It’s amazing how life works. We all grow up with dreams of who we want to be — doctors, engineers, pilots. We even dream of the perfect campus. The sad truth is that we don’t always get what we want. As a child, I wanted to be a pilot, travel the world, meet new people, and explore different cultures. In high school, I fell in love with science and changed my dream to medicine. I wanted to become a doctor, save lives, and make the world a better place. But when the KUCCPS portal opened, I realized I didn’t meet the cluster requirements for medicine. It felt like my dream had slipped away, so I chose the next best thing. I qualified to pursue Animal Health and Production Management. Since I loved animals, shifting from human medicine to veterinary-related studies wasn’t too difficult. What was harder was being admitted to Kenyatta University, Kitui Campus. Not only had I changed my course, but I was also joining a satellite campus far from home — a place I had never been and where I had no relatives. My first thought was to request an inter-transfer once I joined. I still remember the journey to Kitui — the blazing sun, the four-hour drive, and the nervous butterflies in my stomach. My parents booked me a hostel, not wanting their “baby girl” alone in an unfamiliar place. However, by the time the inter-transfer process began, something had changed. I had fallen in love with the place, the course, and the people. Yes, it is a small campus, but that is what makes it unique. The close student relationships, approachable lecturers, and strong sense of community made it feel like home. In my first semester, I interacted with student leaders, knew most of my classmates, and even joined the peer counseling group. For someone who had been an introvert throughout high school, this was a huge transformation. The small class size made learning easier and allowed lecturers to build meaningful connections with us. In my second semester, I challenged myself even more. I joined the drama club — something completely out of character for me. I had stage fright and a small voice, but I decided to take the risk. With practice, I moved from doing backstage voiceovers to becoming the news anchor in our play. That breakthrough boosted my confidence and showed me that growth often comes from uncomfortable spaces. Looking back, the satellite campus I once saw as a disappointment became the place that shaped me. It pushed me out of my shell, helped me discover new strengths, and reminded me that sometimes the path we never planned turns out to be the one we needed most.

It’s amazing how life works. We all grow up with dreams of who we want to be — doctors, engineers, pilots. We even dream of the perfect campus. The sad truth is that we don’t always get what we want. As a child, I wanted to be a pilot, travel the world, meet new people, and explore different cultures. In high school, I fell in love with science and changed my dream to medicine. I wanted to become a doctor, save lives, and make the world a better place. But when the KUCCPS portal opened, I realized I didn’t meet the cluster requirements for medicine. It felt like my dream had slipped away, so I chose the next best thing. I qualified to pursue Animal Health and Production Management. Since I loved animals, shifting from human medicine to veterinary-related studies wasn’t too difficult. What was harder was being admitted to Kenyatta University, Kitui Campus. Not only had I changed my course, but I was also joining a satellite campus far from home — a place I had never been and where I had no relatives. My first thought was to request an inter-transfer once I joined. I still remember the journey to Kitui — the blazing sun, the four-hour drive, and the nervous butterflies in my stomach. My parents booked me a hostel, not wanting their “baby girl” alone in an unfamiliar place. However, by the time the inter-transfer process began, something had changed. I had fallen in love with the place, the course, and the people. Yes, it is a small campus, but that is what makes it unique. The close student relationships, approachable lecturers, and strong sense of community made it feel like home. In my first semester, I interacted with student leaders, knew most of my classmates, and even joined the peer counseling group. For someone who had been an introvert throughout high school, this was a huge transformation. The small class size made learning easier and allowed lecturers to build meaningful connections with us. In my second semester, I challenged myself even more. I joined the drama club — something completely out of character for me. I had stage fright and a small voice, but I decided to take the risk. With practice, I moved from doing backstage voiceovers to becoming the news anchor in our play. That breakthrough boosted my confidence and showed me that growth often comes from uncomfortable spaces. Looking back, the satellite campus I once saw as a disappointment became the place that shaped me. It pushed me out of my shell, helped me discover new strengths, and reminded me that sometimes the path we never planned turns out to be the one we needed most.