeckonia Otieno

Romantic relationships among students in public universities have an unwritten tradition where senior male students invariably hook up ‘green’ females.

But as it is the case everywhere, this tradition is taking a drastic turn around.

These days, and perhaps in line with modern times where women give as good as they get, female university students are changing the rules of the game.

However, those that can read the signs of the times adjust fast and move on with life.

Carol is now a final year student and hers is an interesting tale of romantic betrayal and counter betrayal between students.

She said: "My first semester in this university was quite a nice ride. I had this third year boyfriend and I enjoyed every bit of it while it lasted. But a new intake came into the campus in just three months and everything took a turn for the worst. He deserted me for a first year girl who was in the parallel programme. I got so mad with him."

Insanity

She recalls: "He started losing interest in me the moment new students reported. He rushed for another fresher who, seemingly, was fresher than me."

Carol did not take it lightly and vowed to remain single for the rest of her university life. But that resolve did not last long because in the second semester, another third year student appeared in her life and Carol took him in.

Soon after, this man was also snatched from her when another batch of first year female students in yet another parallel programme arrived. It was a vicious cycle.

She was exasperated. She shared her desperation with a classmate who seemed to be in a similar predicament. The two smitten women put their heads together and discovered what insanity was taking control of their lives. They established that senior male students were simply playing around, deflowering and using first year female students and dumping them as soon as fresher ones came.

Armed with this discovery, Carol and her friends mobilised those in similar fixes and turned the tables, so to speak.

She recollects: "We decided that enough was enough and henceforth, the hunter would become the hunted."

It was decided that like their male counterparts they would go for fresher male students and dump them as soon as new ones reported.Now in her final year, Carol has perfected the art and science of seducing fresh male students. Jane, one of Carol’s friend poses: "Why be good if others are not? If I was used and dumped, then why not do the same to someone else?"

But the new trend has gone overboard. Recently, an all-out battle nearly broke out at a Nairobi university when a female student tried to seduce a DJ who was running a show at the main