Flashback Moments

Sitting here, packing for my two month holiday...I cannot help but reflect on all that has happened in my first semester away from home, at university.

Mixed emotions as I think back about the alpha of my journey, here in Bloemfontein, remembering how I found myself unhappier than I did content.

I loathed my parents for sending me away from all that made me happy- my friends, my family and of course Neighbourgoods Market!

I was certain that this experience would not be a metamorphosis but would merely be change…change that I did not seek or want.

But, as a primitive being, I had the basic instinct of survival. I soldiered on each and every day holding onto any grasp of happiness that I could find. I had to find content in all my sadness.

Lucky for me I had an army behind me….

I was blessed with family away from home. My cousins- Tumi, Neli and Lebo made what seemed to be the end of the world, a rather less dull and miserable place. I also met some really lovely friends... it seems that having exactly 5 friends does not deem me a social butterfly… but it is a start right??

The funny thing about home-sickness is the fact that it never goes away! It is a like an unexplained cough that will return unexpectedly at any given time! So the best cure for it (as I later found out) is keeping oneself busy…and so I did.

Friday nights, to most students, are nights filled with friends, fun and laughter but to me- Friday was a night spent "Skyping" with friends back home or stalking Facebook profiles longing to be part of those Jozi/Pretoria-fun-filled nights…I became the sad, miserable girl who lives on the fourth floor. So I made the conscious decision to go out there and do something!

So therefore to keep me busy, I (Firstly) volunteered to do community service (with help of Kovsgem- Imperium). Although I am still fairly new, this has allowed me to meet other people who like to help others, just as I do -the best decision that I have taken all year long. I realized that although I missed home, I was lucky enough to have a home to miss. I was able to, every Friday,  bring some happiness to people who have more reasons to be unhappy than I do.

Secondly, I drowned all home-sickness thoughts with the great music and radio personalities of 5FM.  I was not a big fan of listening to the radio until I realized how boring life without DSTV is! I became a regular listener to, my now favourite, Gareth Cliff’s and Roger Goode’s show … actually I became a regular listener to all the 5FM shows from Rob Forbes to DJ Fresh. This brought about my new found love of Radio!! So I started listening to Kovsie FM too… I figured even the little dog deserved a listen once in awhile and to my surprise- I loved that too!!

So my days were therefore filled with school, radio and more school and radio…till one day I found myself auditioning for Kovsie FM and later that month- meeting Gareth Cliff…Was the universe telling me something? 

Well I am proud to say that I have now officially broken my on-air (radio) virginity! I have been lucky enough to temporarily, for the past 2 weeks, read the news and co-host on Kovsie FM! I am excited and optimistic about what the next couple of months will bring!

                 

Thirdly, I immersed myself in all that is Kovsie and the University of the Free State… I attended campus activities that resulted in me meeting the very handsome model- Stevel Marc!

I also had the opportunity to see Black Coffee and Ralph Gum- Live…guess I was not missing out on so much after all …suck on that Joburg!

Lastly, I optimized my luck! I looked for the golden four leaf clover everywhere that I went. I entered each any every competition that I found…It’s amazing how many hours you can spend entering competitions online thanks to Facebook and Twitter, how can you possible miss home when all you can think about is winning. With that said, I adapted the slogan “A day without entering a competition is a day wasted…” This resulted with me finding luck at every corner that I turned...the results were as follows-

                                                       

I have won a Wimpy Voucher!

                                I won tickets to see Ralph Gum perform live!

I won R1000! For #Finding my spark, thanks to Chevrolet!

And lastly, my friend (Jade) and I have won a make-up lesson, a photo-shoot and are finalists to win a trip to New York to meet Bobbi Brown thanks to Bobbi Brown South Africa!

It is evident that my  first semester at university has been quite the roller-coaster ride of emotions! 

Although I have missed out on many things back home,  I have been blessed with great opportunities, lucky moments and many memories worth cherishing here in Bloemfontein...I have chosen to take this daunting and unwanted experience and convert it into a fun-filled, exciting journey of self-discovery and growth! 

I have decided to embrace my life and the miraculous power of God's way. I have optimized the use of the human mind and perception so that I can perceive the change in my life in the way that I want and seek. I have declared the change in my life as metamorphic...and not just merely change because if I remain happy with average, insignificant change...I will remain unhappily content.

I hope that you may all see past the darkness and unhappiness in your lives to find all the beautiful things that will leave you content...just as I am learning to do the same.