I can't remember the last time I went to bed at a reasonable hour. Seriously. It's 10:22 am and I'm sitting in front of my pc feeling like an absolute zombie. The earliest I've been to bed in the last two weeks is probably 11:30pm. And now I know that a lot of you are rolling your eyes and going "Please, that's early!" but bear in mind that I'm an 8-hours-a-night kind of girl, and I get up super early because I am, unfortunately, a morning person.
The reasons for this are widely varied. Relationship issues kept me up in the first week, followed by the travesties of Trivar (try saying that three times fast :P ). Then I had a surprisingly social week, which meant late evening tea and movie visits. And then this weekend I've been to bed at 1:30 am both nights so far. The catch? I've been awake by 7:30 am latest every single morning. And the lack of bed-hours is starting to pile up.
I was once told that about the Three S's. These are Sleep, Socialise and Study, and supposedly a university student can only ever have two of the three. At the moment I seem slightly unbalanced in that my sleep schedule has gone completely awry while my socialising (and partly my studying) has flourished. The result? I'm a highly social, well-prepared for lectures, zombie. At this very moment the screen in front of me is going slightly blurry. Why do I not go back to bed? Well, first I have a philosophy reading and summary for tomorrow. This afternoon I may have company coming over. Tonight I have a res movie evening to attend. At what point am I meant to take a much-needed nap?? Sob. I need bed.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Saturday, August 25, 2012
The teetotal challenge
We have a fantastic Dean of Students, we really do. I know people are always giving her hassles and ripping her off, but in the end at least she does try to reach us on "our level". She may be slightly off-centre with regards to what "our level" is, but at least she does try.
Except with the DoS Challenge (I think it might now be called the Live Smart Challenge?). For the non-Rhodents out there, the DoS Challenge is where each hall on campus is challenged to produce some form of alcohol-free event for the rest of campus. Naturally it's a competition and last year Courtenay-Latimer (my hall) managed to scoop second or third prize with our fashion show. (This confused me because the turn out was dismal and the show itself a total flop, but hey, I won't argue with the judges). Some events include the environmental fashion show, the high on life exhibition (at least, I think that's part of the DoS Challenge) and the talent show. So far, all of them have been relatively successful.
However, I have two major problems with this concept.
First, the obvious 'no alcohol' idea. Sure I understand that they're trying to make sure first years don't start believing that they have to be drunk in order to have a good time. We all know this. I have one friend who never touched alcohol in first year and was still the last one jamming on Friars dance floor at 4am every Saturday morning. But I have a problem with the NO alcohol part. Shouldn't we be taught moderation instead of abstinence? There's nothing wrong with drinking, it's when you start reaching that falling-over-and-slurring-every-word phase every Friday night that it becomes a problem. What's wrong with having a beer or a glass of wine while watching a fashion show? Rather than being taught that drinking is wrong, maybe we should be taught that drinking is OK when we do it because we like the taste rather than because we want to get drunk.
Secondly, what's with the focus on drinking anyway? I know that this university has apparently acquired a reputation for drunk and disorderly behaviour, but surely shoving this kind of thing down our throats isn't going to help? Example: in one episode of South Park, the kids in the town get involved in a new Pokemon-like fad. To get them out of it, the parents start agreeing that this new fad is "cool", because nothing puts kids off something faster than their parents saying it's cool. In the same way, the fact that the Dean of Students is pushing the idea that it's "cool" not to drink is most likely encouraging more students to drink because hey, how could the Dean of Students be cool? The only way to make it worse would be if the SRC also started anti-drinking campaigns. Then the whole of Rhodes would be dead of alcohol poisoning within a weekend.
I won't deny that I had great fun taking part in and helping to organise my hall's DoS Challenge event this year, but I do think that the concept itself could use a little reworking. Abstinence is ridiculous; we're meant to be growing up and becoming responsible adults. Teach us moderation rather than implying that we're far too immature to handle things like drinking. But at the same time...remember we're young. And this is our last chance to act like immature idiots before we take on the working world. So rather than constantly telling us that we're wrong, let us learn from our mistakes. Because nothing will put a student off drinking faster than a truly crappy night out and a worse hangover. Believe me.
Except with the DoS Challenge (I think it might now be called the Live Smart Challenge?). For the non-Rhodents out there, the DoS Challenge is where each hall on campus is challenged to produce some form of alcohol-free event for the rest of campus. Naturally it's a competition and last year Courtenay-Latimer (my hall) managed to scoop second or third prize with our fashion show. (This confused me because the turn out was dismal and the show itself a total flop, but hey, I won't argue with the judges). Some events include the environmental fashion show, the high on life exhibition (at least, I think that's part of the DoS Challenge) and the talent show. So far, all of them have been relatively successful.
However, I have two major problems with this concept.
First, the obvious 'no alcohol' idea. Sure I understand that they're trying to make sure first years don't start believing that they have to be drunk in order to have a good time. We all know this. I have one friend who never touched alcohol in first year and was still the last one jamming on Friars dance floor at 4am every Saturday morning. But I have a problem with the NO alcohol part. Shouldn't we be taught moderation instead of abstinence? There's nothing wrong with drinking, it's when you start reaching that falling-over-and-slurring-every-word phase every Friday night that it becomes a problem. What's wrong with having a beer or a glass of wine while watching a fashion show? Rather than being taught that drinking is wrong, maybe we should be taught that drinking is OK when we do it because we like the taste rather than because we want to get drunk.
Secondly, what's with the focus on drinking anyway? I know that this university has apparently acquired a reputation for drunk and disorderly behaviour, but surely shoving this kind of thing down our throats isn't going to help? Example: in one episode of South Park, the kids in the town get involved in a new Pokemon-like fad. To get them out of it, the parents start agreeing that this new fad is "cool", because nothing puts kids off something faster than their parents saying it's cool. In the same way, the fact that the Dean of Students is pushing the idea that it's "cool" not to drink is most likely encouraging more students to drink because hey, how could the Dean of Students be cool? The only way to make it worse would be if the SRC also started anti-drinking campaigns. Then the whole of Rhodes would be dead of alcohol poisoning within a weekend.
I won't deny that I had great fun taking part in and helping to organise my hall's DoS Challenge event this year, but I do think that the concept itself could use a little reworking. Abstinence is ridiculous; we're meant to be growing up and becoming responsible adults. Teach us moderation rather than implying that we're far too immature to handle things like drinking. But at the same time...remember we're young. And this is our last chance to act like immature idiots before we take on the working world. So rather than constantly telling us that we're wrong, let us learn from our mistakes. Because nothing will put a student off drinking faster than a truly crappy night out and a worse hangover. Believe me.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
It was THIS big!
"I prefer German sausages to viennas. Quality over quantity!"
"That's right, bite it!"
"It was too big to swallow. Then it got stuck in my throat and it tasted really bad."
"You learn to swallow them more easily with time."
Yes, those sound exceptionally dodgy. Are they lines in a bad Mills and Boon novel? Nope, they're conversations that came up in the dining hall, and they're all entirely innocent. We really were talking about sausages. One friend was biting a banana. Another friend was complaining about how antibiotic tablets are too big and hard to swallow. And yet somehow, these conversations became THAT much more entertaining when we started adding dodgy innuendos to them.
When I was in highschool I had a friend who insisted that "anything can sound sexual if you say it in the right voice". Apparently that's especially true in the dining hall. One would think that a girls' dining hall would be more subdued than a mixed or all-boys hall, but I've discovered that this is not so. Jokes about the "moistness" of malva pudding, big bananas, learning to swallow properly in case you choke, sausages that squirt cheese when you bite them, and so on, have unfortunately (or possibly fortunately) become usual topics of conversation at lunch and supper. And they usually start out entirely innocently! Yesterday was particularly hilarious, when the above antibiotic scenario came up. It went something like this:
Friend 1: "I hate taking antibiotics."
Friend 2: "Why?"
Friend 1: "They're too big! I can't swallow properly. Yesterday I tried and it got stuck in my throat. And it tasted really bad!"
(cue friend 2 casting a sideways glance at me and both of us cracking up)
Friend 1: "What? It's true!"
The funny part? It went straight over her head, and thus took her ages to actually realise why we were laughing (she was only forgiven for it because she's a first year). And now I have to ask myself the question: do I have exceptionally dirty-minded friends? Are ALL girls that bad? Or - and this is the part that scares me - am I the one who made them that way? :P
"That's right, bite it!"
"It was too big to swallow. Then it got stuck in my throat and it tasted really bad."
"You learn to swallow them more easily with time."
Yes, those sound exceptionally dodgy. Are they lines in a bad Mills and Boon novel? Nope, they're conversations that came up in the dining hall, and they're all entirely innocent. We really were talking about sausages. One friend was biting a banana. Another friend was complaining about how antibiotic tablets are too big and hard to swallow. And yet somehow, these conversations became THAT much more entertaining when we started adding dodgy innuendos to them.
When I was in highschool I had a friend who insisted that "anything can sound sexual if you say it in the right voice". Apparently that's especially true in the dining hall. One would think that a girls' dining hall would be more subdued than a mixed or all-boys hall, but I've discovered that this is not so. Jokes about the "moistness" of malva pudding, big bananas, learning to swallow properly in case you choke, sausages that squirt cheese when you bite them, and so on, have unfortunately (or possibly fortunately) become usual topics of conversation at lunch and supper. And they usually start out entirely innocently! Yesterday was particularly hilarious, when the above antibiotic scenario came up. It went something like this:
Friend 1: "I hate taking antibiotics."
Friend 2: "Why?"
Friend 1: "They're too big! I can't swallow properly. Yesterday I tried and it got stuck in my throat. And it tasted really bad!"
(cue friend 2 casting a sideways glance at me and both of us cracking up)
Friend 1: "What? It's true!"
The funny part? It went straight over her head, and thus took her ages to actually realise why we were laughing (she was only forgiven for it because she's a first year). And now I have to ask myself the question: do I have exceptionally dirty-minded friends? Are ALL girls that bad? Or - and this is the part that scares me - am I the one who made them that way? :P
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Vitamin C and Panado
I have the plague, I'm sure of it. At first I suspected that it was a cold, as my throat was sore and my nose stuffy. Then I thought that maybe it had turned into a chest infection, because I can't go three minutes without coughing and had to leave a philosophy seminar after a particularly chesty attack. Now, after the travesties of Trivar, I do believe it's morphed into the Black Death.
For some inexplicable reason, the San nurse doesn't believe me.
I was tempted to question her judgement. When I arrived at the San yesterday my throat was dry and scratchy, my head felt like cotton wool and I was coughing up phlegm like some kind of horrible mucous factory (excuse the gory descriptions but the truth must be told!). She poked her instruments in my ears and in my mouth (hahahahahahaha that sounds dodgy) and then announced that I was fine. And, since it's the San, she sent me away with the usual San prescription: Vitamin C and Panado.
Come on, woman! I'm dying here! YOUR VITAMIN C WILL NOT SAVE ME! Besides, I take vitamin C most days anyway. But it seems to be a firm San belief that anything can be cured with vitamin C and Panado. Headache? Vitamin C and Panado. Bronchitis? Vitamin C and Panado. Broken neck? Vitamin C and Panado. Head fallen off? Vitamin C and Panado. And maybe some cough syrup.
To be honest, I've doubted the abilities of the San ever since I went there with a throat infection last year. I'd tossed and turned all night with a fever, and woken up the next morning with horribly swollen glands in my neck. Tired and in pain, I trusted in the nurse on duty to make me OK again. She felt around my throat, and promptly announced that my tonsils were swollen. Gee, really? That's funny, I'm pretty sure I had them removed 15 YEARS AGO. It takes great skill to find tonsils that no longer exist. Well done, San nurse. We're all very proud.
Now that I've finished my grumpy post, I'm going to go and take my vitamin C. Grumble grumble grumble grumble grumble grumble...
For some inexplicable reason, the San nurse doesn't believe me.
I was tempted to question her judgement. When I arrived at the San yesterday my throat was dry and scratchy, my head felt like cotton wool and I was coughing up phlegm like some kind of horrible mucous factory (excuse the gory descriptions but the truth must be told!). She poked her instruments in my ears and in my mouth (hahahahahahaha that sounds dodgy) and then announced that I was fine. And, since it's the San, she sent me away with the usual San prescription: Vitamin C and Panado.
Come on, woman! I'm dying here! YOUR VITAMIN C WILL NOT SAVE ME! Besides, I take vitamin C most days anyway. But it seems to be a firm San belief that anything can be cured with vitamin C and Panado. Headache? Vitamin C and Panado. Bronchitis? Vitamin C and Panado. Broken neck? Vitamin C and Panado. Head fallen off? Vitamin C and Panado. And maybe some cough syrup.
To be honest, I've doubted the abilities of the San ever since I went there with a throat infection last year. I'd tossed and turned all night with a fever, and woken up the next morning with horribly swollen glands in my neck. Tired and in pain, I trusted in the nurse on duty to make me OK again. She felt around my throat, and promptly announced that my tonsils were swollen. Gee, really? That's funny, I'm pretty sure I had them removed 15 YEARS AGO. It takes great skill to find tonsils that no longer exist. Well done, San nurse. We're all very proud.
Now that I've finished my grumpy post, I'm going to go and take my vitamin C. Grumble grumble grumble grumble grumble grumble...
Monday, August 20, 2012
The Rhodents are on the piss again...
Trivar. 'Nuf said.
So this past weekend I got to experience the wonders of Trivar in Grahamstown, and I realised that I have lived an incredibly sheltered life up until now. I always thought that the past few years at Rhodes had taught me all there was to know about student life, drinking, partying, and the general stupid shit that we get up to. But this year's Trivar has taught me some epic life lessons.
1) Always look both ways before crossing the road.
Some rather drunk girl attempted to cross the road in front of the Rat on Friday night and was hit by a car. Miraculously (or so the rumours go) she managed to get up and 'walk it off'. I do find it hard to believe as there was an ambulance there when we passed, but there haven't been any reports on Student Zone about it so presumably Rhodents are just tough cookies. Not even getting run over can ruin the night!
2) If you're going to go down, make it worth remembering.
As we were passing the Rat on Friday night (and debating over why there was an ambulance and police cars around) we witnessed what was either the single most epic OR the single stupidest thing I've seen in my life. A police officer was standing next to a police van when, out of nowhere, some drunk idiot/genius tackles him. Of course the aforementioned idiot/genius was taken down and thrust into the van in an undignified heap, but it was pretty entertaining to watch.
3) Don't streak if you have two left feet.
Seriously. If you're going to streak at a sports match, like a certain young man did at the hockey, do it carefully. If you don't, you're likely to trip, land flat on your face, and be "generously" tasered by security. Don't say I didn't warn you.
4) A BP run does not signal the end of the night
At around 2am on Sunday morning we were hungry, so we hit BP for chips. By 3am we were back in the Rat. It's the first time I've done a BP run as part of the evening's celebrations instead of as a last desperate attempt to ward off a hangover before staggering home. First time for everything.
5) Don't trust celebrities.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151113920564281 Seriously. Wtf, Roger Goode? :P
6) Be careful how you day-mare.
Sure, everyone loves having the opportunity to get drunk during daylight hours and shout things at the sports refs. But if you're passed out by 7pm, it's a fail. I don't care how early you started drinking; it's a fail.
7) If you're short, avoid the dancefloor unless you're very, VERY drunk.
I'm like 5"1, which puts my head on level with everyone else's armpits. And when you're on Friars dancefloor at 1am and the DJ yells "Everyone put your hands in the air!" it becomes very unpleasant very quickly.
8) A post-Trivar wind-down session is essential.
After a hectic weekend of drinking, jamming and barely sleeping, just chilling on the grass and talking about shit is a really really good way to end off the weekend. Even if I was promised tea AND NEVER GOT IT (coughGrahamcough) :P
9) Photos
Be prepared to untag. Or possibly kill the friend who put them up. Either way. Especially if there are awkward photos of you drunkenly dancing to the Cha Cha Slide in a friend's kitchen. (On that note, thank you to Caroline for making me toast in a drunken, hungry moment. Much appreciated :D )
Overall, my last undergrad Trivar was definitely one to be remembered :) shout out to all the people who made it so unbelievably epic! And even though we may be the ballies at Trivar next year, we shall STILL show the first years how to party properly :P
SEND YOUR KIDS TO RHODES!
So this past weekend I got to experience the wonders of Trivar in Grahamstown, and I realised that I have lived an incredibly sheltered life up until now. I always thought that the past few years at Rhodes had taught me all there was to know about student life, drinking, partying, and the general stupid shit that we get up to. But this year's Trivar has taught me some epic life lessons.
1) Always look both ways before crossing the road.
Some rather drunk girl attempted to cross the road in front of the Rat on Friday night and was hit by a car. Miraculously (or so the rumours go) she managed to get up and 'walk it off'. I do find it hard to believe as there was an ambulance there when we passed, but there haven't been any reports on Student Zone about it so presumably Rhodents are just tough cookies. Not even getting run over can ruin the night!
2) If you're going to go down, make it worth remembering.
As we were passing the Rat on Friday night (and debating over why there was an ambulance and police cars around) we witnessed what was either the single most epic OR the single stupidest thing I've seen in my life. A police officer was standing next to a police van when, out of nowhere, some drunk idiot/genius tackles him. Of course the aforementioned idiot/genius was taken down and thrust into the van in an undignified heap, but it was pretty entertaining to watch.
3) Don't streak if you have two left feet.
Seriously. If you're going to streak at a sports match, like a certain young man did at the hockey, do it carefully. If you don't, you're likely to trip, land flat on your face, and be "generously" tasered by security. Don't say I didn't warn you.
4) A BP run does not signal the end of the night
At around 2am on Sunday morning we were hungry, so we hit BP for chips. By 3am we were back in the Rat. It's the first time I've done a BP run as part of the evening's celebrations instead of as a last desperate attempt to ward off a hangover before staggering home. First time for everything.
5) Don't trust celebrities.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151113920564281 Seriously. Wtf, Roger Goode? :P
6) Be careful how you day-mare.
Sure, everyone loves having the opportunity to get drunk during daylight hours and shout things at the sports refs. But if you're passed out by 7pm, it's a fail. I don't care how early you started drinking; it's a fail.
7) If you're short, avoid the dancefloor unless you're very, VERY drunk.
I'm like 5"1, which puts my head on level with everyone else's armpits. And when you're on Friars dancefloor at 1am and the DJ yells "Everyone put your hands in the air!" it becomes very unpleasant very quickly.
8) A post-Trivar wind-down session is essential.
After a hectic weekend of drinking, jamming and barely sleeping, just chilling on the grass and talking about shit is a really really good way to end off the weekend. Even if I was promised tea AND NEVER GOT IT (coughGrahamcough) :P
9) Photos
Be prepared to untag. Or possibly kill the friend who put them up. Either way. Especially if there are awkward photos of you drunkenly dancing to the Cha Cha Slide in a friend's kitchen. (On that note, thank you to Caroline for making me toast in a drunken, hungry moment. Much appreciated :D )
Overall, my last undergrad Trivar was definitely one to be remembered :) shout out to all the people who made it so unbelievably epic! And even though we may be the ballies at Trivar next year, we shall STILL show the first years how to party properly :P
SEND YOUR KIDS TO RHODES!
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