A survivors guide to the real world
Learn the tricks of the trade with these life hacks that are sure to get you through university
IF you’re heading off to ‘varsity this year you will certainly be in for a shock. Without mom and dad to run after you coping on your own will be a whole new experience. For me, a small town Zululand girl, moving to Cape Town came as quite a shock. A whole barrage of experiences confronted me and I learned a few things:
1. ‘First-year-five’
Every girl becomes familiar with this term. Basically, it’s those awful 5kgs you supposedly put on in first year because Res food is too starchy and homesickness leads to hunger and comfort eating.
2. Tiger Tiger is not a zoo…
Rather innocently I discovered that Tiger Tiger was not an animal sanctuary, but rather a raucous night club where the dimly lit dance floors masked a multitude of sins.
3. Nobody cares!
Forget nurturing environments with teachers who love and care for you. At university there is no one running around telling you what to do, and in classes of 500 no one notices if you skip a lecture… or drop dead.
4. The true meaning of ‘student budget’
Without mom and dad paying for things, money can be tight. At times I found myself asking the question; ‘Do I really need to do laundry this week, or do I want money to buy food?’
5. ‘Fees must fall!’
When you attend the most liberal university in South Africa, a riot or the odd protest march is almost a rite of passage. However, I wasn’t prepared for the extent of the #FeesMustFall movement. Burning barricades, stun grenades, brick throwing and protesters breaking into Res to eat our dinner became regular occurrences.
Despite this all, I somehow survived! I could give you tips and tell you to study hard, steer clear of the party scene or be responsible… but the mistakes are what First-Year is all about.
Learning to cope all on your own, leaning about yourself and then looking back and laughing at all the silly things you did is necessary.
Looking back, I too can laugh at my mistakes, but they got me to where I am today.
So learn not to take yourself too seriously, and good luck in the real world!
