*Ice-Cream*: Expectations and Fears!

*Ice-Cream*: Expectations and Fears!

Combat Guide 2Uni: Opinion Piece: All Journalism and Media Studies 1 lectures for first years should be compulsory

Combat Guide 2Uni: Opinion Piece: All Journalism and Media Studies 1 lectures for first years should be compulsory

ANCYL and its disgrace to the youth!!!!

It has come to a point where I have to mention in blank terms that the ANCYL has lost the plot. This is the same origination that presents itself to be the voice of the youth. Which youth? I happen to be a youth h and my political views differ completely from the ANC youth league’s president, Julius Malema. Has it come to this, that politics is for the big mouthed fools and the bullies who think they know better that our constitutional judges? The youth of today are in a struggle to understand where they stand and we find ourselves being represented by fools who to claim to know our thoughts.

The ANCYL league has a great history in world politics. It has groomed great leaders like Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu who practiced their right has South Africans to fight for a better country through the ANCYL. Today the party is overtaken by a bunch of idiots who do not even know how to structure an argument. In this year’s anniversary of the founding of the organisation, Julius Malema spoke about a militant movement needed by the youth of today. He further described the youth of today as “roaring lions” whose “vibrations” shall be heard throughout the country. What is the youth roaring about? He mentions nothing about our mission and what we are suppose to fight for. Since when do we go t battle when our leaders are struggling to construct a mission for us that will work? If we as youth are going to be busy roaring our lungs out, then it must be in zoos. No lion can fight anything without a purpose. It is this language, this outrage, which has caused and moved thousands of South African youths to the streets to watch our future president dancing to the beat of his latest hit, Umshini Wam. Alas, behold the great leader of the ANCYL: superstar Jacob Zuma.

Today as youth we cannot afford to attack or else we will have no power to defend. We are not a youth like the last generation, were attacking as was the only way to gain liberation. Instead we are a generation that has human rights and constitutional rights to defend. Malema does not mention that what we as the youth of today should be fighting, is the spread of Aids and how it is killing our generation. Malema is forgetting that the real problems of the youth are that there is lack of tertiary education, unemployment and the struggling to live in a country filled with poverty.

The ANCYL should go to the drawing board soon and possibly work on how to speak well. Infact here is a lesson:
If you are going to speak for others, it is clear that you should master it. First lesson is no more “Die for Zuma” nonsense. There no wars happening here if Malema wants a war please let us know what it is all about and that he should remember people want leaders not generals. Secondly no speaking of “counter-revolution” because it means a blood affair for many for a cause that means nothing to them. Thirdly please revise Michael Trapido article, “ANCYL political language explained” to see what foolish things you are saying in the media. There are many more classes that the ANCYL have to attend but the basics will help for now.

There is definitely room for improved that has to be perfected by the ANCYL further more these terrifying things happening in light of the youth should wake us up as the youth to claim what is our; our voices. We cannot sit back and allow others to speak out for us when we as the youth have diverse opinions and many problems to face. Moreover the reis a need for the youth be in solidarity and defend our image as youth. Yes we are the defenders today not the attackers. We have it all; freedom, peace and rights. But all these luxuries are under threat because of power -hungry leaders who claim to know us. Like the youth of 1976 we have a responiblity to defend our liberties. The outrage of the ANCYL can no longer be publicised for us anymore. We do not see lions in our mirrors. Our reflections do not show soldiers waiting to fight and eliminate enemies. Instead we are citizens of this country and have the democratic right to defend what was once fought for us.

Pumelela 'Push' Nqelenga

Procrastination is a BITCH!

Procrastination is a student’s worst nightmare. It is the evil shadow that lurks in the background, follows your every move and whispers words of deception into your ears. Why is it that so many students fall victim to such a misleading character? The answer is simple. Students of our generation have not learnt to manage their time or focus on what is of utmost importance. Most of all they are not able to prioritise.

The common excuse is that there is too much to do and too little time to get it all done. I personally find this very hard to believe. The truth is simple. With all these new forms of communication around students find it difficult to concentrate on getting the work done. So who do we blame? Is it the creators of such communicative devices or the students who make use of them?

Facebook is one of the most popular of all networking services. It is available to anyone who is interested in creating links with other individuals across the world or those who just want to keep in touch with family and friends. Facebook also allows individuals to upload pictures and videos onto their profiles so that it can be made available to those on their contacts list, not to mention being able to chat to anyone who is online via a chat service. Browsing these features can take hours at a time. I should know, I’ve fallen victim to this on many occasions.

Besides downloading material from the internet, students love to chat to their friends all the time even though most live on campus. Gtalk, by google, and Windows Live, by MSN, and MXit are some of the many chat services available to our students. Most students use this to escape the responsibilities of campus life and find it more productive to complain to their friends about all the assignments due for that week instead of logging off and finishing what needs to be done.

About two years ago Carte Blanche did a story on MXit where many parents were concerned about their children losing focus on their academics and being involved with strangers in chat rooms that are provided by the creators of MXit. At the time I was a MXit addict and felt as if I was being attacked but now that I think about it those parents were right.

The youth of today are so easily distracted by the world’s advancements that they do not see the damage it causes. They would like to believe that they know exactly what they are doing but in actual fact they do not have the skill to come to terms with the amount of distraction these past times can cause.

What is worse is the pressure we put on ourselves when we give in to party invitations and I’m not talking about birthday parties people; I’m talking about nights out on the town. We all know that famous line, “This is my last Friday out before exams” or “I’m never drinking like that again” and what about “No, I can’t, but I can always start working on Monday...”. Any familiar places coming to mind? I can think of at least two. Friar Tucks and The Union Club.
Students of Rhodes University are no strangers to New Street or The Union Building, which is now known as The Bantu Stephen Biko Building. Every Wednesday and Friday (oh and Tuesdays and Thursdays too) brings with it students on a mission, either to escape the stresses of academic life or just get drunk. I ask you. Is there really a need to be going out practically every day of the week? Do these students not have work to do and assignments to hand in? It is pure irresponsibility. I would agree that everyone needs a time out now and again but this is simply ridiculous.

Our parents sent us to this prestigious institution to broaden our minds and become intellectually renowned academics. But instead some of these “intellectuals” would rather party their week away.

My point is that our youth of today are becoming more and more irresponsible with the exception of a few. They need to buckle down and stop watching their life go by as they party up a storm or waste hours on end surfing the net. Procrastination leads one into a big black whole, once you’re in there’s no getting out.

One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor! (opinion piece)

By Nikita Singh

Before I boarded my plane, heading for Grahamstown and all the freedom that comes with it, my mother said to me, “Now watch what you do at Rhodes. Be careful and don’t drink too much!” I promised I wouldn’t while deceitfully crossing fingers behind my back. I thought I would be completely free in residence… but I was greatly mistaken.

I agree that most rules of residence are necessary for student safety and protection, but there are a few rules that are, in my opinion, very unreasonable. One of the rules that I most disagree with is the rule that no student may drink any form of “hard liquor” in the residence – including ciders such as Smirnoff Storm or Hunters Dry. (Residence Rules)

However, consumption of wine, beer and sherry is allowed on residence. Wine and sherry both have an alcohol content of at least 10% which is greater than the average cider (7%). Ciders are far less potent than wine or sherry, so why are they not allowed?

In any case, people can get just as roaring drunk with wine as they do with another alcohol. As students, we want to find the cheapest form of alcohol available so it won’t scratch away at our pockets like fierce cats. Wardens may argue that wine is safer than other liquor, but many people resort to cheap wines such as crackling which can make you drunk faster.

The Union. Equilibrium. Friar Tuck’s. Olde 65. All these popular student hang-outs freely sell alcohol. Students can quite easily get ferociously intoxicated, regurgitate the evening’s ‘mystery meat’ and pass out. Students can get drunk anywhere, so why has the university enforced rules about drinking in residence?
I enjoy drinking and ‘getting a buzz’ when I go out but I make sure that I do not get so inebriated that I can’t take care of myself. Furthermore, my hall warden is a lovely woman but she is not my mother and should not have to babysit me. Every student should take precautions to ensure their own safety and should not have to rely on university rules to keep them on the straight and narrow.

There are far worse rules that students could break than drinking alcohol in residence. Female students could have male guests after visiting hours or steal from other students, which would harm other people rather than the rule-breaker. The wardens are like policemen chasing down a petty thief while a murderer walks the streets: the university should rather focus on the rapists and thieves that have infiltrated campus.

I believe that students are responsible for their own actions and do not need to be controlled by university administration. People still sneak in hard liquor or get just as drunk on cheap wine, so the university is implementing old-fashioned rules that are no longer adhered to. I am over 18 and should have freedom to drink whatever I please because it is not a crime of any sort and harms no other person or object other than my poor disintegrating liver.

Our Roles to Act in

When looking at who we are, we find now definite word that can identify who we are. This was how I felt in high school. I lived in two worlds that contradicted each and I had to face both every day. This resulted in me creating two identities that would complement each world. Sometimes I would get lost and lose my mind in trying to solve my identity issue. However what I found more interesting was the transitional stage that took place each day. My school was in town and my home in the township, so there was forty five minutes to transform myself and try to fit in to the world that I was heading to. I took a taxi everyday and it was there that my transformation took place. When going to school I would think about work and the homework that was not done. I would think about my grades and how I could improve them. I would think of Home Economics and try to remember recipes and decor ideas that were said the day before. I would hum my music notes from my music book and allow the fat woman next to me to be unsettled by the strange harmonies. When I went home I would make myself think about my baby cousin and the songs she will be reciting for me. I would think of my grandmother constantly asking me to bring her water for her pink and blue and green and yellow pills. I would think of my uncle and wish today he will be sober and more loving. I would think of my next argument with my mother. Lastly I would think of my brother who left for varsity and remember the horrible times we had together in our younger years. And I wish those days will come back so that I could see my brother again. It was in these transformations that I was prepping for the perfect performance. Every day I built a character that would represent me and my feelings. I continually constructed myself everyday to fit the perfect role. Oh yes, there were those days that I mixed things up and found myself in trouble.
I find this exiting that I cannot pin point myself. In fact, I find it limiting to do so. What I also find intriguing is that we enter in many diverse places in South Africa and we create characters that will fit each place so that we act and live in harmony. By us allowing ourselves to live in other roles, we soon acknowledge each other better and live with many perspectives. Paul Auster would say there is not identity, but I believe there are many identities but it is up to us to claim each one and live in it. That is the South Africa I know and want to live in.

Pumelela 'Push' Nqelenga

Are we a Blind and Deaf nation?

Let us not turn a blind eye to what is happening to our world or should I make more relevant and say in South Africa? We need to place responsibility on ourselves and fight for what we see is killing children in our country. We must have the guts to question whether we have done enough for the less fortunate. Let us stop talking about development and start developing a moral obligation to our own citizens. We have the ability to do so many things and as a unity we can fight for a better cause. How long can we tolerate the cries of many poor people in our country? Do we need another xenophobia attack to make us place our eyes to the poor who are firing up to be helped? Poverty should not be a common word in our country. We should be talking about a free country for all. I know that there are many people who are working and helping the poor but more hands are better than few. Our negligence to the poor will soon come back and haunt us. We are morally obligated and we should not turn away to those who need us the most. Tomorrow is world food, so please help those who are starving by donating food to shelters and NGOs.

Pumelela 'Push' Nqelenga