Dear Freshers

By now, the intrepid among you will have asked some key questions, such as: Where’s the caf? What’s RAG? What’s DPR? What’s with the acronyms?

Cast your eye over our UCT lexicon for the low-down on vital UCT lingo, which will help you settle into your new home-away-from-home.

After casting your eye, it would be great if you clicked through all of the pages, too. Think of this (online) paper as a guide to clocking campus; a lodestar to the Promised Land; a treasure map to the foot of the rainbow. At the very least, use the maps on the centrespread of the print edition to find your lecture theatres.

We hope that the nuggets of information we have gathered for you are useful for navigating your way through first year, and beyond.

Your Orientation Leader will explain the complex bits – like what a faculty is, where you sign up for tuts, who to ask for writing help, and how to find the best spots for swotting and surfing. The OLs, like colourful oracles, are invaluable and wise guides, and can make your transition to university fun – especially because they probably won’t use words like ‘transition’.

If you’re new to Cape Town, don’t be surprised if the weather makes no sense at all. It’s truly four seasons in a day.

Mountain Rescue (their number, along with those of other essential emergency services, can be found here) would recommend taking every precaution, even for those ‘little’ treks to the King’s Blockhouse. Take heed.

Of the dozens of sports clubs, societies, political groupings and leadership bodies at UCT, it’s a good idea to get involved with at least one that grabs your attention. Nailing your studies should be your default setting, of course, but university is also a unique chance to grow your ‘soft’ skills, build international networks, evolve your thinking, and play some sport. O-Week is signing-up week.

Go forth and immerse yourself in the glory of undergrad.

Campus Life

Read more from the
2016 Orientation edition.