By Agnes Homwe
For many students, university is a place where academic paths and personal passions often diverge. Studying something completely different from what you love can feel like a loss of structure, identity, or creative outlet. For Stellenbosch University (SU) students Jack Enslin, Kyra de Maudave Bestel, and Justin de Villiers, cultural societies and independent organisations have become vital spaces for keeping their passions alive.
Enslin, a second-year BSc (Food Science) student, admits that his degree is “quite far removed from his passion for music”. Despite this, he continues playing the French horn with the Winelands Philharmonic Orchestra. “Being part of the orchestra gives me a creative outlet. It’s a welcome mental break from the academic stress I face throughout the week.”
Weekly Thursday rehearsals act as a “forced break” which allow him to step away from academic pressure and reconnect with music-minded people.
For De Maudave Bestel, a second-year BDataSci student specialising in applied mathematics, music and performance have always been part of her life.
“These cultural activities aren’t just hobbies for me, they’re part of my identity,” she says. While her degree is analytical and structured, music stimulates different interests in different parts of her brain. “I love having very different interests, because the experiences you get to have are just so varying.” Being involved in residence acapella, singing lessons, and independent performances gives her both creative expression and consistency.
“Having rehearsals at a set time gives me structure to base my life around,” she added.
De Villiers, a third-year BSc (Geoinformatics) student, echoes this sentiment through dance. He highlights how his degree differs from his cultural passions. The one involves sitting behind a screen, while the other involves movement, and that contrast is exactly what he loves. Through the Maties Ballroom and Latin Dance Society, de Villiers found a way to combine music, movement and community. “These activities allow me to express myself and work towards something beautiful and fulfilling in a way that academics can’t.”
All three students highlight the importance of balance. Enslin notes that orchestra commitments force him to plan his academic work better, while De Maudave Bestel believes that “when you’re busy, you actually manage your time more efficiently”. Justin adds that completely cutting out cultural activities during stressful periods negatively affects his mental health and ultimately his academics, too.
Their shared message is clear. Cultural passion doesn’t disappear when it’s not part of your degree. Through societies, independent groups and personal initiative, students can continue to create, perform and belong, proving that university life is richer when passion and academics coexist.
