Following the commencement of the one-month warning strike action declared on February 14, Naselsites and other students across all federal universities in Nigeria have been left hanging at the mercy of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). 

In the words of the president of the union, Emmanuel Victor Osodeke, the strike action would be “comprehensive, suffocating, and total”. 

As Naselsites wait with other students affected by the strike, here are a couple of things you can engage in during this waiting period.

Rest

You can spend your free time getting some rest and letting off some school steam. The University of Ibadan is stressful enough; let’s not even mention the Department of English. You can spend this time getting enough sleep and enough rest. Take good care of your body during this period. 

Increasing your knowledge

The knowledge you get in school is just a fraction of other things to learn in the world. You can get yourself acquainted with the events happening around the world. You can also learn some digital skills such as Copywriting, Content writing, Design, Digital Marketing, and a host of others.

You can learn soft skills like communication, teamwork, leadership, and others. Sites like Coursera offer professional courses at little or no cost. Other sites to check out are Sidehustle and Jobberman.

Read

No, we do not mean school books. You can spend your time reading your favourite books from your favourites Authors. If you are a fan of physical bookstores, you can visit Booksellers along Jericho road in Ibadan for your books. There are also a couple of online bookstores in Ibadan to purchase your books.

Concerning school books, you can go through your recommended texts if your lecturers have provided you with the list. 

Film & Documentaries

There are several films and documentaries available to watch, both African and non-African. Some of these include The Pearl of Africa, a 2016 documentary exploring the life and struggles of a Ugandan transgender woman; For Maria, a Nigerian film that explores the life of a mother dealing with postpartum depression; Skin, a Nigerian documentary that explores the concept of colourism in Nigeria. 

Journaling

This warning strike action means different things to different categories of students. While some students are happy at the opportunity to go home, some students are terrified at the prospect of going home. Journaling is an excellent way to express your thoughts and let some emotions out, whatever the case may be.

Journaling is a coping mechanism to identify any emotions you may be feeling. However, if you require further help with your mental health, you may reach out to the Asido helpline on +234 902 8080 416 or via any of their social media channels.

Conclusively, as students hope that this strike action does not get more prolonged than necessary, we hope you find some of our suggestions helpful this period.