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Let’s Get Wasted?
I just want to make it clear that I am not preaching here, I happened to be one of the guilty parties myself, but I like to think I have it in me to curb my habit during exam fever. Exam- time is all about moderation, a moderate amount of studying, a moderate amount of procrastination and a moderate amount of letting loose at Friars on a Friday night. The problem arises when students begin to use revelry as a form of procrastination, as this is when the situation gets out of hand, and you end up with a panicking, hung-over undergraduate, cramming for an accounting exam which is due to take place in a mere 12 hours. This is, of course, the said undergraduate’s own fault and he or she should therefore deal with the consequences. However, I do believe the “pressure to party” at Rhodes does have a large role to play. One might argue that students should not give in to peer- pressure and make the conscious decision to stay in and study, but the pressure is not only from peers, it is also from the ethos of Rhodes University as a whole. One of the first things I heard about Rhodes before my arrival at this splendid institution, was that I would drink more than I ever have in my life and that there was a 1 in 5 chance I would get my stomach pumped in first year. I am proud to announce that the latter event has not taken place, but I have felt the pressure from the reputation that Rhodents have, to party harder than any other students in the country (and possibly even the world).
I guess the crux of this argument is that if you are an outgoing, adventurous, party loving student, the chances are that the drinking culture at Rhodes will take advantage of these brilliant traits and turn you into a hard-core “joller” in every sense of the word. The fact is that it is difficult to break this cycle when it comes to exams and other important academic issues. Rhodents need to exercise caution during the term so that their partying habits do not get out of hand. In this way, they will be able to cut down on their visits to the Rat during Swot Week and exams and manage to live up to the reputation of a true Rhodent, which is someone who can handle the intensity of the social scene at Rhodes but also work hard when it counts.
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2 comments:
Although I agree with your argument, it somehow seems to lack something. Perhaps that something is emotion. OK, agreed you do not want to sound like a hypocrite, but your argument lacks that punch, that this is a serious issue for some students that verge on being alcoholics (those that choose drink before study). Honestly most students might read this and agree with you, but would they actually consider this to be an issue that affects them. Passion in an argument creates a type of awe for the receiver, even if he or she does not agree with what you have said, but that passion he or she experiences will be the critical point of whether or not they will remember what you had to say. Perhaps that line between forgetfulness and remeberance is what will save them from cramming 12 hours before the exam, because they will rember the lesson you were trying to teach them. Thus your argument might fall on ears that are not deaf, but will it remained itched in their memories.
You greatly exaggerate to the borderline of mere lying. To make the generalisation that many Rhodes students have to go 'cold turkey' when it is exam time and struggle to do so, is absurd. Firstly, you are implying that a vast number of Rhodes students have been diagnosed as full blown alcoholic. Secondly, My friends and I have never met anyone who remotely fits this description, nor have I met anyone who knows a person that suffers from these symptoms.
Balance is not a difficult task to achieve. Did it ever cross your mind that many others, just like you, are able to find a balance between work and play? I happen to be one of these people, as are all my friends.
Those 'alcoholic' students you speak of are a minority at Rhodes. When it comes to finals, I think the majority of us are able to give up the bottle and get onto the bandwagon.
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