I would like to take this moment to greet you by saying kgotso ya Modimo ga ebe le lena (may peace be with you).
To all the first years; on behalf of the SRC and our student body I am highly honoured to welcome you to Rhodes University. It is such a great privilege and honour to welcome you to a place that will challenge your existing truth, a place where you will meet some of your confidants and invites you to be part of a community that will embrace all your unique identities
and experiences.
The journey will feel a bit long, taxing and sometimes maybe lonely; but in the end, the rewards will be worth
it. Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on passing your matric and secondly congratulations on making it
to Rhodes University. Pat yourself on the back for this is a great achievement! There were thousands and thousands of applications and amongst all of them yours was successfully approved! You are privileged to be part of this University. A University that is internationally recognized, well-known for its academic excellence and pride itself in the leadership it produces.
At Rhodes, we develop leaders that go on to be great scholars, activists, policymakers, professors, artists, scientists, politicians and everything in between. “Rhodes University – A place where leaders learn”, leaders that look like you. In a place that is filled with many opportunities and so much inspiration to draw from, I encourage you to take advantage of EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY you get.
Of course, sometimes or rather too many times you will be faced with challenges and hardships, you will cry, complain, and get mini depressions (many of us have had a fair share those), but I can tell you one thing…DO NOT QUIT! And most importantly; seek help when you feel like everything is a lot when you feel like the walls of this small university of ours are closing you in; SEEK HELP! Talk to your house comm members, your warden, your SRC, your lecturer and utilise spaces like
the counselling centre, the career centre and the health care centre.
In high school, I used to think that University is just an obvious and simple step to our academic progress, five
years later I am realising that I was just young and naïve to have had such views. For many of us, it might have been easy to access university, but for others coming here was not always a given. Like myself and others; you are probably the first one in your family to have made it to University, therefore navigating the institutional barriers will not be as easy but you will get the hang of it.
Everyone one of you have worked very hard to get here and I am excited for all the learning and growth you will experience. As you begin your journey here, I challenge you to strive for academic excellence. We are an institution that values the importance of developing your own critical thoughts, that values asking questions and challenging the ideas that we may already hold as our truth.
Go out of your way to discover and learn from each other’s experiences. Although we are here to pursue our academics, do not waste an opportunity to learn from people around you, as our experiences shape every interaction we have. I challenge you to participate in your community. You may find your community in various clubs in sports, in different societies that are religious, political, academic, and cultural or entrepreneurship.
I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge all grounds, garden, housekeeping and dining hall staff; Rhodes University would not be able to operate without them and they are an essential part of our community. Please great them, say thank you when they assist you, most importantly be kind and respectful.
The last and very important thing that I need you to always remember is to TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Especially in a place where you will experience constant growth and learning, it’s important to pause, take a step back and take a break from everything that is happening around you. It’s only when you are full and nourished that you can truly be present for yourself, your academics and people around you.
PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND SPONSORS for most of you this is probably the first time you will be separated from your kids. A University can be a very wild space, therefore; it is understandable that you will be nervous and worried. But let me assure you that as the SRC, along with our substructures; we will fulfil our duties of guiding, supporting and representing students at all times. We will strive to create a comfortable space that is conducive for learning. With that being said, please don’t call 10 times a day every day. Give them some time to settle in and adjust to the environment. Lastly, and this is one of if not the most important SUPPORT YOUR KIDS, always support your kids.
When they are telling you that they are suffocating with academics or they are just not okay; please don’t
assume that they are being lazy…take them seriously and be there for them. Be cognizant of the mental health issues that university students are going through. Students shouldn’t go through these “issues” alone. Therefore, I urge you, parents and guardians, to please be open to learning about mental health issues and find ways to help your kids deal with them.
I believe I have said quite a mouthful… ke fetsa ka gore; kodumela moepathutse ga go lehuma la go tswa
kgauswi…again welcome to Rhodes University