Bungee My Life

This profile of Nyasha shows a seemingly hidden si...

2008-11-06T14:45:00.000+02:00

This profile of Nyasha shows a seemingly hidden side of her, and in exposing it through the article the audience can understand the it better. As a new first year at Rhodes Univeristy, many students will find that they are frightened and home sick: Nyasha's profile perfectly shows that it is possible to come through this unscarred, and adapted to life as a Rhodent.

Dear Bungee My Life

I did quite enjoy this ...

2008-10-23T12:21:00.000+02:00

Dear Bungee My Life

I did quite enjoy this comic, but I do have a few questions.
Firstly, why does the pretty girl only notice the geek when the jock messes up? The reason I am attracted to your comic is that it is a common occurrence among the female species to go for the guy who’s a jerk only to realise that the ‘shoulder-to-cry on’ geek has always had her best interests at heart.

I do like the tension created, even though the plot is quite predictable, that didn’t bother me because the imagery used was enough to keep me reading. I liked how the jock was worried about his reputation, it made him slightly vulnerable to the audience. I also enjoyed the ‘Cinderella’ spin you put on it.

All in all, I enjoyed the discussion it raises for the audience, it makes us ask ourselves with which character do we relate. Are we the jock, geek or princess of this story?

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Oh hello guys,
Your comic was great; the use o...

2008-10-20T20:59:00.000+02:00

Oh hello guys,
Your comic was great; the use of imagery, artistic input and expression was incredible, one of the best ones that I have seen. The whole love story was easy to read and follow, the short conversation in the blocks brought along your story well, and most of the aspects were clear. The idea behind it was very playful, dramatic, and flowed very nicely especially bringing through the fairy tale of Cinderella into your comic. The recognition of the villain, princess, and hero was clearly defined as well as the first equilibrium, disruption and the final equilibrium.
Well done guys,
Sparrow.
Check out ours, riskybusinessrodents.blogspot.com

The story line of the comic was a very cute but so...

2008-10-20T18:53:00.000+02:00

The story line of the comic was a very cute but somewhat naive. What I liked however was the fact that the creators stayed true to Proppian form ensuring that each character facilitated the continuation of the narrative. Even the friend in the third and fourth frame whose role at first is undefined, but later, in fact, appears as necessary to introduce what Vladamir Propp identifies as the ‘magic agent’; which in this narrative was the journalism assignment that lead the girl to her prince charming of who represented, once again in Propp’s narrative theory,’ achievement’.

I would have preferred for the creators to have played out the Cinderella theme a little bit more, with a few more trials and tribulations thus truly encompassing the anticipation of the ‘happy ending’ associated with the original fairytale. Apart from that, it was funny comic that reminded me of all the teen movies that erupted in Hollywood during the 90’s!

i reeeeeally liked your comic... It was really fun...

2008-10-20T08:15:00.000+02:00

i reeeeeally liked your comic... It was really funny and cute... kinda the romantic-comedy of the Rhodents :) Very good photos and little creative additions too. Well done :)

The entertaining and irreverent Bungee my Love Lif...

2008-10-19T22:19:00.000+02:00

The entertaining and irreverent Bungee my Love Life comic strip is just about as impressive as the blog that it’s posted on, but it seems to lack a good punch line – the end is about as strong as a Brutal Fruit. The Cinderella character puts a unique spin on the whole first year poppie cliché and the hero in the story, our resident prince charming in the form of a baby-pink wearing ‘nerd’ character is about as pathetic and shy as most guys caught in that ‘leaping out of my league’ situation. Cinderella’s black stiletto is an effective magic agent, and the villain – her jock boyfriend, highlights the differences between hero and villain in an understated but cool as cane way. All in all the comic puts a fresh Rhodent spin on the classic fairytale, but somehow it just seems to be lacking its own magic agent.

Comment on: http://www.bungeemylife.blogspot.com/
By Meg from www.4burstbubbles.blogspot.com

Hey Guys

I enjoyed reading your photo comic...

2008-10-18T20:33:00.000+02:00

Hey Guys

I enjoyed reading your photo comic based on relationships at Rhodes and liked the way that you incorporated the aspect of the lost shoe from the fairytale Cinderella into your story. I do however feel that the idea for your photo comic is slightly clichéd. You have used some of Propp’s dramatis personae in your piece but when I began to read your comic, I already knew how it was going to end. Instead of having the hero being a nerdy boy who’s secretly in love with the female lead character and the girl playing the broken-hearted princess in need of rescuing, maybe you could have the characters switch roles. If the boy is the one in need of rescuing from a villain other than a girl playing the field it might give your piece a new angle and a better climax.

Alex (“,)

The Comic You guys made was interesting but lacked...

2008-10-18T20:29:00.000+02:00

The Comic You guys made was interesting but lacked creativity. The theme was cliché and very 'high school'. Who was the villain? the friend or the boyfriend? Also some of the fames lacked continuity for example, the one where he changes his face book status the picture was different to the description although a minor detail for the computer screen to be correct still an important one. Also where did the disruption take place was it because of the fire drill? And using the same person to play two characters made it rather confusing. Sorry Guys I can see you had an idea but it seemed like a half hearted effort.

Bridge xxx

Hey awesome comic guys. I especially love the way ...

2008-10-17T19:24:00.000+02:00

Hey awesome comic guys. I especially love the way your’ll incorporate the whole fairytale idea. The comic is very bright and humorous. I especially love the use of the facebook status idea; I thought it was very funny and yet typical of a student. The Proppian characters of the hero and princess are clearly defined. And according to Todorov’s narrative model the narrative sequence is clearly visible with the final equilibrium being Karen and Robert getting together. However it is a little unclear as to how exactly, and why, Jason and Jess ended up hooking up. A frame should have maybe been shown before this one to show what had lead to what happened. But I really enjoyed the comic and I think your’ll did a good job, especially with the humour. So big up to you guys.

Peace out
Daemon

Hey "kaz", again I am posting a comment to a piece...

2008-10-17T18:42:00.000+02:00

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!

Great comic/love story, the way you made use of on...

2008-10-17T09:00:00.000+02:00

Great comic/love story, the way you made use of one guy playing two parts was brilliant. The photography is great and the background scenery fits in perfectly with the story line. I am not sure if the villain is Jess or Jason though, I suppose it might even be the alcohol. The prince was clearly Robert and the princess Karen. Losing her shoe and having Robert find it adds to a great fairy tale scenario. I am not sure if the facebook scene is a great addition to the comic strip. Perhaps seeing Jason losing out could have made a better scene. The last frame needs some additional comments to help round off the comic, a really enjoyable production though, well done.

2008-10-15T21:48:00.000+02:00

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

Hey guys... I love the comic, so adorable and funn...

2008-10-15T15:25:00.000+02:00

Hey guys... I love the comic, so adorable and funny...
Take a look at ours on www.gerbilthefunkyrhodent.com, for a few laughs too...

Une

Wow! I really understand where you are coming from...

2008-10-14T11:31:00.000+02:00

Wow! I really understand where you are coming from. I have come to the realisation that all Rhodes guys are wanting is a good time- a brief good time- and then to move on to the next first year that comes their way. I know this is a generalization but in my experiences this year it is true!

Sad, but true.

But you know what? You get used to it! and eventually you learn to beat them at their own game!

Dont put your whole heart into a relationship from the word go. Ease into it. Go out for a while to see of he is interested in you...or a certain part of your anatomy. See if he is worth getting hurt over...and if he is, then go for it! but if he isn't, then drop him like a block of smelly cheese! He won't be worth your tears in a month or two when he decides to move on...and dont worry "It's not you, it's me!".

Some relationships do work out awesomly though. You just have to find you true prince and you will be happy...the trick is holding on to him!

Although the busses are somewhat unreliable, I am ...

2008-10-10T13:32:00.000+02:00

Although the busses are somewhat unreliable, I am grateful that there is a way to get you home and back to varsity again, which might have otherwise been impossible. It means that you can come home more often, which makes me happy!
As for the air service, I think that will be way too expensive, but it is a nice thought!

Pink Monkey's Mom says....
At last you have lea...

2008-10-10T13:21:00.000+02:00

Pink Monkey's Mom says....
At last you have learnt the lesson I have been trying to teach you for the last 12 years!!! Don't put off doing your work until the last minute...something is always bound to happen and you end up working into the wee hours of the morning trying to complete your assignments.
Now......if only there is some way to teach you how to pick up your wet towel off the floor!!!! Ha Ha.

A Mom’s perspective…
The description of your fe...

2008-10-09T14:49:00.000+02:00

A Mom’s perspective…
The description of your feelings about going to university, the excitement and anxiety are very much akin to the feeling your Mom was probably experiencing at the same time. She probably put on a brave face, listening to your endless babble about how you can’t wait to go and how exciting it was going to be. Although excited about her child going off into to the big world to learn and experience exciting new things (an opportunity she never had as a school leaver), there is also the lurking anxiety about how her precious child will cope (without Mom), will she fit in and make friends, will she like the food at res, what if she gets sick, who is going to look after her and most importantly of all, will she be safe out there, all alone in the big bad world.
Eventually the day dawns when both Mom and child have to jump off that bungee ledge, into the unknown. Stomachs are churning, hearts are beating at a fast pace, one..two…three…….go!
Hey, what do you know, you are both still alive, no injuries, in fact your child is screaming…with exhilaration!! Not so bad after all.
As the weeks to by, that bungee rope is still attached, on the up when your child comes home and on the down waiting for that bus to arrive to take her back to varsity life.
Your child is also experiencing the ups and downs of the bungee rope, when reality kicks in and she struggles on her own to cope with the demands of varsity life. The excitement has worn off and going home now becomes the light at the end of her tunnel. Mom also has a light at the end of her tunnel, it is the light of knowledge in that she has managed to let go so that her beautiful child can get the very best out of life.
The year is nearly over and Mom begins to haul that bungee rope in. Soon her child will be safely back home and Mom can breath normally again.
Maybe it wasn’t a bungee rope at all, but merely………apron strings.

2008-10-07T23:41:00.001+02:00

This comment has been removed by the author.

Romie sounds like a great girl. The wonderful desc...

2008-10-07T23:41:00.000+02:00

Romie sounds like a great girl. The wonderful descriptions and words with which you have painted her for your readers shows a true respect for her from your side and causes us as the readers to assume that same respect for her. She appears to be a first year hero who although encountering villains such as homesickness and strange circumstances, has managed to persevere and make Rhodes a true home for herself. Her friends and family seem to have been a major agent in her surviving this year in the graceful style that you describe. I am a drama student who has also been flipped upside down by the “new language” I have encountered and hope that I have made my recovery and re-discovery with the same amount of ease and elegance as Romie has shown. Well done on a lovely profile and good luck to both you and Romie on your future at Rhodes.
With great understanding,
Lucy

Hi Kaz, firstly I’d like to congratulate you on an...

2008-10-07T21:37:00.000+02:00

Hi Kaz, firstly I’d like to congratulate you on an awesome profile. You really seemed to have captured Romie Sciscio as an artistic hero, someone that exudes creativity and innovation. I like how you have described Romie as “a true gem” it fits in perfectly with how you have expressed her very creative and welcoming personality. Being a fan of art myself, I understand how hard it is to gain appreciation of an artwork, and still keep confident and level-headed about your talent after teachers have literally ripped your work apart with nasty comments, which at the time, usually seems irrelevant. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to have your work critiqued on such a high level, and still remain confident about it. I admire that of Romie. I think it is great that Romie has realized that stardom takes time and I am so chuffed to see her keeping at it and preserving on. It sounds to me like this girl, with all the inspiration given to her, can truly take off and become the artist she knows she can be.

Going bananas
Confused feelings of anxiety and ...

2008-10-07T14:51:00.000+02:00

Going bananas
Confused feelings of anxiety and excitement are common when starting university life. While I described this feeling as a volcano erupting inside of me, Pink Monkey, felt similarly, posting on her blog ‘Bungee my life’, that feelings emerging before taking the plunge into university is much like the days before going “bungee jumping”. I spoke of the eagerness in which first year’s like to tackle new experiences, Pink Monkey related this to the trip from the “bungee jumping platform to just before the bungee cord is pulled taut”. This weightlessness, I interpreted in my own letter as the lack of thoughts of consequences. Pink Monkey says the moment “before you reach the bottom of your jump for the first time you start to stress slightly”. This was the next morning for me, after we’ve made some regrettable decision, our minds overflowing with the bad odour of guilt, just before the bungee cord yanks us back into the real world, where we have to face the consequences.

‘SisVic’

Starfish portrays the hero, as an obedient and qui...

2008-10-07T11:13:00.000+02:00

Starfish portrays the hero, as an obedient and quiet girl. Though Nyasha didn’t know her way around campus, asking for her lecture venues was the hardest thing she could ever do as meeting new people has always been her greatest fear. This is shown by her quote when she said that “there is nothing as fearful as having to face your fears.” Facing her fears and trying not to lose her inner self were the villains that the hero had to face in order for her to get through that situation. The writer is concerned with how the laid back hero made it through and how it is important to retain your uniqueness.

Tell Luyanda to say this out loud: "Hoh-mee-u...

2008-10-07T09:49:00.000+02:00

Tell Luyanda to say this out loud: "Hoh-mee-uh-path-ik" > HOMEOPATHIC.
A trully inspiring story of a young man who has his goal set up high and is hell burnt on achieving them. For anyone's first year at university, Luyanda's feat is definately the one to marvel and indeed look up to. The lesson for future first years is: Immerse yourself in the whole university experience, work hard, make good associations and get ready to be inspired. What better way to have the most amazing time in university, than resiliently pushing to new heights and constanly surprising oneself with every half opportunity presented.

By applying Propp's character functions in this profile, it is clear that Luyanda is a hero of the story. The princess would be his academic career. The villain could be the challenges he has faced when coming to Rhodes and those that he encountered once he came to Rhodes and the magic agent being a scholarship that he received at high school. It seems that there had been a number of helpers in Luyanda’s career for example, his former principal; and his role model lecturer.
This story highlights one of the major things that any future first year coming to Rhodes needs to acquire in order to make their stay as prosperous as possible that is self esteem and a will to succeed.

By: Prof. Local> www.phola101.blogspot.com

Dear Kaz
This profile really captures a quirky ...

2008-10-06T21:15:00.000+02:00

Dear Kaz
This profile really captures a quirky art student at Rhodes. She is someone who came here to follow her passion and has done exactly that. Unlike some people who come to university and find that what they thought was their passion is just too much work, Romie has stuck it out and continued with art despite the stress and heavy work load. Romie is portrayed as a type of hero as she has managed to create a support system around her with people who share her passion to compensate for her family being so far away.

This profile could be related to the Russian scholar Propp’s narrative functions. The first function being that the hero leaves home, and is related to Romie leaving for Rhodes. The hero (or Romie) is then tested but eventually prevails and this is similar to how Romie has overcome being away from home and has succeeded at university.

I was intrigued by the way Romie’s parents encouraged her creativity from an early age and her vintage taste in films. The final quote was also very captivating.

Happy Blogging
Candy x

I really enjoyed this profile article. It really r...

2008-10-06T21:11:00.000+02:00

I really enjoyed this profile article. It really reflects what many first years go through, the excitement, homesickness, and meeting new friends. This profile brings about an idea of the kind of person that Romie is. I really liked how it has been written as it does, in some way, tell the story of her journey into arts and I found it very interesting all the way. I believe that it is written in a narrative way with not a large number of quotes which really shows the story instead of telling, but I do think that the length of some quotes could be reduced because it tends to create a loss in focus. I believe that Romie touched on a very important aspect of the fact that friends do help you. She seems to have done really well for herself in terms of varsity and that is very encouraging.
Leanne