They would sit there all night with books of information; stressing and typing essays due the day before its DEADLINE...this is likely to happen on Thursdays. Because the Main Library, the now called Stephen Bantu Biko Building laboratory and Guthrie laboratory closes at 22H00 pm and they will be chased to leave those apartments by either CPU security guards or the librarian assistants...so they would run to other labs like Jacaranda or Fountain labs and they would fill those two labs like never before, it will smell stuffy sometimes because the air-conditions will be switched-off...its difficult to breathe becuase of the smell. I don't blame them because not all of them have laptops in their residence but because some can't even afford laptops. I don't blame them because they have every right to use those computers..those are public computers...they are even used even by outsiders.
I am ONE of them, i feel the same (should i call it a pain?)...pain. Of course its a pain...imagine if it was you...sitting on the computer screen 24/7 typing a 2000 words essay. But on the other hand..its our own faults...students don't plan, not all of them but i know a few...rather they enjoy writing essays on last moments..guess what..they rather pass or fail. Its not something awkward...it happens here at Rhodes! and not by miracle. They do it all the time...I AM PRAYING TO STOP IT BEFORE IT GETS TOO MUCH FOR ME...."Oh dear God help me out!". I know this is getting to much for them but they seem to enjoy the "nights out" in the labs than the "nights out" at Equilibruim or Rat and Parrot. I am talking about students who spends their "Picinics" in the labs with flasks of coffee, packet of simba chips or chocolates and/or slices of toasted bread from the dining halls..whenever they are hungry. The worst part of it is they would spend the whole night typing essays, in the morning they would go to breakfast...while others are attending lectures. Another annoying thing are students who spends lot of time on non-academic stuffs like Facebook wasting time for others who wants to finish typing their essays....Also its not like in high school..writing an essay here its different because you have to do a thourough refencing...while at high school you would collect information and write it all down and give it to your teacher.....
To my eternal soul
I write you this letter with the biggest grief in my heart and the biggest burden in my mind. Oh how I have wished that I could go back in time and warn you maybe even save you this pain. Your life until the age of eighteen you will wish for time to swallow you up in its constantly spiraling warp of black nothing. You will spend many days crying over nothing where, at that moment, it feels like everything. You will forget all those who have stood by you, who have been your strength and in moments of ultimate selfishness you will try to take the most precious thing that I will define to you as life. On the sixteenth of July 2008 you will find out that your everything is sick, so spend as much time as you can with him, holding his hand and telling him that you love him. Your matric year will be your worst with him, he is going to throw a sandal at you and because we know that his strong side, due to water polo, is his right, dodge to the left. (Don’t worry about matric, you do pretty well). There will be times when you tell him that you hate him and after you have both cooled down, you are going to sit on the end of his bed and remind him of how much you love him. (P.S. try not to kick him in the nose when you are ruffling and tumbling).
You are still really young and this all may seem confusing to you. You have wished that you could be eighteen since forever but being young and innocent is something that I wish that I could get back. Be strong and when you are not, know that you have people to lean on. Never regret what you do and always remember to roll with the punches. Throughout your life you will live by advice that he gives you, this will be the best thing you have ever done. There is so much that I could say but that would be against what he has taught us. When you can make a mistake, make it, just learn from it and when people tell you that you are wrong or when they hold the mistakes that you have made against you, tell them to (rude word) off.
Smile even when your heart is breaking.
Sincerely and forever
Courteney-Jade.
To Asanda
Greetings! I hope your plans for finishing your matric are coming together and that you have been studying hard for your trial exams at my former school, Indwe Secondary School in Mossel Bay.
For people like you and me, the gap between a high school and a tertiary institution environment is huge. It is a changing and growing process. It’s where you mature and make new friends, but I advise you never to forget your old friends, keep in touch with them, that will help you keep loneliness at bay. Like growing up, making friends has many challenges and responsibilities. They say you don’t have to be a superstar to be considered fun, but you need to be positive and friendly so that people can feel good when they are around you and make sure any time you talk to someone you have a chance at making a lasting friend (Don’t be picky).
You might ask yourself how you would know if the people you meet are true friends. In your first year of study in tertiary institution, you put yourself out there because friends don’t just come knocking at your door. You always walk alone because you don’t know anybody. In the meantime you meet this guy, he introduces himself and he asks to be your friend. Two weeks later the two of you become close friends; he is easy to get along with. You do the same subjects, walk to lectures and eat together. But you never talk about each other’s “love life”. 8 months later he tells you that he has developed feelings for you. You considered him as a brother but now you are confused and you don’t know what he expects you to do. Both of you ease your way out of the friendship as gracefully as possible.
I thought maybe you should take into account these issues whenever you are coming to Rhodes University and you want to make a new lasting friend. I will leave you to it. We’ll see each other in my second year, that’s if I make it through.
Regards
Asanda “Mshefi” Maki
Hello Young and Innocent Fresher
As a young and Innocent fresher, there are certain things that you must be weary of in your first year, and your first week on particular (O-week). O-Week is a very turbulent, but necessary week as it sets about breaking down vital barriers and stereotypes that one may have about this ‘prestigious’ university.
I am sure that for example you have been told that Rhodes is a brilliant university that is politically conscience with excellent sports facilities, societies, and even brilliant res system. Well all those ‘excellent’ facilities are pie in the sky, especially if you end up in a Hall like Smuts hall, where half cooked suppers and dirty cutlery are accepted as the ‘chilled’ nature of the hall. It must also be mentioned that it is necessary to stay away from some dodgy societies who all have a common goal, and that is to take your money at the beginning of the year, and throw functions with something that tastes like cheese, and cheap box wine, especially ovameer and that abomination called crackling (stay off that stuff... IT’S deadly). The sports facilities are hardly ever used and when they are, some of the most sub-standard crap is on display, with even public high schools at times displaying more professionalism and enthusiasm to sports so if you’re looking to be a sports star then Rhodes definitely isn’t the place for you.
The closest thing to Political awareness or consciousness that you are going to find at Rhodes is perhaps at the local pubs, Olde 65, and The Rat and Parrot, as you’d have to be stoned to be caught talking about such boring issues as it is an indication that you and your mates have run out of interesting things to chat about. Rhodes is a really chilled place, where you are more likely to find more Hippies and Out Rhodes members (Brace yourself for that one because it’ll be a real shock) than politically aware future leaders were leaders learn.
Kindest Regards
Phetane
