PALLAS ATHENA EDITION 2 | 2019
HELLO FROM THE
EDITOR
"Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged people who kept on working."
ELOUISE VAN WYK
Being one of my favourite writers, I have always thought that there is plenty of wisdom to be found in Oscar Wilde's distinctive, sharp and witty writing. I, however, thought this quote by him is especially applicable to this time of the year. I will admit that it feels like this first half of the year has already gone by in the blink of an eye and I'd be lying if I said that my battery wasn't starting to run a bit low.
The exams, that are now finally upon us, and the end of the first semester very near, everything can start to feel a bit overwhelming. That's when I find a lot of motivation in the quote above, because despite whether your feeling tired, unmotivated or just distracted by the latest episode of your new series, it's a reminder that you have the potential to make this last bit of the semester a huge success. It's times like this where it becomes important to remind yourself of all the wonderful things that still surround you like the amazing friends you share a residence with, waking up in your warm bed to the sound of rain, how pretty the autumn leaves and trees in Victoria street looks, despite having to wake up early for that 8 am class, not to mention the winter holiday that awaits us after exams. So when the winter blues threaten to get you down, take a moment, reflect, maybe flip through the pages of the Pallas with a nice cup of tea and remember that you can achieve anything you set your mind to! Thank you for reading this edition of the Pallas. The editorial team and I enjoyed have compiled a fun selection of articles on everything from news, books, series to execerise to cure any case of boredom (or to serve as a great study break read). Good luck with the exams!
WRITERS 2019: ELIZZA FREY MARIKE BESTER JEANNE RABIE CHELSEA JEAREY AURELIA MOUTON CARLA-MARIE SMUTS TARA GROBBELAAR LAILA ZOUHEIR SHANE SWART CASSANDRA VELLEMA ALTA BRUWER
CO- DESIGNER
ISABELLE MARTIN
CHELSEA JEAREY
AURELIA MOUTON
JEANNE' RABIE
MARIKE BESTER
ISABELLE MARTIN
LAILA ZOUHEIR
SHANE' SWART
ALTA BRUWER
TARA GROBBELAAR
CASSANDRA VELLEMA
ELIZZA FREY
PALLAS 2019 M E E T T H E T H E E D I T O R I A L T E A M
CARLA-MARIE' SMUTS
CONTENTS First Term Recap || Leadership || A Life in Pictures || Meaningful Conversations Balance || #PublicizeThePad || Photos || Books || Series Safety Week || Exercise || EcoBricks & Garden || Events
BY: CHELSEA JEAREY
FIRST TERM RECAP
A few stats and figures to summarise the highlights of the Minerva calendar so far…
FALL FORMAL
1 in every 7 people
wrote a test the following day but attended the dance anyways
59% 10 out of 10 rating for the stunning glasses given at the dance.
25% chance you noticed Jana Storm's flawless dress swop
of pres ended after the dance started #FashionablyLate
KKNK
FACT:
92%
We all just wanted to hear Juanita sing 'skarumba". (She never did) chance that you still have thorns stuck to your tent
11: the average number of people that pushed in front of you in the Kuiertuin line
9 out of 10
people took a photo at Ronnie’s Sex Shop (where you even at KKNK if you didn’t?)
Word of the trip: 71% chance you lost your voice by singing "Poppertjie?" at Early B or shouting "JUANITAAAA"
GENERAL
1 in every 12 Minervianers are secretly proffesional 'Rolbal' players
Fact:
The last time you held a hockey stick was Grade 9, but you still play incredibly well for Minerva
65%
chance that you are not allowed back at rolbal
40%
chance you took a video at Secret Sunrise, only to remember that the music came from headphones
THE L-WORD BY: AURELIA MOUTON Leadership is not what you think it is. Leadership does not have to be a loud person or an organized person or even a people-person. Scrap all the ideas and notions you have on hand from high school prefect elections and popularity contests. That is not leadership. Reassess what you think of leadership. Leadership is… Wait for it…
You.
Yes, you. This statement might leave you excited or disappointed at the matter of the fact that real leaders are everyday people. The only thing that separates a leader from anyone else is PASSION, PURPOSE AND PROACTIVITY. Professor Robert Quinn from the University of Michigan business school says in his book, Building The Bridge As You Walk On It, that “when we accept the world as it is, we deny our ability to see something better, and hence our ability to be something better.” A leader takes a hard look at the world, finds what is wrong with it and becomes passionate about doing something about it. Apathy is the number one killer of passion and has taken out many a leader before they even entered the arena. If you are lucky enough to stumble upon something the makes even the tiniest flame of passion flicker up somewhere inside you, fan the flame. Get to know more about it, expose yourself to it and become familiar with passion. If you feel like there is not enough kindness in the world, generate it with passion. If failing healthcare systems in developing countries stirs something in you, let that drive you to study hard and fight even harder. If you feel like there isn’t enough good music on earth - make more of it. World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma said it best: “Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you’re passionate about something, then you’re more willing to take risks.” Being passionate about something always leaves you at risk of being disappointed or disheartened. That is where purpose comes into play. If something is your purpose, you simply cannot exist as if it is not there. In the wise words of author T.D Jakes, “If you can't figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose.” Your purpose is the thing that keeps you up at night wondering if things will ever change. Your purpose is that dull ache you feel when you see injustice or abuse or poverty or unkindness. Once you know what your passion is and how it ties into your purpose, all you need to do is combat those pesky little monsters, Passivity and Procrastination. You can only bring them down with proactivity. Speak to the person at the lunch table who seems like they had a bad day and lead in compassion. Pick up the bits of plastic and foil you see glinting between the “voorgras” bushes and lead in being friendly to our earth. These acts seem small, but if you don’t do it, who will? You might end up inspiring someone else to lead too. Leadership is not positional. You don’t need to be on the HK, a Mentor or a chairperson of a committee. Do things that scare you and excite you to find what makes you a leader. Get that degree. Go on that outreach. Learn that random new hobby that just might end up being more. Smile at strangers in the halls of Minerva. Speak for those who can’t. Love when others hate. Be the enemy of empty, mundane living. Look at the world, see what is missing or broken and fix it as best you can in whatever capacity you have.
IT’S AS SIMPLE AS “BE THE CHANGE…”
A life in pictures BIG SIS LIL SIS EDITION
Look a little deeper into the lives of the Minervianers who live around you. To see more about Inke Bruwer and Grethe Retief, be sure to friend them on Facebook.
BY: ELIZZA FREY
The thing you can't live without? (student cards... yeah we went there <
What you love doing together > scrapbooking
Your face when you miss you big/lil sis... Go to pose for pictures
Your favourite place to to chill or hang out together^
Your facial expression when you ^ hear Simply The Best playing
HOW TO: Meaningful Conversations Edition BY: TARA GROBBELAAR I once heard someone describe conversation as being a linked chain that connects people. And as you converse more with a person the stronger that link becomes allowing for the formation of meaningful relationships. Conversation defines who we are as human beings. Conversations open many doorways and lead to important discussions about topics such as gender equality, race and environmental conservation. But making conversation is not always easy and many of us often fall into the trap of small talk. So how can we have more meaningful conversations?
HERE IS A BRIEF HOW-TO GUIDE ON HAVING MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS: 1. SAY "HI" AND SMILE Often the most difficult part of making conversation is getting started. The best thing to do is just leap into the conversation. Go up to a stranger with a bright smile and greet them. The worst that can happen is that they won't talk to you. 2. SKIP THE SMALL TALK AND ASK THE PERSON A MEANINGFUL QUESTION Ask them questions like "Where do you come from and where is your family from?" Or "You have a very interesting name, is there a story behind it?". Asking personal questions is a secret tool that will help you later.
3. FIND SIMILARITIES Identify at least one area where you and the person share common ground and delve into it. It makes the conversation a lot easier because it creates a sense of "sharedness". Similarities can range from you both coming from the same country or both liking Game of Thrones. 4. COMPLIMENT UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS Try to stay away from compliments such as "You're nice/awesome/cool" because in a sense we have become immune to such compliments. Rather compliment a unique characteristic of the person and make it something they are unlikely to forget. 5. ASK FOR OPINIONS Everyone has their opinions and wants to communicate it. It will pave the way for a meaningful conversation. 6. BE PRESENT (PAY ATTENTION) We've all at some point or other been in the situation where we go up to a person whom we've had a whole conversation with, but we cannot remember their name! Be there in the conversation and remember the key things the person tells you (especially their name). 7. REMEMBER THINGS ABOUT THEM This links into the previous point. Remember important details about the person (i.e. their name, place, animal, thing) and repeat it back to them. This shows the person that you are interested and encourages them to keep the conversation going.
THERE YOU HAVE IT, A FEW WAYS TO HAVE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH ANYONE YOU WANT! SO, REMEMBER, GO OUT THERE AND BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO START CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER!
Harmony vs Balance: A guide for juggling life and academics as a student. BY: LAILA ZOUHEIR Exam season is enough to overwhelm even the most op-it of us all. We all want to achieve balance between our lives and our studies, but balance is easier said than done. Balance is what is likely to come to most people's’ minds when thinking of ways to manage work and life effectively. Achieving balance is achieving a healthy ratio between time spent working and time spent enjoying life. It is especially hard to balance life and work around the exam season when you have to live and breathe past papers and vitamin B supplements, but keeping balance in mind does plant the healthy habit of checking in on yourself and making sure you don’t work yourself into a state of over-exhaustion. During these stressful times we still need to realise that there is more to life than the coming exams and finding balance can be good for your overall mental wellbeing.
Balance has been the tried and tested method of maintaining a healthy work and life relationship for a very long time, however recent evidence has shown that balance is not what we should be aiming for and rather the way to obtaining a healthy state of academics and relaxation is trying to live harmoniously instead. “What is harmony, and how is it different from balance?” you might be thinking. A new method to create a healthy academics/life relationship is very welcome indeed, for most of us at the very least. While aiming for balance is about achieving an equilibrium state between your work life and your personal life, aiming to live in a harmonious way is all about the two parts of our lives working around each other and existing together in harmony.
Harmony is a very important in that, when we apply it, we take into account that we have to for example; spend 5 hours studying on one day, some more time revising and try and meet your friend for a coffee because you haven’t seen them in a while. By finding harmony, we take into account all of these factors in our day and work them around each other making sure that each task is accounted for comfortably instead of trying to achieve a perfect 50:50 ratio between fun time and work, or between the work that needs to be done and the time we want to spend relaxing. Sometimes we are going to need to work more and that is okay, and sometimes we will have more time to do fun things and relax and the harmonious way of life takes this into account.
At the end of the day mental health is important. You don’t need to perfectly apply the principles of balance or harmony to your life perfectly, they are tools to assist you in managing your life and whatever works for you is what you should use. Ultimately, finding your own effective time-management methods is the best way to go about it, and if sometimes you happen to procrastinate a little that is okay, we are only human. Take a deep breath in and drink some tea, and if all else fails talking to friends and Minervianers always is a good reminder that we all struggle and we are all in this together.
PUBLICIZE
THE PAD BY: CASSANDRA VELLEMA
#PublicizeThePad, a trending hashtag on Instagram and Twitter, refers to a project specifically, a movement fighting for public access to sanitary pads in a bid to fight against period poverty in South Africa. The term “period poverty”, coined by the founders of the movement, refers to the phenomenon of many women having to miss days of school and work, due to menstrual cycles that they do not have the necessary products, such as pads and tampons, to deal with. The #PublicizeThePad is calling for free access to sanitary products in public spaces.
#PUBLICIZETHEPAD
PAGE 02
The movement started in the campus of the University of Cape Town, by the 3 founders, namely students Fatima-Zahra, Nicola Kruger and Ross Merckel. Through an online petition created on change.org, calling for access to free pads for those who need them, the movement has already amassed over 30000 signatures, and has become a widespread topic on social media.
“We as Publicise The Pad, would like to create
pads freely displayed on campus as if it is paper
awareness of the lack of accessibility of sanitary
is really disconcerting as the movement is
pads for women. We believe that it is a woman’s
fighting for what people who are disadvantaged
right to have access to a sanitary pad and is a
cannot afford, but at the same time using that
crucial need. Many women in South Africa live in
unattainable thing as a poster,” says Thato.
poverty and cannot afford the costs of pads,” is
Another aspect of the movement that Thato
written on the movement’s Instagram page. They
disagrees with is that there is a comparison
also strive to open conversation about issues
made between free condoms and free sanitary
surrounding menstruation, as there is a known
pads. “The movement says that periods are not a
taboo about the topic itself.
choice but sex is, and as much as this is a true
The movement has also made itself known
factor as menstruation is a natural part of every
through public displays, such as sanitary pads
fem-individual’s life… that cannot be compared
being taped in bathrooms and street lamps,
to the choice of sex,” says Thato, referring to
literally publicising the pad. Messages are
how for some instances, sex was not always a
written on the pad, ranging from to “Bleeding is
choice for those involved.Whatever way you
expensive” to “30% of girls miss school due to
look at it; statistics can support the claim that
menstruation”. These public displays bring
the #PublicizeThePad makes - “The costs of
massive attention to the plight that girls are
pads portray it as a luxurious product, when it is
faced with when it comes to menstruation.
highly essential,” say the founders. In her
The movement has gained a lot of support and
lifetime, the average woman uses 11 000
acknowledgement, even by students of other
tampons, or 22 sanitary products (pads or
universities. The movement is, however, not met
tampons per period). In South Africa with the
without criticism. Thato Mlambo inquires on
average tampon costing about R1.50 each (that
their blog, Teedo Talks Transformation, a blog
means R33 a period, or R16 500 in her lifetime)
focussed on discussing social issues, whether
and a pack of 10 sanitary pads costing R18
the public displays of the movement using
(which translates to about R36 a period, or R19
sanitary towels does more harm than good.“A
800 in her lifetime).
person who cannot afford a pad, and sees
This means that having a period is an expense that many cannot afford. Most South Africans still live below the poverty line, which means that they must use alternative means of stemming the flow.” We must also take into account the rapidly increasing price for these items, as well as the need for girls with heavier flows to buy products that can handle heavier menstruation, which are more expensive. Trainer at Sonke Gender Justice, Thulani Velebayi says: “The root cause of this problem is poverty. When having to make the choice between buying food or sanitary pads, girls will frequently choose food.” It is obvious that women and girls have to deal with not only the discomfort of their menstruation, but also the increasing costs for the related products such as tampons and sanitary pads. Fortunately, movements like Publicise the Pad and Project Dignity, an NGO that creates reusable pads, help to create awareness around the topic, and aid in the campaign to ensure accessibility of affordable menstrual products for all who need them.
TOP 10 BOOKS TO READ BEFORE YOU GRADUATE BY: CARLA-MARIE' SMUTS
Exams are fast approaching, and most people’s noses are buried in a textbook. The world of books, however, does not only exist out of academic books that you would rather throw out a window than read. Here are a few books that will either help you on your journey to adulthood or entertain you while you hide from the stress of University life. 1. Adulting: How to become a grown-up in 468 easy(ish) steps by Kelly Williams Brown The title gives it away. This book gives practical tips and useful tricks that will help you navigate life out of University. From knowing what to look for when renting a new apartment to finding a mechanic that will not rob you blind, this book will guide you through all the lessons that are not necessarily taught at University.
2. He’s just not that into you by Greg B ehrendt and Liz Tu A book consisting of ccillo tough love advise th at may save you a lo and worrying. And fo t of time r those of you that do n’t like to read, ther movie as well. e’s a of everything by Steven D. ist explores the hidden side nom eco ue rog a ics: nom ako 3. Fre Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner explores this concept and study of incentives. This book Economics, at its roots, is the at they need especially k studies how people get wh boo The . ple peo es driv at wh go to get it. evaluates g and to what lengths they will thin e sam the d nee or nt wa when other people
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c by Sophie Kinsella 4. Confessions of a Shopaholi Sometimes l therapy if you’re not careful. ua act in u yo d lan y ma y rap Retail the und Eikestad stressful day is to wander aro a er aft do to ng thi ng axi rel the most shopping book follows a woman whose is Th s. ng thi few a y bu e yb mall and ma ape to a . Reading this book is a nice esc od go n tha le ub tro re mo se habits cau ving to spend money. world of shopping without ha
5. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas This book explores the story of a girl living between two worlds and the harsh reality of police brutality. This insightful read tackles important and relevant topics from the viewpoint of a teenage girl. A must read!
TOP 10 BOOKS TO READ BEFORE YOU GRADUATE BY: CARLA-MARIE' SMUTS
6. The Power of Habit by Benjamin Chapin Habits, good and bad, play an important role in our daily lives. This book investigates the science behind creating good habits and changing bad habits. Whether your goal is to wake up early in the morning or to drink less coffee, this book might be the one for you.
7. Success under Stress: Powerful Tools for Staying Calm, Confident and Productive when the Pressure’s on by Sharon Melnick Stress plays a big role in most of our lives. This book serves as a tool kit to equip you with the necessary skills and expertise to handle stress effectively. It also focusses on helping you perform to the best of your ability while under pressure which is a essential skill to have, especially during exams.
8. To Kill a Mocking bird by Harper Lee Broaden your readin g horizons by pickin g up this classic whi difficult to read. With ch, surprisingly, isn themes like racial in ’t justice ant the dest this book deals with ruction of innocenc important topics in e, a warm and insightfu l way.
9. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling In case you haven’t read the Harry Potter books, here’s your chance. Em journey filled with witch bark on a magical es, dragons, mermaids and friendship. You ma book is for children bu y think that this t many an important les son can be found betw book. Anything from sta ee n the pages this nding up to your friend s when they are wrong another when times ge to supporting one t though, this is a must read (or a must see if yo movie). u’d rather watch the
e c i d u j e r P d Pride an
10. Your Textbook by whichever very smart person wrote it This list would not be complete without including that dreaded heap of books. But however boring they might be, they are essential to actually graduating. May you learn a few lessons, laugh at a few characters, shed a few tears and succeed in life. Happy reading!
NETFLIX:
ARE YOU STILL WATCHING? BY: ALTA BRUWER
Whether it is Game of Thrones, “7de Laan” or an old classic like Gossip Girl, every one of us has a poison of choice when it comes to series. It’s part of your normal routine to catch up on the voice on Sundays or to quickly see if the “Binnelanders” hospital is still running. We can almost go as far as to say you’re not even really a student if you don’t watch series. But why do we watch it, what makes us binge-watch and finally, what are the top ranked series out there to complete your university experience? With the new season of Game of Thrones recently starting to air, we’ve realized just how big a part series play in our lives; and when you sit down and think about it is easy to see why. We spend weeks (sometimes even years) on end immersed in the lives of characters and, as can be expected, we get attached. "Our brains code all experiences, be it watched on TV, experienced live, read in a book or imagined, as 'real' memories," explains Gayani DeSilva, M.D., a psychiatrist at Laguna Family Health Centre in California. We see characters and identify with them, either because we are exactly like them or because we aspire to be. Furthermore having seen the last episode of the newest series helps us foster relationships with others who have seen the same show. You can forget about googling “conversation starters” before going out these days, you simply must know what’s kicking in Game of Thrones! It’s easy to explain why we watch series, but a bit harder to know why we would binge watch them. The easiest explanation is that it “feels good”. Dr. Renee Carr, Psy.D, a clinical psychologist, explains this feeling a bit more scientifically: “It's due to the chemicals being released in our brain. When binge watching your favourite show, your brain is continually producing dopamine, and your body experiences a drug-like high. You experience a pseudoaddiction to the show because you develop cravings for dopamine." In a stress-filled life, binge watching a show after a particularly bad day offers a temporary escape and can, according to Dr. John Mayber, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist at Doctor on Demand, act as a helpful stress management tool. Next, we binge watch shows to get psychological closure: episodes tend to end on cliffhangers and before you know it you have convinced yourself that it might be resolved if you stay up for just “one more” episode. There are pros to binge watching your favourite show, like getting exposure to a career you’re interested in (#Grey’sAnatomy) or seeing how a virtual role model successfully handles complicated situations. But the cons, like becoming isolated or depressed, can be far worse.
ARE YOU STILL WATCHING? The key to reaping the benefits of binge watching is to do it responsibly. Set a time limit (e.g. 3 hours) and work out how many episodes will fit in that time. Then only watch half of the last episode in order to get all of the psychological closure of the previous episode without opening up any new secrets. Balancing your binge with other activities that provide different types of pleasure will also reduce the addictive effect of watching a show.
Now that you know how to safely navigate the tricky terrain of binge watching, here are the top 5 shows that everybody must see before she finishes university: New Girl
Friends How to get away with Murder That 70's Show
The Office
SAFETY WEEK BY ISABELLE MARTIN
29 April - 2 May was Minerva's first ever safety week, making it a challenge but also the perfect playground for Minerva's Safety Committee to present what they really felt was on their hearts to promote and inform Minervianers about safety. Why a safety week ? ''I asked people applying for the safety committee, to submit ideas on what the committee can do to promote safety in res. Safety week was one of the ideas given to me, and I decided to roll with it. It would give us the opportunity to have more safety events. Also I wanted to incorporate mental health in the safety portfolio this year, as I felt very little was done in the past to create mental health awareness in Minerva. So safety week was the answer. We could have two general safety events and two mental health events in the week. My hope with safety week was to promote mental health and give Minervianers tools to be safe in society.'' - Michelle Greef New things I learned DAY 1: It doesn’t take much alcohol to be over the limit, so it’s best to leave my car keys in res How to change a tire If you look at the number for campus security on your student card, and substitute the 021 with 082, you will have the whatsapp number for campus security. DAY 2: Omphalopobia is the fear of bellybuttons You should stop using social media 120 minutes before bed The best exercise for physical & mental health is dancing DAY 3: Basic self defense moves - I do think that there is much room for improvement as far as my skills go DAY 4: How to differentiate between stress and anxiety (stress is rational, anxiety is irrational) Using breathing techniques is an easy & effective way to manage stress Safety is something we often take for granted or regard as common sense. “Look right, left and right again before crossing the road” or “Don’t talk to strangers” are things we have heard from a young age. It has become so ingrained that we regard it as common sense. And what experience has taught me, sometimes we forget the things we regard as common sense and then an accident happens… Safety first is safety always and I believe it is better to proactive instead of reactive. It is important to make safety a priority and not an afterthought. Be aware of your surroundings and have a mindset of thinking safety. Small things, like getting campus security to escort you back to res from campus or vice versa, can make a huge difference. And it is as easy as sending a Whatsapp to them requesting the service (082 808 2333). “It is not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself and make your happiness a priority. It is a necessity.” – Mandy Hale Your mental health is important. Make self-care a priority. Self-care is how you take your power back.
EXERCISE YOUR MIND AND BODY BY: JEANNE RABIE
As the exam is steadily starting to walk, actually running, towards us we students start to sit down. We sit down for hours at a day to study and when we take a break what do we do? We lie down, take a nap and proceed to sitting down at our desks afterwards! We all know that exercising regularly will help us to achieve our fitness goals, and if that isn’t enough motivation- did you know that exercising regularly will also help you to achieve your academic goals? It can be quite challenging to stick to your study schedule, take adequate breaks, relax and fit enough sleep into one day while also trying to hit the gym or go for a walk/jog. With quick exercises preformed in the comfort of your own room in res you can ensure a healthy body and mind and, consequently, excel in your academics. I am not suggesting a full-on workout every day for an hour all at once, but what about a 20 minute workout as a study break, or even a 5 minute workout in four different study breaks? According to research, exercises preformed in as little as 20 minutes before studying or as a study break can boost concentration. Another research concluded that any physical activity enhances your brain’s capacities, improves your intelligence quotient (IQ), and builds concentration. When you’re studying and you end up losing focus, get up, do five minutes of walking, or do some stretching.
Here are a few examples of exercises which you can do even in the limited space between your bed and your desk and in the limited time of 5 minutes.
Follow these steps and you and your section can win the Ecobrick challenge. 1. Get your plastics ready Only use clean, dry plastic or else microbiologicals beings can grow and form methane in the bottle If there is any food, oil or dirt on your plastic, be sure to wash, then dry. Clean and dry plastic includes styrofoam, bags, packaging, straws, cellophane and is basically anything else that is not recyclable.
THE ECOBRICK MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
2. Choose a bottle Specifically, the one in your own section landing. 3. Find your perfect stick Find the correct stick which will allow you to pack the plastic well, it should be twice the height of your bottle,
with a slightly rounded tip and with a diameter roughly one third the width of a standard bottle opening– about 6mm. 4. Get creative with your ecobrick The first piece of plastic should be soft plastic with a solid colour, so be creative as it will make your trash look colourful! 5. Pack your bottle! Pack your bottle with plastic, alternating between soft and hard plastic to maximise the density. The smaller the pieces, the denser you’ll get, so cut up big plastics into smaller pieces!
BY: MARIKE BESTER
GARDENING COMMITTEE For the first time Minerva has a gardening committee! Everyone can help make Minerva’s garden the prettiest garden on campus again. We all can help by doing the smallest things, for example: - The grass is struggling to grow back, so try to walk on the paths and not over the grass. - Use your recycled water to water the plants and grass.
6. Weigh your Ecobrick Minimum Ecobrick weight = Bottle volume x 0.33 Minimum density goals are essential to ensure the quality of ecobricks as it helps to ensure good constructions, make the most of the volume and energize the social spread of ecobricks. Do be careful as Ecobricks should not be too soft as they will not be reliable enough for construction.
Congratulations you helped save the earth! What can we do with our ecobricks? You can donate your eco brick to companies that use them to create master pieces and increase awareness of the products. Or be creative and start your own ecobrick product, for example this innovative person build his house out of ecobricks.
- Do not pick the flowers – if you love it you will let it grow. - When you see litter in Minerva’s garden, please pick it up. - If your room plant is getting to big for your room, Minerva’s garden will be the perfect new home.
WORTH WAITING FOR THE LONG WAIT IS OVER BECAUSE ALL THE GOOD THINGS ARE COMING TO YOU IN THE SECOND TERM. HERE ARE THREE OF THE MAIN EVENTS YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO!
BY: SHANÉ SWART
STAY-IN-WEEKEND STAY IN WEEKEND IS COMING! The 26-28 July will be the best weekend of your life! YES, it’s stay in weekend!! The weekend is filled with amazing activities and cozy onesies. The main event at Minerva’s stay in weekend… to make friends that become sisters and what a better way to do it in sweatpants and bed hair! The weekend will be filled with great activities to get to now your fellow Minervianers and to have the best of your Uni life. Participate in everything you can and don’t miss out! Stay in weekend only comes once a year.
HOUSE DANCE
It is the day every Minervianer anxiously waits for, the day everyone can put on their finest jewelry and highest heels… Yes, you guessed it is time for House Dance! House Dance is a night of elegance where each Minervianer puts on their fanciest dress and enjoy a night of dancing, laughing and most importantly, eating the most divine 3 course meal (without counting the calories). Pre’s will be on the front lawn where you can enjoy something refreshing. At the venue the dance floor will be open, you will be having the time of your life and making memories never to forget. House Dance will be held on the 7th of August so save the date and your ticket!
SILLY SEASON Does your 8’o clock class seem little empty? Do you hear your fellow Maties complaining about low cash or see everyone with a “Serious regmaker” from ‘MyBrew’ in their hand after one serious night in town? It’s probably because it’s the famous Silly Season! What exactly is Silly Season? In the first few weeks of the second semester Stellenbosch is full of epic events, parties and House dances you can attend and have a time before final exams. It’s probably the most exciting time for any Matie! Just remember to now and again check on your old pal, HEMIS!
" For being a Matie, is just not enough" PALLAS comes from the Greek word meaning “maiden”. In Greek mythology this was the name of a friend of the goddess Athena. Athena accidentally killed her and subsequently took the name Pallas in honour of her friend.