If you are new to Huye and looking to live it up, or hoping to revamp yourself or maybe just trying to shake off the school stress, then this article is for you (yea, you know who you are). As Nadia Lobti doesn’t only tell you where to go but also tells you how to find where you fit in.
Ever spent a day in the town of Huye? Well, needless to say, the monotonous daytime activities could fool you into thinking this is all there is to Huye. But don’t be fooled because the nights are ecstatic as there’s a lot happening at this hour. Nights in this city are said to belong to the students so much so that, you’ll often hear us being described as “the life of the town”. Yea I said it (in my Chris Rock voice), the life of the town.
If you think the inhabitants are being melodramatic, you might need to put the pen and paper down for a hot minute because on week nights, students are at various restaurants for dinner or going to visit friends to catchup on exciting campus gist (cliché, I know). Then comes the weekends, and time to let our hair down! Let’s just say things get pretty intense after a week of studying, assignments, tests, and rushing to meet deadlines. Now that I have you all wound up, let’s see how you can make your stay in this town even more exciting.
La crème de la crème for our wild cats
According to the Guild student council, the University of Rwanda- Huye campus has a population of approximately 10,200 students. Bulk of them enjoy spending their time in nightclubs. Are we really surprised? There’s nothing weird about youths wanting to dance the night away in some of the town’s hot spots, and lucky for you, I am going to let you in on some of those places. So yes, put on your dancing shoes and club outfits.
First up we have “144”, a nightclub conveniently located in the town center. Nzabamwita Vincent, the nightclub supervisor gave us major deets (you’re welcome). This club opens only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with about 250-300 students attending, so be prepared for close contact and sweaty bodies (you know, if that’s your thing). If you’re looking to let out the “Whitney Houston” in you, on a week night, they got you as there’s Karaoke every Thursday. Not a fan of having people in your personal bubble and sweaty bodies? Into something cozier, shall we say wholesome? Well they also have a live band on Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm to 12am. Then, the fun takes over from 8pm to 6am with the loud music and booze, and you know, sweaty bodies. Cheers!
Another hot spot is “Surrender” (formerly known as Diamond) nightclub which has almost the same routine as “144”. The name “surrender” may sound corny but believe me when I say it suits the atmosphere, as you literally surrender yourself to the music and the fun you’ll have. Imagine not being able to surrender, in “Surrender” (ok, I’ll stop) last Friday when artist B-Threy made an appearance. Yes he did! Also, its location is much more close to the student accommodations for those of us too broke to get transportation to the city center or just too lazy to go out because of distance. You’ll also be happy to know that “Surrender” being so close makes the entry cheaper, a mere 1000 RWF. So if you’re part of this getting’ down and dirty crowd, you get to choose between Surrender and 144. If you’re as free spirited as I am, go where the wind takes you! Just kidding, go where your pockets take you.
Speaking of pockets, the government of Rwanda funds the education of a greater part of the student body (#brokelife). This includes monthly stipends of 40,000 RWF. Though certain students may not have money during the week, they won’t miss Friday nights for anything! Honestly, who will? This is also the reason why our pockets are a little less heavy come Monday. We also have the Credo hotel, which is also seen to be a centerpiece in the town’s nightlife as this place seemingly hosts all the exciting events in town; be it Miss Rwanda, student comedy shows or simply the hosting of visiting artists.
The hotel’s receptionist helps us with details which reflect that, at least 7-10 rooms are booked per night on a casual weekend but bookings skyrocket once the hotel has an event planned, especially one which is considered a “big shot” event, where the “who’s who” is sure to attend. This was the case last Friday, as the hotel hosted two comedy gigs attracting an audience, mainly dominated by students such as Patrick who was performing alongside Nyaxo, a well-known YouTuber comedian. Not forgetting the incredible DJ Kixx who also kept us on the edge of our seats.
Cozy Gang; Superb restaurants for our chill foodies
Then comes the low-key crowd, hoping to have fun but in a more cultured way. They are seen to prefer restaurants mostly because they can’t stand the loud music and the sweaty people bumping into them as is the case at night clubs. It’s in this crowd that you tend to find both the students and the lecturers (wink, wink).
Are you looking to relax in a fancy restaurant with good food? For those students with heavier wallets or those just wanting a taste of the high life, E-BIS is the place for you. This restaurant is found in the town center and mostly accommodates the foreigners. Fancy right? The calm music creates a sophisticated and serene atmosphere thereby attracting a more mature crowd. Want to see firsthand how birthdays are celebrated Huye style? Nehemiah coffee shop is the place for you! It is a homely diner frequented by many students. Honestly, there’s always one birthday or the other being celebrated here, especially on the weekends. Also, we can’t talk about restaurants without mentioning the Chinese restaurant, which is my personal favorite! Their addictive food comes served in large proportions! Calories who?
In the world of mundanes…
One of the huge misconceptions about nightlife is that it’s for the party animals. To every introvert is an extrovert. These are our weekday nerds who might let loose on the weekends, but mostly prefer a calm night in (I can’t really relate, but to each their own). This set of people will rather not indulge in activities that involve mingling with others.
Others like myself, spend the weekend watching football matches especially as you know, UCL is ongoing (we can’t be friends if you don’t support F.C. Barcelona); hence the campus auditorium acts as our own safe haven. We haven’t forgotten our lovebirds. How can we, with Valentine’s just around the corner? For those couples looking to recreate a night scene (and no, it’s not what your dirty mind thinks), from their fav RomCom, a walk along the stadium would be ideal. Among others we find those who go to Church for choir practice in the evenings in preparation for Sunday Church service. Talking about singing, a prominent gospel musician known as Mbonyi along with other singers, had a concert in the campus auditorium last Sunday evening. Of course you would imagine that our churchgoers were all there.
Finally we have those, who just prefer to hit the sheets and that is indeed a good way to spend the night after the stressful week of school activities (Often find I enjoy this quite a bit too much).
It wouldn’t be an article on nightlife if we are not all reminded to be cautious so as to avoid unforeseen circumstances. Tip for the “party animals”; try not to leave those clubs before 4 am. On a more serious note, be safe and keep vigilant. That said, you would find that at the end of the day, there’s something for everyone so go ahead, find your crowd and blend in!