Reflection Time: Just Keep Blogging. Just Keep Blogging.

“Blogs are whatever we make of them. Defining 'blog' is a fool's errand” - Michael Conniff

The blogsphere is the new age coffee-shop conversations stretching from who did what on the weekend to Zuma's latest fraud charge. Blogging made me realise the impact a journalist's words can have on the world. We aimed for first years to read, but blogs are global advertisements. I can now value the blogging-for-dummies term and modify my topics and grievances.

We were free to create our blog, it's personality and appearance within the genre type. That of using a Blogger space for assignments, focusing on life as a first year. The formation of newbie and experienced bloggers was a new experience – one that made me realise how a journalist needs contacts, especially ones who are full-fledged in the language of computer geek.In Blogsphere 101, my tutor asked if anyone owned a personal blog to carry as an example to the rest. On reflex, my hand jumped up and my mouth opened. Not Lauren at all.I was quite timid to share my blog, but there it was on the big screen. Barbie-pink and outdated, I cringed silently, making sure no one saw me turning a cherry-red. I regret that feeling. What is the point of writing a blog if no one sees your work? A blog is a window on one's world and one's honest-to-God emotions. As an aspiring journalist, I have grown to see that blogging is your unofficial editor to Mugg and Bean conversations.

A global readership and colourful electronic paper made my personal productivity levels rise. By being part of a group, I could share and learn their take on first year. Instead of feeling that your articles are unnoticed by the department, we were able to be seen by a global audience. The fact that someone in China or Nigeria could have access to your work by clicking their mouse was stimulating. That a somebody from somewhere was able to have a conversation with you, giving you their two cents or praise your work like a Harry Potter fan would J.K Rowling.My mom has always been a fan of my writing. Yes, this is a biased example. My mom, absent of technical know-how, was interested in my blogging genre.
“A blog? Is it a thing on the computer? Can you send it to me?” she asked. I explained how to access the Rhodentity blog from her office computer. After a few minutes, she was a visitor to the pink and purple screen. She is now a frequent visitor of the Rhodentity blog. She has even left her comment on my profile article.

Rhodentity is a friend, telling you about being a sardine in a shark tank. Informal journalism from the eyes of post-puberty youngsters. Each story idea was related to being a student in Rhodes University. Content, sources and acknowledgments were usually huddled into lectures, res life and what happened out in the town. The letter to the younger was meant for an aspiring first year – me, two years earlier, aiming to grab an acceptance letter from Rhodes. The profile was centered on a Rhodes student who had overcome the difficulties of first year.The profile's range was limited and I felt frustrated. The opinion piece was liberating. We could create a topic, free from requirements. The opinion piece was a device that I found credible with being a blogger. What do I think about Zuma? Well, that shower-head fanatic is...Is Miss Beetroot as dumb as the media plays out? Duh!

Working in a group took away the stress of being a first year. In meetings, we were co-operative in sharing ideas. Each week, the tutorials were helpful to get in touch with our inner-geek. Experienced bloggers had the chance to teach themselves. So did my friend.“You can rewrite the HTML in the folder and paste it in to the edit box on the dashboard...if that does not work just do back to default.”Excuse me? Can you repeat that?
By following different blogs, we were able to see different ideas that float in the head of a first year. I felt relaxed in most of the meetings. Working with peers is a lot more easy and I was more inclined to share and question about assignments.. Not about that HTML stuff, though. (spine-chilling stuff)

The blogging course scored a 9.5 on being as helpful to grow as a new age journalist. Readers are more likely going to turn on their computers than open a newspaper. Technology has produced the 'Google Whores' – so dependable on a wireless connection that they will wait for a slow connection just to see the latest post on Obama and Paris Hilton.

Is it suitable to call blogging journalism? An unknown source on the internet argues that “it is equally tiresome and useless to argue about whether blogs are journalism, for journalism is not limited by the tool or medium or person used in the act.”
Previously, journalism was defined as a newspaper. Then, as television. Now, with Microsoft and Google joining arms for world domination, the internet has become a new tool for a journalist. What makes people hesitate to call it journalism is the fact that anyone can blog. The difference is that real journalism is a relation to the world. What happened? Discussing based on evidence, opinion and emotion.You write for an imagined audience, ranging from a divorced woman in Texas to a druggie in France.

Research and sources were confined to students. I would go out, searching for an interesting hamster for my experiment: that of writing a profile.Searching around res for someone engrossing, I found a girl who thought all Journalism students were snoopy. Another said she wasn't going to “share like a diary.” First years treat you like a first year. You're like them but stupid.“Why do you gotta keep getting private?” the girl announced.I have not asked you anything yet.
“I don't want to share right now.”
I didn't want her to confess her sexual desires or blood type. There are some sources you just have to respect and move on.
I eventually found a specimen. He was male in origin and not as acid-queen material. Speaking informally to a first year was easy. As a fellow student, the interview was effortless.
The blog opened me up to a new creative spell of writing, different from the strict rules of hard news stories. All assignments were for us to write about how we feel about a certain issue within the theme of being first years. It was difficult to not hike above the word limit and challenged me to say what I wanted. I wanted another handful of fries, but the plate was too small.

My opinion piece was centered on race – an ethical issue. Now that I think of it, the example of the girl whose milk was stolen, accusing anyone who was not white could have been a little risky to share with the world. No one knows who she is, as I didn't name her, but perhaps her whispered “It's not that I'm a racist” comment was supposed to be secret - even though I thought she was wrong. By not naming her, I gave her mindset perceptible to anyone. The nameless face in my opinion is just an example of how we all devil in hypocrisy.
Living like Dory from Finding Nemo, I'm gonna keep blogging. Just keep blogging. Just keep blogging.

Your Mother-Tongue VS English

http://www.mirrormiglactic.blogspot.com
Shame man I feel so sorry for you, I know exactly what you feel like as I am also from the same situation. But my broer you gonna have to wake up and smell the coffee. English is a universal language, I bet that most tertiary institutions use English as their major teaching language. Instead of moaning and feeling sorry for yourself just appreciate the fact that you have an opportunity that only a few South Africans have. Try and look at English as a tool that is preparing you for the working world, a world that doesn’t care were you are from or how you speak English.

You are in a fortunate position, don't you realise that? Don’t you realise that you are drinking from a well of information that students from all four corners of the globe are eager to drink from. So stop complaining and embrace the privilege of being at Rhodes, an acclaimed university worldwide. In short, count your blessings.

The importance of residence

I strongly believe in the importance of being in a residence in the first year of one’s University career, as opposed to living on one’s own or in a house, or digs as they are known as, with other people. I believe in the importance of this for a number of reasons.
Firstly it is highly convenient for one to live on campus where facilities are widely available to you and can be accessed at all times. The use of these facilities, such as the library and the computer labs, allow students to realise that they are living in an academic environment, where studying is the most important aspect of University life. Living on campus means that it takes a mere five to ten minutes to reach a lecture venue, ensuring that you’ll never be late. It takes the same amount of time to access the University’s many and diverse facilities, such as the gym, tennis courts and other sporting facilities for those who enjoy sports, and similarly close to the Rhodes theatre, for those who enjoy performances of that nature. I believe it is imperative for a student new to the University to be in close proximity to everything, as it assists in making the task of fitting in easier. Because one does not need to drive around campus if one lives on campus, new students tend to find their way around the University and get accustomed to it much more quickly and easier if they are on foot.
Apart from the convenience of being in the hub of campus activity when one lives on campus, it is convenient, too, when making friends. I believe that it is much more difficult for one to make friends and other connections when one is living by oneself or with just a small group of people. One makes most of one’s friends in the first year of University. It is a time when lifelong friendships are formed and connections are made. It is of ones benefit to be in a residence in first year because i believe that the experience of living and interacting with people who are not necessarily like yourself or are not normally the type of people you would interact with, is a character-building and life altering lesson that is important for everyone to learn. It paves the way for tolerance, acceptance and understanding of all individuals.
Of course, there are exceptions and i believe that if one has been out of school for a longer time than most and he or she is older when he or she starts University, then it is not necessary for them to be in residence, as they may very well have already experienced what first years fresh out of high school have not. In fact, they may even feel uncomfortable having to partake in residence activities that are not age appropriate for themselves. In this case, it would be appropriate and sensible to enter straight into a residence of one’s own in the form of a digs or a flat.
I am delighted that Rhodes offers the chance for all first year students to be able to live in a residence. Most Universities only have a limited number of residences and therefore there is a strict selection process involved in getting into these residences. I believe that this is a shame, as then so many students miss out on the ultimate University experience.

Alcoholica

Before I came to Rhodes, I had heard about the amount of drinking that went on at this place. 'The highest alcohol consumption per capita' they said. I also had heard loads of 'scary' stories about alcohol, like the one that you had to drink a whole bottle of vodka on your first night, or about how much of a killer the Cane Train was. I was both frightened and excited to find out if the rumours were exaggerated or were in fact true. I knew that I was keen to come and test for myself the 'Rhodent Booze Theory', and have a crazy party at the same time. When I got here I came to the realisation that the rumours were both unfounded and true, at the same time. I realised that I could group the Rhodes population into three groups, 'The People Who Don't Drink', 'The People Who Drink', and 'The People Who Drink Drink Drink Drink Drink.'

The People Who Don't Drink: Now this group is without a doubt the smallest and least popular of the groups, and consists only of the seriously hardcore religious fanatics, and that one guy who got liver poisoning in matric and can't drink any more. All in all, it comes to about 20 people. That says a lot about the drinking at Rhodes, doesn't it? These guys prefer to hang around at cafe's drinking tea and trying to convert people to Christianity with their 'friendly-but-totally-serious-about-Jesus' approach, or in the case of 'that one guy', hang out with everyone else, coolly sipping a coke, wishing it had just a pinch of Jack Daniels in it. Indeed, you wouldn't even realise these people existed at Rhodes, after hearing the rumours.

The People Who Drink: I'm pretty sure I fit into this group. I mean I'm definitely not a paying member of the previous group, and there's no chance I fit into the next one. This group probably makes up the majority of Rhodes students. The guys and gals here usually go out 2-4 times a week, naturally drinking every night but maybe getting drunk on one to two of those nights. Sure, they drink to have fun, or maybe they just like beer. I know I do both. You can usually catch these guys sitting at the Rat and Parrot, or any one of Grahamstown's other prestigious watering holes, with either beer or cider in front of them, talking the night away with friends. On a party night, however, you'll probably find them with some hard liquor, such as cane or vodka, being generally rowdy and good-spirited. Just having fun. This is what I kind of expected Rhodes to be like, I just wasn't fully prepared for the final and most extreme of the drinker categories;

The People Who Drink Drink Drink Drink Drink: Where do I even start on this species? When these guys aren't getting absolutely trashed out of their bracket at Friars or The Union (sorry, I mean the Biko), they're suffering through a hangover and talking about the insane night before (well, what they can remember of it), or planning their next big phuza. Yup, its that bad, and I'm not even exaggerating, believe it or not. They might possibly be verging on alcoholics, since it's apparent that they need alcohol to have a good time. Invite them somewhere where there's no booze, and you'll be greeted with upturned noses and shrieks of "Screw this, lets go get waaaasteeeeeed!!". And the sad thing is, there's a lot more of these people than you want at an academic institution like Rhodes. Sure you're allowed to have fun while doing shots and down-downs, but there's no need for the utter dependency on it, up until the point of insanity.

So, are the rumours true? Yes and No. A huge majority of the university partake in the drinking game, but the fact of the matter is that some people go just a tad too far. Come on, people, lets have some substance-free fun for once. Somehow I just don't see this happening. 'The highest alcohol consumption per capita'? I can believe it.

First years would prefer being at home to being on campus

No, no, no ways. First year students would not even think about being at home, can’t you see they love living on campus? Honestly speaking, looking at the number of first year students that reside on campus, it makes me proud of being a young student that has taken the bold step of stepping out of my warm home where everything is done for me by my mother and not forgetting my older brother that’s always there to fight my battles. With this assurance, love and protection I was reluctant to leave home and live on campus. Unlike other students that were forced by their parents to move out of home because it was time for them be independent, for me and many other first year students it was a decision we made against our mother’s will. I am saying this because I am first year student myself therefore I know what I am talking about do not even try to question my knowledge about the subject.

When I arrived here I was shocked to find out the number of first year students that were happy and willing to move out and live life on their own without their parents looking out for them. They were willing to be independent although most of them have never been out their parent’s sight for more than a year. This signaled to me a great deal of responsibility that first year students take upon themselves. Home had become boring and dull. It had become a routine. The routine geared them up for a new challenge and adventure. It was time to spread their wings and fly solo. Independence and growth are common words that come from most first year students, there are a few number of those that I speak to that were forced out of their parents houses because they had become a burden and were too old to be living at home. I must admit that it takes guts and courage to decide to move away from all the people you have known you all of your life, people that have shaped your character and know all there is to know about you.

First year students are blamed most of the time for being immature but that’s what they are. They are in the most important stage of their youth, soon they will make big decisions about their future so it is important that they become those kids whilst they have time to. Life has its own its stages, although those that have long passed this stage rebuke it by saying that time is wasted on the youth. They are led to say this by the mere fact that it was probably the only time in their academic careers where they had to do as they pleased and went out almost every night. For this reason they argue that first year students should still be under the watchful eye of their parents. We cannot run away from the fact that this is also a time for us to experiment and do things that we can do while we have time to do them away from home so we can learn what our parents cannot teach us and that is living and embracing the most important gift they gave us that is life.

I applaud first year students for taking that important step to live on campus instead of home. It is hard to fight your battles on your own and stand up for yourself at such a tender stage. It is probably harder for those that come afar to come to such a small campus and live and bring vibe and life to this campus. First years students of 2008 living on campus are the future!!!!!

Are we bleaching the Rainbow nation?

"As South Africans daily work to build a better society, they are surrounded in many forms and countless manifestations by a flag which recognises and celebrates the unity and diversity of the country's people.” - Cyril Ramaphosa


“It's not that I'm a racist or anything...” whispers the racist, as she immediately picks the unknown thief who stole her milk out of the residence fridge, accusing anybody who is not white. I did not say anything to her. I did not punch her repeatedly like my imagination played out. Instead, I will use her as a tragic example to show you how divided the races of South Africa actually are – even in the cosmopolitan world of Rhodes University.


The concept of the rainbow nation is immediately distorted by these apartheid vultures who clearly live in the past, reportedly judging people on the assumption played out in the media and postdemocracy mindset. The premise of thieves being black. Indians being corrupt business dealers. White people being completely discriminatory and condescending. So how can Mr. Ramaphosa pronounce 'unity' as being a part of South African society? We might all be equal before law, but some of us have not accepted the diversity that is painted in our very flag.

My yoghurt was stolen last week so I relayed the information to a girl in my residence, explaining my plan to introduce diarrhoea stimulants to catch out the thief. Without warning, she shared her take on the stealing issue, as her milk was stolen the night before. She brought the suspect into question by picking a pigment.
“Must be one of them...” she whispered, making sure no one else heard, “It's not that I'm a racist or anything.” But, she probably was at that moment. It was like staring at a Metallica fan wearing a bright pink tutu and humming to 'Oops, I did it again.' Like a Blue Bulls forward with a Shark tattoo: blatantly hypocritical and completely ridiculous.
The comment made me realise the impact apartheid still has on many today. We, as South Africans, still carry the manifestations of that period. The notion that if you are Afrikaans you're racist. I hail from Pretoria and people immediately assume that I'm a hardcore Afrikaner who seeks to mock any race who is not white. I'm white – and I'm not a racist. They are even more surprised when I can speak English – and properly.
Over the next few days, I noticed the division of races around campus. The Rat is jam-packed with white people. EQ is host to black people. This doesn't mean that we are racist but shows the division of races in university life. There are a few examples where this is not the case, but the majority rules. This may be an example of cultural barriers but it displays the division of our 'unified' country.


To talk about race in South Africa is like walking into an open minefield. Our past seems to be dwindling around us everywhere we go. At the end of the Barney Pityana lecture, audience
members were encouraged to ask questions. A young student stood up and asked his desired
question. Sniggers and comments were uttered while he was talking. The next morning, in the Journalism lecture, we were told that we were rude and ill-mannered to the young man. Supposedly we were mocking his African accent as white people. Sure, there were a few cases where white people snickered in their seats but I felt a little disheartened that white audience members were targeted and predominantly accused. It was as if apartheid was carried on our backs – due to the actions of the idiotic government of the past. There is no reason to defend anybody who did snigger.
Let's call to mind the way they are brought up instead of what colour they are. Why assume that a thief is not white? Anybody could have stolen my yoghurt or the girl's milk. Why assume that every single snigger in the Barney Pityana lecture was from white people?


Be colour-blind to incidents like this. We still have the past in our heads. If we don't stop, the flag will be bleached of beauty.
“It's not like I'm a racist or anything...” comes from the mouth of the washing cleaner, pouring bleach over every speckle of colour in the flag. Stop assuming. Stop judging.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

photocomic part 4

The Canadian Romeo: in the realms of G-Town

Throwing the ol’pig skin around.

A flurry of sticks on ice.
Practices unheard of in Frontier Country. Globally-bred Rhodent, Tommie Russell Gilbert, defies the definition of what a South African student is.

He sits cross-legged on the unmade bed, adjusting his socks and looking ahead, a soldier awaiting instruction. As a newborn to the country, he has spread his undeniable charm and intelligence across borders and hemispheres. His travels have taken him from Syria, Vietnam, Mongolia, Thailand and Lesotho. His starry-eyed character has retired in the valleys of Rhodes University, where he seeks new endeavours, new knowledge and new loves. The small-town syndrome seems not to affect the lanky Canadian, who has achieved immunity to the idea that there is nothing to do in the valleys of the Eastern Cape. Of course, any romantic warrior has his fears on arriving in a new territory. He is expected to achieve in his field of duty: mainly that of modernist poets, frog-legged languages, reading into the psyche of a comrade and searching into what has been and the crisis to come. He fears the reputation of the purple-stained town. The countless beers and drunken fools. On the standing of his new-found home, he shakes his head furiously and pulls his face, “I don’t buy into it, I don’t feel that I have to go out every night and get drunk to have fun, and if people don’t like that then I honestly don’t have time for those people.” Tommie does see the reputation play out in the streets though. As a free and mature man of 19, he feels that the university place is one that widens the responsibility of its recruitments, “Some people go out and get sloshed,” stating the norm. It seems his head is firmly screwed in place.
Every strong character has a kryptonite. For Tommie it was Nicole. Having a romantic bad spell before arriving in Rhodes, Tommie did not see Cupid’s arrow heading his way, “My friend, Tristan, told me not to worry, that when I least expected it and when I stopped looking I’d find someone amazing.” A week later, Tommie met Nicole. Seven months later, he is still able to call her his. This Canadian Romeo lightens up when Nicole is uttered. He scratches his dark bum-fluff on his chin and the corners of his mouth twitch in happiness. He does not look straight ahead anymore. He looks in the distance, as if imagining her in front of him. His torso visibly weakens. His cheeks visibly change a rosy-pink. A moment longer and his rectangular glasses would have fogged-up. The in-it-for-the-long-run romantic tells how Nicole is his missing link. A piece of him he did not know he was missing. His perfect girl would be someone “who is willing to let me be me…” something he has found in Nicole.



Tommie dreams of walking into a book store and seeing his masterpiece on the stand. Perhaps we will use a certain someone as inspiration. He dreams of raising a family. He wants to unselfishly teach and give back. Tommie does not strive for the perfect first.”There is no point to it,” he says, “if you got a distinction in matric and expect to get here, think again.” Tommie, wildly carrying his arms in front of him, makes a point as to what he lives by. He looks at his target. “Work hard but play harder.”

The Romeo, content on living to the full until he dies, switches on his charm at every moment. Whatever he utters, is believed. Whatever opinion, is heard. Whatever he dreams, is likely to be written in the stars.
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
He might be sitting next to you in English. You might be reading his best-seller in a few years. He might be Mr. Gilbert.


See Tommie for yourself: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=607790601&ref=ts

Profile of a First Year

Candice Owen is one of the most interesting and likeable people I have met since I came to Rhodes this year. She looks and dresses like any 'alternative' person does; black hair, black clothes, and skulls and crossbones lining more than one of her items of clothing. Her long black hair hangs past her shoulders delicately, in such a way that her eyes, emphasised with mascara and eye-liner, stand out as the most distinguishable feature on her face. She talks with a very slight Afrikaans accent, an obvious pointer to her hometown, Kimberley. Her manner is cheerful, yet relaxed and she gives the impression that she doesn't care what other people think about her, which is an amazing attribute in any person. She is studying a Bachelor of Science, and plans on majoring in Zoology and Microbiology. "I am definitely an animal and nature person", she says, "anything to do with nature interests me and I really care about the environment and the things that live in it. I would do anything to help better the world we live in environmentally, and thats why I'm studying what I'm studying."

She talks, for the most part, positively on her first year at Rhodes. The best thing for her about being at Rhodes is the almost ultimate freedom she is granted as opposed to back home. "When I'm here I feel more independant and free than I ever do when I'm at home. I can make my own decisions and do pretty much what I want, while its a much different story when I'm at home". This sense of freedom is obviously a high point at Rhodes for any student but it seems that it is extremely important to Candice to be as independant as possible. "Its my first real taste of what its like in the real world, away from parents and teachers, and so far I'm loving it" she says. To her, Rhodes is a place where education comes first and socialisation comes second, but a very close one. Although academics is extremely important and is the main reason why she is here, she finds that meeting new people and interacting with people of different cultures, backgrounds and sanity levels. Places like the Rat and Parrot, The Gaol and The Kaif are perfect places for her to interact and observe the differences in people. "The Old Gaol is possibly the most interesting place I've been to before. I hang out there all the time as it is a melting pot of Rhodes cultural diversity. The people who go there are the counter-culture of Rhodes, and are by far some of the most intriguing and diverse at this university. It's an amazing place." Yet although she loves some aspects of Rhodes, there are some things that bother her such as the amount of substance abuse and the perception that to have a good time involves paying for it by suffering through a kamikaze hangover the next day. "Although I drink, so many students go overboard and just get smashed on a regular basis and act like total idiots."

Candice survived first year and it seems she did it in a distinguished, relaxed way. "I love this place, and look forward to continuing my studies here and having a good time", she says. If Rhodes is the ideal place for her to flourish, which it seems it is, she will undoubtedly continue to thrive here and enjoy the rest of her time at this university.

The profile of a first year

Julian Douglas is a dedicated first year with an amazing amount of commitment and energy. He is an all rounder and someone who I certainly aspire to. He is studying Pharmacy at Rhodes, and he is absolutely passionate about it. This is obvious to anyone who engages in a conversation with Julian. He has no set or definite plans for the future but one thing he knows for sure is that he’ll pursue his passion for pharmaceutics. Julian has always been interested in healthcare and can remember playing “doctor doctor” with his younger brother, Mike, and always bullying Mike into being the patient. Throughout High School he dreamed of becoming a Doctor, however even with a commendable “B” aggregate at the end of Matric, his marks were not high enough to study medicine in that respect. However, the forward-thinking and ever sensible Julian had a backup plan. He applied to do a Bpharm degree at Rhodes and was accepted here. This was not quite the dream that Julian had always had, but it was a close second. It turned out for the best, as Julian “loves” Rhodes, and remarks that “I realize now that becoming a Doctor is not my calling, and I’m meant to be here, doing this course”. So it has all turned out for the best.
Julian enjoys Rhodes because of its people and the character and ambience of the University. “I meet interesting and amazing people everyday”, he remarks. Julian is not really one for going out much, especially to “jols like the Rat. It’s not really my scene”. He prefers to go out to dinner with friends and says he quite likes the new local spot, Cafe Blanca. He prefers a more “chilled out vibe. I went to Friars once in O-week and have not been back since”. Julian is not the conventional Rhodes student, and yet he enjoys chatting to everyone and always has a smile on his face.
He is serious about his studies and he is serious about getting somewhere in life one day. “I don’t want to look back on my career at Rhodes and see a blur. I want to see that it was successful and that I learnt a lot from my experience here”. Anyone who has met Julian would agree that they are jealous of his passion for his course. Many of us here at Rhodes do our course because we can’t think of anything better to do. Julian, on the other hand, is devoted and passionate and will make a success out of his Rhodes career and will not settle for second best this time.