PART TWO: A student survivor’s guide to the real world
UCT Journalism student Jessica Fish will teach you how to survive the realms of varsity
IF you’re heading off to ‘varsity this year, you will certainly be in for a shock.
Without mom and dad to run after you, coping on your own will be a whole new experience.
Here’s how to survive varsity while living on your own.
Learn how to cook
You’ve probably taken for granted the fact that mom makes dinner every night and dad packs your school lunch.
The ability to make a decent meal is essential when living on your own.
After all, you can only eat so much egg on toast or microwave popcorn before you start craving real food – trust me on this one!
If all else fails – hit the noodles
If you are fundamentally incapable of cooking (looking to the guys reading this), then two minute noodles just became your new best friend.
Even if you can cook, at R3 a pack this luxury can be enjoyed on even the tightest of student budgets. It’s quick and easy and oh so filling (but we’ll pretend to forget about all the carbs for now).
With all the flavours to choose from, how can one resist?
Know how to do laundry
I have watched many a student this year turn their beautiful white sheets into a technicolour rainbow, because they didn’t separate their colours.
Laundry is the only thing that should be sorted by colour.
And no, not all clothes were meant for the tumble dryer. And yes, your clothing probably will shrink three sizes if you put it in when the label clearly says don’t!
Learning to budget is no joke
A month is a long time and bad budgeting can lead to dire situations.
At the end of the month you may have petrol in your car, but no money in the bank.
The result – driving home on the weekend to wash your hair using mom’s conditioner to save yourself buying the expensive products at the shop.
Avoid making ‘the call’
It’s impossible not to – but try to keep it strictly to ‘in-case-of-emergencies’ only.
If you don’t know what it is, ‘the call’ is that awful ‘Mom-I-Have-No-Money’ phone call you make when you need your parents to put more money into your already empty bank account.
This usually happens after music festivals that leave you poor, or during formal season, when everyone is having their year-end dance and you need another dress.
Living on your own is no walk in the park, but it certainly is an adventure. So try out these tips, and good luck in the real world.
