JINGLE BELLS THEN SCHOOL BELLS; NAVIGATING THE RETURN TO SCHOOL POST CHRISTMAS BREAK.

 By; Dolapo Oyewole

When Lola, a 200-level student of Psychology, was asked about resumption, she said, 'Resume ke? There's free food at home o. I’m not ready to resume Kankan. Boya later.' A quick chat with a 400-level student of the Department of Civil Engineering, however, reveals that he is excited about the resumption from the break because 'my babe had to fly to Abuja to celebrate with her family, so I’m excited for resumption because she’ll be back.'

As the festive season winds down, resumption beckons. For students of the University of Ibadan, it is a rollercoaster of emotions - a mix of reluctance and anticipation. The warmth of home is about to be exchanged for the familiar hums of classrooms, dress code, deadlines, sharing bathrooms and kitchens, or cooking with stoves for those who stay in school hostels, the long wait for ‘keke,’ etc.

Following the cracking of bones from Christmas chicken, the binge-watching in between dates, the end-of-the-year events and concerts, the glee and excitement of fireworks on New Year's Eve comes the reality of every student of the University of Ibadan - resumption into the second semester of the session. There is a collective sigh as the freedom from academic work of the holidays transforms into the structure of timetables, tests, deadlines, and examinations.

Students who had previously traveled to different parts across the country for the holidays find themselves transitioning from holiday cheer, merry laughter, food, and of course, errands - as typical to Nigerian households - to school routine, ranging from the release of timetables, creating study plans, assignments, tests, term papers, buzz of conversations around the hostels and classrooms, and even deciding on what to eat daily.

It becomes a tug of war between the desire to prolong the holiday bliss and the realization that a degree needs to be bagged. The reactions from the students vary. Some have taken their social media pages to express how pleased or majorly displeased they are about resumption. While there are those who belong to the category of those who are excited to be leaving home due to multiple errands, complaints from parents and elder siblings, bad network, lack of freedom, inadequate power supply, and the expiry of guest treatment, etc., at home. There are those who do not want to leave home because of food, wifi, running water, absence of sharing bathrooms and kitchens with multiple individuals, cooking without stoves for those who live in school hostels, and those who never left school for home.

Regardless of whatever category you fall into, the sounds of holiday joy and laughter fade, and the academic freedom is swept away. Nothing like sleeping without academic stress anymore because a new chapter unfolds; the resumption to school after the semester break. The battlefield is where students don their armor of backpacks, and teachers wield the mighty syllabus sword. Reading rooms and libraries become one of your destinations. It is another academic session. Minds are sharpened, new things learned, friendships rekindle, TDB begins, and the clash between relaxation and responsibility ignites a fierce blaze in every student. Don’t forget that in the University of Ibadan, even if you do not want to pass, you have to read even to fail!

This semester also promises camaraderie as the session comes to an end. Several events such as hall week, faculty week, Jaw War, FOPA awards, departmental week, student union week which brings in students from every subcategory of the school, cultural nights which is a point where traditions collude, pageantries, awards are bestowed upon those who have performed well academically but do not fail to acknowledge those with other worthy attributes, movie, games night and dinners all of which result in an explosive crescendo of colors with students clad in a myriad of attires, the buzz of excitement, and the rhythm of music that serves as the heartbeat of these events.

Events aside, it is also that time where political events hold a stronger forte on campus. Reigns of 'Lagbaga is coming,' 'Tamedo is here' via unsolicited broadcast messages, groups, and one-on-one meetings. Flyers are shared, banners are pasted, rallies are held, and alliances formed. While the Student Union elections seem to be more serious, hall, faculty, and departmental elections hold no small feat as well. Promises are made, banters are thrown, and the expose begins.

While resuming may not be the most fun thing to do, it indicates growth, completion, and changes. Freshers become staylites, penultimate students become finalists, and finalists become graduates.