Come with us now on a journey through time and space to the life of Kezia

Resting in a chair as Kezia Swanepoel enters the room; one is instantly fascinated by her charisma. This intriguing young lady is outspoken, feisty and confident. Not the characteristics one would attribute to a woman who is simply surviving first year but rather the virtues of one who rises to the occasion like the rock star she is. Startlingly for Kezia, simply surviving is exactly what first year has been about.

“I’m not a hero, I’m so lame” says Kezia curling her back as she timidly rests her head in her lap. Most of her first year has been applied to overcoming homesickness and the harrowing but curable condition, ‘awkward turtle.’ Trying fervently to blend and generate some kind of social aptness Kezia fell into the zealous party lifestyle that is synonymous with first year. This added the dimension of stilettos, sex and shooters to Kezia’s life.
Popping The Smiths into her CD player she explains her fixation with the 80s and her tumble into a whirl of binge-drinking.

Binge-drinking is an activity many first years engage in but not many acknowledge the vicious consequences that it induces. No, I’m not talking about the brutal, nasty hangover that consumes you as you desperately stumble about your corridor seeking the aid of a Panado. Kezia singles out economic scarcity, the disintegration of friendships and the mystery that is the unidentified, drunken injury as the aftermath that prompted her to alter her drinking habits.

Kezia is fun-loving and sprightly. As she puts it, “I like to boogie”. So she tackled the first year blues by going out and drinking. “Whenever I felt unhappy, I’d drink” she admits. “I’m not some crazy alcoholic” she adds. True. Going out and drinking is a common and perfectly natural activity for many first years. Leaving the security and boundaries of home, it is expected that one explores. Expected and necessary for learning and growth. Kezia has learnt to drink responsibly and maintain her self-respect. “There were days I’d wake up and feel terrible” she says as she talks about the morning that follows a big night out and this was what pressed Kezia to change her habits slightly so that she could look back on a night out with satisfaction and not regret.

Kezia cites money as one of the reasons that she’s changed her drinking habits. “As a student one has unlimited needs and a limited budget” she explains, “sure, its fun to go out and spend but not having enough money to buy toiletries because I squandered it all on alcohol was a big wake-up call”. Learning to manage financial resources is a challenge that stumps many first years. Kezia’s approach in dealing with her budget issues can be summarised in one word, prioritise. Kezia cut down on her drinking partly after coming into the realisation that having shampoo is more essential than have a big night out.

Kezia also divulges as to how a constant drinking and partying spree has restricted her in making friends. “I’d always drink with the same people” she says pushes her dark hair off her face. She admits that she never really invested her time in getting to know people in her res and build genuine friendships but was rather mesmerised by the loud, glittering party personas of the Friars mob. She was unsure of how sincere their friendship was and if she could truly rely on them. Kezia cut down on her drinking and changed her friendship circle slightly to accommodate a lifestyle she now enjoys more. “It’s nice to have friends I can stay in with as opposed to always being under pressure to going out”, she confesses.

Lastly Kezia has learnt that it is important to embrace her individuality. Drinking was a way of freezing her personality and blending in with the crowd. She’s learnt that she does not need to blend because she is different but should rather stay true to herself. A lesson that has dawned on her as she has formed bonds with people who approve of and appreciate her for who she truly is.

“What the hell”, she exclaims as we gossip and giggle. Kezia’s matchless sense of humour and ability to bend the rules of social etiquette and make them work for her will prove to be some of her most valuable qualities. Kezia is a first year hero because she has managed strike a balance between school work, forming quality relationships and partying while maintaining her unique, bubbly personality.

Kezia’s blog http://www.lchouse.blogspot.com