First Year Camp review 2010

The destination was Sediba Kwele: a camp site just over two hours outside Pretoria. The bus trip was subdued as everybody was still new to each other. On arrival we found that the camp site was set in very rustic surroundings. We were briefed by Tannie Elma, the owner of the campsite, on the rules, activities and where everybody would be spending the night. Everybody then had a chance to share a little about themselves with the rest of the group. In true Humanities style, we all then attended to the most important activity of the day: supper! After eating, we were divided into different groups. Each group had to come up with a war cry. Points were awarded for the most interesting war cry. After the horror of war cries, we all went down to the bar for a bit of socializing and dancing. After all that it was of to the pool for more socializing and bonding.

On Day 2, it is amazing that everybody was able to get up on time after the previous night… After breakfast, everybody headed for the obstacle course. The designer of the obstacle course was obviously devious, as it was made to test the endurance and teamwork of the different groups. Every team was able to complete the course with great enthusiasm. It was so rewarding to see each person supporting his or her group members. The mud pool was the next item on the agenda. The guys first jumped in for a very manly mini-wrestling match with each other. The ladies then jumped in. They splashed mud on everybody. Tannie Elma murmured that all the House Committee members were still very clean - before Tanie Elma had finished her sentence, Tshepo had run far up the road to get away from the chaos that awaited. Troy,Gert and Gareth soon followed. The rest of the House Committee ran off into the bushes. I have never seen people run off that fast! After all the commotion, everybody had a chance to clean themselves at the dam, but we did not stay long to become overly acquainted with the leeches in the dam! We all then went back to our rooms to get cleaned up. A group of us sat around the pool to talk about the surprises of the day so far.
After lunch everybody went into their groups to make up a play that would entertain the House Committee. They also had to decorate the tables that they would be dining at and braai their own meat. The 3^rd group’s play was the funniest. They decided to mimic each House Committee member as they had seen them behaving during the day. It was hilarious to see the way other people see us. We all then enjoyed a well-earned supper.
After supper we all went down to the bar for a night of great music and great company under the African sky. Nothing can beat that! Some of the guys went down to the pool to have a little swim. People left the pool area between 3 and 7 in the morning.

Day 3 was the final day of the camp. We all woke up late. After enjoying a hearty breakfast, we packed and then met up at the pool area to shoot the breeze before being transported to the dam to await the arrival of the bus. After our last goodbyes to Tannie Elma and Sediba Kwele, we left to arrive in Pretoria at about 8 in the evening.

What an experience! It is one of the greatest ways to begin your university career. Many of us were not all that keen on going on the camp, but after camp, we all wished it had never ended. We came as strangers, but left as friends. These are the memories that will be with us forever. These are the people we will remember for life. That is what Humanities is truly about.