NMMYou February 2016 - Student Governance and Development

| News for the students, by the students |
L&E
NEWS
03
Overcoming
Summits
06
04
HOME SWEET
HOME, NOT SO?
healthy during
08 Staying
hectic schedules
Beyond the classroom
experience
SCIENCE & TECH
11
Top tech tips and
tricks for students
at NMMU
SPORT
12
NMMU Cheerleaders
are in it to win it
13
Summer review
FIRST YEAR SURVIVAL GUIDE
Image sourced from vouchercodes.co.uk
By Arantxa Mathapersadh
From sitting in the wrong lecture venue, to having a
desperate smoke before a semester test, senior NMMU
students got personal when asked to share their first-year
horror stories to help prevent their fellow peers from making
similar mistakes. So chin up first years, because we have five
tips that will make your year a little easier.
TIP #1: DON’T FALL INTO THE ROUTINE OF
BUYING FOOD FROM THE KRAAL EVERYDAY
The food looks and smells good, but half way into the semester
and your wallet will be looking a lot thinner than the thighs you’re
squeezing into your favourite pair of jeans. Third year BA Media,
Communications and Culture (BA MCC) students, Kayleigh
Bouwer and Lwandile Mngonyama, joked about the temptations
of the Kraal during their first year. Lwandile offered her advice by
encouraging students to “stay away from the samoosas”.
TIP #2:MANAGE YOUR TIME
Research, plan and organise. What’s important is that you find
a strategy that suits you and then implement it. Most students
agreed that first year students tend to get caught up in the hype
of university, but it is not a party. “Always stay on top of your work.
Don’t let your gaps fool you,” advised one third year student.
Term 1 | February 2016
TIP #3:SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE
PEOPLE
Peer pressure is not just a high school thing and the affects of
a negative group of friends can have a negative impact on your
results. Lunga Mavusc, second year BA General student, said, “[in
university], books are your friends.” Pia Coetzee encourages the
idea of study groups.
TIP #4:TAKE NOTES AND BE ATTENTIVE IN
CLASS
BA MCC student, Sigourney Bruintjies, shed some light on
this topic. “Most of the time, lecturers give hints to test or exam
questions in the lecture, so students shouldn’t make the mistake
of not paying attention.”
TIP #5:CHECK YOUR EMAILS (DAILY)
Most students agreed on the importance of checking emails.
Lecturers may email to cancel a lecture, provide lecture notes or
even give updates on upcoming tests and assignments.
These are just a few of the tips offered by students who were in
the same position that first years are currently in. They may not
work for everyone but they could just help make your studies a
little easier.
Page 1
Letter from the Editor
February 2016
Administrator
Sade Prinsloo
[email protected]
Editor
Emily van Heerden
[email protected]
Assistant Editors
Vasti Visser
[email protected]
Lazola Dyasi
[email protected]
News Editor
Dana Hyde
[email protected]
Lifestyle & Entertainment Editor
Yonga Jizana
[email protected]
Sports Editor
Kahl Kritzinger
[email protected]
Science and Tech Editor
Brendan Smit
[email protected]
Blog
Gabriella Groepe
[email protected]
Desginers
Inka Niedermeier
[email protected]
Nkhondo Chirwa
[email protected]
Zhandre Brass
[email protected]
Siyabonga Msindwana
[email protected]
This is a student-run newspaper. The
views expressed in this publication do
not necessarily represent those of the
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University.
Welcome to NMMYou’s first edition of 2016! This year has already seen quite a lot of
change for our Newspaper, not only in terms of our team members, but also in terms
of our branding and our strategies. We are very fortunate to have some old dogs on
our team- ones who bring experience from last year- and we are also fortunate to have
newbies who bring a fresh touch to our Newspaper. I like to consider myself as an old
dog; I served on the 2015 team as the News Editor and am very honoured to now
serve the students of NMMU as the Editor-in-Chief.
A bit about me- I am a 3rd and final year BA MCC student, focusing on Graphic
Design, Journalism and Public Relations. I love languages and being able to use them
to express myself as best as I can. Therefore, writing is something that I am very
passionate about. I am very excited to be a part of this team, to play a part in affording
writers the opportunity to have their talents and passions showcased, and to ensure
that our students have access to the latest news and information from and around the
NMMU community.
Therefore, without further ado, our February edition is where you will find all your first
year guides on surviving university, be given more information on a new scholarship
programme that has been birthed as a result of our VC, Prof Derrick Swartz’s Mount
Fiji Funds Climb, get the lowdown on the coolest tech tips for when you’re both on
and off campus, and celebrate the successes of our NMMU Cheerleaders, amongst
others.
A lot of hard work has gone into this edition, and I just want to stop for a moment
and commend the great team of writers, photographers, editors and designers for
producing high quality work in such a short amount of time, especially for those who
are serving on our team for the very first time.
I would also like to take a moment to thank the two wonderful ladies who brought
this Newspaper into being and nurtured it through its erratic but very rewarding baby/
toddler stages- Sadé Prinsloo (administrator) and Nicole Downing (2015 Editor-inChief). Nicole, thank you for pushing me to work my best on this Newspaper. You are
undoubtedly the one who created the spark within me to see this Newspaper flourish
and I hope I do you right by doing just that. Thank you for your guidance, friendship
and regular check-ins. I appreciate you! Sadé, you are, 100%, the best aspect of this
Newspaper. Your support, advice and care is what has allowed me to do my job so well
this month. Thank you for taking me under your wing, for showing me the ropes and for
reminding me to breathe every once in a while. I look forward to taking the Newspaper
to greater heights with you this year.
To our readers, we hope that you enjoy reading this edition as much as we enjoyed
working on it! Good luck for the rest of first semester and always remember to keep
smiling and shining!
Best regards,
Emily van Heerden
NEWS
VICE-CHANCELLOR IGNITES POSSIBILITY
WITH INTRODUCTION OF NEW
SCHOLARSHIP
By Dana Hyde
The Summit Scholarship
is an initiative that will
enable
prospective
honours students – that are
academically-minded,
but
struggling financially with
the opportunity to journey
towards
new
academic
heights.
Just over a R1 million was
raised by our very own ViceChancellor - Professor Derrick
Swartz - during his preparation
and completion of climbing
Mount Fiji in 2015. This
“swopping out of his briefcase
for a backpack” has been the
driving force and ideology
behind the establishment of the
scholarship. All graduates are
advised to push themselves
to a new ‘summit’ of tertiary
achievement.
Following
#FeesMustFall
protests,
The
Summit
Scholarship is a positive
response to help increase
financial help for students.
The scholarship itself falls
under the Research Capacity
Development (RCD) division
of NMMU. Primarily focusing
on increasing their researcher
database, they also fund
postgraduate and postdoctoral
candidates. Increasing the
research capacity of NMMU has
many positive connotations.
Taking to social media, the
response to the scholarship
opportunity
has
been
overwhelmingly
positive.
Students are acutely proud to
have a Vice-Chancellor and a
university that have broadened
the possibility of postgraduate
endeavour.
However, many a student
wanting to pursue a B-Tech
qualification have expressed
their dissatisfaction, as they are
excluded from applying. Hence,
there is a distinct outcry for
more scholarship opportunities
in this area.
For more information on
scholarships such as this, you
can contact the RCD on http://
rcd.nmmu.ac.za/
HOW NMMU IS ASSISTING THE
‘MISSING MIDDLE’
By Simran Juglal
THE MISSION THAT AIDED STUDENTS IN
CONTINUING THEIR STUDIES
In November 2015, Nelson
Mandela
Metropolitan
University (NMMU) embarked
on a mission to financially
assist students who are part
of the ‘missing middle’ group.
This fast-growing group
includes students whose
families are not poor enough
to meet the requirements for
National Student Financial
Aid
Scheme
(NSFAS)
funding, but who do not have
the funds to further their
tertiary education.
NMMU has offered to relieve
previous debt and 2016 down
payment concerns for students
who fall under this ‘missing
middle’ bracket, as well as for
unfunded NSFAS students.
NMMU is employing a principle
of ‘the greater the financial
need, the greater the support’.
As a result, the ‘missing middle’
students - whose household
income is less than R300
000 per annum and has up to
seven dependents - will receive
a smaller loan than NSFAS
students,
whose
families
cannot contribute financially.
The ‘missing middle’ students,
like NSFAS students, will be
expected to pay back 60%
of the loan once they have
Term 1 | February 2016
finished their studies and begin
working. This allows students
of the next generation to benefit
from the financial aid.
The decision to focus on
student debt and funding
issues is an outcome of the
#FeesMustFall
movement,
which saw many South African
students protesting against
university fee increases. The
movement resulted in a 0% fee
increase for 2016.
The ‘missing middle’ group
has also been acknowledged by
the government. In response,
the government is working on
short, medium and long-term
goals to meet their needs, with
the ambition to fully implement
financial aid by 2018.
In consultation with student
groups, NMMU aims to further
the studies of their students
by creating initiatives that
provide for those who are
academically-deserving,
but
financially-needy.
Consequently, more than
90% of the 5000 who applied
for down payment and debt
relief were successful. There
will be an appeals process for
the remaining 10% who seek
financial aid.
Page 3
NEWS
Home sweet home, not so?
FOLLOWING THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL’S (SRC) ‘SITIN’, THE VICE-CHANCELLOR’S (VC) OFFICE ASSISTS FINANCIALLY-NEEDY
STUDENTS WITH ACCOMMODATION AND CATERING.
By Jessica Preston
After meeting with the
Student
Representative
Council (SRC) on 9 February
2016, the Vice Chancellor
(VC), Prof Derrick Swartz
agreed to the proposal
that
3000
financiallyneedy and academicallydeserving students will be
accommodated throughout
the year, whilst long term
financial
assistance
is
sought.
The
VC
committed
to
accommodating and catering
these students, who had
been accommodated by the
SRC. Furthermore, the ‘downpayment exemption’ agreement
will be enforced, as well as
looking into new avenues to
reduce off-campus rates.
To address the needs
of the students, the SRC
further
launched
the
#enablingDREAMS campaign,
which
seeks
to
provide
opportunities to students who
come from disadvantaged
backgrounds. One of the
campaign aspects is the
accommodation of students
without residence.
The university currently has
3237 beds on-campus, divided
between the Port Elizabeth
and George campuses, which
only extends to 11.9% of
the total student population.
Presently, 33% of these beds
are accommodated by first year
students.
In 2015, the SRC and
higher
management
had
reached an agreement over
the construction of a new
500-bed residence. This plan
was postponed to the end
of 2016. The SRC ultimately
proposes that more on-campus
residences need to be built to
ensure that ‘No Student is Left
Behind’, the slogan of the SRC.
Students protest - Image sourced from heraldlive.co.za
Page 4
Term 1 | February 2016
LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
EXPERIENCE
WHAT SOCIETIES AT NMMU HAVE TO OFFER
By Thaba Ntamo
University is not only an academic environment but also a
place where you can find your voice, explore your interests,
meet people from different backgrounds, get out of your
comfort zone and grow as an individual. What better way to
do that than joining one, two, or more of the various societies
offered at NMMU?
NMMU offers a diversity of academic, developmental, religious
and recreational societies. Each one of these societies has
something different on offer, such as an opportunity to enhance
your cv, improve your communication skills, find people with likeminded interests, or learn about different cultures.
The debating society may appeal to those with an analytical mind
and a readiness to express their opinions. Your debating skills are
sure to improve with the society’s formation seminars and annual
debating nationals.
If you looking to express yourself creatively or show off your
talents, then the Drama, Ballroom and Latin American Dancing,
and Hip Hop societies may just be what you’re looking for.
If you are looking to help your community, societies like the South
African Red Cross Society (SARCS) and the Green Campus
Initiative (GCI) will help you do just that.
For those glamorous ladies and gentlemen on campus who are
looking to build a modelling portfolio or want to learn more about
beauty, fitness, wellness, and love attending social events, the
Glam Squad Society is for you.
Whatever your interests are, there’s sure to be a society that
caters for you. Join a society today and make your university year
a holistic experience by getting involved beyond the classroom and
opening yourself up to new and unique experiences and people.
For more information on the societies offered on campus, visit
the website http://studev.nmmu.ac.za/ or join the Student Life &
Events Facebook page.
The Glam Squad Society
Term 1 | February 2016
Page 5
LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT
STAYING HEALTHY DURING
HECTIC SCHEDULES
By Amy De Raedt
Amongst all the hustle and
bustle of getting back into
varsity life we tend to put
our health, at the bottom
of our to-do lists. It’s pretty
ironic considering that it has
such a major impact on our
concentration and energy
levels – both of which are
essential in managing our
hectic schedules in the first
place. But have no fear as it
is almost effortless to stay
healthy at varsity, and by
incorporating these simple
tips into your daily life, you’ll
be ready to conquer the year
in no time!
Drink water - all day, every
day. One of the many benefits
of drinking enough water is that
it has a massive effect on your
productivity and energy levels.
Other than staying awake in
class, staying hydrated is the
most important thing you can
do.
Eat food for fuel. I know
this can be tricky considering
a student budget, but if you
eat well you simply feel good.
Some “brain foods” include
almonds,
apples,
sweet
potatoes, seeds, spinach and
avocados, to name but a few.
Try to avoid processed food
and look out for low-GI foods
to keep your energy levels
sustained throughout the day
and avoid that dreaded midday
crash.
Wear comfortable shoes
- girls in your stunning but ohso impractical heels, I see
you. Walking literally triggers
endorphins that prevent anxiety
and fatigue, so take the stairs
instead of the lift, park your car
further away from class, and
take the long route to the library.
Those stairs become a serious
workout after five or so climbs,
so always wear comfortable
shoes and you’ll be able to get
your daily workout without even
realising it!
Lastly, make time for free
time. Balance is essential
in avoiding a mid-semester
burnout, so when you work,
work hard – you need to put
the hours into summarising and
studying, but you also need to
have a few hours in the bathtub
and at the beach!
Keep a balance, keep
hydrated, and keep a couple
of healthy snacks on hand to
ensure a healthy and happy
year ahead, no matter how
hectic your schedule gets!
a balance, keep hydrated, and keep
“Keep
a couple of healthy snacks on hand to
ensure a healthy and happy year ahead
”
Cold water with fresh fruit is the perfect summer combination.
Photo credit: Anthea John.
“ Lastly, make time for free time. Balance
is essential in avoiding a mid-semester
burnout, so when you work, work
hard – you need to put the hours into
summarising and studying, but you also
need to have a few hours in the bathtub
and at the beach!
Page 6
”
Term 1 | February 2016
LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT
A NON-NARCISSISTIC AND OH-SO NECESSARY
GUIDE TO SELF-LOVE
By Amy De Raedt
Even though the month of love has come and gone, there’s
no better time to put ‘loving myself’ at the top of our to-do
lists. Varsity can be gruelling, especially for these first few
weeks (and especially for frazzled first years), so learning
how to love ourselves is an essential survival skill!
Here are five feel-good challenges to help you learn how to love
your spectacular self:
1. CELEBRATE CHALLENGES THAT YOU’VE
CONQUERED
We’ve all had seemingly impossible mountains to climb (like
getting that driver’s license), and it’s important to remember that
we overcame them while climbing more.
2. LIST FIVE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF
We’re often so quick to compliment others that we forget to
acknowledge our own strengths and skills. Learn to embrace and
applaud who you are - flaws and all.
3. CELEBRATE THE SMALL VICTORIES
You know, those little accomplishments you achieve throughout
the day like finishing your run, handing in your assignment on time
- even just making it through the day without throwing something
at someone is an accomplishment in itself some days!
4. RELAX
In the midst of first semester madness; it really makes a difference
to just have a few minutes for some oh-so necessary “me-time”.
Take a bubble bath, make a cup of tea, go for a walk – literally
anything that will make you feel refreshed and ready to conquer
the rest of the week!
5. PRACTICE GRATITUDE
We tend to focus on how many assignments and tests we have
that we forget how privileged we are to be receiving an education
in the first place! Once you shift your focus from the negative to the
positive, you’ll start to do the same for yourself.
“All love begins with the love within.” - Vironika Tugaleva, The Love Mindset.
Photo credit: Anthea John.
Term 1 | February 2016
Try to incorporate these little acts of self-love into your daily
routine, and remember that it does not stop there – spread the
love!
Page 7
LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT
“I’M STUDENT RICH”
TIPS TO HELP YOU SURVIVE ON A STUDENT BUDGET
By Arantxa Mathapersadh
Numerous students across the university struggle to keep
their finances in check. Regardless if you have a student
bursary; your parents are paying for your education; or
you’re juggling part-time jobs to make ends meet; paying
for university fees, textbooks and a social life is difficult.
However, recent interviews with students across campus
revealed a few ways in which you can balance your finances.
So where should you start; textbooks or a night out at Beer
Shack? Third year BA Media, Communications and Culture (MCC)
student, Kayleigh Bouwers, says, “[as a student] you can’t have
everything [and it’s best to] not be impulsive with your money.”
Textbooks are essential; however, there are alternative ways to
obtain textbooks other than at the university book stores. Second
and third year students often advertise and sell their second-hand
textbooks around campus for relatively low prices. Another option,
as suggested by Lwandile Mngonyama, is to utilize the library.
She says, “in my first year of studying, I didn’t buy textbooks. My
friends and I shared notes and I made use of the library a lot.”
“ the free downloading application (APP)
“Spending Tracker”
”
Lunga Mavusc and Danielle Massey agreed that prioritising your
money is a key component to the student budget life. Danielle
suggests the free downloading application (app) ‘Spending
Tracker’, available for both androids and iOS, which helps you to
monitor and budget your money. The application is customizable
to your lifestyle and easy to use.
While students provided various ways to budgeting and buying
textbooks, they all agreed on one factor. “You can’t go out every
night.” Third year student, Sigourney Bruintjies, agrees with the
idea of working with a budget while others suggest going out in
groups or going out every second week.
Lastly, the most common way to earn extra money while studying
is by getting a part-time job. However, students suggest getting
one that doesn’t interfere or affect your academic work. Danielle
says, “for some people it’s necessary, for others it’s not.”
you can’t have everything
“[as[anda student]
it’s best to] not be impulsive with
your money
”
Images sourced from aftercollege.com
Page 8
Term 1 | February 2016
SCIENCE & TECH
TOP TECH
TIPS AND
TRICKS FOR
STUDENTS
AT NMMU
Images sourced from smallbiztechnology.com
By Brendan Smit
They say that the older you get, the wiser you become, but
I say that you can learn plenty of awesome tricks and tips
before then. While we live in an era where information is freely
available, it’s important to disseminate what information is
important and accurate enough. So here are my top tricks and
tips that apply to students here at NMMU.
little known fact is that NMMU has
“aA portal
that allows you to print your
assignment ‘remotely’
”
1.
Avoid the endless lines waiting to get a turn at a computer
to print an assignment. A little known fact is that NMMU has a
portal that allows you to print your assignment ‘remotely’ (you
basically need to be in the library) from your mobile computing
devices (cellphone, tablet and laptop). It’s as simple as going onto
the portal, uploading the document you want printed, making sure
you select the correct printer and page size, and pressing print.
Voila! All you now have to do is scan your student card at the
printer, and you can collect your printed document. Quick and
easy as pie- have a look here http://tinyurl.com/NMMUlibraryprint
(it also includes instructions on how to use it).
2.
When buying a laptop, the price that’s displayed is not
necessarily the final price. Most shops sell their laptops without
software included, so that R6000 laptop isn’t really R6000- to
purchase a Microsoft Office licence for any of the versions will at
the very least set you back another R1000. So remember to look
further than just the display price, also always do homework on the
device you’d like to purchase
3.
I’m about to save you over R1000. Being NMMU students,
we all have access to Microsoft Office 365 through our student
portals, but what you might not know is that as students we can
legally download it to use offline on our laptops. This can be used
during the entire duration of your studies, without costing a cent.
4.
You can purchase laptops and technology at reduced
rates online through various online retailers, such as Loot,
Takealot, Wantitall and Wootware as well as the Student Laptop
Initiative. These often prove to be more affordable than traditional
physical brick and mortar shops.
“You can purchase laptops and technology
at reduced rates online through various
online retailers
”
5.
If the safety and security of your online accounts wasn’t
important to you before, it’s time that you rethink your stance on
the topic. Many of us sit with the same password for the majority of
our accounts, THIS IS DANGEROUS. A strong password should
contain Uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special characters,
but these are difficult to remember. My solution is to use the
service of an online password vault. It works much like a safe,
you create very strong passwords, and store them in the vault
so that you don’t have to remember all of them, and you merely
have to remember a strong password so that you can access your
password vault.
“ remember to look further than just the
display price, also always do homework
on the device you’d like to purchase
”
Images sourced from maxsum.com
Term 1 | February 2016
Page 9
SPORT
NMMU CHEERLEADERS ARE
IN IT TO WIN IT
NMMU MADIBAZ CHEERLEADERS BRING HOME THE GOLD FOR
THE SECOND YEAR RUNNING
By Leigh Septoo
Team spirit and many hours of
steadfast training brought the NMMU
cheerleaders to yet another national
championship title this year. On 30
January 2016, the spirit squad competed
in Potchefstroom at the national
cheerleading
championship
where
they reigned supreme, outdoing their
opponents and winning the national title
for the second year in a row.
Along with dedication and rigorous
training, the cheerleaders prepared
themselves well in advance, rehearsing six
times a week during competition season.
The cheerleaders battled it out against
seven different universities countrywide
and had one shot to showcase their talent.
Judged by the South African Majorette
and Cheerleading Association, each team
Page 10
“Undefeated NMMU Cheerleaders strike a pose as national champions for 2016”
had the opportunity to perform for one
round where they were judged during
and after their performance. “Before each
performance, I support and motivate the
group reminding them why we are here in
the first place and that we need to give it
our all during performances,” said Greshen
Ahrens, a third year BEd Fet student and
captain of the squad.
Those words of motivation led the team
to perform to the best of their ability,
incorporating new and more complicated
stunts to better their performance as
opposed to last year’s performance.
Alongside the squad captain was team
manager, Nicki-Ann Rayepen, cheering on
her team as she watched them do what they
do best. “I am tremendously proud of them,
it was incredible to witness the culmination
point of all their hard work come to fruition
before my eyes” said Rayepen.
After their performance, the cheerleaders
were gathered to announce the winning
squad out of the three finalists which
included University of Pretoria (TUKS),
University of Johannesburg (UJ) and
NMMU. With much anticipation the squad
jumped in excitement and relief on hearing
their name being called in at first place.
“There were indeed some nerves and
anxiety but mostly excitement hearing
our squad name being called,” said Kelly
Adams, a member of the squad and
professional dancer.
All of NMMU’s cheerleaders’ hard work
definitely paid off as they hold their title
high, still undefeated and glorious as ever.
Term 1 | February 2016
SPORT
S U M M E R
R E V I E W
A LOOK AT ALL THE SPORTS THAT
NMMU COMPETED IN OVER THE
SUMMER HOLIDAYS AND HOW
OUR TEAMS DID
By Kahl Kritzinger
UNDERWATER HOCKEY
Stellenbosch University hosted the
annual interclub underwater hockey
tournament from 4 to 7 December. NMMU
was represented in the B-league, coming
away with a bronze medal after beating
Border in the third/fourth place play-offs.
Underwater hockey - Image sourced from twimg.com
CRICKET
This year’s annual T20 varsity cup cricket
tournament was held in Potchefstroom
from 25 to 30 January. NMMU was
amongst the eight teams representing their
universities and finished seventh overall.
NMMU’s best batsmen was Edward Moore
with 140 runs, with the best bowling figures
belonging to Solomzi Nqweni who achieved
a tournament total of eight wickets and a
match best of 4/26. Overall winners, Tuks,
beat Central University of Technology
(CUT) with 19 runs in the final.
Cricket - Image sourced from varsitysportssa.com
SURFING
NMMU’s Billabong surf club took part in
the South African Interclub Championships
which ran over 12 to 14 February, where
NMMU finished in fourth place overall and
first among the varsity clubs.
Surfing - Image sourced from twimg.com
Term 1 | February 2016
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