Drunk...wonder what that's like...

Rhodent. The things that come to mind when we hear this word are drunk, party, loud; just to name a few. One would never associate it with academic, doesn’t drink but still manages to come home later than most after a night out. How can anyone have fun and last a whole night without alcohol is what might be running through your mind right now. Shannon is that person, a new meaning to the word Rhodent.

Shannon grew up in Margate, a town on the South Coast where the nightlife isn’t that spectacular, especially when you’ve got parents that won’t allow you out. “My matric dance was the first time I went out during my matric year,” she said, blushing. Shannon’s dad would never let her go out before then and it showed in her marks, which consisted of nothing but ‘A’s. But is this really the life any teenager should be living?

Shannon became very shy and sunk into her academics to hide from the outsiders who had her classed as a “boffin”, the term everyone wants to avoid when in school. She came to Rhodes hoping to change herself and her outlook on life, and that she did. During O-week she went out every night, coming home in the early hours of the morning along with the rest of her new friends, friends that didn’t have a stigma attached to her. This is about the point where we all assume she goes completely off the rails. Guess again because Shannon still doesn’t drink, or at least not like most Rhodents anyway. “I just don’t like the feeling of being out of control. There’s a point where you’re happy and then after that you just become crazy and I don’t like that.” It’s true, Shannon got drunk for the first time at Rhodes on…wait for it…cane train. “I don’t think I’ll be doing that again any time soon,” she said.

So how does one avoid the peer pressure, the constant nagging from her drunken friends and the temptation? Shannon has respect for herself and knows drinking is not the way forward. “It’s not good for your health or your studies,” as she correctly stated. But university is all about having fun and she says that you can have fun with one or two drinks and if you can’t remember, what’s the point?

Going out twice, sometimes three times, a week is plenty according to Shannon and this is how she plans to go through the rest of her university career. She’s a perfect example of how, at Rhodes, one doesn’t have to fall under the category of a typical Rhodent to fit in and have a great time. Shannon, along with her recently changed image from blonde to brunette, now has more friends than she’s ever had before. She’s been out more times in the last year than she had in her whole life before Rhodes and she’s trying new things along the way, without disregarding what she believes in and what her parents instilled in her. A true Rhodent in disguise…

Mind the Gap

She climbs back into bed, propped up on pillows with loosely tied hair failing to cover the slight swelling around one cheek. Another unfortunate victim of the mumps epidemic plaguing Rhodes, yet this doesn’t mask her welcoming smile or dampen her spirits in any way.

Kerry Phillips is “a million dollar girl” as described by close friend, Julia. She’s survived the transition from a wild gap year to university and is passing her first year at Rhodes. After being brought up as a small town girl in Botswana, she bravely set off on a ‘Euro trip’ where she based herself as a stooge for a junior school in Bristol, one of England’s core cities. She experienced several places, touring Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Switzerland to name a few. “It was one big party the whole year” she says, “Rhodes is too, but you actually have to balance it with work”.

It was a battle getting back into the swing of things, “it felt like I’d forgotten how to use my brain” she laughs. Her work overseas was practical, coaching sport, helping in the classroom and completing the more tedious tasks like washing clothes for the boarders. This all helped with emotional preparation, building confidence and maturity after already having dealt with the challenges of freedom and independence. “It made me realize you actually have to work for what you want, especially through the broke times”. A night sleeping in the entrance hall of a block of flats with friends in London, penniless for accommodation and pouring rain outside, was just one of the contributing factors to this realization. Apart from the worry of empty pockets, there was nothing holding her back, but “now I have to have an end in sight, focusing towards a degree” she sighs, twiddling her thumbs.

Sniggering guiltily, she admits that she still manages to go out 3-4 times a week. Wednesday nights at Union are her ultimate, dressing up to wacky themes, boarding the Cain train and playing drinking games with the girls. Flashing her cherry coated nails she giggles her confession of having an alter ego named Marshy. According to Res mate, Cit, Marshy is “hazardous, hilarious, feisty and bouncy”. She comes out to play after a few too many and is especially stimulated by box wine, although tequila is her VIP ticket to club duvet. As for lecture attendance the next day, despite her best intentions to start going again this term, she hasn’t quite got back into the routine since the “nightmare” of O-term. Of course, mumps has her bed bound as one excuse for now, but her computer screen also keeps her snuggled up watching Gossip Girl. She does still strike the balance, however, doing well in exams and getting work done.

“Before gap year I said I’d do everything no matter what, even if I’d be just scraping through and living on bread. I did it all and have no regrets” she says, and this year has been much the same. Although she regrets some of her ‘mares’ as Marshy (e.g.drunk dialing!), it’s all added to the fun of first year. Kirsten describes Kerry as “old and wise”, having experienced life to the fullest and of course being the oldest and probably most mature (at times) of her friends, but her vivacious nature always shines through.



She’s survived many obstacles, managing to keep all her DP’s. Although marks may not make for the next brain scientist, she makes sure they stay above 50% without having to cut down on party time, making her a Sotally Tober “Absolut Rhodent”.

Can You Juggle?

“I just love partying so much that I’ve kind of had to find a way to cope with Varsity, which for me is a combo of partying, sport and studying.” Says Peter Alexander Gillespie, better known as “Alex”, “Gilsey” and even some times “Ben Stiller”, who is a first year student studying BCOM at Rhodes. Since the theme of Sotally Tober is well, “living sotally tober” and so strongly linked with partying and the social aspect of a first year at Rhodes, I thought it would be appropriate as well as interesting to find out about how a student who is really into their sports, but still parties, and survives at Rhodes. Enter Alex, Under 21s rugby player, academic survivor and twice-a-week go-outer.

“Balancing three completely different parts of life isn’t easy, but trust me bru, it’s worth it!” Alex explains to me how his average day works: waking up at 5am every morning to jog 5km, going to lectures, and then returning to Res for lunch and possibly an afternoon nap. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, days normally only end at 3 or 4am, Alex tells me, because working and studying can only start when he gets back from rugby (or the gym, in the case of this term because the season is finished) really late. Even though he is currently not playing, Alex still makes a firm point of staying fit by cross-training in jogging and gyming. “But, since my weekdays are crap, it makes my Wednesdays and Fridays so much better!” These are the two days a week Alex allows himself to “get slightly mental”. Generally a Union-Friars person, he says that sometimes it’s also fun to check out other places such as The Rat, EQ, CaféBlanca and such. Usually, his Wednesday nights end at around 1 or 2am; and on Friday they “end when they end”.

“But the thing is Nev, we are so damn lucky to be at a place like Rhodes, and lately I’ve been appreciating it more than ever, so I try to stay on top of my work, because lets face it: we all know that some people won’t be here next year, and I don’t want to be one of them…” Everyone has (I hope!) at some point felt the academic pressures which exist here, and I can quite confidently guess, at any other University too, so I found it interesting to see how Alex survives the workload, even with all the other things which occupy his time. He laughs at me with a cheery, Ben Stiller-grin and says with an air of sarcasm, “Time management, buddy.” He explains that he works every single night and does assignments as soon as he gets them, so as not to leave them until the very last minute. I admire his dedication to his sport, and his enthusiasm which is helping him survive his first year.

Sometimes I find it hard to manage my own time, and don’t quite prioritise like I would like to, even though I has half as much as Alex has taking up my time. So I believe that Alex really is a “survivor of first year”, and that thanks to people like him I’m able to think about my own position. He’s learnt how to juggle (one of the more important talents one learns at Varsity), and through this he is living life Sotally Tober, still keeping up with academics and making time for his sport.

Respect, Alex!
Nev

Another thing us Rhodents love to do...dress up!

A Birthday to Forget

Okay, so here's my slightly shameful secret: I love birthdays. However having said that, since having my first birthday at Rhodes, I may have to re-consider my opinion. The thing I have learnt, through experience, is to not to let anyone know that it is your birthday then cross your fingers and hope that no-one finds out. Trust me, its safest that way. Well of course I didn’t keep my mouth shut. I told all my friends that my birthday was coming up and that they just had to come and celebrate with me. The night started out tame enough-a couple of people in my room for pre-drinks, a 1.5 litre bottle of wine that I was suppose to be sharing, music and laughter. It was only when I realised that there were 16 people squashed into my tiny room and that I had managed to finish off the bottle of wine, did I realise that this was not going to end well. After more drinks (where did they come from?) and lots more laughter (mostly at my expense) did we make it down to the Rat. Once there I have vague recollections of people buying me more drinks, a dash to the bathroom and sitting on the pavement outside. Apparently there was not enough air in the Rat to suit my drunken liking. At this point my friends decided it was time to take me home (I might have asked to go home-I’m not really sure). They thought it best if I was driven home but I was in a difficult mood and refused to get into the car-I’m not 100% sure how they finally got me in the car but they got me home and put me to bed. I hadn’t even made it to midnight. Needless to say, the next morning was hell. I did not know it was possible to be that hung-over and I’m a Rhodent! Three attempts to get put of bed, two panado and a large bottle of water later did I manage to face my friends. It was a night to be forgotten and next year I’m keeping quiet about my birthday in the hope that it will pass by unnoticed and pain-free. Watch out for your birthday-you may just regret mentioning it.
Party Hard!

Tess

PROUD TO BE RHODENTS!

What would we do without Sunday's?

The Sotally Tober Poem