First Years Demand Your Respect!

This piece is in response to a recent house meeting I attended, in which the only post graduate in the residence addressed the first years in the group. He called us”disgusting first years” and “dirty and inconsiderate” His seemingly harsh statements were aroused by his discovery that someone had stolen his cooler box from the fridge. This targeting of a group, a group of innocent first years is somewhat biased in a residence situation from my point of view. The situation is an example of how first years are targeted before others, and how first years are seen as to blame. Second, third and fourth years believe that they are the ones first years should respect, yet this comes from a deeply entrenched belief that we should “respect our elders”. It raises questions of respect and who everyone is expected to respect.

Grades 8’s are expected to respect their Matrics in school, which is where this cycle begins. I remember believing in this cause, even when I was in Matric. Yet when I came to University, especially Rhodes, which I heard did not believe in initiation, I believed that I would encounter an atmosphere of mutual respect in which age did not matter and where there were no bigoted “elders” thinking that their three more years of experience gives them the right to single out a younger group. I was right to a degree, O Week proved comfortable, yet when it was over and the “elders” returned I faced a turnaround of fortune. The older crews were somewhat cold, seeing the first years as a lesser group in the facets of Rhodes life. They demanded respect; saw themselves as bigger men, it felt like they were doing you a favour when they were being your friend.

The initiation which is still a prevalent aspect at Stellenbosch University is a far more horrifying experience of this culture of respect. Stories range from intense hazing of first years who never talk about their experiences to students even wishing to leave their residences. These things never occur at Rhodes University, yet there is bigotry still prevalent in the residence system. Older students are seen as superior and believe that they should pass on their “culture” to the young, “naïve” first years. In terms of maturity this is a touchy subject, as older students immediately deem themselves as mature men compared to the new blood in the residence. This is a major problem as maturity is largely subjective from my point of view, as a man is only deemed truly mature when he is much older, not when he is in his 20’s. I found that my own perception of maturity was shifted when I came to university; I left home for the first time and have learnt how to fend for myself. Older students need to respect that first years learn how to cope quickly, after O week you are almost settled into life. A student a few years older than you should not be seen as an all wise adult. They are as mature as you, if not less, as it all depends on your definition of true maturity.

From this it can be seen that first years need complete undivided respect. This is a large rock to swallow for older students, yet it is the only resolution to an entrenched culture which is based on false suppositions. Especially ones they call “Post Grads” who believe that they reign over all in terms of wisdom. This system is one I hoped to break out of when I left school, the system of continuous respect of others who do not deserve respect, but unfortunately it is still prevalent in every part of society.