Nairobi is wild. One minute you’re chilling with friends at Rafikiz, the next you’re wondering if your landlord will accept M-Pesa ya loan. It’s a city full of dreams, hustle, and vibes—but also a silent pressure that many young people feel every single day: the unspoken rule that you must “make it.” But what does “making it” even mean anymore?
And why does it feel like everyone is getting ahead except you?
Kuna Pressure Mob
Let’s be honest—being young in Nairobi is exhausting. Everyone is posting their highlights: new jobs, new apartments, weekend getaways, Dubai this, Diani that. Meanwhile, you’re staring at your Wi-Fi bill like, “Bora uhai.” It feels like the moment you finish uni or college, you’re expected to:
- Get a job (good luck with that).
- Move out (with this economy?).
- Start a side hustle.
- Still look fresh every day like you’re not surviving on Smokie Pasua and energy drinks.
And even when you do something cool, get a small job, land a gig, move to your own place, it’s never enough. Because someone on your timeline is always doing more.
Clout Culture is Killing Us Softly
Nairobi is vibes, yes, but it’s also performance.
You can’t just be anymore, you have to seem.
- “Soft life” is the new measure of success.
- “I’m an entrepreneur” is the new CV.
- Clout is a currency and sometimes, it’s more valuable than the actual money.
We’ve created this unspoken competition where everyone’s trying to look successful before they actually feel successful. And that pressure is dangerous. Because now, it’s not just about living—ni kama you’re living to prove a point.
Hustle Culture = Silent Burnout
Wueh.
Behind the scenes, a lot of young Nairobians are burning out quietly.
You wake up at 6 a.m. to beat traffic, work all day, run your side hustle at night, then try to look cute for Friday plans, only to do it all again next week. We don’t rest. We grind.
Because somewhere deep inside, you’re thinking, “Nikilala sana, nitapitwa.” But here’s the thing: not everyone who’s moving is progressing.
Some people are just tired and going in circles.
What Does “Making It” Really Mean?
For our generation, “making it” has become this vague, ever changing thing.
Sometimes it means:
- Living alone.
- Making more than Ksh 50K a month.
- Being able to eat at Java without checking your bank balance.
But guess what?
Success is not one-size-fits-all.
If you’ve:
- Paid rent this month,
- Helped your folks out,
- Started something small that you believe in,
- Or even just made it through a hard week…
You’re doing better than you think.
How to Survive the Nairobi Pressure
1. Chorea social media illusions
Unfollow the people who make you feel small. Or mute them. Out of sight, out of pressure.
2. Celebrate small wins
Survived Nairobi matatus today? Ate lunch? Didn’t cry in the CBD? That’s a win, bana.
3. Rest. Without Guilt.
Sleep is not weakness. Hustling non-stop will not make you rich faster. Ata gari inahitaji break.
4. Keep it real with your circle
Have friends who remind you it’s okay not to have it all figured out.
Si competition, ni companionship.
Nairobi will stretch you, teach you, and humble you.
It will make you question yourself and your choices, daily.
But it will also show you what you’re made of. So the next time you feel like you haven’t “made it” yet, just remember:
Surviving in this city is already an achievement.
Your story is still cooking.
Keep going—utaweza tu.
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