This is not the answer to the question you were asked!

Ever found yourself answering a question but saying nothing at all?

Such is the nature of essay writting.

One rambles on for hours and pages, without saying a damn thing! Then you are surprised by the measly 30%-42% you recieve from the marker!

Guys (as in plural, not masculine)! Varsity, as you are told, is where you READ for a degree... You are also told that "...the more you know, the less you know...the less you know, the more questions you ask..." hence why you READ to answer the questions or at least try to find them...

I know it is frustrating, but one cannot stress the importance of reading enough. Read anything and everything, from paperback novels and biographies to the inside of Chappies wrappers! Do not allow your young and fertile minds to lay waste to knowledge, remember: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! It is how we, as individuals emancipate ourselves from the 'rest'.

Use this power to your advantage, don't abuse the opportunities awarded you. You will do well to repeat this phrase to yourself on a regular basis: "The world does not owe me a damn thing, it is up to me to make a difference!"

(Quote me when you do though, I'm patenting the phrase!)

Love yourself enough to care about your future and well being, don't assume that there will be someone to do it on your behalf.

Peace

Ncebi *20*

Something to look forward to

So after you hav stressed yourself out and feel like all hope is gone, there are still some things about varsity that can prove to be one of the highlights of this era of your life.

Imagine having another shot at the matric farewell that you missed, Varsity provides that opportunity for you. The adrenalin of dressing up, stressing about what you have to wear, worrying about what other people are going to say about the way you are dressed.

You don't have to wait for your wedding day to walk on the red carpet, the Leaver's Ball allows you the opportunity to walk the walk on the red carpet without feeling pressured of saying: 'I Do'. Isn't that something to look forward to?
I think it gives one a little hope and lights the light whilst being in a dark tunnel. It's surely something to smile about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For When you've fallen and can't get up....

So you messed up your test, failed your assignement, overslept and missed half your lectures... WELCOME TO VARISTY... You're not the first nor will you be the last but looking out of your rez window and contemplating how much it would really hurt if you jumped out is not the way to make yourself feel better... Personally I recommend a days worth of sobbing in your room provided you go out into the world the next day having taken the previous days mishaps, placed them in box marked yesterday and shoved it at the back of your cupboard. After all what is life without the moments when you fall flat on your face only to pick yourself up again? No life at all right?! But what do I know anyway.....

Have I got your attention, Me?

Dear ‘Past Sarah’

Well, here you are. You’ve finally made it to Rhodes University and from here, it’s up to you to decide just how you are going to live these next few years while you work towards your degree. You’ll find that no matter how much others try to prepare you for your first year at university, when you arrive it all flutters out your mind and you are bombarded with hundreds of new feelings and experiences. If there was only one thing I could tell you that I would want you to keep in your mind, it would be that you must not be afraid of the different emotions and experiences which will definitely come your way. So when they do, don’t be scared of them. Grab them by the scruff of their necks and don’t let them go. Each one will help you grow and develop your character and will add so many special memories to your life, which you will honestly never ever forget.

I’m not saying that being in Rhodes University is an exciting place where all you’ll have is a good time with happy memories. Life as a university student is balanced by both good and bad times. What you have to decide is how you’ll manage them. It can get really tough at times with work, friendships and homesickness, but you just have to put one foot in front of the other and get through it.

It’s up to you to create your happiness while you’re here, so don’t hold back. If given the chance, you’ll find that life at Rhodes really is fantastic. Open your arms and let your life take you where you want it to go. Never let your past make decisions for you.

You are now in university Se, dream anew and welcome it with an open mind and an even bigger heart.

With lots of love

The ‘Future Sarah’

Oh Mother, Where art thou

Dear Very Young and Ignorant Me

I write to you not from the grave, but from your desk in your room, at Jameson House in Rhodes University. Yes, we did it! Our life’s work (so far) has paid off; we were accepted into the prestigious university of Grahamstown: Rhodes University. I’m pretty sure you are jumping up and down, losing your mind with excitement, but I have not written this letter simply to inform you of your acceptance to Rhodes, but to also bring a few words of warning. I realise that your excitement is as much due to the idea of independence, as being able to finally decide what you wish to study and work towards achieving, but through the duration of your reading this letter I require you to contain yourself and read this with a steady heart-beat and level head intact.

Independence; just reading the word brings forth images of utter joy and freedom, doesn’t it? But this is the moment when I must halt any further imaginings of this kind. From this moment on the word independence connotes responsibility, reliance mainly on yourself and no one else, no mother to push you along when your spirit begins to sway and the dreaded inter-visiting hours. You are not at fault for experiencing any emotions of excitement, but what you must also realise is that not everything about this major change in your life will be positive.

Right now you may feel imprisoned within your home, but what you don’t realise is that this imprisonment has led to you being extremely attached to your family. The drive to Grahamstown will be filled with thrilling anticipation, but the moment that your mother is about leave you and return home, you will grab hold of her and will need to be dragged away from her kicking and screaming like a two year old (This is an obvious metaphor because we would never conduct ourselves in such a manner). But on the real, you will miss your mother so much that it will hurt. You will feel so completely alone and depressed and your home-sicknesses will become the worst kind of unwanted distraction. What you will need to do is find some kind of way to ease the hurt. Find something or someone who will fill the devastating whole within your soul.


Well all I’ve got say now is good luck. And you’re probably wondering what inter-visiting hours are, well, I have to allow you to discover some things by yourself.

All the best from your older (and wiser) self,
Zanele

Varsity: BEWARE....

Carus[i] Veli, the pessimist

Roman poet Virgil was argued to have been the first man to say ‘Tempus Fugit’[ii]. I’m not to sure how truthful that argument was but what is important is that we acknowledge that time does indeed flee; for here we are at a time in your life you thought far from reach as you sat in your room scribbling furiously in your diary of the failure that was your life. That was four years ago, now you are on your way to a new place that offers you a new life of excitement, choices and above all else mistakes. Known to many as university but to us as a second chance it will prove to be the most emotionally and mentally grueling period of your life thus far. Therefore my advice to you is to include in your baggage nothing of your old life, instead, pack patience in amplitude, humility in spades and confidence in large doses because you’ll be surprised how times you’ll have to pick yourself up on a daily basis.

The most taxing themes that shall require the items listed above will be the same ones that plague you now; school vs. love. I warn you that only one will be perused successfully and given our history with the opposite sex there is no need for an elaboration as to which of the two that is. The time will come for you to utilize the abilities you neglected in high school (reading and writing…) and convert them into studying tools so choose your subjects well. You are a smart girl so there is no need for you to die with potential energy, USE IT!

Only one aspect of your old life will bear fruitful when you arrive at University and it’s one you couldn’t leave behind even if you wanted to; knowing yourself. You’ll find that among the many trials people will be facing, the most common will be self-discovery. Lucky for you, you already have that one in the bag! Credendo Vides[iii] Veli, remember that you cannot change the past but you certainly have a say about the future, which is bright… I promise.

Yours Sincerely,
Veli, the believer of second chances.

[i] Latin Word meaning ‘dear, beloved’
[ii] Latin Phrase meaning ‘time flees’
[iii] Latin Phrase meaning ‘by believing, one sees’

Letter to an innocent first year

Dear innocent first year

I write this letter not to discourage you or stop you from knowing people, but as a warning to this vicious, money-eating, time consuming and saddening issue of societies.

Beginning of the year when found out that there was going to be a society evening where students could sign up and be part of different societies of their choice, people never told us about the strings that were attached to that ‘interesting’ evening. We were all excited and blown away by the atmosphere, the music, vibe, people, pizza, drinks, t-shirts and we were blown away by the way in which these people seemed to enjoy themselves and also how they seemed to be happy in their societies.

They went on about all the cheese and wine functions that were going to take place each and every term. The outings that everyone who is a member of that specific society were gonna go to and also they played with our little small minds and promised us that the societies were a good way to know people and have older students taking care of you.

After being smitten by these societies that promised ‘great’ experience for a first year and also promising a good way of ‘blending in’, I put my million dollar signature on the registration papers. I had high expectations, already imagining myself wearing different t-shirts from different societies. I ended up with a million Zim dollar signature.

After days of hoping, weeks of anticipation and months of frustration, I ended up with a heart that almost turned grey from the societies pumping out all the blood and drive I had for them and have left me with nothing else but a heart that does not pump blood anymore as it has gone tired of pumping a tyre that already has a slow punch and keeps on losing the air in it.
So be warned innocent one. Not every thing is as it looks, you do get disappointed you know!
Recovering first year!!!!!!!!!!!!
Zandile Mavuso

To Ncebi

Ncebi

I hope you are faring well; it will be a while before we meet again.

This letter should not cause you any alarm, in fact it should be something to look forward to. I have very good news about tertiary life; it is all you have imagined it to be and more- with the occasional hiccup of course!

When you arrive, the first people you will engage with if you live in residence are the house committee, we had a meeting choosing those tonight and I know they will be as welcoming to you as they were to me. Do not be alarmed by their ‘coolness’, that’s how they get you to like them…

I have absolute faith in your ability to adapt and survive, it’s as though we have the same mind – which we actually do. I also want to let you in on a well known secret in these parts – if you want to survive varsity, do the work beforehand, then you’ll have time to go out.

As I type this letter to you, I want to tell you of all the things to look forward to, but without ruining the exciting presence of them… O-week and “O-term” are definitely a hit here, so is Tri-Var...You will know what I mean when you get here.

Journalism will be the best thing to EVER happen to you. Yes, it is a lot of work, but you’re good with that kind of thing, and you will thoroughly enjoy it! I know I definitely am. Beware of the crazy deadlines; I know you are a bit of a slacker when you want to, but you can also be very determined and you can be very hardworking when you put your mind to it, try it – it won’t hurt.

You may suffer a bit of heartache, but you’ve also got a knack for making friends and that will help with any loneliness you may experience. Phone home regularly, but don’t whine about stuff you can’t avoid of help. The friends you make will be for the long run, so pick them carefully, I have the utmost faith in your character judgment, but I’m here if you need any help.

I have left some things unsaid, but that is because I want you to enjoy the many many experiences that varsity will have for you.

All my love
Une