Ask any teenager what they think of when the thought of University creeps into their mind. Chances are they are thinking of the endless freedom that comes with the new territory of being “all grown up” and leaving home. After 18 long years they believe that they are more than ready to tackle the “big, bad, world” and yearn for the opportunity to be independent, be free of their parents and able to start a life for themselves. This was me at the beginning of year. I was thrilled at the thought of life 16 hours away from home. This was my chance. No longer would I have my parents breathing down my neck 24/7, instead it was all up to me. It was finally my life!
In my mind I was like Repunzel in a modern-day fairytale. I would be waiting for my prince charming to come find me in my third story res room and live happily ever after. Unfortunately the potential princes ended up being drunken jesters who believed that their drunkard serenading at 3am would win my heart- sadly they were very mistaken.
I soon realised that my peers viewed independence and University life as the excuse to get drunk and pass out in gutters, get stoned and waste their potential, have casual sex with random strangers, engage in fist fights and pub brawls and to sleep all day and miss every lecture and tutorial on their timetables original agenda. Although I had also pondered the thought of taking advantage of these rebellious activities, when faced with the opportunity of doing so I realised that my self-worth was more important and that moderation was the way to go.
Why is it then that so many young people are tempted to waste their future on one night of irresponsible partying? Don’t get me wrong though- I am a social person who loves a good night out with my friends and I agree that this is the time in one’s life to let loose and have fun. But I am talking about limits and whether or not people in today’s society realise that certain things go way beyond fun, and verge into very unsafe and dangerous territory.
It is a known fact that Rhodes University has one of the highest alcohol consumption rates in Southern Africa. Students claim that this is because of the lack of entertainment options and since the town is so small they feel it is one of the only activities that they can enjoy. Originally I had thought that peer pressure was a thing limited to high school students but sadly this is not the case. People here are labelled as “losers” if they do not meet the required prototype of a partying, weed- smoking, and sex obsessed “typical student”.
There is fear of falling off the social ladder if one does not meet the allocated party times and days- which is on average 4 times per week. It is a bonus if these people can pass their courses whilst upholding the Rhodes partying tradition, but I often wonder if a degree is really that important to them. Their parents had originally sent them here with the assumption that they would return as fine, mature young men or women with the potential to tackle anything they set their minds to, but sadly quite a few have already returned home with nothing to say for their time spent here except for a deregistration slip, and some “famous party photo’s”.
Many first year students come here with the belief that their aspirations, ambitions, goals and dreams will finally be attainable and that their newly found independence will set them free. Within the first month these same students will lose sight of this and become distracted by the many temptations that student life has to offer them. This is why it is important to know yourself well enough so as to ensure that you do not lose the person that you used to be. Stand strong. Dare to be different. And be prepared to tackle your future!
In my mind I was like Repunzel in a modern-day fairytale. I would be waiting for my prince charming to come find me in my third story res room and live happily ever after. Unfortunately the potential princes ended up being drunken jesters who believed that their drunkard serenading at 3am would win my heart- sadly they were very mistaken.
I soon realised that my peers viewed independence and University life as the excuse to get drunk and pass out in gutters, get stoned and waste their potential, have casual sex with random strangers, engage in fist fights and pub brawls and to sleep all day and miss every lecture and tutorial on their timetables original agenda. Although I had also pondered the thought of taking advantage of these rebellious activities, when faced with the opportunity of doing so I realised that my self-worth was more important and that moderation was the way to go.
Why is it then that so many young people are tempted to waste their future on one night of irresponsible partying? Don’t get me wrong though- I am a social person who loves a good night out with my friends and I agree that this is the time in one’s life to let loose and have fun. But I am talking about limits and whether or not people in today’s society realise that certain things go way beyond fun, and verge into very unsafe and dangerous territory.
It is a known fact that Rhodes University has one of the highest alcohol consumption rates in Southern Africa. Students claim that this is because of the lack of entertainment options and since the town is so small they feel it is one of the only activities that they can enjoy. Originally I had thought that peer pressure was a thing limited to high school students but sadly this is not the case. People here are labelled as “losers” if they do not meet the required prototype of a partying, weed- smoking, and sex obsessed “typical student”.
There is fear of falling off the social ladder if one does not meet the allocated party times and days- which is on average 4 times per week. It is a bonus if these people can pass their courses whilst upholding the Rhodes partying tradition, but I often wonder if a degree is really that important to them. Their parents had originally sent them here with the assumption that they would return as fine, mature young men or women with the potential to tackle anything they set their minds to, but sadly quite a few have already returned home with nothing to say for their time spent here except for a deregistration slip, and some “famous party photo’s”.
Many first year students come here with the belief that their aspirations, ambitions, goals and dreams will finally be attainable and that their newly found independence will set them free. Within the first month these same students will lose sight of this and become distracted by the many temptations that student life has to offer them. This is why it is important to know yourself well enough so as to ensure that you do not lose the person that you used to be. Stand strong. Dare to be different. And be prepared to tackle your future!
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1 comments:
Hey "kaz", again I am posting a comment to a piece you have written as I appreciate your work. In light of that I think congratulations is due on the way you have written this blog and have reflected the issues in first-year. On the other hand, I beg to differ on the point you raised about teenagers wasting their lives by drinking it away etc. In your argument, you make it seem as though teenagers intentionally waste their lives away. This then links to the point you made about most of them utilising their independence in the wrong way. I think that many of them believe that they can handle the alcohol as well as their academics thus it does not register that they could be wasting their future. I also think that doing it “because they can” is another reason most people have. By that, I mean that it is evident that most Rhodents come from wealthy families and can thus afford to repeat a year, or even a degree!
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