More tips for first year happiness

Well my first year is coming to an end, so I thought I’d leave you with some general tips for your first year at varsity before I retreat into my room to study for exams. These tips don’t have a theme like the rest of my posts; they’re just random things I think are important for your well-being and happiness at varsity.

1. Keep things in perspective: Chances are, you’ll probably fail/almost fail at least one test / essay in your first year. This is not because you are stupid. It takes a while to get used to the marking style and expected format / tone / referencing system of a certain department. Your marks will probably dip a bit, but if you keep at it, they get better as you go along. So don’t get despondent if you fail a silly 10 mark quiz. Look at the bigger picture: it probably counts 0.5% of your year mark. So it’s really not worth crying over.

2. Check your quota: This is for future Rhodents. The university only gives you a certain amount of internet access, and if it runs out, you’ll have to live without Facebook for a while. This is not cool. So check your quota regularly to make sure you’re still free to surf at your leisure.

3. Make time for yourself: Take a break sometimes and watch a movie or go out for coffee with your friends. Working all the time does a number on your head. You get hyper-stressed, moody and walk around with a dark cloud drifting over you. You will get everything done on time, and a week later you won’t even remember what assignment was due or why you were so stressed. True story.

4. Go to res functions: They are a brilliant way to become better friends with people in your res and have a jol. And you won’t get all the inside-jokes and ‘remember when...’s if you don’t go.

5. Don’t tumble-dry your tops: Well, you can if you really want to. But don't blame me when your Legit and Mr Price stuff shrinks and goes out of shape.

Well, there is my practical advice. Hope it helps!

Meat_is_murder.

O-week: Things you should do

O-week is a very scary concept. Or maybe I am just a wuss (I have been told this before on many occasions). Well, I was scared for no reason at all, because your orientation week is absolutely amazing. Don’t worry your little head off. Here are some tips to make it even more fantastic:

1. Buy nice pyjamas: They have this thing at Rhodes called serenades, which involves singing to, talking with and making coffee for (if you are female) members of a residence of the opposite gender. Did I mention that this takes place at 5am in your PJs? Get nice ones.

2. Go on the library tour: Yes, readingrocks made me put this one in, but I must confess that they are very helpful. The library is quite a big, scary place, and when you’re sent there to get a reading for your Sociology essay and you end up in the English Lit section crying into “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, you’ll wish you went on a tour.

3. Introductory lectures: These are also quite important. Philosophy might sound quite cool in theory, but going to the introductory lecture might stop you from sitting in an exam four months later kicking yourself when you’re faced with an essay question like: If a tree falls in a forest and there’s no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?

4. Smile: Smile, be friendly and talk to people. Everyone goes out of their way to introduce themselves to you and conversation is very easy: it usually revolves around ‘where-are-you-from-what-are-you-studying-what-res-are-you-in’?

5. Explore: Walk around campus and go check out where all your lectures are. This will quell your fear of getting lost and ending walking into the Computer Science building instead of your psychology lecture.

Enjoy it!

Meat_is_murder.