Blog Wow: View blog

Beliefs that shape my worldview

17 May 2024, 14:58 Publicly Viewable

As we engaged in study unit 6, we got to learn that we all come from different societies, had encountered different experiences and we have different views about life, moreover, we are socialized differently. We also learnt that we need to be aware of the blindness that we have as humans from preconceptions, prejudices and assumptions. In this blog I will be addressing my beliefs as I come from the Zulu ethnic group and how these beliefs have shaped my worldview

Greeting as a sign of acknowledgement and Respect for Elders

At home I was taught that whenever you see or meet someone that you didn’t share a night with you must greet that person. Greeting is seen as an act of communication in which a person makes his or her presence known and felt, to show attention to and respect between individuals. It also suggests a type of relationship, for example, if I’m visiting my grandfather’s house I will have to go and greet him first before greeting other family members. So even if someone passes me, I will greet that person, that is why I find it strange if someone looks me in the eye and passes without greeting me.

I was also taught that when you address an elder you must not talk to an elder while standing. I always sit down when I want to talk to my grandfather. You cannot look elders in the elders when talking to them because this shows disrespect, and you don’t answer back when an elder is disciplining you. When you see an elder in your way with heavy loads, you must help without expecting anything in return.

Don’t look yourself in a broken mirror

At home I also learnt that when you break a wall mirror, or any type of mirror has cracked you have to throw away that mirror because you cannot look at yourself in a broken mirror. Firstly, when you look at yourself in the mirror you just don’t see your physical appearance only, but you look deep down into your soul, so if the mirror is distorted your soul would reap the effects, things will get extremely bad for your soul.

Personal networks and Interactions

7 Apr 2024, 17:18 Publicly Viewable

Reflecting on personal networks and interactions is a study of the ways in which contemporary social structures and technology modify personal interactions. In this blog I will be exploring students’ treatment of information and the impact of computer and internet use on their social networks and interactions while at university.

Building Connections: Making Friends

As a growing number of students come into higher education, we bring with us our “personal communities”-the loose and informal collections of family, old school friends with whom we maintain regular contact with. As we are in university, we try to socialize in our residence by sitting in the TV room and sharing our knowledge about certain things or different aspects of life. We watch some movies in the TV room in unity and in space where we all share similar interests even though we have different people. We try to be free around people doing meet-and-greet so that we can make friends.

Navigating Social Dynamics: Balancing Academics and Social Life

As we are in a space in university, where we feel academically pressurized, it also allows our state of mind to be at equilibrium because there are also fun activities that are on campus, and we also get a chance to participate in sport. Sport is very important, not only for our physical health but also for our mental health. We also learn to be responsible for making a balance between our academics and our social life, to achieve that we have to make a timetable as to when we study and have time for ourselves.

The Impact of Personal Networks: Support and Opportunities

We often feel like we are out of space, and we need support whether emotionally, financially and psychologically. On campus we have Student Counsel when we feel like venting our problems whether they are personally or academically, so that we can feel better and be able to continue with our normal lives. In university we are given opportunities like debates, where you can show off your argument talent and other talent through shows. We are also given a chance to showcase our leadership skills. We must not only see university as an opportunity to “lift off” from the home community and “start afresh” building more “adult” and “sincere” relationships but we must see it as a place to network, learn and build our careers.

Reflections and Future Growth

Being at a space like a university is very important because our thinking capacity grows, we make better decisions in our lives regarding everyday challenges. We get to see how we can navigate through difficult times because we are alone, and we have no one to run to. We also get to be responsible for our actions and we learn how to manage our time. We also develop our skills and review their effectiveness. Our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors help us to identify our strengths and weaknesses.

This objective is to encourage its readers to reconsider their taken-for-granted assumptions about the nature of their own personal networks in terms of a changing society and technology rather than convince its reader of any certain point.

document of a day in my life

14 Mar 2024, 20:58 Publicly Viewable

SL Sithole,50874632

Blog Entry

When I wake up in the morning at 9 and do my morning routine, I go and brush my teeth because my teeth feels heavy and then I wash my face with cold water when the cold water comes in contact with my face I feel like my brain also gets the coldness and I feel like its freezes for a few seconds and that gets to me in such a way that I think my heart only beats once in a minute. Then I wait for 20 minutes so that the toothpaste can register in my teeth.

After that I go and make cereal; cornflakes and milk I love Kellog’s because they are crispy so I like the burnt smell that comes with it and I also like them with cold milk. When I put the spoon in my mouth for the first time I taste like the milk tastes spoilt but I know that happens because I’ve just whiten my teeth minutes ago but then my tongue will get used to the taste. I also feel like my teeth also freezes but then I continue because I am in love with the coldness that I encounter.

When I’m done I will then remember that I have to make my bed, I’m not the biggest fan of making bed even at home my mother will be like how do you eat when you haven’t made the bed and I will be like, food over anything. Then I will plan my day on how to make my day productive, writing done everything that I have to do because if I don’t write it done I will forget then I will end up not doing that activity or thing.

At 11 am I start to study whichever course that I’m doing in that particular, although I sometimes feel exhausted but I feel like I don’t have a choice so I must keep it moving. When I’m halfway through my study my unit mate will knock in my room door then she will ask me if I’m busy and I will say no then she will ask me to accompany her in Pick ‘n Pay then I will agree because I feel like I need a break from studying but then I will go and take a shower first.

When I think of bathing I feel like its lot of work but I think its also symbolises self -love and its quite boost my self confidence then I will take my toiletries and go to the shower. In the shower there is a button that you must press before you open the water. The purpose of this button is to start counting the minutes of the hot water, this means that hot water is only available for five minutes after that the water becomes automatically cold.

After pressing the button I stand in the shower opening the tap for hot water but firstly comes cold water I just stand there like a chicken that is standing in the rain and I will literally start shaking when the cold water comes in contact with my body ,my body just becomes. Then I will put soap on my body scrub and start scrubbing it like the surface of my skin will fall of just because I want to glow.

When I’m done I will feel fresh and new then I will get dressed. When I’m I will tell my unit mate that I’m done and we will start going. When I go out the sun be scorching, I will feel the sun om skin and I will feel like a diamond in the sky because I’m shining. My skin is just like pearls.

We will go further until we get on the shop and I will buy my lunch maybe a pizza and some snacks and we will go and pay. When I return on my room I eat lunch. When I eat my pizza that I bought from Pick ‘n Pay I just feel like the pizza is too cheesy for my liking but anyways I continue eating it because I don’t have a choice I am a student so I’m low on cash.

After eating, I resort to my studies ,I study for 2 hours then take a break for an hour then that goes on until it is time for dinner I then eat my snacks I can’t end my day without eating any junk food then I go to take a shower. Whenever I enter a shower after a long day I feel like there is a burden that is lifted on my shoulders and I feel less tired. After bathing I wear my night dress then resort to sleep.