Minerva Dameskoshuis
PA L L A S Athene - September 2016
Redaksie
2016 Sarah Lunt (HK and content Editor)
AnĂŠ van Zyl (Editor)
Esther Nwagboso
Wianda Gilliland
Erika Buhrmann
Kuhlekonke Kekana
last words from
Sarah A
bid farewell from the Editor and the Team! A great year it has been for the Pallas! We have developed from reports on what is just going on at res to more pieces on campus and the world, and more memes. I hope you have enjoyed reading as much as we have enjoyed writing for you. Thank you so much to my dedicated team for working so hard for the last year. You guys have been incredible and easy to work with. A special thank you to AnĂŠ van Zyl. Without her, we would not have a Pallas, she is the real Editor and I am so lucky to have had her. We wish luck to the Pallas team of next year and their new editor, Nina.
I urge everyone to apply for the Pallas committee to get some experience writing, it is easier and more fun than you would expect. All the best to the Minervaniers as they exit Silly Season and enter the academic term. Lots of love, Sarah, AnĂŠ, KK, Esther, Wianda and Erika.
Hipster's guide
To going out Cubana
Hipster Scale 1/10 If you want to meet a wSpringbok and have a cheap, fruity drink, Cubana is the place for you. Two-for-One Cocktails on Wednesday is a real money saver.
De Warenmarkt
Hipster Scale 9/10 A great vibe with a variety of beers on tap. Pretty expensive by Stellenbosch standards, but a great number of gin cocktails, so if you want to splurge and look cool, Warenmark is a great choice. R5 off beers on Thursday is as much as this snoep bar will go in terms of specials.
JC le Roux
Fancy Scale 6/10 JC le Roux is a fun, beautiful wine farm that is fairly close and reasonably priced!
De Lapa
Hipster Scale 3/10 De Lapa’s new upstairs is the first place that peeps can catch some Deep House in Stellies! Match that with the groovy oldies that gets played downstairs, and it is a pretty good time (if you don’t mind your feet sticking to the floor and drunk Academia people). De Lapa also has the cheapest drinks, and on Thursdays you can battle the bartender at Ching Chong Cha for free drinks!
Bramptons
Hipster Scale 8/10 For a lekker vibe and great pizza – Bramptons is a great choice. You may have to book because it gets pretty full, but it is always a cool time with tons of cool people. They also have a new Quiz Night if you are keen to test the brain cells and go out!
By Sarah Lunt
Maré Cheminais Miss
Huisdans
In the past month or so there have been almost too many Huisdances to count, and some girls attended more of these events than others. Now we bring you words from a professional: Maré spils some funny stories and tips & tricks to remember for your next Huisdans!
By hoeveel huisdanse was jy al in totaal? 12 (4 in 1st year, 5 in 2nd, 3 in 3rd) Watter een was die lekkerste, en hoekom? Dagbreek last year. It was until sunrise, which I was totally dreading (4pm until 8am the next day is VERY long), but it was so much fun that time just flew by! Minerva’s this year was a close 2nd though, but that was probably just because it was so special since it was my last ever. Wat is die coolste geskenkie wat jy al gekry het by ’n dans? I loved that we got rings at Minerva’s huisdans last year and the boys got Tied bowties — I’d probably say that’s my favourite “proper gift”, but this year’s sparklers and cigars at the table were probably the most special (and fun!). Het jy al ooit op ’n blind date huisdans toe gegaan? Yes, in 1st year, and promised myself I’d never do it again. It was cool enough, I mean he was a nice guy, but an entire night of small talk is just not my vibe. And you have that awkward
balance between wanting to spend time with people you know at the dance and wanting to spend time with him since you feel guilty because he paid R800 to have you there (which is a bit like prostituting your personality, but whatever). I wouldn’t recommend it, unless a bunch of your girlfriends are going with a bunch of his friends and you guys are a big group. Waar kry jy rokke? Mostly from friends. Like I always wear my own dress for my own huisdans and then borrow from friends for the others. Back in our 1st year wrap dresses were ‘in’, which was quite convenient since you can wear someone’s wrap dress in a completely different way to what they wore it so it’s like a whole new dress, but these days it’s a bit tougher. Het jy al ooit ’n wardrobe malfunction beleef? Yes! My strap broke on a dress I wore to a dance last year and it was a very low cut dress so it was so awkward,
but luckily the whole thing was taped to my chest to keep the girls in check so it wasn’t like nip-slip awkward. And then I met a girl in the bathroom who had a sewing kit in her clutch (bless your souls, obsessively-prepared crazies!) and she helped me sew it back on. Crisis averted. Wat is die oulikste manier wat ’n ou jou al Huisdans toe gevra het? Uhhhhm nobody has ever really asked me in a cute way. Or even in person I don’t think. I’ve been asked over snapchat 4 times, which is a bit of a weird trend. Enige tips vir Huisdansnewbies? In your 1st year, ask someone exciting. Someone who you’re gonna be excited to look nice for. In 1st year everyone is semi-awkward and doesn’t know that many people at dances, so it’s not a weird thing. After that, I’d say always ask a mate. Someone that you’re guaranteed a good time with and that will know lots of people at the dance so you won’t have to worry about leaving him alone every now and then. Secret to success!
A Shadowy F-U to the Nation M
any religious people like to believe in the idea of a soul and Dr Duncan MacDougall sought to provide tangible evidence. He measured the mass lost by a human being that could not be accounted for when all biological losses such as air and bodily fluids were taken into consideration. This discrepancy was viewed as the soul departing the body at death. It weighed 21 grams. Of course the scientific community absolutely crucified him (pardon the pun) but, ultimately, there was something intriguing about it as the idea of “21 grams” has become a part of popular culture. So let me put this popularised notion into perspective. You know those moments that make you doubt your faith in humanity and then you see Jon Snow rise from the dead (for all you GoT fans), and then your faith is completely restored? I’ve had plenty of these moments, sometimes without the restoration. Take for example when one of my classmates was uncomfortably trying to make himself agreeable to everyone else. He started rapping to an impromptu beat that came from his cellular device. We didn’t pay him much attention until he spouted the very kind of words that stale your mind. He had said “you feel me my negro?”. He proceeded to carry on with his bigoted utterances until at last he saw our horrific expressions.
The poor chap did not stand a chance against his fellow classmates’ lashings. I, however, took the opportunity to educate him. He was a smart guy who knew a lot about a lot. He had said that phrase so brazenly that I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he just didn’t know he was being racist. For all the monetary haemorrhaging his parents had done for his education, he did not know that you cannot say the word “negro” especially to a black person. It is no excuse but ignorance is a real epidemic and if you don’t watch out it’ll get you and your little dog too. Speaking of dogs, what is up with the hair touching? I’ve been told that it’s honest curiosity. At first it was the compliments and when people were done complimenting they proceeded to ask what my hair felt like. I was taken aback but I indulged one or two because firstly, it was just hair and secondly, I assumed there was no way they would ask unless they grew up in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere where they knew of black people but had never come across one. But then the asking graduated to reaching out and petting me like an animal.
"ignorance is a real epidemic and if you don’t watch out it’ll get you" I quote another former classmate of mine: “I could just play with your hair the entire day”. Thank you I guess? But I’m not Snoopy. We live in a beautiful 22 year old democratic and non-forcibly segregated South Africa where one wonders when we can draw the line between curiosity and a subtle middle finger to the promise of a connected rainbow nationa nation that revels in its heterogeneity. Here are a few instances of shadowy F-Us to the (integrated) Nation: 1. “I always thought that all black people spoke Xhosa. I only realised how wrong I was when I arrived at university and started making friends with people from different backgrounds.” 2. “I went to a predominantly coloured school and always assumed that all white kids were super smart because they went to expensive schools.” 3. “I didn’t know that the Free State was not the most racist province in South Africa. Coming here (to the Western Cape) was a big eye opener.” 4. “I thought Swaziland was a South African province. I know now that it is an autonomous nation” 5. “I was definitely ignorant about white privilege! Black people have faced a lot and I didn’t think to question it because my
friends and I were educated in the same places. Although it’s awkward to bring up, one should just try and understand and accept that white people have more privilege based on history.” 6. “I knew we had different cultures but I didn’t realise we had so many languages.” 7. “I still don’t know the national anthem entirely. I kind of go a bit quiet when the other languages come up and sing really loud for the English and Afrikaans parts. I’m ashamed to admit this.” What does this have to do with 21 grams? Well South Africa is such a diverse country with a multifaceted population that ignorance such as the aforementioned diminishes this diversity. Diversity is one of the core attributes of this country and our cultural ignorance plagues this core attribute and therefore our country’s soul. At this rate we’ll probably only have a measly 10 grams leftover by the time our grandchildren get to university. Heritage month is upon us and it is our responsibility to educate ourselves about the society we live in. So next time you want to check what Taylor Swift had for breakfast on Instagram, look up some of the heritage sites in South Africa. Help keep our country’s soul at 21. by Kuhlekonke Kekana
On the tolerance of male and female
sexual exploration S
tellenbosch is a university town – a town filled with students; young people, people in the beginning of adulthood who are just now starting to figure out how the rest of their lives are going to look. The youth is known for exploring, experimenting and discovering – and one of the things the youth explores, experiments with and discovers, is their sexuality. Sex is a part of adulthood, but not everyone has the same standards when it comes to having sex – especially having sex with multiple partners. There also seems to be a difference between how men who have many sexual partners and women who have many partners are viewed. This article focusses on the reactions of Stellenbosch students on their fellow students who sleep with many people and particularly the difference in reactions to women sleeping around and men sleeping around. Stellies Confessions is a popular Facebook page with nearly 15 000 likes. The page is aimed at students of the University of Stellenbosch, who can submit confessions anonymously, to be posted on the page and reacted on by other followers. For this article a study was done using Stellies Confessions as a basis. Four anonymous posts were submitted to Stellies Confessions and the reactions to these posts were recorded and studied. Two of the posts made, simply read, “Is it ok for a guy to sleep around?” and “Is it ok for a girl to sleep around?”. .
The other two posts were longer and more detailed. One was voiced by a male “speaker” complaining about his female friend who sleeps around and the other voiced by a female “speaker” about her male friend who does the same. Both “speakers” showed concern for their respective friends and their values and stated that they would like them to change their sexual lifestyles. The questions that were posted, asking whether it is ok for guys and girls to sleep around, received very similar feedback. The posts had an equal number of comments, from an equal number of male and female commenters, most stating that it is indeed ok for guys/girls to sleep around. One comment on each post relayed a joke or sarcastic comment, which implied that the sleeping around of the gender in question was to be looked down on, but other than that, the Stellies Confessions commenters were unanimous in their declaration that there is nothing wrong with a person of any gender having many sexual partners. One noteworthy difference is that the comments responding that it is ok for a girl to sleep around, received a lot more likes than the comments stating the same for guys.
From the observation of these simple posts, it would seem like the views in Stellenbosch (or at least the views strong enough to be expressed on Facebook) on male and female sexual exploration are almost identical. However, in the other two longer posts, the results were quite different. The longer posts each related a story, one voiced by a male and one by a female, expressing concern for their friends (female and male respectively) whose sex lives included many partners.The posts included some emotive words, like “loyal”, “care”, “meaningless sex”, “slut” and “fuckboy”, intended to spark some reactions. The post on the female sleeping around received a lot of attention. Half of the comments had an aggressive tone and were aimed at the poster, criticising him for judging his friend and not respecting her lifestyle. These aggressive comments (mostly made by females) also received by far the most likes and reactions. Two comments sympathised with the poster’s concern for his friend and gave advice on how to talk to her about the issue. Both of these comments were made by males. One comment (by a female) suggested that the poster’s friend might be using sex as a substitute for something that is lacking in her life and advised him to try and find out the cause. Two more comments implied that the poster did not really care for his friend, but was only jealous of the men who enjoyed a sexual relationship with her, when he could not. The overwhelming response attacking the “poster” was to be expected, since women’s sexuality and “slut-shaming” are sensitive topics on campus at the moment.
Nearly three quarters of the comments did not sympathise with the poster, but rather defended his friend or criticised his own morals and intentions. .The post relating a similar story about a woman expressing concern for her male friend’s frequent sexual interactions, did not receive nearly as much attention. In fact there was almost no reaction on this post at all. The only noteworthy comment was made by a female poster, who tagged her male friend and warned him not to follow the same sexual lifestyle that the original poster was complaining about. The scarcity of comments on this post, especially compared to the similar post in which the genders were swopped, is quite surprising. Of course this study done on the informal platform of a confessions Facebook page, cannot be completely accurate. It cannot be assumed that the views of the commenters on this page reflect the views of all Stellies students. It does, however, give us an idea of how a fair number of random students feel about frequent sexual interactions of men and women. It seems that the general consensus on Stellies Confessions is that both male and female students are or should be free to have as many sexual partners as they want. However women’s right to do this is much more vigorously defended, while no one seems to be very bothered when a man’s right to sleep around is questioned. At the same time, more people seem to show concern about a woman who sleeps around than about a man who does. The conclusion that can be drawn is that although the standards against which men’s and women’s sex lives are judged, seem to be the same, there is a lot more sensitivity regarding women and their sexual lifestyles. This sensitivity towards female sexual exploration indicates that there is a conception that women’s sexual exploration is not tolerated in this society as much as men’s, hence the defensiveness observed towards the criticism of a woman who sleeps with many men. However, according to the responses to the direct questions regarding many sexual partners, this conception does not seem to hold true. By Erika Buhrmann
Liana Maheso
SRC
Candidate W
hat do you think the role of the SRC is? The SRC needs to be on the ground and listen to the students’ needs and wants. SRC must represent what the students want. Ways SRC can improve? There is always room to learn and unlearn many things. The 2014 SRC cannot really represents 2016 students and vice versa. It is all about the timing, the people and the situation you find yourself in. What do you think about leadership development? Events and information need to made more easily available and accessible to students. There is no space for apathy. People need versatile leaders. Why did you decide to run for SRC? I am running for the safety profile as I feel that there is a need for conversation surrounding safety and more structural leadership. While there have been steps taken in the right direction such as giving
all girl residents rape whistles but this doesn’t actually deal with the fundamental safety problems that women are faced with. Student success will only occur in a safe environment.I envision a campus where safety is the priority. My mission is to create green routes rather than just a green route. A space where a combination of campus safety, occupational safety and individual safety is ensured. What profiles do you want? As I said previously stated I would like to have the safety profile. I am also interested in the student fees profile which encompasses bursaries and other financial assistance. Those are my two top options but I am open to any profile as SRC you need to be intersectional and understand all different fields. What would you have done differently this year if you were SRC? I would have added a safety person as soon as the first one left.
I would have also tried to improve communication between students and SRC. There need to be more mass meetings. The way that the speaker of parliament is chosen would also have been something that I would have changed; because if a speaker is not recognised by the students then parliament can not be held properly. However, these are only things that I would have improved and the SRC did do well in their term. Any last words? Whoever stands in a leadership position needs to listen to students and be able to compose themselves. You also need to be able to be called out and held accountable for what you do. Listen to listen and listen to lead. Don’t listen to be defensive.
By Esther Nwagboso
Who are our
NEW leading ladies?
HK 2017 I
t was two long, brutal and eventful nights in the Thom-saal of Minerva. After many questions, votes and all calls to come down one more time, Minerva’s HK of 2017 was announced and sparked brand new excitement in the ladies of our residence. Our new HK is a group of jet-setting, hairflipping, diversifying and powerful women and the Pallas congratulates each of you as individual, but we also congratulate you as a group. Minerva is looking forward to all the new adventures that you are bound to take us on. But who are these women that we are so proud to call our new HK? Where do they come from and what coffee do they like? Wonder no more, for we have the answers right here.
Each of them were asked to answer the following ten questions: 1. When is your birthday? 2. Where are you from? 3. Why did you decide to stand for HK? 4. Name three things you can’t live without. 5. What do you love most about Minerva? 6. What are you aiming to change or improve on in Minerva in 2017? 7. MyBrew, Häzz or DCM? 8. What is your favourite memory of being in Minerva? 9. Is the dress white and gold or blue and black? 10. If a movie was to be made about your life, which celebrity would play you? By Wianda Gilliland
Liane Greyvensteyn Primaria 2016/2017 BAccLLB III Birthday: 8 June Hometown: Ballito, KZN 3. I want to bring change and help challenge each other to grow and to help build lasting relationships. 4. Family & friends, God, sleep. 5. Everything! The different and unique individuals in Minerva. And our Voorgras. 6. I hope everyone will stay open minded and challenge each other. Ladies must also empower themselves and others. 7.Häzz. 8. I can’t pin point one. From dances to tea in a friend’s room to Welcoming, I love it all! 9. White and gold… I think. 10. Jennifer Aniston, I love her!
Simoné Schoeman Onder-Primaria 2016/2017 BA Taal en Kultuur II Birthday: 19 September Hometown: Duiwelskloof, Limpopo 3. I believe I have a passion for Minerva and have the leadership to take our home forward. 4. Vellies, Babylips, Campfires. 5. Minerva’s warm, loving and fun and outgoing attitude. 6. The richness of our relationships – the respect between each other and an uplifting outlook. 7. DCM. 8. The night we received our togas and Huisfondsdans (2015 and 2016). 9. I haven’t done the effort to go look. 10. Angeline Jolie, I always wanted to be Lara Croft.
Nina du Preez BAcc II Birthday: 18 October Hometown: Bellville, Western Cape. 3. HK is such a great platform to promote Minerva’s values, to build relationships, to love people, and to contribute to the house we love – I couldn’t possibly not stand, 4. Midnight Myog outings, Jimmy Fallon YouTube videos, Wi-Fi in the voorportaal. 5. Coffee breaks and people watching from the balcony. 6. I hope to use my love for creating and out-of-the-box thinking to further improve Minerva’s image and influential platforms to both the inside and outside of res. 7. Häzz! Best coffee on campus! 8. It’s the little things – 20 girls gathering in a room and Facebook stalk potential Huisdans dates. 9. Definitely white and gold. 10. Natalie Portman #goals.
Noreen van der Merwe BAccLLB II Birthday: 20 June Hometown: Somerset-West, Western Cape 3. I want to use my experience and passion to ensure that every Minervianer is heard and seen for the powerful women they are. 4. Madame Secretary (the series), my dog, Max – the cutest spaniel ever, my boyfriend/ best friend – Mr. Ross, and chocolate! 5. How we as a res and individuals are so unapologetically ourselves, we are diverse, fun and powerful and we embrace it! 6. I want to create events where women’s issues are discussed and women empowerment events are held. Where each and every one us are listened to, understood and celebrated – events where we are going to grow as leaders and individuals. 7. MyBrew. 8. Definitely after getting to elected HK and doing Minêeerva, the house song and Simply the Best in front of the house on the Voorgras – goose bump moment for me. 9. Blue and black. 10. Angelina Jolie.
Cindi Pretorius BA Law II Birthday: 10 January Hometown: Durbanville, Western Cape. 3. To make an impact on the lives of first years and to build relationships using the HK-platform. 4. My sports bra, a little background music, my Bible. 5. The view from my room, the open Voorgras but ultimately, its lively members. 6. I’d like to see a safer environment, a less pulled-back community and deeper relationships. 7. Häzz! Free Wi-Fi and klas baristas! 8. NuBar in our pajamas for Inblynaweek 2015. No one cared, they were just in Minerva and proud of it! 9. Sadly, blue and black every time. 10. Everybody loves a classic Angelina Jolie movie.
Monique Morrison BCom Financial Accounting (final) Birthday: 8 May. Hometown: Ballito, KZN. 3. To be able to inspired and make a difference and to create an environment that breeds innovation and passion. 4. My phone, coffee, my family. 5. Our gees and toga/klingel traditions. Also the fact that this is my home away from home. 6. To strive towards becoming a residence that is producing ladies that can handle any situation in the work force and on campus – forward thinking, informed and driven ladies. 7. Häzz. 8. It is impossible for me to summarise my three years here into one favourite. 9. White and gold. 10. Emma Watson.
Tiisetso Maketekete BA Humanities II Birthday: 4 December Hometown: Pretoria, Gauteng. 3. I stood in order to be a voice for the voiceless and to continue the legacy! 4. My parents, wow! Food – Pizza (air too? LOL) Jesus 5. It’s my home away from home. 6. To eliminate mediocrity. 7. Häzz. 8. Hennedinee! Yaaas! 9. Blue and black. 10. Nia Long.
Ashleigh Masara BCom Financial Management Birthday: 27 June Hometown: Harare, Zimbabwe. 3. Well, we must all take responsibility of being part of the solution. Despite my reluctance at first I have come to realise that representation in leadership structures is important in having a way for unity and dismantling the “bubble” mentality most people have. 4. Family & friends – my pillars and support structure, good food, and of course my head wraps #respectthedoek. 5. The ladies – it’s quite an experience in meeting and getting to know a diverse culture, backgrounds, religion, etc. 6. Making the ladies more aware of issues around campus and beyond. Bringing knowledge through workshops and critical engagement so that we not only see structural transformation but self-transformation. With understanding and acceptance, Minerva will have optimal growth and development. Bringing conversations to the house can actually help in bringing UNITY. 7. DCM, though I can never finish a cup of coffee no matter how good it is. 8. First year, when we received the klingels, it unified us. 9. White and gold. 10. Keri Washington or Chimanda Ngozi Adichie (people say we look alike). The only definite is that Ava DuVernay will be the director.
Eraine Parry LLB II Birthday: 3 July Hometown: Gillitts, KZN 3. To try to be a voice for the voiceless and make the res more inclusive and homely. 4. God, My mom, Harry Potter. 5. The deli. 6. Making Minerva week bigger and better. 7. Häzz. 8. Meeting my roommate for the first time and realising we get on so well. 9. White and gold. 10. Emma Watson.
Jeanette Naudé BA Law II Birthday: 19 March. Hometown: Worcester, Western Cape. 3. To challenge my own ideas about leadership and to contribute to Minerva in becoming an even more beautiful home. 4. Sunshine, my family, Jesusliefde, 5. All the Minervianers. 6. I would like to change and improve the portfolios I got which is Minerva Week, Alumni, Services and Family Day. 7. MyBrew. 8. First years’ dance was a great evening. 9. White and gold. 10. Meryl Streep.
Chameille Kiewiet LLB II Birthday: 18 October Hometown: George, Western Cape. 3. I realised if I wanted to see a change, I have to be the change or part of the movement to transformation. 4. Pretty Little Liars, God, my family. 5. The fact that it is my home and introduced me to my best friends. 6. I want to make sure that there is no feeling of disconnection between seniors and first years because we are a family. And I also want to create a space where even though we have differences of opinion we can still learn to love and respect each other and try to understand where a person is coming from before we disregard what they are saying. 7. DCM. 8.Inblynaweek 2015. 9. White and gold. 10. Nicki Minaj.
Khaliso Ledingwane BSc Applied Maths II Birthday: 14 February Hometown: Pretoria, Gauteng. 3. To have the same impact on people coming after us, just like the previous HK left for us. 4. Internet, people who I consider to be family. 5. Definitely the people. 6. Move Minerva away from being a compliant that waits for something to happen and closer to being a res that takes initiative. 7. MyBrew. 8. Hennedinee 2015, whoop whoop! 9. White and gold. 10. Zoe Saldana, don’t lie – we look alike.
Kathryn Bankart BA Social Dynamics II Birthday: 26 September Hometown: Wilderness, Western Cape/ Johannesburg, Gauteng. 3. I want to serve the women living in the residence and am passionate about personal development and raising up leaders. 4. God, my family & friends, that’s it, actually… maybe food. 5. The hearts of the women who live here. 6.I want Minervianers to be inspired and encouraged to be pro-active, positive and capable women. 7. MyBrew. 8. One thing? Probably welcoming. 9 It changes! SO WEIRD. 10. Zoey Deschanel.
Dinah-Lee Visser BA Law II Birthday: 5 July Hometown: Worcester, Western Cape. 3. I have something to offer Minerva. 4. The ability to make music, family, food. 5. Its people. 6. To make Misêrva great again – amongst other things. 7. Häzz!!! 8. Ser season 2015. We weren’t extremely good but singing with people is one of my favourite things. 9. Both, 10. The Queen of England or Queen B.
Slay in some sassy summer season styles By AnĂŠ van Zyl Mother-nature recently gave us hope that we could be nearing the end of the long, long winter. Summery days and clear skies had some girls on campus throwing on slacks and short dresses, while the rest of us hid our winter fat and pale skin for a little while longer. This may be because we have yet to buy an extended summer wardrobe, or because we just want to hold on to our warm scarves and long jeans a little longer. If you, for whatever reason, hadn't fully embraced the summer vibe yet, I'm here for you.
If you wake up on a summery day in Stellenbosch and stare at your closet like, ???, I completely sympathise with you. Sometimes putting outfits together really isn't easy, and some do it better than others. What I'm trying to say is, if you really don't feel any of the styles I put together here, that's completely OK. For example: a choker (like the one on the right) really isn't everyone's taste. Some may think it looks a little like something from 50 shades of grey, but all it really is, is a trend started by the Jenners. This look works with basically anything that has a low cut in the front, but I wouldn't advise you go to church with it. But if it suits you, do it, girl!
Another trend I see on campus often these days is the denim onezy (if you can call it that) which sort of resembles a hilbilly workers' outfit. Don't get me wrong, I really like it. It's practical (as you can alternate shirts worn underneath) and comfortable (as it is held up by straps over your shoulders, or even sleeves). I love the image on the right, where the suit is matched with a plain white shirt and a tiny choker necklace. I think it works. The sunglasses hung over her shirt also creates a chilled feel, and makes it look a little hipster. This look however is not really suitable for every figure, so wear with caution!
Ahh, our favourite, the trusty denim skirt. This item has sort of made a comeback in terms of fashion. If someone told be 3 years ago I would one day wear one of these, I would probably die. But, alas, I do love it now. This item is extremely versatile, as it can be worn with stockings (on colder days) or bare legs in summer. This particular skirt works great when paired with this dark green shirt. This skirt also flatters the figure. Beware, these skirts, although pretty, are still skirts. And skirts have a nasty habit of slipping on occasion. Please make sure your skirt is not too short - you are keen to show some skin, but make sure you don't over-expose.
Yes, I know what you're thinking - I don't have a body like that. Well, truth is, nobody has a body like that. In this article, the body is of little importance. In this passage, I'm talking about the modest, yet sexy, swimsuit on the right. I love this trend so much. I think it works on many body shapes as it can hide some "armpit-boob" and unwanted cleavage. When the tops are light of colour, worn by someone with darker skin, it looks amazing!
Minervianers making waves Simoné Schoeman, a second year student and our new vice-primaria, runs her own photography business from her room in Minerva. Since 2010, she has been taking professional digital photographs on appointment. She photographs events such as weddings, house-dances, martic-farewells, confirmations, conferences, etc. She also welcomes engagement-shoots, friendshipshoots, couple-shoots and single portraits. She has gained wide-spread recognition for her outstanding work. In 2014 she received a Solidarity national entrepreneurship-award. For any personal or professional event, Simoné Schoeman Photography is the best you can get. You can find more of her images on her website, http://schoeman.wixsite.com/ simoneschphotography, her Facebook page with the same name, or her Instagram account. You can also call her on 074 037 3415. By Ané van Zyl
Minerva Dameskoshuis PALLAS 3rd Edition, September 2016. Layout and publishing: AnĂŠ van Zyl None of the images in this pubication is it's own. Only available online.