10 Things Every Fresher Needs to Know
UCT can be a dark and intimidating place to the unknowing student. How will you survive the first week - let alone the entire year? Today we’ll be offering you a word of advice from the many to get you through your first few steps.
1. Check where the Jammie is headed before jumping onto it.
It’s a classic rookie mistake and a horror story you’ve surely heard by now. If you just step on any bus, you could land up all the way at the Medical Campus when you were trying to get to Cavendish. It’s not the most fun experience, but it happens to the best of us and makes for a great story.
2. 8AM tutorials? Good Luck!
Everyone falls for the appeal of a tutorial first thing in the morning. At least that way, you’re finished earlier and you get to go home. Sounds great, right? However, sometimes you get stuck in traffic or you forgot to do the work for that tutorial. And it’s just so early. It becomes less and less appealing. Halfway through the term you’re negotiating with yourself when to skip a tut.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Be selfish with your education. It’s always better to ask questions and clarify everything you don’t understand from the beginning rather than trying to do it for exams. At the end of the day, it’s your short fall.
*3A: Listen before you ask: Don’t ask questions when your lecturer/ tutorial leader has already answered (or is in the middle of answering that exact question).
4. Beware of the pigeons.
If you haven’t heard about or experienced the demon pigeons of UCT, just run. Okay, maybe they’re not demonic and you probably don’t have to run away from them but, honestly, they have no fear. They can attack; they can steal your food from your hands and they will not move out of the way for you.
5. If you see a grey cloud, bring a rain jacket.
UCT has its own weather system which is completely out of par to the rest of Cape Town.
We can go from sunshine to thunderstorm in a day. If the weather(wo)man says that there is even an inkling of rain, it will rain.
6. Don’t bring an umbrella, the wind will destroy it.
The wind at UCT (especially upper campus) are probably like nothing you’ve experienced before. These gale force winds have broken just about every single umbrella seen on campus (rain or shine). So if you do decide to bring one: May the odds be ever in your favour.
7. It something is due at 12:00, it’s due at 12:00 not 12:01 – it’s a late submission.
Always try and get your paper in before it’s due. Lecturers and the online submission don’t take nonsense, even if it’s a minute late, you’re losing 5%.
8. Make friends. Join a society. Make connections.
Having friends can help you stay motivated when you’re finding yourself lacking motivation. Make connections with class mates in case you need notes. You never know when you’ll need those connections.
9. You can party and pass. Don’t let them fool you but strike a balance.
Sometimes you need a distraction from working nonstop. However, if your course marks start slipping, maybe you need to party less. A balance is healthy.
10. Wear your student card around your neck. It looks cool. (We're just kidding)