My take on university (I only have 6 months' worth of experience so don't take my word for it lol)

Where do I even start? My university journey started on the 23rd of January 2019 when I moved into res as a nervous first year student at Stellenbosch University, waiting to meet her roommate, start her four-year law degree and cross the threshold into adulthood.

Let me start off by saying that this post will not tell you what you expect people to tell you about university. It's not like the movies. Not at all. Not even close. Movies don't even offer a vague glimpse into what it is really like to be at university. Initially, it's not going to be the best time of your life either. Being an adult - not just the type where you're legally an adult because you turned 18 but the kind where you actually have to act like an adult - is DIFFICULT. You start to face certain challenges and obstacles that nothing prepared you for, not even your twelve years of private school education (shocker). You realise being a living human being is the single most expensive thing on this planet, that there are no meds to treat homesickness with and that freedom is not nearly as sweet as you once thought it would be.

I think the most difficult part about university (depending, of course, where you plan to study or where you are studying) is being away from home. Here's the thing: ya girl is a cold and independent little lady who thought she needed nothing and no one to help her get through life. Did I ever think I would have difficulty adapting to a new life because I would MISS HOME? Not even once. However, this has proved to be my single biggest challenge. Halfway into first year and I am still not used to sharing a bathroom with about 100 plus other girls, sleeping in a single bed that can never compare to my bed at home, sharing my shoebox-sized room with another person, not tasting my mom's cooking for two to three months on end, seeing my family and my dogs only four times a year, shopping for myself, running errands by myself and just becoming an adult entirely by myself.

Now, let's talk about living in a different country when you are a foreigner in said country. I would like to add a disclaimer: Yes, I am legally allowed to study in South Africa and I have a valid study visa to prove it even though I am a Namibian citizen. To mention but a few administrative requirements and logistics: I had to open a new bank account, get a new phone number and take out South African medical aid (which included an immediate payment of 6 grand if I remember correctly). Keep in mind that this excludes the admin I had to go through back in 2018 before I was even AT university just to obtain a study visa so that I could go to university. Basically "moving" to a new country involves a lot, as in mountains upon mountains, of admin. For the first two weeks of university I carried a 2kg file (containing every personal document I own) around with me wherever I went in case I needed to show that I can study at this specific university and make use of all it has to offer.

"Oh and friendships?" you might ask. Being a socially awkward introvert who fears human interaction with more than two people at a time was difficult enough when I was in high school with, like, 500 other people. Throw me into the social biosphere that is a university with more than 30 000 enrolled students and I am close to death. A remarkable achievement to me is that I have, against all odds and expectations, managed to make a total of 2 amazing new friends during my six months at university. I can see you laughing but you need to understand that this is absolutely exceptional for me. Apart from my two new friendships, I have chosen to stick with the people I have known since school (I am lucky enough to have quite a bunch of my friends attend the same university as me). I know it's sad but that's me. And me doesn't like change, new people or the changes brought about by new people. Old friends for the win, yo.

I feel like at this point, after I have completely drowned this post in negativity, I should add that I have been very lucky in the sense that I am truly happy with what I am studying. Studying law (the four-year LLB degree, to be specific) has been such a privilege and for the first time in forever I actually enjoy studying because I am doing what I am passionate about and what I am good at. I also have an amazing scholarship that has provided both me and my parents with immeasurable support in the financial arena and I can never fully express my gratitude for such a blessing. Despite all the challenges I have faced this year, I am motivated to keep pushing forward and growing in this more-often-than-not horrible journey of becoming an adult because I feel like I can truly build a rewarding and fulfilling career for myself once these four years have passed. That simple fact has been my key motivation throughout these past six months and it's the reason why every time I recall all the bad times, I can confidently say "You know what? It hasn't been all bad all the time."