Surpass Your Degree – Develop Yourself

Whether you find yourself on Jameson Stairs at the University of Cape Town, the Red Square at the University of Stellenbosch or the lawns of the University of Pretoria, an opportunity exists beyond that of your academic degree; an opportunity to surpass your degree and make significant headway in a skillset for life.

First year for anyone is a time of self-discovery, one is suddenly flung into a world where homework isn’t compulsory and your teachers aren’t constantly nagging you to finish that essay and your parents too far away to enforce their agenda on you. However, it would be foolish of any student to use this new-found freedom to pursue activities that will add little to no value to your development. Those daily trips to the pub or becoming a serial series enthusiast are not the sort of achievements that you can add to your curriculum vitae.

I am not suggesting that you should shy away from the pleasures of student life, I am rather advancing that University presents opportunities far beyond academics or the aforesaid trivialities. Universities are supposed to exist as dynamic institutions in which students reciprocate information between and amongst one another. It is for this reason that you will encounter many student organizations, which exist as domestic entities to the University or form part of larger, national organizations. It is within these societies, clubs, NGO’s, religious organizations and political parties that you are afforded an opportunity to learn from your counterparts.

I speak passionately about this very topic to any enthusiastic first year. I maintain that if you approach your time at varisty with an open head, you will soon be able to fully understand yourself as well as the South Africa that you are apart of.

FundiConnect 2cents

Whether you be in first, second or final year, go and try out a society on campus. The lessons you learn from engaging with other students will soon lead you to the conclusion that the opportunity is there for you to go further than the attainment of a qualification, and walk away with a major in life.