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X3 cards mia Investec Youth, Student Card, Virgin Active
emmagrxy 19 September 2021

Lost 3 cards (i’m suspecting they fell out when i dropped my phone - either at Centraal or the digs on the Groeneweide/ Soeteweide corner) 

Investec Youth Card
Student Card (Emma Gray 24730858)
Bright red Virgin Active card

Any info can dm me @emmagrxy  


HP Laser Jet P1102 printer and 3 brand new ink cartridges
callmeclawds_ 18 September 2021

Printer and ink for sale contact me if interested


The Man with the Maroon Puma Takkies
Leigh.B 11 August 2019

I was sitting at the top of the steps leading to the library, trying to make the most of a beautiful sunny day that had been gifted to us following weeks of wet and gloomy weather. Sprawled out and soaking up the warmth of the sun, I was in the process of writing a piece that focused on how your years as a youth, are generally seen as the best years of your life. A phrase that I’m sure we’ve all heard before, and mostly from parents and other middle-aged adults, I was determined to let it be known that I disagreed heavily with that statement given all the academic stress and emotional strain that plagues our generation. Just as I was about to delve into the biological aspects of adolescence being the ‘best years of your life’, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye and this is where I begin.
A tall man with faded maroon Puma Takkies approached me holding two sets of pens and pencils. I immediately knew that he was going to ask for a donation given the fact that I’d seen him around campus before but instead of being quick to dismiss this man with the usual “I’m sorry, I don’t have any money”, I decided to listen. He sat beside me and introduced himself, explaining that he is currently staying at one of the night shelters in Stellenbosch. He offered a piece of stationery in exchange for a small donation so that he could continue staying at the shelter. I had no intention of taking a pen but decided to help with some small change and while I unzipped my purse, he chuckled and told me it was his birthday this coming Monday on August 12th. After giving him some coins he thanked me, got up and asked if he could play me a song and proceeded to take out a small radio he had in his jacket and turn it on and Cardi B’s “I Like It” blasted through the speakers while he adjusted the volume. Wishing me a good day further and urging me to stay warm he proceeded to walk away and just before he did, I blurted, “Happy birthday for Monday” and he looked back at me with tears welled up in his eyes. “I’m going to be fifty-eight!”, he said lighting a cigarette with tears running down his cheeks. I told him that was amazing and how I hope to live to that age and with his voice starting to crack he said, “I don’t want to live so long, it’s so hard”. 
In that moment I felt as though I couldn’t say anything to respond to that because how could I? I had no idea what he was going through and so all I could muster up was, “I’m so sorry”. He told me about his children and grandchildren and how they are no longer in contact and that he had been forgotten. Wiping away his tears, he spoke about how him and his late wife used to sit together on the wooden bench on the Rooi Plein grass when they were still students. 
He left again and I sat there with teary-eyed thinking about the what he had just told me and as I put my head down, I heard his voice again behind me. Reaching into his bag he said, “because you remind me so much of my daughter, I want you to have this” and pulled out a small packet of Mrs. Balls Chutney flavoured Simba chips. I refused the offer knowing that I was able to go into the store and buy myself the exact same thing but he insisted that I take it. I accepted the offering and told him how much I appreciated the gesture. He explained that it was part of a gift that some students had given him and that they planned to take him to Sea Point for his birthday. I remarked on how exciting that was and how I hope that he enjoyed it. We exchanged a farewell and he walked off.
I was and still am deeply moved by this encounter I had today. It reminded me how important small acts of kindness are. For someone who doesn’t have much to give me, a privileged student, something displays a kind of selflessness that I hope I and everyone else can learn from. The meaning of life really does lie in the little things and sometimes the greatest gift you can give someone is your time. I know that as students we are all busy and we all also want to stay safe but sometimes just looking at people in need in the eyes, giving a smile now and then or having a polite conversation doesn’t cost you much. I think that basic human interaction, being seen and being heard are just as important as the clothes on our back and the food that we eat. I think that as people, we need to see each other as humans and not for what we have and what others don’t have. When we do this, we will find that we are more alike than anything. 

Learning a New Language
namelessjord 10 August 2019

Learning a new language is almost always exciting, and perhaps a little daunting too. After being able to speak only two languages for all my life, I realised that I put myself in a bubble. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but I saw that, by doing this, I made the world smaller than it is. With that in mind, in 2018 when I chose my first-year modules, I decided to study Chinese with the biggest smile on my face. Despite my excitement, it has, of course, been rather challenging. Semantic holism states that one can only truly understand a language once having understood what it means and how it ties us all together. So, I’ve created this little guide to help those of you who have done the same as I did or would like to learn a new language in the near future.

 The first step to learning a language is by learning its alphabet (that is, if the said language has one). By doing this, you familiarise yourself with the actual sounds and possible word combinations. Watching YouTube videos on pronunciation is also very helpful (and YouTube here is free!).

 One of the hardest things about learning a language will definitely be speaking it, so don’t worry too much about that when you start out. Getting a simple textbook is more than enough for beginners, as well as vocabulary lists. Use this beginning as a chance to learn very basic phrases such as “hello”, “sorry”, “how much does this cost”, etc. Pro tip: only learn phrases you use when you speak your home language.

The best part of learning a new language is definitely getting into the culture! This is where music, entertainment and just about anything culture-related to your chosen language comes in! It is so fun introducing yourself to new music; this was one of my favourite parts in learning Chinese. People native to your chosen language also tend to speak very fast – listening to music is, therefore, a way for you to slow down the general talking speed of your chosen language and should help you with pronunciation. Music is a language that transcends all barriers and definitely contributes to semantic holism. Watching dramas in your chosen language is also really fun (especially once you’re able to understand what’s being said after studying for a while).

With those points mentioned, here are a few more practical tips:

Be sure to study EVERY day. If there are days where you are not feeling up to it (which there will be) review something for just 5 minutes.

Keep a diary, but only write in it in your chosen language. It doesn’t need to be detailed – just one sentence is fine. This will help you realise which words you use most and which types of sentences you should focus on learning.

There are many apps centred on language-learning (Memrise, DuoLingo, etc) and I would advise making use of them when you’re on your way to class or when using public transport, just as a way to review. 

Try varying your sources. Don’t just use one resource – get many textbooks (there are MANY PDFs online). Also, there’s nothing you cannot find on YouTube!

Lastly, my only advice is to always keep an open mind. Languages are what connect people; not everyone has to speak English. It is such a disservice to miss out on a part of life that brings people together. As the saying goes, “no man is an island.”

I hope you’re encouraged to tackle a new language with this, and even if you don’t do it now, I hope you’re encouraged to do it in the future.


IveBeenCryingSinceMonday 9 August 2019

 This past year I've been to hell and back. And the ticket cost a lot more than what I bargained for. Trying to please everyone but myself cost me relationships, my sanity, my physical health, my academic marks and my parents patience and funds.
 Here is what I learned: 
 You can have all the support in the world, but only YOU can save you. Athough the cheering supporters do help keep you motivated, you are the one running the race. But do remember, dealing with Anxiety and/or depression is a marathon, not a sprint! This race is the only one where supplements are acceptable, there's no shame in accepting help and taking the right medication to help you reach your goals!
 Start by doing small things, it takes a toll on oneself if you dump out all the messy drawers of a kitchen cabinet on the floor and try to organize them! Do one drawer at a time, figuratively speaking. Make your bed even if you are going to get back into it within the hour. Make sure your room is in a relatively organized state, so that you don't end up eating a slice of dry toast in a frenzy of trying to find your left shoe on your way to a lecture that started 10 minutes ago. If you live in an calm and organized environment, the mind will follow.
 Never over-water a plant. Just like drought, over-watering a plant will drown it. Don't throw yourself into the deep end by overloading your scedule and not have a chance to even tie your shoe after you tripped on your shoelaces! Use your spare time to relax. Don't go book yourself into a spa after attending one 8am lecture, but take time to go be enchanted by the botanical garden. Watch the squirrels fight, it will definitely take your mind off things!
 A very important test, delete your social media apps from your phone, even if you only plan to re-download them next week. You will be quite shocked to discover just how addicted you are to the gram. You may even be very disappointed in yourself for how you unconsciously let a litte mother(board)f*cker subconsciously control your self worth. The sooner you realize that you are comparing yourself with unrealistic expectations and only the glamorous side of someone's life, the sooner you will be able to discover your own self. 
 Be good to your body, this ties in with social media and constantly comparing yourself to that instagram personality's esthetically pleasing profile. Looking at someone else's needs doesn't tell you wat your body wants. 
 But don't go overboard with this one either! Being obsessed with health doesn't make you healthy, it just makes you obsessed.
 If you cover support, good habits, self care, heatlh and owning up to your shit, you will find that life doesn't always suck. Days sometimes do, even weeks, but don't throw away a whole box of chocolate because you didn't like the one that was orange flavor! 
 Try to help a stranger, pick up a piece of rubbish you see on the rooiplein. If you do good you will feel good, so be good to the earth and it will throw some good times your way. 

There you have it, now that I've sown my wisdom oats I will continue my existence as a BA student and sleep peacefully tonight.

Wear sunscreen, kids!

Trigger warning
xo 8 August 2019

The amount of rape that occurs not only yearly but daily is alarming, so in this post I will explore all the reasons rape happens. What causes rape?
2. Rapists
3. Rapists
....reason 5 billion: Rapists.

Cool now that we a know, we can stop victim blaming

Rebuild - Staring over from catastrophic collapse
Lelokazi 8 August 2019

What happens when something you’ve been working on wholeheartedly comes crashing down, it could be anything a job, a marriage, family,company, health well what about self esteem- i guess you didn’t think about that. ”It’s not my fault” we say ” I did my best” we cry out but did you really? What if you built a gold wall on a foundation of straw or a wall of straw on a foundation of gold? Either way there is collapse and you ought to rebuild.

Bare with me as I use the analogy of the construction of a house that had previously collapsed in phases to convey this message better.

Phase 1 – demolition

This process isn’t sexy at all. As you would imagine there is dust, debris and a lot hopelessness. In whatever we give ourselves to that now seemingly is falling apart. It seems as if its an endless series of events that keeps happening until whatever it is that we lived for is no more- I call this demolition. Taking everything of whats left, you wanna know why? so that you don’t cling onto the pseudomemories or the very selective ones (the one wall of the building which wasn’t even pretty and was badly designed but because its a remainder of what was once was) you know what I’m talking about- Missing the ex and overlooking how his breath gave you headaches, missing the 9-5 even though you were treated as though you didn’t matter and sulking over the business clinging onto the selective memories of when it did work which was about 2% of the time. In the process and in the pre-construction phase tearing down and demolition is all the more necessary.The ability to unlearn and to relearn is crucial for survival, if one does not take down the old unprofitable ways or demolish the remaining walls it will hinder the new knowledge or the new building.

Phase 2- clean up/ clear up

After uprooting and putting down what was no good we proceed to prepare the area for a new build. The clean up process is heart sickening it seems as if everything you worked on over the years has perished , it seems as though you destroying the very evidence of your diligence and work ethic. What we as the human race forget ever so often is that whatever we achieve is the fruit of our hard work, education, patience and perseverance and not the root of it. See our education and our work ethic are embedded in the mind even thought the proof/evidence/fruit of it can be lost the root which is the mind is never lost thus we have the capacity to build again. After clearing up the land you will be able to see clearly and be able to envision a rebuild.


Free chocolate and cruises
rele 7 August 2019

Well hello there

It is I

Back again for season 2 of your favourite blog

So before I dive into the past few days's adventures, I just wanted to take a moment to catch up with you.

How are you?

How are your honey badgers?

They did what?

And then what happened?

Oh curse those darn pterodactyls.

Wow it was great talking to you.

Anywho, this week was quite an emotional rollercoaster if I do say so myself.

As you all know I've been battling with something very deep. I fight and fight it and when I think it's under control and I can finally breathe, there it is again.

That's right, I'm talking about laundry.

I've been back in the lustrous city for about a few weeks now and in this period of time I've done my laundry a few times already. Now, admittedly this is probably how grown up adulting human beings are supposed to live but I will say it's quite tiring. 

Which is why (as always) I fled the scene of my problems to food. Yessir today's episode is sponsored by my love of free goods I'd never come across.

As I continue to embark on this voyage called adulthood I continually find myself in awkward predicaments.

For example, I happened to be on a premium almost exclusive restaurant that is on a magnificent vessel that boards the waters when I realised... "Oh no, I forgot my pretentious-I'm-on-a-boat sunglasses."

I don't need to tell you how disastrous the day was. First I was casually strolling past when some man offered me free samples of chocolate (this sounds a lot more suspicious than it is but it's really not). How dare he? While I'm trying to give up dairy, he offers me the Lindt chocolates I never buy because they're way out of my tax bracket and even tells me about the nearly 70% sale on items. The nerve.

Next, while on the cruise, the waitress offers free dessert and drinks courtesy of the restaurant as if I hadn't been attacked enough by free things I'd never get myself.

Quite a traumatic day.

Anyways, it was nice to catch up again.

Here's a random photo.

K bye

You already know what this is.

A secret ending.







Sike, you thought I was going to talk about how I enjoy this and would appreciate a brand deal. Well. I won't.


Letters to my older self- becoming
Lelokazi 7 August 2019

In my previous blog I wrote about reflecting on who you used to be to give you an insight on who you have become and also give answers to some of the reasons for your fears and bad decisions. In this blog post I want us to explore the concept of ”becoming” while making a commitment to your older self

Becoming ”The possibility of change in a thing that already has being”- Wikipedia. I would like you to note that being is something that has already is in its state and cannot be changed but when we transcend to becoming we are now no longer talking about the present but are talking about the future but most importantly we are talking about a process. See becoming doesn’t happen overnight and it doesn’t need your control. Let me remind you about an awkward phase in life called puberty, puberty was a process of becoming an adult and for most people it took around six or even seven years and it wasn’t controlled by you, it was a conversation that happened in you brain and signaled that you were ready, it didn’t happen because all your friends had already gone into puberty nor was it sent into action because of your anxiety it didn’t succumb to any pressure because the instruction was to have a final product of a unique individual. This is the point I want to drive home, the process of becoming who you ought to be, who you are purposed to be is just for you and is a process, that doesn’t happen over night, it is a process that is independent of other’s achievements. Whether others have started on the process or not doesn’t influence your process or outcome (life is not a pie but a ever-flowing stream), rather the process of becoming is set around your purpose and the final destination which just like puberty is usually unknown until the late teens and what that usually means is that its out of your control but it can only start happening once you are ready? One may ask but how do you know you are ready? Turns out I got you covered.

Well unlike puberty which does not care to ask if you ready but just happens, the process of becoming is a choice. It involves questions such as: Are you ready to let go of all you’ve come to know about who you are in pursuit to redefine who you will be? Are you willing to trust the process? Are you willing to be in a position of not having answers and not knowing? Are you willing to go through the discomfort of outgrowing your shell and laying down old habits? Most people want to succeed, most people want to be the best possible versions of themselves but very few are willing to endure the process because it isn’t glamorous. In fact at a certain extent it looks like the process of dying.

Planting a seed and burying a corpse look very similar, they both go underground in a dark environment and both of them are not seem for a period of time, both are in pretty much subjected to the same environment but guess what the other will decay and the other will produce life and that in summary is the process of becoming.

But the title talked about writing a letter? Yes I did mention a letter and in this one, its not about finding faults in the past self but rather its a letter of commitment, commitment to the process. Its a letter where you get to tell you future self what you commit to becoming what you wantt him/her to look back and be proud of and thereafter living each day to trust the process and put effort into becoming

Becoming- ”The possibility of a change in a thing that has being or that exists”


Dear younger me - Details of the subconscious
Lelokazi 7 August 2019

I’m sure you have heard of the subconscious mind and the power that it bears, if you haven’t let me inform you.

Our subconscious mind develops before our conscious mind and unlike our conscious mind it cannot separate right from wrong, what is real from what is unreal (that’s why dreams feel so real) and what is true from what is false. Our subconscious mind interprets our thoughts and our emotions concerning those thoughts as true. Our subconscious has the power to embed and transcend our thoughts into reality. Allow me to explain, If you grew up in a household were the were frequently arguments and fights concerning money and the mere thought of asking for money had you in fear, your subconscious mind then associated money with unhappiness and figured that in order to be happy you must eliminate the potential of any chance of wealth and guess who grew up never having enough money, and any money that was left over ended up being splurged because in your eyes money was never a tool but a cause of unhappiness.

Any thing experienced especially before the age seven entered your subconscious mind and was kept for memory and kept for creating your future reality, now what happens if all you were ever exposed to at that tender age was brokenness, abuse, ill treatment, and never being enough? The unfortunate truth is that you carry that out into your entire life seeking healing and validation because your conscious mind identifies an error but your subconscious doesn’t and keeps on perpetuating the brokenness around you because it knows no error. That is why in your head it would be logical to not be in an abusive relationship because you know you are worth more but because it was never corrected in your subconscious you will find yourself going back over and over again because although you know better, you don’t believer better and its already been programmed into your head that the closest thing that resembles romantic love is abuse. But there is hope.

The title of this blog is about writing a letter to your younger self but precisely it is about correcting the errors in your subconscious ”blueprint” when you didn’t know better. Warning this is about to be a ”therapy” session. Often at times we find the idea of reflection quite cheesy when in actual fact it could save your live. When you intentionally choose to sit down and have a moment in silence and ask the questions ” what did I learn about money from my family in my childhood and how has that impacted my financial life” and ”what did I learn about relationships from those closest to me, did what I learn distort my perception of men or women”? If we answer those questions quite honestly we will slowly see the reason for our behavior and actions.

The letter to your younger self is not only about apologizing but its actually about asking questions. In your younger self state you hold so many answers to where we are now and why. This letter should consist of vital questions questions like ” Why did this type of person interest you romantically to the point of avoiding reason” and most importantly ” Who did you want to be before you knew about all the limitations and challenges. who did you want to be when you believed everything was possible”furthermore ”At what point did you lose your voice and believed that your opinion didn’t matter and thus classified yourself as shy?”

In the letters that you write yourself its in your best interest to be honest as possible, there might be some anger or even some tears but that is the process of erasing the program that was engraved in your mind in your most vulnerable state.


10 Questions to Ask at a University Career Fair
tadiwanashezororo 7 August 2019

Here are my tips for you on how to impress the companies you meet at a university career fair. 

If you can impress them within two minutes, they will definitely give you those branded notebooks!

Companies come to a career fair because they want to sell their brand to you. If you are still uncertain about the organisation you want to be recruited by, this is a good opportunity to start gathering your information.

1. What does your company do?
If you have never heard of the company before, there is no need to pretend like you have. That is why they are there, so that you can learn more about them. 

2. Ask how their firm distinguishes itself from other firms in the same industry.

3. Ask about the organisation’s culture; what are the people there like, are senior managers and top executive members approachable, etc.
For example, the Big Four audit firms (PWC, Deloitte, E&Y and KPMG) all offer the same services. It is the type of people that work there, the values of the firm and the relationships that exist between the freshly recruited employees and senior managers, that will differentiate your PWC from your Deloitte. This is one of the most important factors you will need to consider when picking a firm. If you cannot tolerate the people you work with, you will have a miserable time at work.

4. What is the calibre of people that your firm hires? 
You need to know how you can position yourself at an interview so that you can stand out from the get go. These are some of the things to take note of now and not on the night before your interview. 

5. What graduate programs do you have, any vacation work or job shadowing opportunities I can take part in? 
If you are not yet sure where your degree is going to take you, this is something that will be useful. Seeing what people do in real time under a specific job title will help you to decide whether that is something you aspire to do or you need to look elsewhere. 

6. Do you offer bursaries and how can I get more information on how to acquire for these?

7. How did you get to where you are now? 
Name one person who does not want to share their story. Yes, no one. This is probably the best way to start creating a mentor-mentee relationship with someone who already works at the firm. Sometimes companies will ask their current employees for recommendations on who to hire ;)

8. What is your firm doing to ensure that you remain relevant in an age where artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, Predictive Analytics (and so forth) have become the drivers of our economies? 
If you do not know what any of these terms mean, you should probably skip this one. Otherwise, do take some time to learn about how organisations are creating technologies to minimise the redundancy of some professions and improve productivity. 

9. What is your advice to someone my age? 
Realise that the person standing before you knows a little more than you (they have the degree and job). The few tips that they share could be of great benefit between you completing your degree and getting that first job. 

10. Where can I get more information?  
This is the last question you ask. At this point in the conversation you will HOPEFULLY be presented with a branded goodie because they are very impressed. You have shown them your enthusiasm to ensure that you land up in an organisation that will be as invested in you as you are to them. 

Food for thought:
Experience does not have to be the only teacher. There are people who are willing to share the lessons they have learnt from the obstacles they faced and the victories they have achieved. Just ask. 

Final tip:
If you land across someone with the qualification that you hope to acquire someday, make sure you leave that conversation knowing exactly what it is that they do (daily responsibilities, etc.) and what the stepping stones are towards reaching that final goal.

Tadiwanashe Zororo
The Aspiring Chartered Accountant 

8AMs: Securing The Degree
NdiNdi_00 6 August 2019

Are you one of those people who've told yourself, "It's a new semester, new me-i'm attending every lecture, even 8AMs" or accidentally hit that snooze button one too many times? Trust me my friend, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

I've reflected (as I have the time, you can imagine) and questioned my bad habit of missing 8AM lectures, on most occasions I have created one too many excuses: In summer, everyone goes out to jol so on some mornings i'm not in the condition to attend my 8AMs. On other occasions the excuse would be: It's too cold and rainy in winter, so my blankets (and Netflix) practically beg me stay in. The harsh reality, that my parents would probably make me face would be that: I'm bloody lazy. It's difficult to face the truth and to change but, I would rather suffer the pain of growth than the pain of being stagnant.

The irony in the text you're currently reading is that: as i'm typing, I've bunked an 8AM lecture. The question is, have I cheated the system? or have I cheated myself? Another hard reality to face. Perhaps growing up with certain privileges has given me this, "The world owes me" attitude, where I feel all will go as desired, despite not putting in the work (damn, I sound like my mom). I grew up with parents who woke me up every school morning, had my breakfast ready, uniform ironed, lunch packed and even had the car parked outside the garage-ready for us to leave:  my job was to simply breath.  University feels like the complete opposite and my parents aren't to blame because they've shown me a standard of which I must try to exceed.   

I can't help but realize how whiny I can be sometimes. I'm not calling myself a 'Bill Gates' or 'Elon Musk', but I know that there are students who have far less than me and still make the most of it. There are students who have struggled to collect a breakfast but still unwillingly starve through their 8AMs, there are those who have had to drive or even walk to campus from distances unimaginable to be on time for their 8AMs and then there are students who have situations I cannot even imagine but still, they're the first to arrive for their 8AMs. In other words, my excuses are TRASH.

Sometimes I swear that I have completely forgotten what I've come to University for. Firstly, I haven't put in the time to set my academic goals. Maybe one of the reasons it's so difficult for me to wake up so early is because I haven't found my reason to wake up yet. Perhaps, all those students who have much less than me and still make it to their 8AMs have found their reason to wake up so early. I feel like it's that situation where you need to learn to love and respect yourself because in all honesty, the university is savage: If you fail, you fail and that's that- you could go home crying without a degree or qualification. Achieving you're degree is completely up to you and I need to realize that.

8AMs test the art of instant vs. delayed gratification. You need to pick you're battles wisely. Essentially, I have come to university to #SecureTheDegree and that should be the reason I wake up every morning...8AMs represent the reason why some wake up every morning, have you found your reason?



The Greatest Blog Post Of All Time
Anonymous26 5 August 2019

My name is John John and i am about to write the greatest blog post of all time.
 In order to make the greatest blog post of all time you need the greatest writer and the greatest thinker of all time.
 My name is John John and i am the greatest writer and thinker of all time. I am also the star of the greatest blog post of all time.
 To make the greatest blog post of all time you need the greatest story of all time.
 In this story there are 3 people. They are Pete, Tim and Rob (short for Peter, Timothy Robert of course). Since there is only one "greatest writer and thinker of all time"; that person will have to write and think for each and every character.
 In reality their names are all John John, because John John is writing and thinking for all of them. They are just three different parts of John John's brain.
 I am now going to write the greatest blog post of all time.
 I have just typed out all of this rubbish in an attempt to distract you from what i am really trying to do.
 I am trying to hypnotise you and you dont even know it. After i count down three seconds you will fall asleep. You will be in a state of calmness and you will do whatever i tell you to do because you will be sleeping with your eyes open so that you can still read what i tell you to do.
 Oh wait it didnt work. Of course it didnt work, i dont know how to hypnotise anyone 😂😂
 All credit goes to YouTuber Alex Ernst for giving me this idea.


Instagram "Models" and "Popular Kids"
Anonymous26 5 August 2019

This is just an opinion 👍🏼
Listen up instagram "models"... just because you post a mirror selfie in a bikini (girls) or shirtless pic (guys) twice a week, doesnt mean you're better than the rest of us.
Listen up Popular Kids... just because you have more followers than someone, doesnt mean you're better than them.
We are all humans, and we are all on earth TOGETHER. 
You are free to do whatever you want on your social media account, but, stop acting entitled or superior and show some respect towards other people.
Yes, there are people who have a lot of followers or who post a lot of mirror selfies/shirtless pics that are good and genuine people that use their popularity to do good things. This "message" is not for them, clearly.
Social media (especially instagram) has become a place where people try to find popularity or try to show off as much as possible.
It should be a platform for someone to share their life and express their creativity.
I dont want to sit next to my mom and have to hide my phone screen every few seconds because people who i am following(who are my friends) are posting provocative photos.
For the the people that come to me with the argument, "oh but it's art". No, there is a difference between photographic art and posting revealing or sexual instagram photos with the purpose of getting more "clout".
You can be a model and you can be an instagram girl who looks for attention and followers through posting certain content. There is a difference.


Deuteronomy 22:25-27
KV 5 August 2019

He’d put his hand around my neck when he was about to cum, squeezing harder as he got closer to finishing. I grew to accept that it was what excited him, the fact that he knew he was in control of the pain and pleasure you feel. Each thrust was harder than the previous one, making his grunts and the sound of the bed legs scrapping on the wooden floor the only sounds in the room. Despite the intense smell of sweat and sex that lingered the air, I could still smell the blood that had trickled down my legs and now stained the sheet. I closed my eyes. There is no God, not in here. 

The grip around my neck got stronger and my hands squeezed the bed sheet underneath me. He came inside of me, pinning me down to make sure I wouldn’t move.
Where would I go?
When he was done, he got up and pulled his pants back on, taking his time as he adjusted his belt buckle. The grin on his face somehow reassured me, because that meant that for tonight we were done. I collected myself and waited for him to leave the room before I headed to the bathroom. I change the sheets everyday now, the stains becoming harder to wash out each time.
I crossed mother in the hallway, standing by the door with her cross in her hand as she waited. I used to cry in the earlier years but mother told me that would just anger father, and that meant it would take longer for him to finish. My brothers were fast asleep and so was the baby. The only reason he didn’t make me give it away was because it was a girl, and that is what he wanted. A girl. I was getting too old for him and eventually he’d get bored, like he did with my mother. I locked the door behind me and opened the bathroom window. The cigarettes always stayed in the first drawer by the hair accessories, making it easy to find. I sat down on the bathroom floor and lit one, inhaling desperately as I was reminded of how dependent I’ve become. I rested my head against the wall and closed my eyes. I knew I was safe here, at least until he came for me tomorrow night.

My take on university
johanejoline 4 August 2019

Where do I even start? My university journey started on the 23rd of January 2019 when I moved into res as a nervous first year student at Stellenbosch University, waiting to meet her roommate, start her four-year law degree and cross the threshold into adulthood. 

Let me start off by saying that this post will not tell you what you expect people to tell you about university. It's not like the movies. Not at all. Not even close. Movies don't even offer a vague glimpse into what it is really like to be at university. Initially, it's not going to be the best time of your life either. Being an adult - not just the type where you're legally an adult because you turned 18 but the kind where you actually have to act like an adult - is DIFFICULT. You start to face certain challenges and obstacles that nothing prepared you for, not even your twelve years of private school education (shocker). You realise being a living human being is the single most expensive thing on this planet, that there are no meds to treat homesickness with and that freedom is not nearly as sweet as you once thought it would be. 

I think the most difficult part about university (depending, of course, where you plan to study or where you are studying) is being away from home. Here's the thing: ya girl is a cold and independent little lady who thought she needed nothing and no one to help her get through life. Did I ever think I would have difficulty adapting to a new life because I would MISS HOME? Not even once. However, this has proved to be my single biggest challenge. Halfway into first year and I am still not used to sharing a bathroom with about 100 plus other girls, sleeping in a single bed that can never compare to my bed at home, sharing my shoebox-sized room with another person, not tasting my mom's cooking for two to three months on end, seeing my family and my dogs only four times a year, shopping for myself, running errands by myself and just becoming an adult entirely by myself. 

Now, let's talk about living in a different country when you are a foreigner in said country. I would like to add a disclaimer: Yes, I am legally allowed to study in South Africa and I have a valid study visa to prove it even though I am a Namibian citizen. To mention but a few administrative requirements and logistics: I had to open a new bank account, get a new phone number and take out South African medical aid (which included an immediate payment of 6 grand if I remember correctly). Keep in mind that this excludes the admin I had to go through back in 2018 before I was even AT university just to obtain a study visa so that I could go to university. Basically "moving" to a new country involves a lot, as in mountains upon mountains, of admin. For the first two weeks of university I carried a 2kg file (containing every personal document I own) around with me wherever I went in case I needed to show that I can study at this specific university and make use of all it has to offer. 

"Oh and friendships?" you might ask. Being a socially awkward introvert who fears human interaction with more than two people at a time was difficult enough when I was in high school with, like, 500 other people. Throw me into the social biosphere that is a university with more than 30 000 enrolled students and I am close to death. A remarkable achievement to me is that I have, against all odds and expectations, managed to make a total of 2 amazing new friends during my six months at university. I can see you laughing but you need to understand that this is absolutely exceptional for me. Apart from my two new friendships, I have chosen to stick with the people I have known since school (I am lucky enough to have quite a bunch of my friends attend the same university as me). I know it's sad but that's me. And me doesn't like change, new people or the changes brought about by new people. Old friends for the win, yo. 

I feel like at this point, after I have completely drowned this post in negativity, I should add that I have been very lucky in the sense that I am truly happy with what I am studying. Studying law (the four-year LLB degree, to be specific) has been such a privilege and for the first time in forever I actually enjoy studying because I am doing what I am passionate about and what I am good at. I also have an amazing scholarship that has provided both me and my parents with immeasurable support in the financial arena and I can never fully express my gratitude for such a blessing. Despite all the challenges I have faced this year, I am motivated to keep pushing forward and growing in this more-often-than-not horrible journey of becoming an adult because I feel like I can truly build a rewarding and fulfilling career for myself once these four years have passed. That simple fact has been my key motivation throughout these past six months and it's the reason why every time I recall all the bad times, I can confidently say "You know what? It hasn't been all bad all the time."

My demons
Tee 4 August 2019

My demons don’t respect me

They don’t respect my choice to be happy

Neither do they respect my choice to feel love

My demons simply do not respect me

My demons think this body is a vessel for them to showcase the dark and vile desires they have

My demons think my choice to be happy is merely a joke brought about by a couple minutes of watching inspirational shit

They think me allowing someone to love me is the best time to remind me why I didn’t love myself for all these years

They think this life is their play ground and that my choices are their toys

My demons don’t respect me

My demons formed by my past experiences, haunt me

They torture my mind

And steal my sleep

They leave me overthinking thoughts that should otherwise be left alone

My demons lack respect

Respect for me overcoming my past

Accepting my present

And looking forward to the future

My demons honour nothing but the scars they’ve left on my skin


Bruised bananas and bank accounts
rele 2 August 2019

Casually over lunch one day, a wise man once said, "It's a true test of character if one chooses to eat a bruised banana". That truly stuck with me to this day... to be fair it happened today -but still, it was quite profound.

Had me thinking about global warming.

Not really, I just needed a good segue to talk about the quote but folks, take care of the planet.

Anyways, I wanted to take this blog to talk about something truly troubling.

My budgeting skills.

I'm a first year university student, I was never a party goer in school, never had an allowance because I never needed one because I never used the money and I never not lived at home. All this mixed together brewed for a concoction of obvious money wasting habits.

The most prominent...

Going out for food at nice places during times I could obviously starve and still stay alive. Now you may wonder, "how does he afford this lifestyle", or, "he should really start going to the gym", and my favourite, "someone should really pay him to write this blog", and to be quite honest, you're right.

The only issue is no one's paying me to do this **yet**.

That's hunky dory because I do this because I enjoy it, but if I don't change my ways soon (which I don't see coming) I might just fall into the trap of being an adult who saves money and invests in the market and looks forward to retirement. We all know none of us want to be that person.

No one wants to be a crusty roll.

So with that I request that you all throw the budget away, go skydiving, book that flight to Dubai, get on that cruise or just buy that R18 single scoop gelato because it's a hot day and you never know how many more of those there'll be (global warming is a thing though, so there'll probably be more... on a similar yet unrelated note, research climate change cause that stuff is scary).

Thanks for reading my TED talk.

Here's another photo

lol sike


**directors cut**

Marvel could never write something with so many plot twists.

IG: @stalebandana
Blog: (link in bio) or www.theabouttoday.wordpress.com


Apps for Academic Success
tadiwanashezororo 2 August 2019

All the applications I recommend below are free. These are not in any logical order. Try them out and be sure to share with me what your favourite productivity applications are.

1. Google Calendar

I initially downloaded this application because my handwriting was too big to fit on all the physical planners I purchased. If that is a struggle that you experience, then you know what to do. You need to have a Google Account to use Google Calendar and you will be able to access your calendar from any device with internet access.

You can add an event, reminder or a goal to your calendar. You can also colour code types of events. I have my exams in one colour and all my tests in a different colour and so forth.

For each event you add to your calendar, you can set reminders; 1 week prior to the event, 3 days prior, 1 hour prior etc.

There is a wide range of goals that you can set; from “Call Mom once every week” to “Hike every Saturday”.

You can share your calendar with family and friends so that they know what you are getting up to and you can plan trips together more effectively.

2. Google Tasks

I keep my daily tasks and my future tasks separate. I use Google tasks to keep track of everything I need to do in my day. I use Google Calendar for the future tasks. Once I complete the particular task I mark the checkbox next to it and I move on to my next obligation. 

I also use Google Tasks to write my grocery lists and to keep track of my progress in school assignments.

You also require a Google Account for this application, but you will be able to access your tasks from any device with internet access too.

3. Easy Study

This is my favourite application of the year. I use it as my study timetable. When you download this application it will ask you:
1. what modules do you have?
2. How many modules would you like to study on each day?

Then you can assign each module to the days you would like to cover it. The app will tell you when you have enough modules assigned to a particular day based off of your response to the second question.

If you are looking to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely) goals, this is the application for you. It allows you to time each study session and keep track of the particular topic or section you covered during that session. 

4. AnkiApp

Some of my role models are Thomas Frank and Daniel Wong. Take some time to read through their websites. They share several tips on how to perform to the best of your ability during your school career. 

Daniel Wong advises his students to make use of the period review of material to beat procrastination and cramming on the day before an examination. How does this actually work? You want to review your material every time your brain is about to forget it. 

The AnkiApp can keep track of how many times you review a particular deck and you can mark the cards that you are getting stuck on so that these may be repeated more in your next review.

You use the AnkiApp to create flash cards. When reviewing a deck of cards, you flip between the back and the front for the definition and the term respectively. You can share your deck with friends and you can also make use of flash cards that have been created by other AnkiApp users.

Flash cards can be accessed offline and there is a feature where you can have your cards read to you.

5. Exam Countdown Lite

I use this application as an examination timetable. It counts down how many days, hours and minutes you have until each examination and you can set reminders to tell you about the examination closer to the time.

6. Elevate

Elevate was awarded Apple’s App of the Year. It is a brain training application that compiles daily challenges to help improve your reading and basic mathematics skills, memory and speaking abilities. 

I usually make use of this application every morning to wake me up. I can definitely say it has helped improve my reading speed and my focus when studying and learning. 

7. Khan Academy

When learning new information, I read through my textbook, attend lectures and if I still have difficulty understanding the topic I will use Khan Academy. Khan Academy is a resource covering many subjects including Economics, Finance, Computing, Science and Mathematics. They provide videos and exercises to help you understand a topic. 

What I love about this application is that I can pause the video at any time, rewind to make notes and make sure I have not missed anything. You can share the links to these  resources with friends.

You will have to create an account to use this application. To keep you motivated to learn, Khan Academy awards you with badges for making use of a certain amount of resources or maintaining a certain average on each of the exercises you complete.

8. Headspace 

At the beginning of this year I struggled to concentrate during my lectures. One moment I would be following the lecturer, taking notes and then the next, I am thinking about what I should do when I return to my dorm. 

You can imagine the amount of catching up I had to do to stay on track because of that bad habit. 

I did some research and found that meditating could help me overcome my struggle. It did. I use Headspace three to four times a week to complete my meditation sessions.

Meditation teaches you the skill of being mindful. Being in the moment at that particular moment. 

You know all those times you leave a conversation saying, “Maybe I should’ve said that instead,” or “Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that”. Meditation is really useful in several aspects of our life. 

9. Tide

Depending on the module that I am studying, I will either appreciate dead silence around me or I will need a bit on background noise while I tackle the task at hand. 

In the latter, I use Tide. Tide is an application that is intended to help you focus using nature sounds; rain, waves or fire. You can also use it to do breathing exercises and to help you sleep better

You can time each session of focus and have automatic breaks setup to keep you consistently motivated. 

10. Google Docs

I hope you have noticed the trend. You need to register a Google Account for this one too.

Google Docs allows you to collaborate with your fellow project members simultaneously. You can, in real time, keep track of who is making changes to want on your shared document.

You can give certain members editing rights and others only viewing rights

A Google Doc is perfect for when you do not have a lot of time to meet in person or you simply prefer to not communicate in person.

Be sure to check out Google Sheets and Google Slides which work in the same way.

Tadiwanashe Zororo 
The Aspiring Chartered Accountant

Ode to my Lovers Left Hand
invictusrae 2 August 2019

An entire galaxy takes residence in your palm and still it only feels like the sun. 
I expected you to burn me, instead, my skin glowed sun-kissed. 
At the beach. An ocean poured through me, you parted the sea and the sand hollowed to make space for this storm. 
You create your mind. 
Your fingertips touch and everything is raised to an art form. 
Nights. I spend massaging your back
Nights. You tell me you cannot draw sitting down. 
I kiss your hands, almost in prayer. 
Bowing my head, your touch always did reduce me to a puddle. 
I wonder, 
Would you draw this love differently if given the chance?