Two truths and one lie
All freshers in the University of Lagos get bed space on their first try…
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has released the day for the balloting for bedspace and ith as been slated for Monday, the 23rd of October. Balloting is to be exercised by levels and on different days, with the start time scheduled at 9:00am.
Spot the lie…
With the requirements already passed around by the dean of student affairs, you should not be a stranger to the above information.
As a fresher in the university of lagos you may be unfamiliar with the reason why the balloting exercise is a dreaded one but one sentence will clear your uncertainty, “there’s more students in the University of lagos than there are hostels, it's a game of chance and luck”.
We can only pray we have lots of luck left in us.
In order to play hero and infirm you pof your chances of owning a suite within the confines of the school, We have taken the liberty to reach students who have had high and low success rate in their balloting quest and they have shared their experience balloting and their most prized tips and tricks that help you land yourself a hostel bed space
Fair warning, there will be lots of tears and constant migraines…
Balloting in Unilag is not for the weak and clearly the staylites have had their fair share of crying and you can take it from Titilayo, third year student in the University of Lagos who has participated in the balloting game two years in a row and she had this to say “I cried so much when I didn’t get bed-space in my year 2 and 3, mainly because I don’t stay in Lagos state and have no relatives here.”
Racheal on the other hand has never had a speck of luck even when she paid someone else to do it for her “I’ve never gotten bed space even when I paid others”
Tough luck.
Another student just resigned and concluded that life is a spoon, he said in his own words “ I picked once as the number of times I got bed space but that’s because I can't find zero. It was always an anxiety-inducing activity- balloting. It was either I had to wake up at the dead of night or struggle with “network” issues. I could never get past the “Reserve Bed Space” page.
Basically, it’s an experience I can’t be bothered about anymore or advise to anyone.”
While the game has not been favorable to some, others had glowing testimonies that could cause you to go green with envy.
One of such lucky students is Final year Direct entry student Tolani “ It’s a race of life as usual
My first time in year two I had to visit a cafe as I did not have a laptop. After all the money I spent I did not get a space. I eventually got a space using my phone when I got back home, at this point it could only be Grace.
For my year 3 I got tired and stopped balloting halfway through the day but thank God my friend was able to get a space for me and once again Grace strikes.
Above all, balloting is by Grace and not by power”.
Another glowing testimony came from someone who was motivated by the fear of living life as a squatter in Unilag, she said very proudly “ I have always balloted for myself and the 3 years I did, I got space. It wasn't easy but the fear of squatting made me keep at it.”
In the midst of the disappointment and the so-called luck these students and many more have faced, they had some tips that helped them in their race for a suite in Unilag.
Here are some of these tips from their perspective:
1. Pray
2. Get a good network, and fully charged devices, and keep at it.
3. Don't rely on just one source. Ballot with every possible device you own and can borrow
and don't discriminate against the network. “The worst network might just be your saving grace from sleeping on a floor as a squatter.”
4. If you have connections in high places that would pay off, please hug them and keep them close this season.
5. Buy an internet that can get up to 12gb so it’s in abundance, find a spot where the
internet strength is really good, start as soon as the spaces go live, prepare to spend a whole day, “so ready your food, snacks and water.”
6. Pray once again “if not, CITS will make a mess of you”.
7. Honestly, nothing special, just pray and have good connection and don't be the only one
trying, you family members should also try for .
They have shared their tips and we agree with them so now it’s up to you to do everything right.
The message is clear, in order to have a higher chance at securing a space there are a few loose ends that must be tightened;
1. Meet the school’s requirements for balloting, this means pay your fees up to the
required amount and register your courses as soon as you can.
2. Get a good internet connection, one that is stable, strong and fast no matter the
environment.
3. Get on the Balloting site 20 minutes before it goes live.
4. Pray in earnest.
5. Calmly try to secure your space for the year
May the forces of the lucky predecessors be with you in these times. Get ready for a year of suite life in the university of first choice and nation’s pride.
Share this article to other freshers and staylites who need the extra motivation.
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