By Agnes Homwe
As a third-year student at Stellenbosch University (SU), you are more than just a student – you have practically become a local legend. You have survived the chaos, mastered essential hacks, and developed life skills that will help you beyond the lecture halls. If you are a first-year student, take notes:
The Library Spot is Sacred
That corner seat with a power outlet where the Wi-Fi connection is good? It’s yours. You have spent countless hours completing assignments there and protected the seat from unaware first-year students. It’s your fortress, and anyone who dares to take it risks an intense glare across the library.
You have a Library Crew
Your silent squad is still going strong. You do not know their names, but you trust them with your life, or at least with your laptop and other gadgets when you dash to the bathroom. You even exchange subtle nods, a universal language that says, “We’re all in this together.”
Secret Snack Stash
Whether it’s a Buzz wrap, a Miriam’s samoosa or just a Jungle bar, you have become a stealth-snacking ninja in the library. A quiet zip of your backpack, a subtle munch under the table, and no one’s the wiser – except your library crew, who caught you mid-bite once and smiled.
You’re a Campus Cartographer
You could easily draw a map of SU from memory, so forget about using Google Maps. You know every back route, whether you are navigating the library, the Neelsie, or figuring out the quickest way to avoid student traffic between lectures or lunch breaks. When exam season arrives, your venue is in an obscure location (like that one building no one has seen since Orientation Week), and you will confidently find your way there as if you have been attending lectures there all semester.
The “Art” of 08:00 Lectures
Let’s be honest: 08:00 lectures are not for the weak. However, you have mastered the art of looking awake while napping with your eyes open. Your brain automatically wakes up when the lecturer says, “This will be in the exam,” although your autopilot mode is engaged.
Group Projects = Survival of the Fittest
Group projects can test your patience. One individual usually disappears until after submission, only to reappear and ask, “How did it go, guys?” Meanwhile, you have done all the work, sent passive-aggressive reminders on WhatsApp, and promised yourself never to speak to them again.
Life on the Edge: 23:59 Submissions
If adrenaline were a sport, third years would win gold. Submitting assignments literally at the last second has become a way of life. Watching Turnitin load at 23:58 PM, your heart pounding, laptop overheating, and Wi-Fi glitching, it’s a thrill like no other. Who needs skydiving when you have deadlines?
Getting Away With Not Buying Textbooks
By third-year, you know better than to spend thousands on textbooks. You would have mastered the art of locating PDF versions, borrowing from friends, or finding an individual who miraculously has a second-hand copy. Paying full price? That could never be you.
Coffee Shop Connoisseur
You have become a professional at scouting out Stellenbosch’s best coffee spots. Whether you are there for a caffeine-fueled study session or a much-needed break, you have a favourite spot with the perfect hot chocolate, free Wi-Fi, and just enough noise to drown out your existential crisis. Bonus if you’ve memorized their operating hours and student discount days.
At this point, you are not just getting by at SU but thriving. You have figured out the ins and outs of campus life, mastered the art of last-minute submissions, and know precisely where to find the best coffee. Though you may not have all the answers, you have gathered enough tricks to make it through. Ultimately, that is what being a student is all about. If you are a first-year student and have read till here, you’re welcome for all the tips and tricks.
