2007 - O Week Edition

8/8/2019 2007 - O Week Edition

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The Oppidan PressO - Week edition, 4 - 11 February 2007

The Sub-warden ExperimentBy Claire Carr and Mbali Mabaso

Jen Thorpe

For the rst time, Rhodes isintroducing Oppidansub-wardens to ofer sup-port to students not part othe residence system. Te

move helps redress the universitysperceived neglect o Oppidans, but itsimpact is unpredictable.

Te new Oppi sub-wardens willbe in charge o looking aer studentsneeds and administrative issues. Wehope that rst year Oppi students will

use them as a port o call when theyhave problems or questions, explainsGordon Barker, the current OppidanWarden.

Barker was previously supportedby only the Oppidan Committee, anelected body that retains their im-portant role as administrators. Oppisub-warden Farayi Chikuni says: I seethe Comm as the General who does thedirty admin work. As or the sub-war-dens, I see us as being the oot soldiersthat cater or everyone on a microscale.

Te Oppi sub-wardens are anexperiment, and their exact duties andunctions remain unclear. Tere willneed to be ne tuning, but well try itor a year, says Barker.

Garyn Rapson

Xoliswa is in her penultimate year oLLB. She brings her experience rom last

years Oppi Comm to the sub-warden job.

Xoliswa is a riendly, approachable per-

son; but dont disturb her when womens

gol is showing on Supersport.

Contact Xoliswa i you need a steadyshoulder to lean on:

[email protected]

Xoliswa Dzakwa

Samantha is doing her fnal year LLB.

She loves hosting dinner parties and

creating extravagant platters o ood.

She also likes to get in touch with

her creative side by composing jazz

music and reading poetry.

Ask Samantha or advice on your next

dinner party:

[email protected]

Tanya Milward

Farayi Chikuni

Grant has spent two years in

residence and two years as an

Oppi. Grant is a big supportero the Grahamstown social

scene and will oten be oundsomewhere on New Street on

a Friday night.

Contact Grant or a night out:

[email protected]

Grant Howarth

Tanya is doing her Mastersin Chemistry. She is lookingorward to helping frst year

Oppies settle into their new

environment and is happy to

give as much help and advice

to them as possible.

Have Tanya make you eel athome:

[email protected]

Samantha Mundeta

welcomes you all to

RhodesThe person who said your school days were your best days never went to Rhodes!

Gordon is the Oppidan Warden

and oversees the sub-wardens

as well as the Oppidan Commit-

tee. Crime and relations withlandlords and neighbours are

some o the Oppi issues which

Barker can help with.

Email:

[email protected]

Gordon Barker

Aameena Daya

Jen is currently doing Politics

Masters and is in her fth year at

Rhodes. Jen admits to being a totalnerd or politics and she enjoys

British comedy.

Email Jen or any digs advice:

[email protected] is your easy access

to legal advice. She is doing

her fnal year o LLB. Aameenais an avid reader, enjoys

spending time outdoors and

loves to cook.

Email Aameena or some

kitchen ideas:

[email protected]

Garyn will be completing his fnal yearo law and is hoping to contribute some

o his legal experience to the job. Garyn

can be ound having one or two drinks

at the Rat and Parrot and is also a spin-

ning instructor at the gym.

Catch Garyn when hes not in the gym:

[email protected]

Farayi is doing his Honours in Tax this

year. Farayi is very involved in Team

Oppi, which represents the Oppies insport at Rhodes. He is also addicted to

the 10pm movies at Roxbury where you

can see the latest releases or only R10.

Contact Farayi i you are interested in

fnding out more about sport at Rhodes:

[email protected]

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Culinary crisis?Curing kitchen conundrums

page 7QuickNote

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Doubly so, because you are not living inthe sae haven o a university residence.You are probably eeling a bit like anovice tightrope walker, with a p ostagestamp-sized saety net somewhere waydown below you in the murky gloom.

Te good news is that there hasnever been a better time to be an Oppi.No, seriously. Tis year, or the rsttime, the university has appointed eightOppidan subwardens to lend a support-ing shoulder to Oppies wherever theylive in Grahamstown. Being a brandnew venture, no one is sure whether itwill work or not. But the idea behind itis sound, so its up to us to make it work.

Starting rom the second term, thebrand-new Oppidan dining hall throwsopen its doors or the amished and the

parched. Full credit to the universityor implementing this. My mum eyedme closely when I went home at theend o last year and asked suspiciously,Have you been eating anything? Iguess I had that hungry look in my eye,which comes rom surviving a ull dayon campus on a couple o chocolatebars bought or an arm and a leg at thecampus Kai.

Te other bit o good news is thisnewspaper youre holding. Yep, you areclutching the rst edition oTe Oppi-dan Press ever to be published. Our planis to come out on Wednesdays everytwo weeks during term-time. Look outor us. You will receive a copy in yourdigs mailbox, and we will also be oundin supermarkets, cas and other shopsaround town. Please remember that we

are here to serve Oppies, so eel reeto contact us with your c omments andobservations.

So, I guess all that remains is or meto wish you all the very best or thisyear.

Survivor Digs: Grahamstown

Crazy cat women

Friendly

but freaky

couple

By Kelebetseng Scheppers

You know

youre in

trouble

when the

people on

Survivor are

eating

better than

you are.

Editorial

I your rst day in Grahamstown

was anything like mine, you will

have arrived here with a mixture o

excitement and trepidation.

You are now an adult, aced with

the challenges o dealing with the

municipality as well as your studies,

and the reality is that your essay

has to be handed in regardless owhether you had electricity or not.

Get candles you will need them.First goal: nd shelter. Visit estate

agents in town. Te closest estate agentsto campus are Drostdy Estates (in Pep-per Grove Mall) and Pam Golding Es-tates (on New Street). Tere are certainthings to be aware o, such as whetherthe digs has a prepaid electricity meteror is on account. Prepaid is generallymore convenient, as the municipality isnot involved.

Jillian yson rom Drostdy Estatesadvises students to read their contractsto see what their digs oers. Somestudents dream digs probably includeselectricity, water, urniture and beingable to all out o bed onto campus.Tese kinds o digs are not only rare;they are usually more expensive so thewish should actually be or unlimitednances. Millicent Ndobeni, a secondyear student, says: By the end o theyear, I elt guilty asking my ather ormore money each month. But whatdoes he think I live on?

Money issues will surace through-out the year. You know youre introuble when the people on Survivorareeating better than you are, says Lebo-hang Tulo, a third year d igs student.Tulo has two slices o bread le in her

kitchen cabinet.Unlike students in residence,

your money is not or take-aways andclothing, it is or survival and there willbe days when you have no money. Sho-

prite (een minutes walk rom cam-pus on Beauort Street) is the cheapestplace in town or your grocery needs.Store manager, Ruby Mgijimn, says:We have specials rom Wednesdayto Sunday, so those are the days whenmost people do their heavy shopping.

An additional great investment arethe Shoprite savings tickets. Each ticketis worth ten rand and can be exchangedor any items bought in the store. Mgi-

jimn says: Te tickets are useul espe-cially at the end o the month. You canbuy them at the beginning o the monthand keep them or whenever you needto get ood but you have no money.

But take heart: you are broke, notpoor. Te other broke people aroundyou, your digs mates, will be the nu-cleus o your o-campus experience.You do not just sleep under the sameroo as them. You cook, buy groceries,share clothes, go out, study and bunklectures with them. Its important to setboundaries between each other at thebeginning o the year to avoid nastyscenarios. Janine Vermeulen, romPam Golding Estates, says: I have hadstudents lock their digs mates out o thehouse and change the locks. Rememberthis is digs, not Friends.

Its not always a personalityclash; sometimes it is the housematesweekend habits that will grate your

carrot. Teir smoking may not botheryou now, but by the end o the yearyou may be tired o smelling like anover-used chimney. Likewise, theirdrinking may not be a problem today,

until they are broke and its their turnto buy electricity. Im just glad I livedwith people who share my habits. It justmakes lie that much easier because weunderstand each other, says AndrewForsythe, a student who has lived indigs or two years. Te best habit isrespect or others.

Belinda Pote rom Remax FrontierProperties says: Students should movein with riends, because then it is justeasier to handle household problems.Moving in with riends is a good idea,but do not despair i you cannot chooseyour digs mates. reena Mashu, wholived with our guys l ast year, says sheenjoyed her digs experience: I cantimagine living in a house ull o girls.Te guys are chilled and we have a goodtime.

At some point, students seem toorget that they live in a town withother residents. I youre having a party,writing a note to your neighbours couldsave a lot o trouble. You might alsowant to warn the people who live withyou.

Digs may appear to be un andgames, but this is not always the case.Mbali Mabaso, a third year digs student,says: When my clothes were stolenrom the washing line in June, I realisedthat this is real. I cannot cry to mymother anymore.

2

OPPIDAN

O-WeekSPECIAL EDIION

Lionel Faull

[email protected]

I am commied to providing an approachable, accountable,dynamic and eective SRC working with University Admin-

istration for mutual benet. My aim is to create an ecientbut nurturing leadership that is geared towards representing

students interests.

I am red-headed, spirited, loud, condent and the man incharge of coordinating rientation eek and the runningcoordinating rientation eek and the runningof the SRC Elections. My personal challenge this year is tomaintain team coordination, organization and communication.

FATEMA EVANPresident Vice-President

[email protected] [email protected]

Crazy cat woman Friendly but freaky couple

Landlords welcoming committee

Illustrations:AlexDubb

Pic: Leon Schnell

Social calendarWe recommend the hottest O-Week events

Page 7


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CHRIS RENEASocieties InternationalI am enormously excited about working with societies this

year to foster great extra-curricular involvement for allstudents. I deal with all society queries and I help societies to

achieve their objectives.

[email protected]

I have a passion for working with international students. Iaim to create an environment that enhances integration be-tween local and international students. I am approachableand willing to provide assistance to those who need it.

[email protected]

Excellence in education

telephone: 046 603 8517 fax: 046 603 8744 e-mail: [email protected]

www

.ru

.ac

.za

Rhodes Universitys Communications and Development Division wishes the

Oppi Press the best of luck as it enters the world of student media at Rhodes!

A special welcome to all first-year Oppidan students: heres hoping your

time at Rhodes is illuminating, intellectually stimulating and lots of fun!


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MATHAPELO RICARDOStudent Benefts Media and Public Relations

[email protected] [email protected]

Rhodes is a conglomeration of diverse individuals.Student benets can be construed dierently by every

student. I hope to incorporate the diversity of this campuswith the aim of working towards a common goal for the

benet of all.

The biggest complaint, warranted or not, has been SRC com-munication. My mission this year is to reduce these com-plaints by managing our use of various media eciently.

OPPIDAN


Wheres the mony at?By Shingirirai Chaza

6

Nights to come

The idea o university appeals to

many: new opportunities, reedom,and the ability to make your own

choices in how you maintain your

new liestyle and handle your re-

sponsibilities. However, these new

choices (as most things do) come at

a price. The simple solution? Get a

job.

Tere are a number o ways ora student to make money in Gra-hamstown without being limited towaitering or bartending, although theseoptions should not be overlooked. Tehours worked are rather exible, andenable me to gain some sort o nancialindependence rom my parents, saysDale Sandberg, a waitress in town. Sheworks one night a week, or an average

o 5 to 6 hours, and is on rotation withother waitrons. Heloise Collet, a videostore attendant, also highlights nancialindependence as her motivation orhaving a job. Having at least one shia week, she attends to customers whenthey collect or return lms, as well ascreating contracts and accounts or newcustomers.

Tere are alternative jobs thatcan be ound on campus, as ZibusisoNcube, a Statistics 1D tutor, ound.Ncube received an invitation rom theStatistics department to tutor a two-

period tutorial once a week. His job

is to supplement lecture material notunderstood by the students as well as toassess and give eedback on tests doneduring the semester and in the tutorials.Although Ncube is paid, his reasonsbehind accepting the job were sel-motivation, discipline and providing aoundation or his Bachelor o Account-ing degree.

Although there are options out

there, there is some difculty in actuallynding a job. Student jobs are hardlyever advertised and most are ound byword-o-mouth, either through a reer-ence by a riend or by invitation. Sug-gestions have been voiced that to betterthe job nding process, employers inGrahamstown could release a orum oavailable vacancies. Tis could encour-age competition between students towork efciently and could make thempro-active in nding jobs. Ncube saysthat what is really needed is some sorto awareness, especially in jobs such ashis, where students can benet romknowing what the possibilities are.

Remuneration varies too, with jobson a shi basis oering an average oR14 per hour and campus jobs, such astutoring, oering an average o R300

per month.Grahamstown work culture seems

to be one that is relaxed and inormal.Another thing that is relaxed in the

job process is the existence o recourseregarding complaints and the rights ostudents. In many instances, there is nocontract to ormalise the e mploymento a student, or even a precise job de-scription. Tis raises a ew concerns asto what would happen in possible caseso unmerited ring. It is something thatneeds to be seriously looked into toprotect students.


You thought registration was

enough to become a Rhodent? No,

you have to earn the title just as

you earn the academic degree. The

real lie-lessons take place outside

the classroom and thankully, thats

where most o the night events

take place. The Oppidan Press

reviews the years events: Whats

worth the loa o bread you should

actually be buying instead o the

ticket?

First years are eager to get to know oth-ers (no, youre not the only person whothought going across the country to aplace youve never seen beore, to studysomething youve never heard o be orewas a great idea), so meeting people willbe a breeze.

For more o a breeze the beach isthe place to be. Religious societiesoen organise beach trips (look out or

posters) and will take non-membersalong. Youll have to pay b asic transportcosts but, like most Rhodes events, itsmore aordable than other cities (R40upwards).

Other worthwhile events include: DJFresh at the Drill Hall (Drill Hall eventstake place throughout the year), themedparties on New Street, piano recitals atthe Music department and stArt (Stu-dent Art Festival).

I the guilt has n ot got to you yet its still

possible to have a good time. For thosecultured souls the Drama and Musicdepartments have some great eventslined up. Other events to watch out orinclude: on-campus movie nights,comedy evenings and charity events.

Term 1 Getto know me term

Term 2 I suppose Ishould study term

Term 3 Its morningalready? termTird term is probably the most sociallyhectic term. Between dierent balls,

Term 4 Sorry guys, Ihave to be home by

midnight term

Battle o the Bands, Youth Weekevents, the Founders Challengeand rivarsity, you wont have a reeweekend. But whats the one thingyou must (must!) attend? Te HinduStudents Society (HSS) CulturalEvening. Te show is starting toinclude more cultures and the per-ormers are not only rom Gra-hamstown. In 2006 there were alsomapantsula perormances (contemporary Arican ethnic dance)and traditional South Arican dancesat the event. And we havent evenmentioned yet the good Indian ood(mostly vegetarian, and its not allspicy) and the aer party. Buy a

ticket.

Now the kak hits the an. Tird termgot you and the countdown untilexams starts. Parties end at 3am (al-right, some o them), the labs and thelibrary are ull o amiliar characters

(unny, isnt that the same ace I sawat Friars yesterday?) and the night-liewhat nightlie? I have an essay duetomorrow!

Te Captivate Student Media Con-erence takes place in the ourth term.Previous celebs spotted at Captivate in-clude: Graeme Joe, Sami Sabiti, UnathiNkayi and Natalie Dixon. Also look outor various Christians-@-Rhodes eventsthroughout the year. Te mission heldlast year eatured celebs like MichaelMol and Penny Heyns.

Other events include: the French So-

ciety Soiree, the Boatraces, HeritageDay celebrations and the OppidanHall Picnic.

Tere is so much happeningthroughout the year that the excuseo being bored in a small towndoesnt really work. As a riendonce told me when I wanted tosleep in: Youre twenty, with nochildren, nothing to do tomor-row and R50 in your wallet. Yourparents are the other side o thecountry. Am I missing somethinghere?

1 2

3

Term 1: Look orward to

themed parties.Pic: Gaynor Barnard

Term 2: Comedies perormed at

the Rhodes Theatre are good

value or money.

Pic: Matthew Middleton

Term 3: Tri-Varsity is the time

when all Rhodents unite in

purple!

Pic: Leon Schnell

Term 4: Competitive spirits will

enjoy the Boatraces.Pic: Matthew Middleton

Although theoptions are outthere,there is somedifculty inactuallynding a job.

Once youve ound the job that will

support your independence, there isthe question o academic priority. imemanagement is paramount in universityas it is, and having a job must be some-thing you can handle. I can bring somework in i the restaurant is not too busy,but i my work load increases, like dur-ing exams, then I can swap shis withother waitrons, says Sandb erg. Terelaxed job culture in Grahamstownobviously helps to support this.

It seems that Grahamstown doeshave a lot to oer; all one needs to do iskeep their eyes and ears open.

Pics:JackySmith

4


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RUTENDO XOLANISocieties and Sport Treasurer

[email protected]

I aim to use our budget wisely and to the greatest eectpossible for the benet of all students.

During my term of oce I will endeavour to make surethat the SRC is also able to reach the student body at a

personal level. I believe in the eective administration ofstudent societies and I look forward to great events from

the societies and sports clubs in the coming year.

[email protected]

PaganSoc is the spiritual home oall those seeking something outside theambit o organised religion, embrac-ing everything rom celebrations o theFestival o Isis to potion-making. Ocourse, this has led to accusations owitchcra and calls or burning at thestake to be reintroduced (OK, maybenot that last one) and so the Blue Househas cemented its reputation as beingmore than a little o-centre.

Mordor is perceived quite dier-ently. First, imagine your stereotypicalSmuts jocks. I you are new to Rhodes,think white private school boysdrinking and womanising copiously

while repeatedly shouting dude andreadjusting their tackle. Now, move thebest (or worst) eight o the bunch into ahouse on Somerset with no rules and nosupervision. Tis is Mordor, or at leastwhat it is reputed to be.

I went to nd out or mysel. Look-ing through the window, it seemed tolive up to its reputation all I couldsee were gol clubs and an upturnedtable, with beer adverts and FHMpictures on the wall. I was disappointedto nd, however, that all the current

residents were rom College House.Apparently, the lease contract stipulatedthat they could not be rom Smuts.

It also stipulated that there could beno more Bring n Burns, a long-stand-ing Mordor tradition where people putall sorts o strange things onto a hugebonre, rom Chemistry notes to oldtakkies.

Another alleged Mordor tradi-tion was to play Bergie-ators gettinghomeless people to go through obsta-cles and wrestle in the garden or someunspecied prize, in a twisted version oGladiators. So bizarre it could actuallybe true.

O course, there is more to thelegends o both Mordor and the BlueHouse, which doubtless you will haveheard or will hear. Its not always easy totell what is act or ction when it comesto these sorts o rumours, though I aminclined to believe that some o it mustbe true. Aer all, where theres smoke,theres re. By the time a digs hasbecome a c onversation piece, however,truth is not important.

It is how you tell the tale thatcounts.

7

OPPIDAN


Being Jamie Oliver (on a budget)By Sarah Laird

Grahamstowns notorious digsBy Simon Allison

You would thinka place amousor its drug-in-duced alterna-tive culture could

come up with amore creativename.

I walls could talk the ones o a

Grahamstown digs would undoubt-

edly provide us with countless

stories.

Every digs has a history but its theway that history is retold that yields sto-ries so inamous, or strange, that theyare told and retold all over campus. Likea game o Chinese whispers, they aretwisted and exaggerated until no oneis really sure how they started or eveni they are true. By this stage, however,truth is hardly important, bec ause itswhat people believe that make thempoint at certain houses as they walk past

and say in hushed voices, Do you knowwhat happened there?

At Rhodes, there are two digs whichstand alone in inamy: Mordor andthe Blue House. Te Blue House is onArican Street its the one painted blue(you would think a place amous or itsdrug-induced alternative culture couldcome up with a more creative name). Itwas once celebrated or being perma-nently hotboxed, but the name now hasan even edgier connotation as the venueor the Pagan Society.

O-Week social

eventsBored? You shouldnt be. The Stu-

dent Representative Council (SRC)has lined up a schedule to keep you

entertained. You may be exhausted

rom the daily lectures, and its

a big adjustment to be here, so

to save time The Oppidan Press

highlights this weeks worthwhile

events (and which events to avoid).

Sunday 4 February@8h30pm: Lush lawns, a mild sum-mer evening, shimmering stars, so

jazz in the background the SRC JazzEvening will be hosted at St. PetersLawns, near Eden Grove. Bring yourparents along or something you can allenjoy together.Monday 5 February@5h00pm: Te rst ofcial unction othe week takes place at the 1820 SettlersMonument (the building on the hillabove campus). Saleem Badat (the Vice-Chancellor) and the SRC President willbe giving their opening addresses. Is it athrilling social event? Not exactly, but itis there to make you eel welcome.@6h30pm: Something slightly more en-tertaining is the Oppidan Halls Cheeseand Wine which will be held in theZoology Foyer. Tis is a great time tomeet other students. Its a semi-ormaloccasion one o the ew times you willbe dressed up in Grahamstown.uesday 6 February@8h45pm: Tis you must attend: theSRCs comedy evening at the Union,showcasing some o Grahamstowns co-

medians and comediennes. Te comedyevening has been well attended eachyear by rst years and older students.Wednesday 7 FebruaryTeres nothing thrilling in the time-table planned, so tonight is probablya good night to leave your parents athome and go out to have a drink withyour new-ound riends. And i youhavent made any yet: come out romunder your rock! People are dying tomeet you.Tursday 8 February@8h30pm: Book your ticket. Tis isdenitely one o the weeks highlights.Te SRCs Champagne Movie Premiereis worth every cent and its a guaranteedgood time or everyone who attends.Te movie premiere will be held at theRoxbury cinema in Peppergrove Mall.Friday 9 February@7h45pm: Te wild night has arrived!Its the SRC Street Party at the UnionLawns. I youve never been to a streetparty, this is something you should de -nitely go to. In act, even i youve beento one, go again. Some students say itwas memorable. Te rest well, theydont remember much.Saturday 10 FebruarySleep. You will need it.


Witchcrat and wrestling hoboes

Its your rst time in digs, and

in all probability, its your rst

experience o cooking or yoursel.

Cooking is not as daunting as most

people think it is it can actually be

a lot o un! All you need are a ew

basic guidelines

op 20 Must-Have Groceries:(Most o these items will last or awhile)1 ea or Coee (R17 R30)2 Sugar (R6.39 or 1Kg)3 Salt and Pepper (R14 R18)4 Herbs or Seasonings o your choice(R8)5 Pasta (R5.89)6 Breakast Cereal (R10 R20)7 Cooking Oil (R49.99 or 5L)8 Rice (R13.99 or 2Kg)

9 Milk (R7.29)10 Bread (R3.99)11 Eggs (R6.99)12 Cheese (R10)13 Butter/Margarine (R12)14 una Cans (R7.69)15 Chicken Pieces/Breasts (R23 or 5)16 Frozen Vegetables (R20)17 Spray and Cook (R18)18 Mayonnaise or omato Sauce(R12.69/R10.79)19 Potatoes (R10.99 or a bag)20 Fruit/Vegetables o your choiceOAL = R258

Your oven breaks and its your turn tomake the digs dinnerEasy solution use your microwave!Practically anything can be made ina microwave, rom scrambled eggs toroast lamb.

Bolognaise (serves 4):2 ablespoons o oil1 chopped onion2 chopped cloves o garlic450g x minced bee1 chopped green pepper3 tins o chopped and peeled tomatoes275ml boiling bee stock1 small tin o tomato pureeSalt, pepper and herbs

Heat the oil in a large bowl or 2 min-utes on 100% power. Add onion and

garlic, cover, and cook on 100% or 3minutes. Add the minced bee, stir welland cook or 3 minutes. Stir in all theremaining ingredients and season well.Cook on 100% or 10 minutes and stir.Reduce microwave to 50% power andcook or 20 minutes. Adjust seasoningto taste. Serve with spaghetti.

No dough... Kitchen glitches...Pot luck...

You are having 3 riends over ordinnero serve 4 people, its best to make abig pot o something that everybodywill enjoy, allowing people to haveseconds at no additional cost (or theremight even be leovers or you or thenext day). Follow this quick recipe, andtheyll be begging or more

Chicken Curry1 chopped onion4 chicken breasts (or 1 per person)300ml boiling chicken stockFrozen corn4 chopped/sliced carrots1 tsp resh garlic1 tin o coconut milk1 packet o curry powder6 potatoes

Rice

Brown the onion in a little oil. Chopthe chicken into bite size pieces; add tothe onion and brown. Add the chickenstock. Add the corn, carrots, garlic,coconut milk and curry powder.Peel and chop the potatoes and add tothe pot. Allow it to boil or a ew min-utes, and then reduce the heat to sim-mering. Cover it and allow it to cookor about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.Serve on rice.

Its the end o the month, and youonly have R20You can eat unhealthily by goingthrough packets o 2-Minute noodles(R2.69 each), or you could have

A baked potato and a can o tuna;Like-It-Lean ready-made meals orone: Ostrich goulash, macaroni, lletedchicken breasts, chicken la king, sir-loin steak etc. (these range rom R10.99to R24.99);Pick n Pay pre-packed meals: Sand-wiches, pies, baguettes etc. (these rangerom R4.99 R14.99);Pasta, served with sauce-in a-packetrom Royco (R5.99).

Pic:GaynorBarnard


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8 The Oppidan Press SportPlaying the slower ballBy Saint-Francis Tohlang

Welcome to the world o headache

pills being the most sought ater

drug on the sports eld, where

the A team is the only team and

enduring a ull day cricket match

on a Saturday acquires you legen-

dary status. Sport changes drasti-

cally at university, characterised

by decreased participation, heavy

boozing, less xtures, more boozing

and a less competitive edge.

Finding your eet on the universitysports eld may be just as difcult asnding your way around campus orresisting a night out beore a game.Adapting to this new game sees the ast-paced and overly gloried sports arenain high school transerred to the socialscene, where high school sports heroeslurk in the background o theproscenium arches o the varsitysocialites.

alented sportsmen may nd therelaxed nature o university sport quite

The Final WordL

ike you, I am new to Rhodes University and Grahamstown.You will have already observed that both the University andGrahamstown are relatively small. Small, however, also means

a beautiul, charming and quaint environment, with none o thehustle and bustle o a big city. I you thrive on big shopping malls,the adrenaline o hectic rush hour trafc, and Nandos, McDonaldsand the like, let go! Enjoy instead small town Grahamstowns cleanresh air, laid-back atmosphere, relative saety and security, and theexcitement o our seasons in a single day.

Unless you and I decide to make Grahamstown our permanenthome, we are temporary residents o the town. Te onus is on us,as members o the Rhodes University community, to cultivate goodrelationships and to build mutually respectul relations with Gra-hamstowns permanent residents. Tis means avoiding being disrup-tive and excessively noisy, especially late at night. Also, i you mustconsume alcohol please do so in a socially responsible way. You also

have skills to help address the development challenges o the town,and the Rhodes University Community Engagement Ofce providesyou with numerous opportunities to make a dierence.

Te University is giving attention to how we can better serve ourstudents in digs. 2007 will see the introduction o sub-wardens orsections o the town in which Oppidans are clustered. In addition, anew Oppidan dining hall will open to provide you with nourishingmeals at a reasonable price. Please support these new initiatives asthey have your interests at heart. Your warden and the Dean o Stu-dents are committed to making your digs experience a positive one.Please communicate with them should you have any suggestions inthis regard.

With very best wishes or a productive and rewarding 2007,

Dr Saleem Badat

Vice-Chancellor

contrary to what they know. Shock willprevail when John, who ruled the rugbyeld and had crowds roaring with hisside-stepping, realises that not everyonewill exalt his name; let alone know thathe played SA Schools Rugby.

Tis is particularly true at Rhodes.Rhodes University is the smallestcampus in South Arica and houses thesmallest pool o talented sport players.Sport is not the main ocus as it is atWits or the University o Johannesburg,or instance. Tese universities attractmany talented sport players throughbursaries that are supplemented byrich sports trusts. Rhodes cannot beexpected to compete with traditionallywell-equipped sporting universities.

Another actor is that students have

a lot o other things to do. ime is anessential commodity in university.Mandla Gagayi, a sports administrationofcer, says: As a soccer coach I ndthat players say that they struggle withacademics even though some are onlyin their rst year.

Te biggest threat or sports is thehighly contentious evil: alcohol. Araucous night out beore a game thenext day is not ideal, especially whenyou have a rugby match in the heat,with a hangover. Oen university sportplayers get lost in the debauchery oheavy drinking and nd it difcult toregain tness. Stuart Baillie, a Rhodesrst team rugby player, who has devel-oped a boep due to his wavering tnesslevels, says: Te unique experience andembracing the act that sport changes

and letting go o ormer glory days iswhat university sport is about. Bailliealso speaks o the disorganisation osome o the sports clubs Rhodes com-petes against:Sometimes you travel or two hoursand the club that you are supposed toace doesnt pitch.

Tough the transition into universitysport may be marred by some actors,there is an upside. Sport at Rhodescaters or a wide variety o interests withgood acilities so be bold and try outnew sporting codes. Te transition is allabout exploring and adapting, nd-ing what suits you, your time and yourpriorities.

Its like playing that tricky slower ballin a game o cricket. You just have to

ace the realities o university sport witha readiness to adapt your style.

Basketball is one of the few mainstream sports at Rhodes which performs consist-ently well.No matter at which level, Rhodes teams can always count on avid support from thesidelines.

Pic:Ma

tthewMiddleton

Pic:Matthe

wMiddleton

For all your building requirements

Attention: OPPIDANS!

Come to D&A Timbers if youre looking for a range

of reasonably priced hardware for your digs.

Bathurst StreetTel: 046 622 7301

Fax: 046 622 8739

Cell: 082 824 6892

E-mail: [email protected]

Documents

2007 - O Week Edition