Going out clubbing or partying from Wednesday to Sunday, pulling all-nighters to cram for an exam or complete an assignment before the deadline, falling in love for the first time and self-discovery . . . These are all the things that make our university years the most memorable.
The coronavirus state of disaster and social distancing may have toned things down for many students across the world, but these are still some of the best years they've ever experienced, these tertiary students tell Drum.
If you're a freshman looking forward to the university hype, here's what those who have walked the path want you to know about the experiences they saved for life after high school.
Partying
“You’re actually practising your legal right," Lelethu Rayi, an honours student at NMU, shares on why she’s glad she waited until varsity to start partying.
"There’s just no chance of getting into trouble, the second part is because you’re a bit older it’s a bit safer, not that as women we’re ever completely been safe on the party scene. And, genuinely, because you’re not hiding and lying, in varsity everyone is doing the same thing, so there are people to help you and keep you safe.
"You’re also a bit wiser, in terms of how much you can drink. It’s also very difficult to get manipulated in the party scene, compared to when I’d been in high school."
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Self-discovery
“University gave me a platform, but in high everything was so constricted, the best you could do is just try to get by. There is literally too much pressure," Lwando Zinto says, a third year student at Rhodes University. For her, high school was just not the place to try and get to know herself, better, but varsity was a totally different story.
"When it comes to yourself, you’re allowed to figure out who you want to be without any expectations. You can even rebrand as many times as you want, varsity gives you that space. But obviously you should be aware of who you are, but don’t stress yourself too much about it.”
Serious relationships
“I stayed away from dating in high school, not because I felt ugly, or I wasn’t cool enough but because I just didn’t want to in high school. I got my first boyfriend in my first year of varsity and so far, it has been the greatest experience – although dating was not at the top of my list when I got to varsity. I feel like I have learned so much from him and I am so glad that I started dating in varsity," says Palesa Chidi, a postgrad student at TUT.
"You know when you’re in varsity you have all the freedom and you’re away from home and you can do basically whatever you want but still be responsible. It made me feel like I was not disobeying my parents in any way because I was not sneaking out the window, I was just doing what I wanted to do respectfully. I could go on dates with my boyfriend whenever I wanted to, I could have sex whenever I wanted to and I mean that was fun, it still is.
"Obviously when you get to varsity there’s this pressure that you are under to have everything figured out, but honestly, I had nothing figured out and I’m glad that I had nothing figured out because I learnt so much about myself and from the guy that I am with," says the student who feels waiting on dating was the best decision she made for herself in high school.
"The experience of starting to date in varsity has helped me to know myself, to figure myself out. It also taught me to not rush things because good things come to those who wait, chile. Well, you know varsity can be very tough, it gets very hectic, so I had someone who could support me you know help me with a lot of things so that was great.
"Getting a boyfriend there also meant that I wouldn’t have to binge watch series alone, I had someone to do it with me and I appreciate that a lot. I also had a party partner; I experienced a lot of things with him by my side and I like that. In high school, I wasn’t even allowed to go to a birthday party, but I guess that helped me because it saved me for the experiences that I got at varsity."
