Balancing books and bonds: How campus students navigate social life and studies

Campus life is a journey – one of laughter, pressure, mistakes and memories that shape who you become.  As a student, navigating the demands of higher education while maintaining a vibrant social life can be a struggle. It is a tightrope walk between chasing dreams and making memories and not everyone finds it easy to stay steady.

Many first-year students experience the rush of independence, followed by the reality of responsibility.

“When I joined, I wanted to go everywhere, meet everyone, try everything, and explore. But after the first semester, I was tired both mentally and emotionally. I was showing up to hangouts, but I wasn’t showing up for myself,” Mitchell Kamau, a first-year student, says. “That’s when I realised balancing doesn’t mean saying yes to everything, but knowing your limits.”

Still enjoy socialising but learn how to say no as a survival skill.

“I’ve learned to say no without feeling guilty,” Georgina Kathomi, a second-year psychology student, says. “There are times my friends invite me out, but I have assignments due. I used to feel bad turning them down, but now it’s okay. When I do go out, I actually enjoy it because I’m not thinking about unfinished work.”

Georgina approach shows that balance isn’t about doing everything, but it’s about knowing what matters at that moment.

Juma Omar, a fourth-year engineering student, believes that time management is the foundation of balance. “People think being social means you’re not serious about your studies,” he said, “but that’s wrong. I plan my week carefully - I set study hours, group project meetings, and time to relax. If you don’t plan, you’ll drown.”

His words are simple but powerful. University life gives freedom, yes but without discipline, that freedom can quickly become chaos.

Not every moment of study has to be serious

Many students find ways to make academics social. Group discussions that turn into laughter, study sessions that end with pizza or walks after class that ease the stress hence the moments create bonds while keeping goals in sight.

University life isn’t just about getting a degree. It is about learning how to live, manage time and grow emotionally. And sometimes the best lessons come outside the classroom. In the end, what matters is not perfection, but progress.

So, the next time you feel like you are drowning in deadlines or drifting away from friends, pause and ask yourself: Am I truly living my campus life, or just surviving it?