In South Africa, an academic year starts between mid-January to early February and most matriculants are excited to go to a new university, college or school at this time of the year. I was like that a few years back and I studied in a different province which is roughly 900km from my province. One thing I liked about the province is that the people there were too proud of their culture. But they were also too stubborn with their language. If you use English or any other language than IsiZulu outside campus you were treated almost like an outcast or coconut. Most people in town and on the streets assumed that everyone living there knew the Zulu language.
I had a friend who was brave enough to go downtown alone not knowing the local language. One day she came back complaining that while in a crowded spot, someone gave her a hard-warm slap on her back. She couldn't tell who did it because everybody around her kept a serious clueless face. It happened when she was speaking in English to one of the vendors asking about the price and was mistaken for being a coconut.
Fitting into the university
I remember getting into a HUGE lecture hall for the first time. I still had that high school mentality to sit in the front row, so I did that and prepared my notes book to take notes when the lecture came in. Most of the lecture material was on slides and that's when reality kicked in. I was struggling to catch up with the lecturer who kept mentioning which chapters to ignore and the few he was going to focus on.
Source: College Students published by WEMU News
I think he mentioned about 5 chapters saying we should have done that in high school and he won't dwell much on them. At that time all I could remember in high school was singing my notes, I crammed most of the things and let go after walking out of the exam room. Those chapters looked new to me, and I was told I need to have mastered that. But I studied for my matric class, not the first year!🥺
After watching all the lectures presenting on slides versus what I was used to, I already had a headache but still had a practical. I remember having to view some specimens on slides and I finally managed to focus my microscope lens perfectly. I confidently called the demonstrator who was supposed to give me a mark for it. After assessing, she was like: "oh my God they are not moving, you got them drunk and unconscious."
Then everyone stopped what they were doing and look to my side and I was like that girl who got some cells drunk. Honestly, I might have added a few more drops to get those things to settle down and be easy to focus on. But I had no clue they could get drunk and dose off to sleep when I'm about to get my marks. I wished I had a cup of strong coffee to stop those cells from being all dramatic.
Seeing fellow newbies
I remember walking on campus like a lost sheep and I could easily spot another freshman by their dress code. Some guys were wearing their matric ball suits feeling like charmers and the kick-to-kill shoes (sharp noses), having new big bags that could fit in a dead body and carrying too many books on the first day. The worst and sad part was seeing a science female student who had a full day ahead come in heels.
You would see them walking using walls to support them as there was too much walking from one lecture theatre to the other. Even worse some would want to use their friend for support and you could tell those were church or matric ball heels.
Then there were long nail queens and having to handle lab glassware, that's when you get to see that my gender lives in an interesting world. I once found someone who was new and assigned to our residence block stuck at the main door because she couldn't enter the code and quickly turn the knob due to her long nails. I had to help her and she rushed to remove her nails as soon as she settled in her room.
Source: High Heels Fail Walking GIF published by creviceart
Hacks for coping with deadlines
There was one practical that one had to submit a pre-lab tutorial in preparation for the practical. If you didn't have it then you were not allowed to get in the lab. I remember I once forgot to do mine and got reminded when I was at the lab entrance seeing everyone handing in theirs. But I couldn't bare the walk of shame and be denied access at the door. I pretended as if I had the tutorial - as soon as I approached the door - I started looking for it in my backpack.
I took out every book to page through and obviously did not find anything. I gave Prof a worried face and said May I quickly run to get it from the LAN, I think I left it at the printer. As I was about to run planning not to return, she gave me a silly look and said: No! are you serious? You won't have enough time to finish your practical. Get in and make sure you slide it under my door after the practical.
I prepared it overnight and slide it under her door early in the morning before she arrives. That's one of the reasons you need to know the lecturers' cars and parking spots. I saw her car leaving after the practical and I knew I had all night to complete my pre-lab practical.
How was your first year (or day) like in the new school or university?
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