Immature students

If you think that Uni will be filled with smart intellectual beings who speak in only philosophical terms and wear only suits and smart-casual wear, then I am sad to report that you thought wrong. I remember thinking that Uni will be awesome because I would be leaving the land of the immature to travel to a well-refined place of study.

But upon arriving at Rhodes I saw that nothing had changed. People still hung out in their cliques, people still played stupid and mean jokes on each other and people still enjoyed laughing at others’ misfortunes. I thought I was high school again. That’s how bad it was.

You would think that Sociology students would be able to debunk the normal and try to go beyond the appearance of a thing and find its meaning, but apparently not. In one of my Sociology lectures the lecturer played us a song called ‘Dear Dickie’. The students did of course did not listen to the song but instead came up with lame toilet humour jokes to throw at the lecturer upon the songs ending. This made me question the future of the country since these people will be the leaders of tomorrow.

Will they come up with a cure for cancer with the aid of Vodka and Cain?
Or will they be elected President with their beautiful jokes and dancing skills? (Wait its already happened ala Jacob Zuma)
All I know is that I’m not looking forward to the future…

Sleeping quarters

You have three options to where you want to spend your sleeping time. Home (that’s if you decide to study at your home province), University residence (Res) or digs (an apartment or house outside campus).

Home:
Living at home when attending Uni is the reasonable thing to do, that is, if you’re studying near home. It has the luxuries of home-cooked meals, your room and plus it’s cheaper. So for example if I had decided to study at UKZN I would have stayed at home. But thank the Lord that I’m not and I don’t have to live with my mothers gripe 24/7.

Res:
Some say that staying in res is like living in a 5-star hotel. I say that those people have never stayed at a 5-star hotel and the closet they’ve come to one is a motel on Point Rd in Durban. Res can be fun at times with the friends and the constant jolling. But really when it comes down to studying the noise factor can be become a problem.

Digs:
Apparently living in digs is the epitome of cool. That is if you enjoy eating canned food and cheese rolls for the rest of your Uni life. Living in digs can be cool because there are no annoying sub-wardens and inter-visiting hours but digs is also a lot of work. You have to buy your food and then cook everyday, you have to drive to Uni everyday and you have to be wary about the security of your premises and on top of that you have Uni to deal with. Though if you can do that then go for it.

Choosing where to live during your varsity years can be a mission since there is no option that has all negatives and no option that has all positives. So I say choose the one which you think will best advantage you.

Exam time stress...

Ahhhhh it’s that time again. Time to find those reading glasses, those cups to entertain friends with your impressive tea-making skills and unfortunately those text books that double up as a murder weapon.

Believe it or not Exams are here and the only way they can go away is if you write them. So I’m sorry to say that the secret is not going work here guys. Here are some tips to make your studying experience and writing of the exam less painful.

1. Remember those times when your mum would knock on you room door constantly to check if you’re not dead and that you’re still studying. That knocking was probably the main initiative that made me study for finals last year, if it wasn’t for that knocking I wouldn’t have achieved the way I did. But the knocking is now gone and there’s nothing forcing you to crack open the books. Unless, that is, you are blessed with extraordinary folks who bring you back home for SWOT week. But if you’re not then you’re forced to deal. So my advice is that you be your own mum. Set restrictions on yourself and stick to them Like only be distracted for at least and hour then after the second hour commence with the books.
   


2. Make sure you take three pens to the exam venue. These are Uni exams therefore they expect Four 4-paged essays in 3 hours. So take my advice and take the three pens. Or else I’ll be laughing at your ass when you’re high and dry and can’t write your next two essays. It’s happened to me before so I believe I have the right to laugh.
   


3. Have a break, Have a Kit Kat. I never understood that slogan but nonetheless take the advice and chill. I good break time activity is to play 30 Seconds with some friends. It sharpens the brain and improves the general knowledge. Who knows it may even help in those essays.
   


4. Last but not least have a cup of tea and listen to music after writing an exam. Research suggests that tea and music together are great stress relievers and they calm the mind. Therefore with a calm mind you can get cracking on the next exam.
   

With this, I wish you first years the best of luck with examinations. May you rape them before they rape you.

You say Goodbye, I say Hello

ATT: All those perspective first years out there…

So you have decided to leave the comfortable nest you call home to commence your tertiary education in a far off land. On the one hand you’re friggin’ excited to finally leave the folks, the annoying siblings, and the senile grandparents but also you’re a blue little smurf cause you have to leave behind those best mates from high school.

Leaving home can be traumatizing for everyone but face the facts you have to leave one day other wise you’ll become that sad loser who lives off PS2 games and mum’s spaghetti till their forty. But unless you get kicks from that, then be my guest and be a hermit at home.

I remember telling myself before I left for Rhodes that I wasn’t going to cry at the airport and I was definitely not going to miss the Durban family. Rhodes was my chance to start a fresh and detox my past away. I thought I would be happy. But the airport day came and I found myself balling my eyes out and wiping my cousin’s snot off my sleeve. The flight attendants were quite worried by may state when I boarded. As soon as the plane took off I wanted to go back. I indeed wanted to go UKZN and not a place where I don’t even know the name of the province.

Arriving at Rhodes was a huge wake-up call. I was lost and I didn’t have any friends and my bag felt like I was carrying the dead body of Hitler. Being dropped off at a boys res I thought they had mistaken me for a boy. Since it has happened many times before. But to my relief the boys just stared and pointed me to the right GIRLS res. I thought I was never going to fit in and make any friends.

But looking back on it now I see what a fool I was. Uni is guaranteed to be fun though it does have its fall backs sometimes but nonetheless it is fun. You will have some sort of friendships and even make friends for life. So don’t be afraid to take that leap and talk to the loner by the dustbin they might be the greatest person you’ve ever met. But also they could be a murderer so be cautious.


From left: Yours truly, Thirusha, Niki

You see I do have friends... The picture above proves that. No, i did not photoshop the pic. That's just sad.. like the loser who lives with thier mum till thier 40.

CD Review time

Being a first year you are literally bombarded with all this information about courses, faculties and other on-goings of the University. All you really want to do is chill and enjoy the scenery but there are these annoying SRC people telling you that they want to give you a tour of this and a tour of that and explain their philosophy about Jesus. You tell them to piss the @#$%% off but they don’t understand the French sadly and continue harassing you. So you just walk away from the madness.

A way to calm down after a SRC attacking is to listen to music. It is a proven fact that music reduces stress by 75% (how, wow). Coldplay, in my opinion, are one of the best bands to listen to if you’re having a rough day. So let’s review Viva la Vida…

No one's been more painfully aware of Coldplay's mellow ''Yellow'' aesthetic than the band itself: Frontman Chris Martin once joked to EW about ''driving a Bland Rover.'' It took a while to do something about it, but Viva La Vida, their fourth and best album, feels emboldened at almost every turn. Jonny Buckland's guitars howl insistently; Martin has discovered sub-falsetto vocal registers; and a stark, recurring string section lends an edge. But none of these developments dampen the group's essential melodiousness: Even with this MO, Coldplay can't help but do ''pretty'' proud.

The band's new producers are Brian Eno and Markus Dravs — of U2 and Arcade Fire fame, respectively — so you won't be shocked when, at its most poundingly anthemic, Viva sounds a little like The Unforgettable Funeral. Despite how long Coldplay have been dogged with that U2-wannabe tag, they're clearly not feeling defensive about it. (The nearly vocal-free opener, ''Life in Technicolor,'' for one, is a dead ringer for ''Where the Streets Have No Name.'') But the group also cannily borrows from different sources. The pipe organ powering ''Lost!'', a lament about spiritual bereftness, will remind indie rockers of a trip to the Arcade. The dissonant guitar jam in the trifurcated ''42'' finds Buckland turning on the Radiohead. Several tracks echo John Lennon's vocals or Beatles-period orchestration, including the dark, antiwar teaser single ''Violet Hill'' and, most deliciously, ''Yes,'' an uncharacteristically sexy seduction tale on which the violins switch from ''Strawberry Fields'' mode to a Middle Eastern motif.

Other songs satisfyingly elude easy comparisons. Hidden track ''Chinese Sleep Chant'' is a guitar-based charger that would be an instrumental were it not for Martin wailing incomprehensibly in the beautifully sludgy background. The ebullient ''Strawberry Swing'' (my personal fav) throws Afrocentric guitar atop one of those Eno/Dravs soundscapes. Even Martin's keyboards — which had come to feel like an antiseptic drag by 2005's uneven X&Y — get put through revitalizing sonic paces. On the blissful ''Lovers in Japan,'' (my second fav) it brings to mind an old music-hall piano; on the hymnlike ''Reign of Love,'' it transforms into a cathedral instrument.

Throughout, allusions to love, death, ghosts, and God emerge — yet the overriding theme remains Martin's mostly endearing insecurity. Take the title track (now a single, pimped in an iTunes ad), on which he imagines himself as a paranoid monarch. ''Who would ever want to be king?'' Martin asks. ''Revolutionaries wait/For my head on a silver plate!'' The confident majesty of the music, however, belies how he and his band mates have invigorated their rock-lite reign. Protestations aside, the singer can rest assured that it's still good to be the king.

How not to make a water filter

Here at Grahamstown the water is not advisable to drink without boiling, bleaching or filtering it first. Therefore people just buy the heavy five litre bottles of spring water at Pick ‘n’ Pay. Yes, it is a mission to lug those bottles from town all the way to res but it is water and unfortunately it is a necessity. Well unless, that is, you prefer to take a juice bottle to dining hall and fill it up with the manky orange liquid they call juice. Yeah didn’t think so.

So one day my friend was telling me about this time when she went to a survival camp and they were taught to make a water filter to drink the watery liquid from the river. All you needed was a two litre empty coke bottle, cotton wool, sand and rocks.

· First you cut off the bottom part of the coke bottle.
· Then stuff a wad of cotton wool by the nozzle part.
· Then after the cotton wool, add the sand.
· Then after the sand, add the rocks.
· Then place the bottle in an upright position and were ready to go.

This procedure was relatively simple so I was psyched to try it. I followed her instructions carefully and was in glee with the results. Though all it was, was a pretty little water feature in my room and the real test was to try it. I filled it up to the brim and watched the purified liquid drip drop out of the cotton wool. When there was enough water to fill a glass I called my friend to try it. She gave me hesitant looks but took a brave sip nonetheless.

The Verdict: It tasted like sand…..

So there we go you guys, when you find other alternatives to this Grahamstown water saga. Please be sure to let me know. Hmmm I wonder if the bleaching thing really works?

This is the magnificent water filter in all its glory. Well really its more of a water feature then a water filter..

So... How was your night ?

It’s a Saturday and the one question on everybody’s lips is how was your night ? I am deeply fascinating by the responses that seem to come from my fellow first years. Most of them still have the permanent-marker battle wounds and the ink-poisoning Friars stamp on their wrist. They answer my question with suggestive glances and looks and I think to myself now what the hell is that supposed to mean.

But the reason they do it, I gather, is because they can’t remember thanks to the beautiful R25 Cane Train specials that go down at Union. So I ask myself why do these people carry on drinking themselves to a vegetable every weekend? Do they enjoy the blank spots in their mind, the bruises from falling down the stairs at Friars and the embarrassing "licking" pictures of them on Facebook? I tried to think what these people would do for entertainment if there was no alcohol to indulge in for them to their lose their mind over.

1. You could chill with your mates and watch a couple of Monty Python movies on DC. Then order some Ruanthai (the best Thai place in the world). 2. Smoke a hubbly and have fun laughing at your friends trying to blow circles.

3. If you’re one of those unfortunate souls who don’t own friends (like me) then take it easy and read a book. Read some Terry Pratchett and J.K Rowling. They always put me in a happy mood.

4. If you wanna dance then the hi-fi is just there. Just rock out in your socks. No ones judging.

5. Last but least you could do the inevitable thing and waste your time on Facebook. We know that your only true friends lie in that monitor of yours.

With those five points of entertainment I hope you will realise that there are other things to do then drink like a fish every weekend. I know drinking can be fun but OH MY GOSH DON’T YOU EVER GET BORED OF THE ROUTINE?

JOY, JOY, JOY... TUTORIALS.

Tutorials. The most dreaded word along with DP (Dully performance certificate). Rhodes and some other universities like UKZN and UCT have tutorials to make sure that the students are on track and not on crack. Tutorials (tuts) are 45 minute talking sessions where you have to speak other wise you will be marked absent. You have to produce a typed out four page document that will only count 1.1% for your year mark other wise you will be marked absent. And, you have to deal with the fact that if you don’t attend these tuts then your DP will be taken away from you.


Before I start rambling on about Tutorials. DP’s are the imaginary certificates that let you write the June and November exams. Many things can be done for you to lose your DP’s for your different subjects. For example not showing up for tuts, not handing in assignments and not writing the term tests. Now that we know what DP’s are lets criticise tuts.

Tutorials are a waste of time and the only thing they do is make you some cool new Facebook friends. They are boring and they are most of the time not efficient. Let’s take my English tut for example; my tutor is one of those rare gems who have the talent of speaking in one tone all the time. If the world was crumbling and we were all to meet our doom he would probably scream in that tone as well. He wears only sport brands and attacks us if we say anything bad about Arsenal. The tut-lings don’t talk out of turn except when they are asked a question and so this makes for some entertaining commentary in my head. During the tut I try to imagine all the things my fellow tut-lings are thinking. I would share my thoughts on this but this blog is attached to amatomu.com and they don’t like my thoughts very much. So there I am trying to shatter the silence and boredom with my hilarious (well I think so) commentary in my head and he’s asking me a question. I pretend I’ve heard him and stare at my converse for inspiration then I smile at him with my retarded smile and say "I concur" He then smiles back and moves on to his next victim. The tut is over and he says that I’m really improving in this tut. I am surprised with this and laugh my self silly in my head and inform my tutor that his ultra cool tattoo on his arm is on the body of a Chelsea soccer player (He hates Chelsea like how Hitler hated the Jews). He looks at me as if I’m joking and when I don’t signal that the remark is false he starts shouting the F-word in his one tone voice. I in return just carry on laughing in my head and leave the castle of doom (the English Department).


With that story, I hope it suggested some cool pointers on how to survive tuts. And if the commentary-in-your-head doesn’t work then I suggest you move on to more illegal substances.

Can anyone say Crackling...

Stellenbosch University (Maties)


Location: Stellenbosch
Telephone: 021 808 9111
Website: http://www.sun.ac.za
Faculties: Agrisciences, arts, Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law, Military Sciences, science, Theology.
Tuition Fees: Between 16 000 and R30 000


If you live for your pinotage and can effortlessly identify subtle overtones of gooseberry in a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, then you can’t go wrong with Stellenbosch University. You just need to visit this sleepy Western Cape town during the university vac to realise that it’s run by its students. In the off-season it’s a cosy spot nestled amongst vineyards and statuesque mountains, but come early February the handful of clubs overflow with Crackling binging students looking for a good time.


But it’s not all about the wine and jolling in Stellies. When the cops com a knockin’, you can always try your hand at the academic thing. With a wide selection of conventional and more offbeat courses, in English, Afrikaans and now also isiXhosa, there’s bound to be a course that appeals to you.


The university also has a proud sporting heritage, and with a rugby team that can strike fear into the heart of most opposition, you’re almost guaranteed to be on the winning team.
There’s a great selection of residences to choose from which are dotted all around town, and there’s even an entire shopping centre dedicated to students. And, if you find yourself yearning for the bright lights and beaches, Cape Town is just a short drive away.

It doesn't only teach Violence...

University of Johannesburg (UJ)

Location: Jozi
Telephone: 011 717 1000
Website: http://www.wits.ac.za/
Faculties: Commerce, Law and Management, Engineering and the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities and Science.
Tuition Fees: Between 10 000 and R30 000

The main concrete monstrosity that has defined UJ is that place where most of the action goes down. Though despite its appearance it’s still a pretty cool place to hang out.

The varsity has campuses spread throughout Joburg, and you can now study in Soweto, Doornfontein or Auckland Park, with the East Rand Campus scheduled to reopen in 2009. Each of these has an impressive selection of faculties to choose from, including well stocked libraries and high quality sporting facilities. UJ places a lot of emphasis on sport particularly rugby and cricket, but there’s also the opportunity to get involved in plenty of others as well.

If traffic and fighting for parking aren’t your favourite ways to start a day of lectures, then you can move into one of UJ’s nine residences. There’s also the studentedorp where second-years and older students can stay, and for those who need a brake from class, there are various day houses. And, with Melville just a few minutes away from the Auckland Park campus, you could always head through after lectures and start your night.

RUN, RUN, RUN

"OH MY GOSH I have had like no sleep today"

"I feel like horse poo"


"Man I’m over it, you heard me, IM OVER IT!"


So there I am sitting in another fun filled journalism lecture right at the back, so I can be all emo. The lecturers are once again fiddling around with the technology in the front and I find myself ease dropping on other peoples’ conversations (yes, I am a loner, I sit alone). I hear the most random things like "I AM JESUS AND YOU’RE JUDAS SO BOW DOWN TO ME", "ARGGG I WANT RITALIN", "WHY, WHY, WHY AM I HERE, I NEED MY BED" and most of the time these conversations revolve around the work load that comes with University. So I thought I should advice you perspective first years on how to deal with the stress.


First of all don’t contemplate and worry about the work for a week. Because first of all you’ve just wasted a week on worrying and second of all your assignment deadlines have past. So instead of fretting I suggest that you just go ahead and do it. I know its easier said then done but just start writing and the words will just start flowing like fresh custard. Though if you’re one of those side-tracked wonderers like most I say take that Ritalin and then start writing.



Having a 1500 word essay, two English paragraphs, a four page sociology tut, a four page politics tut and a journalism application form to fill out is no joke. So the option of not sleeping and doing the work the night before is not good one. In fact it should not be an option at all. Though if you’re one of those who can pull it off and still be superman the next day then good for you I’m thoroughly jealous. But to those normal people sleep is a necessity and I think you should stick to those sleeping patterns other wise it’s just not pretty.



Along with the sleep and the Ritalin, Energy drinks and coffee are a must when trying to complete your assignment before deadline. I would recommend Red Bull or Monster. Though please I caution you to drink in moderation. Once I drank nearly two litres of the stuff and only slept at six the next morning, I was also considerably down and depressed.



Last but least make sure you have a couple of friends around for moral support so you can bitch and whine and they can make you hot chocolate when you’re struggling to find the right words for that conclusion. Though if you’re not blessed with such beings (like me) I suggest the counselling centre. They listen to you and don’t judge. Sigh I love the counselling centre.



Also don’t forget to party it up. All work and no play just makes University seem like work. Why would you want University to be like work when University is the thing that is keeping you away from work? When I say work I mean a job of course.

Skop die bal...

University of the Free State (Kovies)

Location: Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa
Telephone: 051 401 9111
Website: http://www.ufs.ac.za/
Faculties: Humanities, Law, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences, Health Sciences, Theology
Closing date for applications: 30 September

The University of the Free State has had a rough time this year, thanks to the thugs who made those racist videos. But they’ve been given the boot, the infamous Reitz residence is no longer, and the varsity admin are trying their damndest to make everything seem rosy again. hahahaha talking about the PR of UFS, have you heard the adverts on 5fm? It's just so ironic, Don't you think ?

Despite this history of the racial tension, there are a number of things working in the University’s favour. Their faculties are renown in South Africa for having the most back ground knowledge. They offer more than 20 sports at the varsity, and there is always some form of cultural activity on the go. And if you feel like expressing your opinion then you can do so through their student newspaper and radio station.

UFS also offers a wide selection of course from their six faculties. They have campuses in Bloemfontein and QwaQwa. If you’re feeling brave, you can stay on-campus in one of their various residences, which, at least on paper, have recently been subjected to stringent transformation policies. Though don’t take my word for it. In regards to the party life Bloemies are pretty chilled and like to just chill with a beer in their hand next to the braai stand.

Time to choose

YAY !Matric is almost done and its time to choose that awesome University that will cater to your every whim. There are many South African Universities to choose from and all of them have their own unique style and prestige. We (the Fresh Meat Team) will be briefly critiquing (by critiquing I mean the best party life) all the SA Uni’s for your convenience.


University of Cape Town

(UCT)


Location: Cape Town
Telephone: 021 650 2128
Website: http://www.uct.ac.za
Faculties: Commerce, Engineering & and the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities (Undergrad and Post grad), Law and Science.
Tuition fees: Between R23 000 and R33 000
Applications close: 31 October (SA students), 30 September (International students).


UCT is consistently ranked as the country’s top research university, which means the guys running the show are a pretty smart bunch. But who really cares about such minor details when you’ve got the one of the most picturesque campuses in the world, an awesome student life and unhealthy long holidays to brag about?


UCT has mastered the proverbial something for everyone formula. They have regular cultural endeavours, a reasonable radio station and an impressive student newspaper, plenty of student and RAG run events, as well as a variety of sporting options. Although for the majority of the students, just walking up the steps to Jameson Hall is enough to warrant an afternoon sitting on them.


Residence life at UCT is also legendary, and there are 15 on-campus options to choose from, which are allocated according to how long you’ve been studying for. Most first years share a pokey room, and you’ll have to develop a tolerance for the greasy meals that are dished up three times a day from their dining halls. But, when this means living in a building with 300 other first years all looking for a good time, it all becomes worth it. Especially when you can go home during the vac with that much revered Ikey chip on your shoulder.

Poverty in University

Universities are seen to be the place where the rich come to extend their studies so that they can get that degree and achieve that dream job so that they can earn more money. But this is slowly changing due to the Black Economic Empowerment programme implemented in South Africa shortly after the ANC took control in 1994.

In this BEE structure many Universities have to endure to a strict status-quo when accepting perspective students. This status-quo states that there must be as many black students as there are white students regardless of intellect and the capacity to cope at University level.
The consequence of this status-quo is that many students are getting accepted to University on the basis of skin colour and not academia intellect. This makes it hard for them to cope with the pressures of assignments and tests. These students who are accepted by race sometimes do not have the finances to support such an educational endeavour and so they look to financial aid and other student loans of that type.

Though the fact still remains that some poverty-ridden students are given the chance to excel at a tertiary level even though they would have never if it weren’t for the BEE system. Therefore the BEE system can be a blessing in disguise sometimes but ultimately the BEE system is like the reverse of Apartheid. Instead of beating the black people up, the government are giving them pity money.

Is the poverty of the previously disadvantaged ever going to be overcome?

The question raises quite a few debates but the decision to let the previously disadvantaged students into University on the basis of race and not intellect is not on. There are people out there who work their butts of to get University but they will lose their place because of something that happened years ago between the blacks and the whites.

Knowledge is Power...and also expensive

Picture this, you’ve just started matric and your guidance counsellors are going on and on about how important it is to extend your studies to a tertiary level. They constantly nag you to take the University application forms that are constantly coming in. And they constantly nag you to go to the talks of all the different Universities in SA such as TUKS, UJ, WITS, UCT, UKZN, RHODES and the list goes on. You have faith that you will do well and get those marks that will make those admin people of the Universities accept you. You even go out and buy the branded underwear of your perspective University.

This is all well and good but University is not like high school, as has been stressed a number of occasions. The work load is harder, the lecturers are not your mothers and the fees are quadruple the amount you pay at high school. If you’re sitting pretty and you parents can afford the fees then ‘YAY!, GOOD FOR YOU’ but to the peeps who don’t want to ride on their parents financial back because they feel bad, or maybe their parents just can’t afford it then never fear because there are always alternatives.

There are a number of South African banks who cater to students in financial need. Standard bank has the coolest student loan agreements which cater to the students’ every need that they might have in University. Such as the Tuition fee, the accommodation fee, the sundry fees for those late night drinking binges and miscellaneous fees for those textbooks and fancy-over-the-top- clutch pencils.

Other cool Banks to check out are FNB and ABSA whose loan agreements are designed especially for the student and their odd behaviours and endeavours.
Although Student Loans sound cool and the easy way to go, they are a mission to pay back. I know a person who took a student loan when they were studying and they are still paying them off ….and their 30! So student loans should be your last resort. Many Universities offer Scholarships and Bursaries but that entails you to have some big brains up there. I’m not saying that you’re stupid but some of us are not so mentally inclined. But for those who are, Uni’s offer cool student bursaries based on you matric results and the more points you earn the more money is taken off your student account. Trust me its cool. I know I got like R17 400 of my student account jut because I did well in matric. So if I can do it then there’s damn well nothing stopping you from doing it.

But if those marks ain’t so good and you still aspire to wear those branded underwear out and about campus then Uni’s offer financial aid for those needy students. All you gotta do is full out a form and the rest is covered it’s as easy as that. Though don’t get me wrong they work exactly like a student loan but the marls you achieve in University depict how much you gotta pay in the end. So if you get a 60% aggregate then that’s 40% taken off the loan (which is probably just the interest).

They are many alternatives to fund your tertiary education so don’t let the price bring you down. All you have to do is hit the books and believe. I know its sounds gay but trust me being optimistic is way better than being a pessimistic when in financial strain.

Carpe Diem

I know you guys have heard that phrase many times before and it can get a bit pretentious at times but seriously it does work.

When in first year you are literally thrown into the deep end. University is not like high school. The lecturers are not going to be you Facebook friends, your tutors are not going to be the comforting shoulder on which you cry on and the Warden of your Residence is not going to tuck you in at night and sing you a lullaby to sleep.

University as you've heard entails a lot of pressures and so the only way to deal is to go along with it. There's no use in wasting time and saying that you can't do it. Cause that's 1) ridiculous because you did after all make it into University in the first place and 2) Its just a waste of time to cry over spilt Milo.

Therefore take that infamous Latin expression to heart when you're faced with a Sociology test, an English Essay, a Politics Essay , a Journalism comic strip to act out and a Sociology Essay to complete in approximately 3 days.

As the expression goes "Eat, Drink and be merry ,for tomorrow we die".

Fingernails and coconuts

Lesh

P.S. Oh ya to those of you who don't know what Carpe Diem is, I suggest that you write Dummy on your forehead and run around like a zombie.

But seriously Carpe Diem means 'Seize the day'

So what are doing reading this post go grab that day by the ears.

To go, or not to go

The list of pro’s and con’s of attending a university is endless therefore only three pro’s and three con’s will be discussed. The question of whether college is useful or a waste purely depends on the mind of the individual. Though after weighing the ups and downs of college there will be a decision.

It is a common ideology that obtaining a piece of paper that took you four years to read for will ultimately get you a top notch job that will keep you from going bankrupt and even earn you enough money to buy furniture from the Mr Price Home catalogue. This is conventionally seen as a pro. They say knowledge is power and university is most definitely full of knowledge so if one wants to know the reasons behind necrophilia, university is the place for you. Last but not least there are many foreigners that attend well known universities therefore if you can’t afford to travel just come to university and meet the people from your favourite holiday destinations.

The downsides of university that it’s not cheap and it could cost you an arm and a leg just to get through first year. Therefore knowledge can be power but it doesn’t come for free. Another bothering truth is the fact that after spending twelve years of your life in school you have to spend another four or five years studying even harder. Finally you will be asked to write a 250 word "paragraph" with an introduction, body text and a conclusion only to find out that you will
receive an ‘S-’ (tht's a fail in English 1 language) no matter how hard you try to fulfil these requirements.

Although the idea of university seems great and that the joys of finding a well-paying job will be achieved there’s still a burning question as to ‘Is it really worth it?’. Judging from previous experience university can be a bother at times but all in all tertiary education advantages you in the long run. Therefore University may seem as a waste at the start but only later will you realise how important it actually is.

Create an Identity

You know that age old saying that it's best to just be yourself and then the friends will start flowing. Well it's not true. Well not true to an extent. Here at University in order to be known and stick out from the rest you've gotta be a ninja.

It's very easy to just fade away into the background at University because there are just so many people. Well here at Rhodes University there's 6000 students but places like UCT and WITS cater for over 20 000 students. Now that's a hell of a lot if you compare it to dear old High School.

Therefore my advice to you is that you create an identity for yourself that you love and if you love that identity then people will be drawn, like a magnet to metal. But don't get me wrong I'm not saying that you have to be fake and walk around being all sad because you feel that you're not being honest to yourself. I'm saying that you have to compromise here and there in order to make new friends and then after wards when you know that person better you become more you. No don't tell me that's being fake because it really is completely normal. I'm sure everyone does it. Or maybe it's just me.

Though if you're one of those people that don't want any attention and just want to fade away from the spotlight. Then be my guest and lurk in the background. Being involved in the livelihood of University may just get you some great credentials to put on that CV of yours. So take my advice and get involved in all that University has to offer because first year only happens once (Well normally).

Be yourself but not so much. No one likes it when you come up to them and say "Hi, my chainsaw is oiled up and your limbs look quite tasty".

So take it easy and don't come on too strong on people when you're making friends in that time we call O-week.

Peace, Love and Tequila
Lesh

Boredom is just another way of saying you're relaxed.

I seriously don't understand those folks who say they are bored. Repeat after me. There is no such thing as boredom, There is no such thing as boredom ,There is no such thing as boredom, There is no such thing as boredom, There is no such thing as boredom. Well now that you're bored of repeating. Let me explain my theory.

Being a first year entails a lot of work. You have to work on your looking-ahead-in-the-distance-pose for those random pics that are taken of you in the only nightclub in Grahamstown, Friar Tuck's (EQ doesn't count count as I am always broke to pay the admission fee and the music is really too 'G' for the emo in me, so no offense to you EQ-goers). You have to perfect that cool I-don't-care attitude that will hopefully win you some more friends on Facebook. You have to constantly run to the Library because you forgot your student card in the photo-copying machine again. You have to do all those tuts otherwise you will threatened with a DP warning that will ultimately ruin your chances of being a second-year. You have to always check on RUconnected to see what the Journalism and Media Studies Department is up to otherwise that saying "DP removed" will be become a recurring nightmare and overtake those dreams (in terms of scary-factor) of your great uncle Raj doing the full Monty at Christmas time. You have to always walk somewhere be it to lectures, meals, tuts, Stevies (The new name for Union), Friars, Pick 'n' Pay or Walker House (Ironic name, don't you think).

All in all the point I am trying to get at is that being a first year means a lot of WORK. So when one day you are miraculously blessed with some free time. Do not say you are bored because that's just insulting. Instead enjoy every moment of it and don't let any of that free time go to waste.

Here are some things that you can get up to:

• Sleep


• Eat


• Sleep


• Eat


• Sleep


• Sleep


• O ya, and Sleep

This list is no joke. I bet you a million billion zim dollars that you will do exactly what's on that list because I am a ninja forecaster of events.

Enjoy the Free-Time

LESH

Yay, Yay, YAY, The suckiest post ever

Welcome ladies and gents to the one and only fresh meat, well actually speaking we are one of many "fresh meat-titled-blogs-on-blogger" as we had to name our "url" rufreshmeat since some other bitches were smarter than us and stole the name before us... But enough of that later.

We are the blog that will be your guideline to the coolest and hippest shit on all the campus's around SA. we will be your go-to-guy when your zipper is stuck in awkward places and most of all we will lie our asses of and share our embarrassing moments with you just to put a smile on that dile.

Our aspirations are very, what would you say, aspiring and we would like to aspire to them at the utmost disipline that we posses.

But from me this is all I have as I have to run to my English tut.
(Forthcoming attraction: Tuts- How to look smart in them when you actually don't have a clue what the fudge is going on.)

Peace, Love and Tequila
Lesh