Fishing: A First year’s view

At  ALA, words have the tendency to forsake their original meanings. “Fishing” is one fo those words.Back in the days of our anscestors, fishing meant catching fish for food or as a sport. Today, fishing is the search for bae (the one, the significant other, the boo).  At ALA, fishing is now the act of flirting or making advances towards someone. Out of it, attrocious lines such as “do you know what material my shirt is made of? Boyfriend material.” or “if you were a tropical fruit you’d be a Fine-apple” arise.

Being a first year you’re considered to be fresh meat and so you’re immediately exposed to the thirst upon your arrival. People hoping to be startin’ somethin’ swarm towards you like bees to a blossoming flower. You’re stalked months before you even set foot on campus so that by the time you actually arrive, all that is left is for you to be introduced to traditions such as “quad walking” or “Sunday afternoon pizza.”

It is because we are exposed to this thirst that we receive nicknames like “thirsty firsties” regardless of the fact that we are the victims and not the predators. For those you that have not been privileged (or unlucky!)  enough  to experience this fishing first hand, do not despair because in ALA as the seasons change so does the general taste in “fish.” It is never really a question of if it will happen but when it will happen. According to my observations, some fishing seasons have passed and some are coming:

September: peak fishing time.

October: Formation of those early relationships

With November comes the “SAT celebration fishing” and the “exam support fishing.”

Still to come is my favorite type of fishing; the “December fishing.” This is the “let’s begin the New Year together” and the “no strings attached” fishing  that honestly only exists due to too much holiday excitement. Brace yourself guys; it’s coming.

Btw, for those of you in relationships, you’re not safe either. Do not forget that sometimes fish slip off the hook and someone else catches them.

Happy fishing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Song Lyrics Get You

For many of us, the music we listen to goes with our mood, and sometimes some songs apply a bit too well to your life. Here are six moments at ALA where song lyrics seem to just get you:

 

1.  When the internet is super slow

 

2. When people compliment your appearance (and you’re actuallly really tired/stressed)

 

3.  On Sundays ( it’s most likely to be sleep)

 

4. When it gets closer to the end of the year/term

 

5.When school work begins to pile up

 

6. When you order food

 

So that’s it! What other songs do you find yourself relating to your life?

5 People 1 Waterslide

Hola amigos! Hope you all had an amazing break and are looking forward to the next three…sorry…three and a half days of school before yet another weekend.

But before we go back to mechanics and Literature, let’s take a moment and relive the fun that happened yesterday. We’re talking about the afternoon spent with the water slide.

Well, it was manufactured to be a waterslide, and it pretty much does just that, UNTIL:

1. O.G gives you “the look”
2. Othmane asks you “what’s up?”
3. Seyi flashes you a sneaky smile
4. Zacky asks “how far na?”
5. Tito bellows “oya come here.”

Once you experience any of those things, the water slide become a symbol of the fight for your right to be dry, and the word “shower” becomes traumatic.

Here are our top 5 “SHOWER!!” moments from yesterday:

1. Mr DesmondMr Desmond, this is for all those Econ homeworks and tests 🙂
2. TemilayoTemilayo being dunked once again, despite her pleas
3. IbrahimJudging from Brian, Othmane and Youssef’s faces, it seems like Ibrahim was a tough one to shower
4. DeepshikaDeepshika explaining why she should not get showered again as Seyi prepares to shower her.
5. MohammedMohammed:  “Ahh Gyampo, dey don shower you too?” #madeupbutprobablytrue

Big ups to Tamasha for organizing an eventful break and the photographers that capture all these precious moments, “you are all so wonderful, thank you!” (Missy Elliott Pass That Dutch lyrics)

Who’s in your top 5 shower moments? Leave us a comment or two

Here’s what’s been up!

Hey there! It’s been a busy month on campus, and here are some pictures. Feast thine eyes.

 

Ms. Mandisa & Ms. Shoki

A few schemers

 

Year 1 v/s Year 2 Soccer Match

Bruno and Firsties

The Mauritians

Peace Day Celebration in Colors

Peace Day Celebration : Ella’s Performance

Team Bonding Exercise

3 Places, 3 Terms

A month into the school year, we can probably all admit that we  miss summer. We’d prefer “S” to stand for summer rather than school. We’d rather have our alarms going off at noon than 6am, and have brunch (because you woke up at noon) rather than breakfast and lunch separately. We’d swap our textbooks, notepads and calculators for summer novels, movies and smartphones. And finally we’d trade that class period after lunch for an hour’s worth of downtime with friends.

Fond memories of summer may have you tearing up right now, but despair not; all is not lost.  ALA is in Johannesburg- a vibrant, exciting and lively city which has tons and tons of tourist attractions that are worth a visit or two. These 3 places listed below are exciting places where you could go out with friends to de-stress from the week, get back in touch with the world, celebrate a friend’s birthday (hints thrown) and even do the “impossible”- bring summer to school over the course of the year.

And so it begins:

1. GOLD REEF CITY

Gold Reef city is one of Johannesburg’s most exciting attractions. There are enough rides for both the daredevils and the scaredy cats, sweets galore, shops and restaurants that make the park a little slice of perfection. With a proper sign out, R160 for student ID holders and a group of your besties, Gold Reef City anxiously awaits you! From experience, the rides you must not miss are The Anaconda, The Dreamboat and The Tower of Terror, so keep those in mind !P.S Hold your valuables  tight…you’ll spend some time upside down.

2. BOTANICAL GARDENS

Everyone’s Instagram is in need of a picture with a scenic park background for two reasons: 1. you get to show Instagramers your “chilled beautiful” life and 2. you finally get to use those flowery and woodsy emojis. Look no further than Botanical Gardens to have a relaxing, peaceful and picture worthy picnic.

(Seriously, imagine actually being able to appropriately use these emojis!)

3. MONTE CASINO

Get ready to debate on whether to wear semi formal attire or casual clothes, because at Monte Casino you could be having a birthday dinner for a friend at one of the many restaurants in the Casino, or watching the latest movies at the cinema. Monte Casino is an entertainment center with it’s very own Vegas-style casino (hence it’s name! )which you must visit before you leave for home. The scenery is impeccable and you will forget what country you are in for a while. It’s not a mall, so you probably won’t be revamping your closet there but it’s a great place to hang out with friends.

There you have it, an exciting place to go each term (or if you like, exciting places to go to this term).

Know any other cool places? Share, Share Share! 

 

 

In The Shoes of Mr ALA, Osadee Fadaka

On the 24th of May, this year’s Mr and Mrs ALA pageant was held in the auditorium. The new entertainment rep, Alexia Zahue, along with her entertainment team- Tamasha, organised the event and ensured the evening’s smooth running.

This year’s Mr and Mrs ALA was spectacular. The event consisted of the contestants modelling in their traditional, formal and “own style” attire, showcasing their various talents and being asked questions by the panel of judges. The event was most definitely not short of special performances as members of the crowd were entertained by the musical talent of Khloe Van Graan (Ms Bonita’s daughter), the dance moves of the dance crew Legion and the musical spoken word from Bubelo Mlilo and Tino Chijaka.

It was an amazing night that ended with even more excitement as Osadee Fadaka and Irene Peter were crowned as this year’s Mr and Mrs ALA.

Whilst ALAians Media was able to get a reflection from Irene Peter (Mrs ALA), we also got the chance to have a sit down with Osadee to talk about himself, the event and his experience.

ALAians Media: How are you doing today?
Osadee: I’m great thank you

A: How has life been as Mr ALA? Anything different happening after being given the title?
O: Nothing has really changed apart from the fact that people call me Mr ALA and not Osadee.

A: Hahaha, so Osadee, knowing how different your life became after the event, would you mind shedding light on how life was before the event (auditions and what not).
O: To be honest I didn’t want to go into the competition. Alexia asked me to come for the auditions and I reluctantly went. I waited for like three minutes but I left because I didn’t want to be there and partly because I was cold. The next day, Alexia asked me to join the competition again this time because Ebenezer dropped out. I agreed to be a contestant at the last minute because I didn’t want to disappoint Alexia and it wasn’t a big deal. From then on everything was freestyle.

A: Oh wow, talk about a story behind the winner’s journey to the top. Before the event began, how did you feel? Nervous? Anxious? Relaxed? Excited?
O: Umm, I think at first I was a bit nervous because I wasn’t quite sure of which song I would perform during the talent section of the show. But then when I knew which song I would be performing, everything became chilled and I was a bit excited.

A: Despite how you felt were there any mistakes you hoped to avoid during the show? And how did that go?
O: Yeah because I was free styling “She Ain’t You” by Chris Brown I was hoping that I wouldn’t mess up the lyrics. I omitted some words but luckily for me the crowd was singing along and my mistakes weren’t so noticeable.

A: Apart from that, how was the entire event and what was your favourite part?
O: It was cool. The event was very cool. There were some parts where it was tense, like during the interviews. But I got more relaxed during the performance in the talent stage. But as a whole, it was a really interesting show. My favourite part of the show was watching contestants showcase their talents and I really enjoyed it.

A: Are there any words of advice you would pass on to possible contestants for next year’s show?
O: I guess the best advice is just to be natural, keep it cool and be you. Oh and by the way good luck future contestants.

A: Thanks for your words of advice Osadee (not that I’m planning on running for Mr ALA next year). And thank you for taking time out to sit through this interview.
O: My pleasure. Peace!

So there you have it folks, the journey and experience of Mr ALA 2014, Osadee Fadaka. Who will be the next Mr and Mrs ALA? Let’s wait till next year’s show.

Miss ALA 2014: Irene Peter

If someone asked me what my best moments at ALA were, one of them would be-Friday the 24th of May 2014, when I was crowned Ms ALA 2014. To be honest, it was a humbling experience to witness such amazing support from the crowd as I walked shyly presenting myself to the judges and the ALA community. That night was probably one of the greatest nights of my life where I felt so much love and care from my peers. It was definitely a night in which I challenged many preconceptions I had about myself and how people see me.
It all started as a relatively normal Friday with two A-level Geography papers that I was supposed to tackle. I had a very busy day: meetings, final preparations for Geography and I still had to get ready for the Mr and Mrs ALA pageant. Because of the frustration I felt before my exams, I decided to quit the show. I almost quit the show but I thank my close friends who advised me not to stress about what I will wear or what I will do for the talent section but to see the night as a chance of challenging myself and have as much fun as possible and as a reward for finishing my exams.I was like “if my friends got my back, why should I be scared?”

What my friends told me made sense in my head but like any other human being I felt scared. I knew I did not want to regret the opportunity to try something that I love, something that I am truly passionate about. However, I lacked self-confidence. Indeed, I was terrified of how it might turn out at the end. Nevertheless, I said to myself, “you will never know until you try” hence I made a stand and went for it.
I know I can never thank everyone enough for making that day one of my best experiences at ALA but one thing for sure is that I want everyone to know that they have contributed a lot in helping me fight my preconceptions. I am and will always be very grateful for this highlight of my experience at ALA before I graduate. I hope this reflection will be an encouragement to anyone who wishes to do something but feels scared to take a risk. Put your fears behind and let your heart to take control.
Thank you very much.

Breaking news: It is cold outside.

So maybe it’s not really a shock to anyone anymore but it is kinda sorta very cold these days. We’ve known for a while that South Africa gets a bit chilly at random times all year round. Who can forget the deadly “cold front” of October 2013? You know that time when it was just randomly freezing all weekend, and many first years were wondering what led them to leave the solace of their tropical countries. Back then, we kept on being told “You think this is cold? Wait for May/June!” and everyone shuddered at the prospect of anything colder than it was. Well, now we have landed upon May, and it may in fact be said that it has been pretty darn freezing lately. And of course with this weather comes new struggles. Every morning I say to my bed “I really can’t stay” and my bed says to me “But baby it’s cold outside” (look up the song ‘baby it’s cold outside.’ It’s only slightly creepy). But yes, leaving the bed has become a battle against more than just fatigue but against the nice cold air waiting to give you a big hug once you step out of your room. But hey, cold can be fun, right? Right?

Yes! Enjoy the changes the coming of winter brings to ALA. For example, how often before did you get to see loads of students just standing in the middle of the quad like migratory penguins? Now, you get to see it whenever the sun graces us with its presence. The weather right now really makes us appreciate warmth, so instead of focusing on how bad the cold feels, focus on how good it feels when you finally get yourself warmed up. There are also loads of possibilities for fun. Pretend to be a dragon when it’s so cold that you’re breathing steam. Pull your arms into your sweater and slap your friends around with the loose sleeves. Give more hugs; just make sure they’re nice and suitable for the friend zone. Write cool messages on the frost on your windows in the morning. Jump in the leaves piled up around trees. Make lots and lots of noodles. The list could probably go on for a while. So go, make the cold cool.