SEMESTER CHRONICLES.. PT.1

And so it happened that a MacBookPro was placed in front of me and I couldn’t resist the urge to free my mind. Well, yea, you all know my love for the things of the white man. 4^th December, 1:47pm and I had finished my paper some two hours ago. No paper in the next five days and I thought, why don’t I tell you about the semester (from my perspective) even before it ends. . .

Was it not some 14 weeks ago that school reopened? It seems so like yesterday. Days do travel faster than the speed of light these days. Among other things that happened, first year students arrived on campus this semester, they weren't fortunate enough to have an SRC Week Celebration –which includes the highly rated Miss Akwaaba- just because the SRC case had been, and is still in court. Also, level 200s have had their Public Relations event which came off on a Friday, attracted a huge audience, and like almost all other events, had controversy surrounding it. And there has been no trip this sem but there have been a couple of parties. Hold on tight, and ride with me…

September 1 and campus was already bubbling with activity. Either students were fed up with the four months they spent at home or they didn’t hear about the one-week extension. One thing for sure is that some missed their better halves and numerous crushes. They couldn’t waste another day at home. I found myself on campus that day and was overwhelmed by the scenery. A new two-storey lecture hall block had been erected within the four months that we spent at home. Man, that building wasn't a storey building the previous sem. How did they accomplish this task within this short period? In my opinion, which is the opinion of most of us, a storey building cannot be put up in such a short time. Feel free to call it a death trap but it was built for people who had paid millions to study and obtain a Master’s Degree.

I so wish I could skip talking about the freshers but I believe in fairness and equality. These young men and women- sorry, most of them are old enough to be my parents- so yeah, these first year students appeared almost suddenly on campus. A very long, beautiful time ago, there were several empty seats and fresh air to breathe, then..bam, you can’t even bend to pick up something. Your pen fell? I know you bought a new one. The school was packed, chale. I kept seeing new faces and well, inasmuch as some were nothing to write home about, most were simply divine. You wondered if God was partial. Maybe he took time to create some people and for others, he just threw mud around and watched it stick. He created us out of clay, right? Anyway, I will not talk about their mode of dressing. Sorry, but the unpleasantness of their dressing might set fire to this MacBook Pro. A friend, Nana Gyedua, told me once that freshers are very immature, especially in the way they dress. She didn’t lie. Let me not talk much about the freshers. Ebiaa na mmaa no bi kraa pɛ me. Who knows, who knows?

What’s with these other guys who won’t let their fellow colleagues ‘chop’ power? It’s been seven months since we voted for a new SRC committee and still, there hasn’t been a handover of power. Those on the losing side claim the election was rigged so they took and still have the case in a law court. Let’s leave them to mind their own business. After all, they being in court didn’t prevent examinations from taking place. Tchw.

Should we talk about the parties now or we should just delve into other minimal issues? Like when the radio production for level 200s started? Shouts to us who were sweating profusely in a fully air-conditioned studio. My hands were shaking –brrr- as I read my report on air. That guy who sports an afro though, we heard you mention ‘establishing’ as ‘estabrishing.’ WhatsApp this number +233277782999 if you need that audio. The afro guy said lots more of hilarious stuff.

Wait oo..during the graduation of the 2014 year group, the overall best student was announced and err.. why did everyone scream ”Eiiii”? You all were clearly surprised. What was the reason for your surprise though? Did he not deserve it? Who am I to talk about that issue anyway? Yɛnko yɛnim.

I almost forgot about what happened during the vac. It seems a bit irrelevant because it wasn’t a campus event. But reflecting on it, I think it’s worth noting. Sometime during the vac, Miss Malaika Ghana auditions were held and the premises of GhOne looked like a GIJ lecture hall. Not less than 17 ladies from this ‘precious’ institution were there to ‘show off their beauty.’ Many were called, however, few were chosen. Most of the girls were sent home during the preliminary stages. These ‘beautiful’ ladies didn’t even make it into the audition room. And remember, I’m talking about GIJ ladies. Those who made it into the room also had ideas of their own- they could NOT define JOURNALISM. Oh, I would mention names but nah, it is okay. Three of these ladies (all in level 200) got well ahead in the competition and at the end of it all, two made it to the Grand Finale.

No, they didn’t win the ultimate.

I forgot to tell you that I took a break from when I started -  4^th December. I had to study for the last few papers. So today is 11^th December and I have finished writing my last paper for the sem. I’m in a bit of a hurry to leave campus and get home so let me finish this.

What more, what else?

THA PARRDI:

There was no SRC and all so, someone had to step up to the mark, start, and complete a race on behalf of the SRC. Breakers Entertainment appeared from nowhere… and saved the day!

Splash On Waves was organized in record time, in an effort to help students have fun and relieve stress. GIJ is not like your usual University. GIJ defines stress!

The venue for Splash On Waves was the Beach Soccer Arena, Labadi. The place wasn’t packed so others would say the party flopped. But on the real, you define your own happiness. That’s one thing I’ve grown to understand very well. People might have fun and you wouldn’t, but it doesn’t mean a party flopped. I was there at the beach and boy, did I have fun?! No one had more fun than the guy who got so drunk and missed half of the show ‘cause we had to lay him to rest, literally.

A few weeks later, some level 200’s, in my opinion, were desperately trying to leave a mark on GIJ campus, by organizing their own version of a fun day. It was dubbed ‘Game Gbey’+ Cocktail Party. Consoles and screens were brought from God knows where and former upper lecture hall was converted into the game and party centre. Guys were there in their numbers to show off their FIFA playing abilities and prowess. Others were there to take revenge for games they had lost in the past and to stamp their authority on FIFA 14 and 15. The other games (oware, ludo, monopoly, et al.) were left for the females and the guys who liked to play with them.

Then as light began to give way to darkness, Kasapreko Company Limited arrived on campus with our boxes of drinks. We had been waiting for them all day but na them dey play delay tactics. At a little after five pm, when the party had already started and was in full swing, these guys from Kasapreko came and alcohol was made to beg for its life. The palm-wine that we were drinking earlier was shoved to one side and Alomo bitters and Cardinal were served. The fun continued. These guys dirtied themselves!

You missed a lot if you were not there...

 

Hold on for more 

more please...

A similar party happened again one Friday and guess who organized that also? Yea, same ol’ level 200 students! I was so engrossed in that event, chale. So much so that I forgot to take photos even. I hope I didn’t disappoint my Visual Communication lecturer.

Enough of the fun, folks. Let us talk about examinations, please. No? You are not a serious student? Change oo change! Ghana looks up to you as a future leader. LOL. Don’t worry, I also don’t want to talk about it. Examinations have ended for me. I’m going home now. Till we meet again, folks. So long.


PS: If I forgot to add any event or talk about something, then it's because I didn't remember it. Try to remind me and it will be added in the next edition. Till then, I remain Khoruz.. Fiifi Khoruz, reporting from Ghana Institute of Journalism.