Commerce orientation invaluable for freshers

Blue shirts were joined by a splash of yellow on Jammie Plaza as UCT's Faculty of Commerce got their 2013 Orientation programme underway on 23 January.

Stereotypical images of collared-and-tied actuaries were blown out of the water as first-year students got a lively welcome from their enthusiastic orientation leaders (OLs).

Once the official welcomes by UCT representatives had been seen to, the less official but more exhilarating business of watching the OLs dance, sing and be cheerful got underway. The OLs explained that this was to demonstrate that while the institution takes academic excellence and professionalism very seriously, there's also lots of fun to be had.

"I think the most important aspect of orientation is that it sets the tone in terms of what universities are all about, the calibre of people that we expect here and the sort of activities that we offer," explained Noxolo Mlambo, an OL.

Colleague Barnabus Sungayi added that his own (less than wonderful) experience of orientation had inspired him to do his bit to help the 2013 greenhorns settle as smoothly as possible.

"I had to do the second orientation for latecomers, so, for the first two weeks, I was completely lost," explains Sungayi. "It was a tough time. Hopefully these new students can learn from that and realise that they are privileged to have this opportunity to be introduced to UCT in this way."

First-year student Carla Stutz was champing at the bit to get stuck into campus life.

"I'm just hoping to understand [the nuts and bolts] and get a sense of the fellowship around the place," Stutz says. "I'm quite excited to start. I want to start my life and I know where I want to go."