I recently joined an online forum for students who had just finished KCSE. It was mainly the 2024 cohort discussing courses and university placement through KUCCPS. One student said something that really caught my attention.He said he had already chosen his course on the KUCCPS portal. He explained that he had applied for clinical courses and that he would not research anything about the course. According to him, he would simply play games, chat online, and wait until the day he enters a lecture hall for the first time. That, he said, would be the moment he finally learns what the course is about.That statement worried me. As a senior university student, I felt the need to respond. I told him that university life requires a different mindset. It is not like high school where everything is explained step by step. In university, you are expected to take responsibility for your own learning. My message to him was simple: start learning about your course early.If you have already applied for a course through KUCCPS, take some time to research it. Try to understand the basics before you even join university. Read introductory materials about the field, watch short educational videos, and look for articles explaining the course and what professionals in that field actually do. For example, I study journalism. Even before attending some of my classes, I had already started reading about topics like news writing, media ethics, and communication. That early exposure helped me understand the concepts much faster once I entered the lecture room. University learning differs from secondary school. At university, lecturers, not teachers, deliver instruction. Many lecturers hold advanced degrees, such as Master's or PhDs. The academic environment expects students to be independent thinkers. That is why preparation is very crucial. When you research your course early, you begin to build curiosity and confidence. You start to understand the basic terms and ideas used in that field. By the time orientation begins, you already have a small foundation. Of course, university orientation will guide you through many things. But having prior knowledge makes the transition easier. So when you are waiting for KUCCPS to open its portal and choose your course, and after you have made your selection, please don’t just sit and wait for admission. Use that limited time wisely. Read, explore, and try to understand the course you are about to study. Being proactive is one of the most important habits you can develop as a student. So the question I want to ask you, as a young student preparing for the future, is simple: Are you a proactive student?

I recently joined an online forum for students who had just finished KCSE. It was mainly the 2024 cohort discussing courses and university placement through KUCCPS. One student said something that really caught my attention.He said he had already chosen his course on the KUCCPS portal. He explained that he had applied for clinical courses and that he would not research anything about the course. According to him, he would simply play games, chat online, and wait until the day he enters a lecture hall for the first time. That, he said, would be the moment he finally learns what the course is about.That statement worried me. As a senior university student, I felt the need to respond. I told him that university life requires a different mindset. It is not like high school where everything is explained step by step. In university, you are expected to take responsibility for your own learning. My message to him was simple: start learning about your course early.If you have already applied for a course through KUCCPS, take some time to research it. Try to understand the basics before you even join university. Read introductory materials about the field, watch short educational videos, and look for articles explaining the course and what professionals in that field actually do. For example, I study journalism. Even before attending some of my classes, I had already started reading about topics like news writing, media ethics, and communication. That early exposure helped me understand the concepts much faster once I entered the lecture room. University learning differs from secondary school. At university, lecturers, not teachers, deliver instruction. Many lecturers hold advanced degrees, such as Master's or PhDs. The academic environment expects students to be independent thinkers. That is why preparation is very crucial. When you research your course early, you begin to build curiosity and confidence. You start to understand the basic terms and ideas used in that field. By the time orientation begins, you already have a small foundation. Of course, university orientation will guide you through many things. But having prior knowledge makes the transition easier. So when you are waiting for KUCCPS to open its portal and choose your course, and after you have made your selection, please don’t just sit and wait for admission. Use that limited time wisely. Read, explore, and try to understand the course you are about to study. Being proactive is one of the most important habits you can develop as a student. So the question I want to ask you, as a young student preparing for the future, is simple: Are you a proactive student?