FEEL GOOD FRIDAY By Angela Mugo EXERCISING THE MIND I recently read a book on early Kenyan politics. It was a biography which talked about the people that shaped Kenyan politics and what they did. I found it very interesting to discover that in the 80’s, most of the activists came from universities. That is where movements started. In addition, when a company wanted to get its next big recruit, they head hunted from the universities. This got me comparing then, with the current situation right now; where our universities are grossly lacking in vision and charisma. Most students when asked, blame the government or, blame the curriculum for being too old. However, when you look at the conditions under which students studied then, I would say we have it easy in comparison. As I compare the ‘then’ and the ‘now’, the most gaping difference is our reading culture. If you take a walk in to a big town, as early as 7am, the movie theatre is filled to capacity while the library is deserted. When you walk into the library, there is a guard to ensure there is somebody to keep the place quiet and yet, at the movies, people take the initiative; they dont need reminders to keep quiet. When you are passionate about something, you will do anything to get it. The youth and fresh minds have been sucked into the social lifestyle. They are passionate about who has what and who is doing what. They would rather sit and talk about somebody other than about something. Healthy habits are challenging to acquire, it takes a conscious effort. To develop a reading culture, you can start by identifying what you are passionate about. Is it history, art, science or fashion? Then read widely on that topic, making sure you read critically and enjoy. When you find yourself in a matatu stuck in traffic, whip out a good book and make every second count. When you get the paper, don’t go straight to the entertainment column; instead, look at the crossword puzzle. When you keep on exercising your brain, you become smarter. Read on current affairs, watch the news, and talk to people who challenge you mentally. The next time you are in a networking situation, you will come across as confident and knowledgeable. The brain is a muscle, if you don’t exercise it, it becomes weaker. If you exercise it, you will be astounded by what you can do with it and the places you can go, using it. With this in mind, I wish you all, a good weekend. Best wishes, Angela Mugo
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 09:01:00 +0000
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