by Emma Giles
Just before you close your eyes for a good night’s sleep, what else would wake you but the sound of the Stellenbosch University (SU) residences roaming the streets and shouting: “Minêrva!”, “Simons!”, or “Nerina Ne Ne Nerina!”
On a stroll along Victoria street, you are surprised with a serenade by Majuba, or flyers being passed along about events. Sometimes, after a late afternoon study session you can be accompanied by students in dresses, suits and ties, or dressed up as princesses or movie characters. These events and occurrences are endless, but here are some ‘must-knows’ so you can keep up with the residences’ lingo and maybe prevent some future confusion.
The energy from welcoming continues in the residences’ respective designated weeks. Almost all residences have a week dedicated to continuing house gees and showing the town the traditions, events, ideas, or feelings that are important to them.
Toga Tuesday is annually celebrated in Minerva Week where Minervianers dress in togas–a clothing item worn in Ancient Rome—as a tribute to the Roman goddess Minerva. “The camaraderie and joy is palpable as we run down Victoria Street, in our Togas that we’ve worn all day. It is truly a memorable experience,” says Nikita Poirier, the head mentor of Minerva.
Another iconic week includes Derby week where two residences are paired to face each other in a week of somewhat friendly competition, including academic, cultural and sporting activities.
Probably one of the most consistent aspects of the residences is the constant stream of dances. The year is generally kicked off with House Fund Dances. These are semi-formal dances, generally accompanied by a creative theme, aimed at raising funds for the grand House Dance towards the end of the year. This year, Huis ten Bosch had a stand out House Fund Dance.
“Everyone looked exceptional in their Great Gatsby themed clothes. The evening was really well attended with many tickets sold. It was truly the perfect prologue to the House Dance next semester,” says Catherine Laubscher, a BEng (Mechatronics) student and Huis ten Bosch resident.
Then the star of the show is the House Dance—the ‘Matric Dance’ of university. House Dance season is filled with outfit preparation, date scouting and booked venues and décor. The evenings generally consist of dancing, food, speeches and a tribute to the leadership of that year.
However, life in these residences is not all fun and games. Time is also taken to discuss and consider real issues within the community, as well as in Stellenbosch and the rest of the country. Each residence contains a House Committee (HC)—an elected leadership board who are responsible for the organisation and running of the house. They each have designated portfolios or committees that have a sole focus, one of which is Critical Engagement. Critical Engagement aims to facilitate crucial conversations such as privilege, drinking culture, queer empowerment, and many more. It encourages the house to practise active citizenship and engage in conversations, shedding light on major issues. Residences also have mentors who are responsible for wellness and personal support in the House as well as a Seniors Committee that brings the gees and encourages involvement in residence activities.
Ways of intermingling the residences include cluster events and residence sport. Clusters are groups where residences and Commuter Student Communities (CSCs) combine to form a common network. They host events throughout the year and allow for socialising and interacting with a broader community. The residence sport leagues facilitate friendly competition amongst the residents and foster pride within residences.
Other honourable mentions are the Simonsberg Met and the Huis Visser Snoekbraai. The Simonsberg Met involves the newcomers of the residence racing on fake, self-made horses, impressive artists, and a night full of entertainment.
“This year’s Met was a very successful event with an incredible turnout of over 1600 tickets sold,” says Clayton Solomon, an HC of Simonsberg. The sponsors included Striped Horse, Varsity Vibe and G-Bets, and their headliner of the night was the amazing Majozi.
Finally, the Huisvisser Snoekbraai is worth a mention. “The Snoekbraai takes place in our quad, which gets filled knee high with foam, and of course some snoek that were braai’d by some experienced first years,” says Bekker Vorster an HC of Huis Visser.
That concludes this residence run-down. Spread the word and encourage support for these somewhat unusual events. Stellenbosch can be seen as a place of rare occurrences but in a way that adds a sense of magic and the feeling that anything can be possible.
