"MAFIFI" STATE OF MIND

One of the busiest periods of my life was the time I was at the University of Zambia (Unza). Doing a demanding program (Engineering), I barely had time to myself. Most of my life was focussed on engaging in academic work such as attending classes, doing assignments, studying, and attending lab sessions. I was either too busy or too tired to engage in any out of school activity and unless if it was watching my movie series, football, or occasional night outs with my friends, I would most certainly pass on other activities. And it was not because I didn’t want to do them but for reasons as; something might go wrong, don’t have clothes for the occasion, don’t have a girlfriend to go with, we will attend it next time, etc.

But in fifth year, I found myself doing rather than giving excuses. I attended most events for the first time such as the popular annual drama; Kojo comes to campus, functions within and outside campus like school trip to Livingstone, school parties, industry talks, even going to the Goma lakes to simply sit and soak into the breeze and not just watching it from a distance, etc. 

During my final year, the ‘work’ conditions and the environment were generally the same as before (from 1^st to 4^th year). How come I was able to participate in more activities than the previous years?

My ‘mafifi’ brain had kicked in!

Consciously or unconsciously, my fifth year was like a now or never situation. As a student in campus, every activity or opportunity was literally like my last. I could not afford to forego an opportunity because I was too tired, too busy, didn’t feel ready, etc. as I didn’t have the luxury of next time. It was either I do it or not in which case they will be no university drama, trip, party, etc. for me to experience.

Do you find yourself having excuses for not doing things you want to because you are too busy, too tired, etc. to engage in them?

After relieving my university experience, I have now realized that one of the reasons could be because we feel that another chance will come to do the activity under "perfect" circumstances.

We forego going out for dinner with family because we busy and will just wait for next weekend when we less busy. Then when next weekend arrives, we too tired or don’t have the clothes or maybe its raining. We postpone that trip that we have always wanted to undertake, meeting the person you have always wanted to meet, etc. for several reasons. We normally do this because at the back of our minds, we still have enough time and most likely have another shot at it.

Sooner rather than later, our final year (change of location or job, retirement, old age, health, etc) will come.

Rather than waiting until then to make amends, it is time to adopt the “mafifi” mentality now and live each moment that we have as if it’s our last in this university of life.