Author Archives: Amith Ramballie

What Matters…

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While you reading this you are probably busy preparing for exams or writing it for that matter. Exams has been through the ages a fearful and anxiety provoking exercise. No matter how old you get exams still bring up images of being evaluated, forgetting information, or self-doubt at times… It seems we are “wired “to be wary about exams. This creates in us an “I wish the exams are soon over” response…

Let us re-look this exam business a little bit –

What matters about exam is that you:

  • See it as an opportunity to test yourself on all the effort you put in attending classes.
  • Preparing for the exams, you teach yourself to organise yourself, your time, cut out what is not important. On the long run you are learning to PRIORITISE… a skill you will need in your future career.
  • As a runner exercise to run and win a race…… during the exam period, you also learn to put goals out there for yourself to achieve.
  • Share quality times with fellow-students to prepare for exams… these are usually the times when you form good bonds with class mates because you are together in the “struggle”.
  • Learn how to deal with results- sometimes it is not as you expected but pick yourself up and try again…

 

 

Life is full of different “exams” it depends on our approach to them…

 

LET’S DO THIS!!!

 

 

Janine van Sitters-Mintoor

Come join the Women in Leadership Group

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The main focus of this group is to provide a supportive atmosphere where women of diverse cultural backgrounds can engage in discussion and self-expression related to the challenges, celebrations, and complexities related to their life at CPUT; and to promote their social, economic, cultural, religious and political rights.  Topics are facilitated by registered psychologists and include but are not limited to: academics, stress management, body image and hair, sexuality, and healthy relationships. These workshops embody a holistic approach to leadership, exploring how our multiple identities and experiences shape our development as woman leaders.

The Women in Leadership Group affirms that it is essential to:

  • Love and take care of yourself and stand up for what you want, need and desire.
  • Not allow yourself to be defined by myth, stereotypes or limitations.
  • Make meaningful connections and spend more time with the people you love and care about.
  • Honour your spirituality and religious beliefs by putting compassion, civility, honesty, and love into action each and every day.
  • Honour your body and engage only in those actions that bring health and wellness to your soul.
  • Promise to live out your faith in ways that draws people to you.
  • Promise to bring joy into your life and into the lives of others.
  • Promise to treat yourself by spending quality time alone, listening to music, taking a stroll, or doing nothing.
  • Promise to guard your financial health just as closely as you do your physical health.
  • Promise to apologize and ask for forgiveness when you are wrong.
  • Promise to respect and support women and to practice friendship, compassion, honesty, kindness within the sisterhood of all women.

Adapted from: Woman Redefined

Pictures of the first workshop: Topic – Defining Leadership

Leadership Workshop 2 (1) Leadership Workshop 2 (2)

 

For more information contact:

Lindelwa (021) 9596010 – Student Development (Bellville Campus)

OR

Peggy (021) 9596182 – Student Counselling (Bellville Campus).

Open Day 2014 Gallery

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This past weekend saw yet another successful Open Day hosted by CPUT. Thousands of learners, accompanied by friends, family and teachers braved the chilly Cape Town weather on the 10th May for a career-information-filled Saturday. Below are some of the pics. If you require a high resolution of a particular image, kindly contact me directly.

 

Hey, Big Spender?

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Stealth spenders are those people who spend tiny amounts of money, but unfortunately, they do it all day long, and without really recognizing  how much is flowing from their pockets ! Most of the time they don’t even notice that they are spending money, because they sooth themselves with the idea that it is “just a cuppachino”, or “just a couple of beers”……And all the browsing through the persuasive websites with their tantalising offers make it even harder not to be lured in.  Before you know, you have downloaded a new app, bought movie tickets and ordered that must-have sexy red number from the on-line boutique. And all this because you could not resist the urge to swipe a card or click “add to basket”…..

Impulsive spending has a lot to do with our emotional state of mind. Browsing and surfing around on the internet or in shopping malls is a soothing ritual which makes us feel better. Buying the actual item is not the addiction, but the soothing ritual of browsing…….So, is it not time to find yourself some new and more healthy rituals to lift your spirits? How about a stroll on the beach, or reading the daily newspapers in the town library, or lying on the grass and watching the stars at night? It can actually become a great adventure to discover new and simple ways  of spoiling yourself on a tight string budget. I found that one of the best ways to curb  spending urges, is simply to stay away from shopping malls and glossy magazines and online shops for a month. This way you can’t be influenced and brainwashed and bombarded by tantalizing offers you can’t resist. After a month, you might find that you can well live without that item you so dearly desired. You will be amazed at how much you’ll save. Give it a try at least once!

A wise man once said: “It is good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s good too to check up once in a while and make sure you haven’t lost the things money  can’t buy”.

Submitted by Dr Melléta Louw

The Student Budgeting Guide

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Financial Wellness

It’s all about the money

You’re at university now – away from home, possibly for the first time, meeting new friends and enjoying a new social scene, but being a student also means learning how to manage your money. The good news is that you don’t have to be an accountant to control your finances. This guide will give you useful tips to learn how to plan and control your spending, and save where you can.

Budgeting
Being a student can be stressful at times, (especially around exam time!); and finding an effective strategy to manage your finances will give you one less thing to worry about and hopefully keep your stress levels down. Money is a big issue for all students, and planning your budget in advance may help you avoid getting into financial difficulties. If you learn now to set up a budget and live according to it, it will be easier to develop a financial plan when you start work.

Budgeting is a personal matter, and it is important to find a system that works for you. The basic idea behind budgeting is that your expenditure (what you spend) should not be more than your income. Buy a notebook in which to plan your budget, and to record your spending. Include the following:

Income
Start by estimating your annual income. You may receive money from the following sources:

•    Bursaries
•    Scholarships
•    Financial aid
•    Part-time and vacation work
•    Family contributions
•    Student loan
•    Savings

Then break down the total into a monthly amount available to you, since it is easier to calculate the paying of bills in monthly amounts. If you return home for the holidays, take this into account – you may not need to pay accommodation fees for this period, and your family may cover food costs during this time, if this is so then the average academic year is 9 months.

Expenditure
First calculate the amount of money you will need to spend on bills monthly. These may include:

•    University fees
•    Accommodation fees
•    Municipality bills – electricity, water and rates (if-applicable)
•    Medical Expenses
•    Travel — to and from university, and to and from home for
the holidays
•    Car costs (if you have one} – petrol, tax. insurance Childcare (if
you have dependents)

These items may be seen as essentials, but the following costs will also need to be calculated.  These items can be budgeted for according to the amount of income that you have left after paying the non-negotiables.
•    Food
•    Laundry
•    Cell phone / telephone calls
•    Clothes / shoes
•    Hair
•    Toiletries
•    Books / Photocopies
•    Stationary
•    Leisure activities

Most students find it easier to work out a weekly budget in terms of what they have to spend on food, telephone calls and entertainment etc. After subtracting the essential bills from your total monthly income, assess what is left for the month.

Divide this remaining money into portions to be spent on the above Items, and then divide the month into 4 or 5 weeks (depending on the month). Some students may prefer to spend money on a visit to the hairdresser than on a night out in a club. Some students may prefer to go without new clothes so they can spend a bit more on food. Work out what your priorities are and allocate money accordingly. Remember that eating a healthy balanced diet is essential for your brain to function well, which is the reason that you are at university—to develop your brain.

Find the rest of this Essential Guide at any of our Student Counselling Offices.

It’s My Time

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So you survived the first three months of university..yayyyy!!! Started full of energy BUT you are slowly running low on energy, tired and just hope that the first term is done already!!  Here is some information on how to keep yourself going when the going gets tough…..

Some people may think self-care or nurturing is just for the fragile; the “weak willed” or “wimps”. It certainly couldn’t be for strong, ambitious university men and women….

Actually, it is a vital part of maintaining good health and a vibrant life. It’s not just an occasional manicure or partying or “jolling”. Building up a repertoire of reliable self-care habits now can affect your quality of life today, and in the future.

If it’s not a manicure or spending some down time with friends, what is it? Self-care is a way of living that incorporates behaviors that help you to be refreshed, replenish your personal motivation, and grow as a person.

It is the equivalent of keeping your car filled with petrol so that you are ready to “motor” when you want to go somewhere!

Three Main Components of Self -Care

Here are some examples of self-care in action:

Physical

*Moving your body, whether in some structured sport or exercise, or just dancing around, stretching, or walking to the park to feed the ducks.

*Give it something good to eat, that doesn’t come in a bag or box from a drive through. Cook it yourself; take time for yourself, not just whatever is the fastest thing. Get a massage or something ….. Go to the doctor when you are sick.

Mental/Emotional

*Be accepting, kind, easy to forgive yourself. How would you treat a good friend who needed some TLC? Try to take out (where you can) “I should” out of your vocabulary and say “no” at least once a week! Reasonable expectations.

*Get enough people in your life, that you can laugh with, share that pizza with, talk to seriously when an occasion comes up, who respect you and don’t expect you to do all the work of keeping up the friendship or relationship.

*Do a variety of things for fun and stimulation, some that you can do with others, and some to do alone. Having trouble coming up with an idea? Remember things you liked when you were a child, but have long ago given up. Get the creative juices flowing? Paint, draw, get out the hammer and nails and construct something.

 

 Spiritual

Develop a practice that exercises your mind and soul. However you define that.

*Whether it is a routine of prayer, meditation, attending services, that build up your spirit and faith with like minded others, exploration of yourself that helps you to identify your values and priorities, reading wisdom literature and discussions with others that deepen your knowledge of yourself and the universe, finding a way to contribute to the wellbeing of others.

 Dirty Rumors about Self Care

* Isn’t it Selfish to Put Myself First?

Some others may consider Self Care the territory of the self-involved, who have little consideration for others around them.

Wrong again!

In fact, nurturing oneself is a key factor in being able to keep up strength, resolve, motivation and inner resources to continue to give to others, whether that be your immediate partner, family and other important people in your inner circle, or the larger community around you.

You might consider that doing too much for others could deprive them of the opportunity to learn how to provide their own self care.

*I Don’t Have Time to Take Care of Myself!

If you do a “self care audit”, you will likely find that some of the activities you spend your time on now, could be better spent “recharging your own battery” Studies show that mental acuity decreases after a short period of concentrated study.

All the time management/ life goal experts say put your Self Care into your schedule, just like another class or job shift. How many times do we have to hear, “make a commitment to yourself” before we believe it?

*Do I Have to Do It Alone?

No, although the best balance is achieved with a combination of time shared with others, as well as some time alone. Your attitude of looking for opportunities to practice Self Care can go with you into almost anywhere.

Still Skeptical? Experiment! Set up a 30 day trial and see how you feel before and after.

GOOD LUCK AND REMEMBER TO BREAAAATHHHHE

Acknowledgements: Student Counselling Center , UT Dallas

Submitted by Janine van Sitters