Energetic, funny, sporty, happy, easy going. That is how the world sees Thando, but how does she see herself?
When asked to describe herself in one sentence, Thando Eloquently replies “You could say I’m a little bit of this and a little bit of that and I’m trying to fit in wherever I can.”
Thando and her family have been Grahamstown citizens for many years, but she thinks differently to the way most first years do. Even though her parents live within Grahamstown, Thando goes home less often than other first years that live away from home. This is an achievement in terms of being a first year.
When arriving at Rhodes, most first years tend to get a bad case of ‘home sickness’. This home sickness starts out small, but it spreads like the flu. Once one person is missing home, everyone starts to miss it until it becomes an epidemic. Thando has obviously had her ‘home sickness’ shots because she stays strong and avoids remaining dependant on her parents.
Thando could go home every day if she wanted to, but she doesn’t. She feels that Rhodes is where she needs to be. She has had a fantastic first year: meeting many new people and growing as a person, but would this have been possible if she had gone home as often as she could? Would Thando have got the same Rhodes experience if she had lived at home instead of at res?
I doubt it.
Being at Rhodes has really brought Thando out of her comfort zone. She has met people that she would never have met before, and made many new friends. The Rhodes experience has brought enrichment into her life. She tries to get involved in everything she can: from playing an excellent game of hockey on the Rhodes first team, to getting a first in her last statistics test. “It’s all about choice,” she explains, “There are a lot of different things you can do at Rhodes but it’s up to you to choose which things you want to be a part of. You should make a choice and stick with it.”
It is important to try to keep a balance between your academic, sporting and social life, she says. Thando’s philosophy is that “you work hard but play even harder.” According to her, it’s all about tolerance. A person can only have so much fun before they must do the right thing and do their work. Work should always come first, no matter how much you want to go to that hockey match or party.
Thando can teach us all that it is good to break away from our parents. Even though we might miss them sometimes, and they might be close by, by going home too often we miss out on life as a student at Rhodes. A balance between the different aspects of being a student is also very important for a happy and successful first year.
Fast Facts
Favorite movie: Forest Gump
Favorite Colour: black
Role Model: I’m getting there…there are too many…my mother.
Favorite varsity moment: My first hockey fines meeting.
Most embarrassing moment: I don’t really get embarrassed, so none. I have had a lot of hilarious moments though.
When asked to describe herself in one sentence, Thando Eloquently replies “You could say I’m a little bit of this and a little bit of that and I’m trying to fit in wherever I can.”
Thando and her family have been Grahamstown citizens for many years, but she thinks differently to the way most first years do. Even though her parents live within Grahamstown, Thando goes home less often than other first years that live away from home. This is an achievement in terms of being a first year.
When arriving at Rhodes, most first years tend to get a bad case of ‘home sickness’. This home sickness starts out small, but it spreads like the flu. Once one person is missing home, everyone starts to miss it until it becomes an epidemic. Thando has obviously had her ‘home sickness’ shots because she stays strong and avoids remaining dependant on her parents.
Thando could go home every day if she wanted to, but she doesn’t. She feels that Rhodes is where she needs to be. She has had a fantastic first year: meeting many new people and growing as a person, but would this have been possible if she had gone home as often as she could? Would Thando have got the same Rhodes experience if she had lived at home instead of at res?
I doubt it.
Being at Rhodes has really brought Thando out of her comfort zone. She has met people that she would never have met before, and made many new friends. The Rhodes experience has brought enrichment into her life. She tries to get involved in everything she can: from playing an excellent game of hockey on the Rhodes first team, to getting a first in her last statistics test. “It’s all about choice,” she explains, “There are a lot of different things you can do at Rhodes but it’s up to you to choose which things you want to be a part of. You should make a choice and stick with it.”
It is important to try to keep a balance between your academic, sporting and social life, she says. Thando’s philosophy is that “you work hard but play even harder.” According to her, it’s all about tolerance. A person can only have so much fun before they must do the right thing and do their work. Work should always come first, no matter how much you want to go to that hockey match or party.
Thando can teach us all that it is good to break away from our parents. Even though we might miss them sometimes, and they might be close by, by going home too often we miss out on life as a student at Rhodes. A balance between the different aspects of being a student is also very important for a happy and successful first year.
Fast Facts
Favorite movie: Forest Gump
Favorite Colour: black
Role Model: I’m getting there…there are too many…my mother.
Favorite varsity moment: My first hockey fines meeting.
Most embarrassing moment: I don’t really get embarrassed, so none. I have had a lot of hilarious moments though.
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