O-WEEK

One thing I have found thus far is that most people here frequently use abbreviations in their everyday conversations – and with the awesome South African accent, sometimes things can be quite difficult to understand. So when people were saying O-week, it took me a few days to realize that it is referring to the weeklong orientation for the first years and other new students. It has a reputation of being absolutely exhausting and ridiculous as the new students accustom themselves to the university. It is quite a comprehensive program, with lectures and discussions and events about every subject imaginable (from academics – with sample lectures and public health to a hall wine&cheese and campus-wide game nights).

The first thing I learned about O-Week was at 5am on my first morning. Every morning during O-week, we are woken at around 5am for the tradition of serenades. A men’s residence (res) comes and sings to us a few songs (usually complete with some kind of dance moves or costumes or something), and then we do a song/dance for them. Afterwards, we randomly pair up with a guy to “mingle” and exchange some small talk (which is always interesting at 5am…). At first I really didn’t like this (since I’m not exactly a morning person), but it has gotten better each day because it really bonds your res together. I hope to post a video of one of the serenades this morning but I might not be able to…

I registered for classes today, and I am taking Anthropology, Economics, Politics/International Relations, and Ethnomusicology. I am really excited!!! A semester free of the crazy nursing curriculum opens my schedule for the first time to take interesting classes just for fun, something I am not exactly used to back at BC.

I went to a Christian Fellowship meeting last night and met so many nice people! We played HUMAN FOOSBALL – such an absurd and fun game (it is a human version of a table version of a human game…)!! I might start attending church and events with these people, and I am really excited! I am potentially joining other clubs (they call them societies), and considering the African drum society, the wine tasting society, the mountain society (climbing and hiking), and the Choral society. As usual, I want to do too many things… (story of my life).

More to come later! Much love to all!
--Lindapants