Students of Uganda Christian University recently returned to the Advent Semester. Pauline Luba caught up with a few of them to find out how they spend their holidays.
Precious Kasemiire, third-year, Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance
I get holidays twice a year. During the long holidays of four months, I work with my parents. I usually take advantage of my holidays to rest because the academic pressure during the semester cannot guarantee the much-needed rest. I also plan to use my holidays to acquire an extra skill, to supplement the education I get at the university. Kasemiire sells naturally-made skincare and hair care products like scrubs, hair moisturizer and face masks.
Sarah Nsereko, third-year Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
We get more breaks than holidays. For the past four months, I had an internship for three months, and then holidays for one month. I spend my free time listening to Islamic lectures, reading novels, and planting flowers at home. I go out, once in a while, to visit friends and family. During my holidays, I am less stressed than when at school. While at home, there is no strict timetable that I have to follow, as opposed to while at school, where lectures start at 8 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. for six days a week. For my next holiday, I hope to travel more. I also usually use the holidays to watch soaps with my younger sister. I think people should use the holiday to polish up areas they are not good at, such as through online courses and internships.
Tayebwa Daphine Ananda, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication
I use the holidays to do internships at different media houses in order to improve on my skills and learn new ones. I also use my holidays to visit family members and friends, as well as watching soaps and documentaries on TV and reading novels. During school time, I mainly focus on my academics. However, during the holidays, I use the time to rest and learn a new skill. To a certain extent, I do miss school because I also miss my friends. During the recent holiday, I acquired a camera and have since practiced photography. I was also able to get a slot for an internship at a media house, where I acquired multiple skills both in videography and editing. I hope to put my skills to use.
Kironde Eugene, third-year, Bachelor of Laws
Usually, I operate a shop while on holiday. The previous semester, however, I had an internship at a local court, where I was able to learn a lot about legal practice. I also start preparing for the next semester by reading and making my own notes. During holidays, there are fewer assignments to attend to, so I usually use that time to explore more about the legal profession by reading and participating in online classes on the subject of law. In the last holidays, I was able to complete my internship at a Chief Magistrates’ Court, where I was awarded as the best intern. I was also able to complete an online course on artificial intelligence, offered by the University of Lund in Sweden. I plan to pursue more online courses in the fields of corporate finance and artificial intelligence, as well as pursuing another internship program. For future holidays, I also plan to attend music classes. I think a student of law should look out for opportunities to do internships so as to get a better understanding of the profession.
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