MUSINGS FROM MY BUNK 1 By Ifeoma Nwalisi

This was not what i had in mind when i applied for an hostel. Actually, i was forewarned but what could i have done? After all, many students were looking for a bed-space. Shouldn't i thank God for what he gave me rather than give it away based on people’s scare tactics? General Mohammad Buhari once said

that 'Nigeria is ours, we must savage it together' and that had been my philosophy—my room is mine and i must salvage it even if i have to do that with 11 other people (such is my fate this session).

Well, the first few weeks were cool. I had rushed to be the first to enter the room and picked the best bed. Everywhere was calm and cool. Hmm.. I am just musing with nostalgia. But when my roommates began to troop in, the room became lively. I and cupboard owners B, C and D are as different as four days in a week. Different courses, levels, shade of complexion, ideologies in-fact almost everything! One was an SU, another one- a ''Jassi'' Muslim, a book nerd and me- the ''child'' in the middle.'

Life is all about tolerance, and that’s why roommates can live without poisoning each other. Everybody was just acting all 'nicey' nice. Soon after squatters found their way into the hostel; hostel became hostel.

There is a girl that came to stay with my bunkie, Kemi was her name. When she came in, she was just friendly and a little too friendly. Soon everyone began to feel weary of her over familiarity and 'conc. famzing'. Ah!  Kemi can 'famz' for Africa. It became a public knowledge when at one night, we were gisting about top musicians and their controversy. Kemi just declared that Wizkid was her brother's close friend. Everybody in the room just kept quiet... (To be
continued next week)

You know how malicious girls can be; we kept on encouraging her and feigning amazement. "Wow, does he visit your home? Do you chat with him?" we queried. That seemed to fan the embers of her exaggerations.

"Yes, of course. He was even trying to woo me but i refused. Now he is forming for everybody." Kemi enthused. Soon everyone relapsed into silence again and exchanged knowing looks. Suddenly, one of the girls spoke up and said "Kemi, you are really powerful."  Everyone burst
into laughter, while Kemi made feeble attempts to salvage the situation. From that day, we all began to call Kemi, 'Wizkid's babe'.  

Life in the hostel has really been boisterous despite its ups and downs. When i said 'ups', i mean the fun such as cooking, sharing, group reading, gist, gossips and things along that line.  The 'downs' has to do with the fighting, stealing, quarrelling, dirty habits of some so called big girls and stuffs like that.

Talking about fighting, the room adjacent to mine is a gladiator war zone. I don't know how balloting or whatever form of hostel application they used that could have
brought these kind of fiery temper  and brawling girls together.  

I felt pity for the quiet Fresher girl there. She was in most occasions in her friend's room than in hers. Whenever they start quarreling, she would quietly find her way to the next wing, where her friend stays.

They fight on just about anything. It can be about ordinary slippers or clothes or guys--just anything! Victoria, the occupant of cupboard A, has two squatters and she presides over them like a queen does to her subjects. The other two girls have a squatter each. Whenever a squatter quarrels with another, the bona-fides would take over the quarrel.

The whole wing is tired of their noises. We just take their brawling and bickering as part of everyday life activities. The last time they quarreled, Victoria had brought her friends from her department to the room and they were having fun. Titi had come in when they were about leaving. Seeing the whole place in shambles, Titi angrily called them back and ordered them to clean up the room before
leaving. Victoria the amazon did not take the matter lying down. She began to rain hot insults on Titi while the latter fired back. While the mudslinging continued, some occupants of the room returned and each took sides. It became such a heated affair that secrets began to
spill. The guests quickly left before they would reveal their own.

This, to me, was unfair. Earlier that day, I had an impromptu test and three elaborate lectures. All i wanted was just some quiet time but these girls are hell bent on giving me migraine. Who do you think would put a stop to their melee? Me, of course. Promptly, I went downstairs and reported to the porters that "some girls were fighting and breaking the school properties."  The porters hastily went upstairs and march all of them downstairs. Good riddance to bad nonsense!  With a smirk on my face, i nestled myself to a comfortable rest.