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By Nikita Singh

I have to say that the best part about having a laptop, is the fact that I can fool around on the internet at any time. While researching, facebooking, e-mailing, or playing games, I’ve stumbled across a few remarkable websites. These websites are amusing, informative and mind-boggling. Have fun checking them out!

http://www.oed.com/ : My friends call me a walking dictionary. I would like to believe this is true, but I actually search for all the words they ask me about on my phone. The English dictionary is always a useful tool, and it’s even better now that it’s on the internet.

http://www.postsecret.com/ : Have you ever felt better about your own problems after hearing about another’s? This is the feeling I get every Sunday when I read the new secrets posted. All the fears, desires and passion in the postcards submitted are real and unadulterated and will certainly shock and move you.

http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/ : For all those avid DC users with IPods. From this website you can download a converter to change avi downloads to mp4 format - the correct format for loading videos onto your IPod.

http://www.hallmark.com/ : Hallmark has a range of free e-greeting cards that are animated, entertaining and humorous. Many of us live far away from home, so show you care by send your loved ones e-cards for birthdays, anniversaries, or just to say hi :)

http://scholar.google.co.za/ : It’s 11pm and the library is closed. You have a psych assignment due tomorrow and you don’t have enough information. What are you going to do?! I’ll tell you… go to Google Scholar and search for PDF documents on your topic. It will provide you with useful, academic sources for any subject.

We love Ma Pam!

Ma Pam has up graded herself. Oh yes, those who like me are in love with Ma Pam’s sausage rolls will be happy to know that ma pams is in the market and making things happen. However do not fret; Ma Pam’s rolls are still the same with way they have been through out the year. It just shows that the woman is making the business go very far. Why Not? This woman feeds us when we are in the verge of dying with our consumption of alcohol. It is Ma Pam who saves us when Munchies is closed. Have you realised that Ma Pam does not even cheat us when we are drunk and hopeless at counting our money. Yes I know the price of Ma Pam’s wonderful rolls has gone up but inflation hits every one, even Ma Pam. Ma Pam is really our mother. The mother who feeds us Love when we are deserted in New Street and looking for our friends. Unfortunately she is always accompanied by those street children who are waiting for our open pockets to steal from. This just shows that this woman loves everyone: From the Bcom student and to the little sneaky boy hungry for something. Let me say this again: Just like MXit, Ma Pam is up graded and her food is better than before. Happy Chowing!!!!



Push (Pumelela Nqelenga)

Too Olde!!

Newstreet this weekend was rocking. People were making memories and having fun.However I have a problem with Oldes. Does the name mean "old people allowed" or is it just a fun word for an old bulding? I mean, the whole time I was there I was approached by old men with old mamas next to them yet they still had the courage to approach me. OK maybe I'm being unfair to say the Oldes is made for old people but I believe that people must have dignity. I'm sure that these people have families waiting for them and their children need them. I just believe that there should be an age limit to people going out and clubbing. I also believe that EQ should not allow anyone above the age of thirty. I do not care what ever people's taste is but they must know that their are youngsters who want to have fun with no adults around. Lets get serious people; how can we live n a society where people we are supposed to look up to are busy embarrassing themselves to us and behaviing like teenagers. It really shows that the youth today really lack role models. Please if any good adult is there HELP US!

Push

Dearest Naive girl

Dearest Naïve girl

I know and understand that you are now entering into a new chapter in your life. You are nervous and are not really sure about what university has in store for you. You are probably asking yourself a lot of questions about how it is going to be like to live away from home? What the other first years are like? What challenges you are going to face and much more.

Well, I am here to tell you that one of the biggest obstacles that you are going to come across in university is alcohol. Many first years come to varsity having never touched alcohol so when they get to university, they become overwhelmed by this huge social trend. I am telling you now that consuming alcohol may be fun but as the year progresses, many students do not know how to deal with it. Many of them stop drinking recreationally and it becomes something that they depend on if they are going to have fun. I understand that you will be going out clubbing and that part of clubbing is drinking and I am not saying that drinking alcohol is wrong but I want you to know that getting drunk can get you into a lot of trouble.

You are probably going to hear stories about girls who passed out because they drank too much or stories about how guys took advantage of them in their drunken state and until it happens to you or one of your closes friends, you are not going to believe it. I am telling you now that it is a reality. Many students’ especially first year girls consume too much alcohol and many of them wake up the next morning with no recollection of what happened the night before. Many are lucky to not have been raped or even killed. I am telling you this not to scare you but I want you to be aware of the dangers that come with the consumption of alcohol. be safe and responsible.

Yours truly
Diva101

To my dariling SELF!!

Dear self
It has come to my attention that you want advice about the year ahead. I hope this letter will inspire you and allow you to have the freedom of having fun and having an intellectual experience this year. Just a few tips then:
Sleep! Yes please sleep or you will fall asleep in class and you will regret it the following day when Sim or Alette give you technical instruction. We both know how you lack some knowledge into the technological side so please make sure you are fresh and awake for every lesson. Do not panic about the work load because it will never leave you until you finish your degree. Learn how to read fast and pretend you enjoy reading because your motto this year will be ?fate it till you make it?. This motto will help in drama too.
Now enough about the academics lets get personal. You must not give up because you have a lot of talent and potential. You will see other students having better marks then you but that should not put you down but rather uplift you to do better. You must greet many people because it is through these simple gestures that strong bonds are created in friendships. You must be confident or you will be eaten up in the mass of people who are enjoying their life. Be bold and question the lecture and tutors. It is time for you to understand yourself and this can be done through how you communicate with people and the way you engage with your work. Yes the work will be difficult but since you are doing a BA you are free to debate what is presented to you. Believe me, there is a reason why you do not understand something. It could be because it clashes with your values or that you just disagree with it. Debate and allow yourself to shine intellectually. Lastly, do not forget where you come from. Your family is the main inspiration that will keep you going throughout the year. You must never forget the people who have placed you where you are.
With all of that I hope you prosper and have fun in your first year. Keep dreaming and know that you can achieve anything.
Your friend in spiritual rejuvenation
Pumelela Nqelenga

Precautions When Entering the "Masala Mix"

26 September 2008
My dear little innocent one

You are about to enter the wonderful life of university. The place where mistakes are made over and over again but you eventually learn from them. Some might say it’s not as wonderful as people make it out to be. I hate to agree but I guess they are right in a way however if you play your cards right you will have no regrets.

What a year it has been. Assignments upon assignments, drinks upon drinks the story is never ending. I do however want to warn you about something that you are going to have to deal with; the little Indian community.

Yes, it is lovely to socialise with people you can identify with and who make you feel at home but seeing as it’s such a small community gossip is the staple diet. Your older self thought she would never be a part of the indulgent conversations but alas she was wrong. People found out about those whom I spent evenings out with and jumped to their own conclusions; more than half were not true but it had to be dealt with. At one stage I had a boyfriend according to the messenger in the grapevine.

The most useful piece of advice I can give you, which I wish I had at the begging of the year, is be sociable in this community but be weary of who you poor your feelings out to for they could be the very people to give your secrets away. It will be so tempting to be a part of the “curry corner” in Friar Tucks, a club that you will be attending frequently or shall I say weekly, but in accomplishing this make sure not to forget who you are and no matter how much you think you trust someone there’s always a possibility of information coming back to you completely distorted and looking like a “masarla mix”, everything tossed together.

With this I wish us a great, stress less and exciting life at Rhodes University.

Good luck fellow rhodent.

Your older, wiser and more indulgent self

Divia Padayachee

Take it easy...

Dear Friend

One of the most important and life-changing pieces of advice that I can give you is: DON’T STRESS. It may seem a simple enough thing to do, but I can promise you, it is not as easy as you think. When you’re sitting at one o’clock in the morning trying to finish an assignment, cramming before an exam in swot week, or anxious because you have already spent all your money for the month - you will stress. Here are three useful tips to help you de-stress.

It is pertinent to remember that in university, academics aren’t everything. Our parents might disagree but it’s true. One way to relieve stress is to find a balance in your life on campus. Living away from home is fantastic because we don’t hear constant nagging from Mom or have to adhere to curfews; however, without those aspects controlling us, we have to discipline ourselves. While staying on track with academics, you need to take time to have fun and relax. Perhaps take five minutes each morning to meditate and gather your thoughts.

That reminds me, you need to learn time management. It’s easy to get side-tracked by the wonders of DC++, especially when it’s time to start knuckling down with work. I’ve learnt that no matter what subjects you’re studying, there will always be an abundance of readings that are impossible to complete in one night. If you put you break down the work, and do a little each day, there will be no stressing the night before assignments and exams.

Lastly, I think it’s important for you to stay healthy. How can you possibly work and learn effectively if you are falling ill or feeling lazy? It’s often difficult to find both nutritious and tasty dining hall food, but you can stay healthy by having fresh fruit and vitamins. The key to a healthy mind, is a healthy body.

I hope these hints will help you stay happy and relaxed in your first year of university. Good luck!

Yours sincerely,

Nikita