My experience at the Cape Point Nature Reserve

My fun encounters at the Cape Point Nature Reserve

I came to campus a few minutes late, I saw my friends and we all were delighted to not do any work, and most importantly miss ISC 153's workshop. All the excitement resided in us wanting to explore what nature has to offer... and to eat of course. I arrived to the Life Science building and to my "enthusiasm" we got some homework to do, how delighted I was NOT! But then again, I am at university, so what did I expect? Well I guess to just go on this excursion without the effort that work brings. Oh.. wait... I'm a university student. I'm here to do work... and rarely go on excursions.

My excitement started when I fell in the bus. LOL, no I kid, I was actually enjoying looking out the window, from the middle seat, before I fell asleep. We made a pit-stop, where our bladders were relieved, and where we encountered that one shop that over priced biltong. Healthy and dressed warmly, I got out of the bus for the second time, and I remember how excited and thrilled i got to just hike up the cliffs of Cape point. 

Me and my adventurous friends hiked up until where we were allowed to. I remember how the winds blew us from place to place, as if we were leaves. Looking at the nature just reminds us why we have nature reserves and that was just to enjoy the utopia image that our country has to offer. The beautiful scenery was just too amazing.  I felt teary eyed, and the next moment I just felt a drop on my cheek. The strong winds caused a drop of water to land on my cheek.

We were given a hour to hike, explore, take pictures, just enjoying being away from the city and mainly just soak up the calmness that the sea brings.  The area is huge compared to the Cape flats at UWC, there is a wider range of fauna and flora, and it is just overall better.It was cold and the wind was blowing strongly, but we just weren't phased by it. Experiencing this with my friends was fun, especially because my parents weren't there to tell me "don't hike up to high", "don't stand to close" or "get down from there". Yes, I felt at ease even with the heavy winds blowing me from side to side as if I was some little kid being bullied, however I was fearing that my phone might slip right out from my hand and forever be lost in the seas.

I lost myself in the sound of the waves, the aroma the clean air gives off and the beautiful scenery, and before I knew if we were off to out next point, which was the old Lighthouse. We arrived and were welcomed by baboons, who looked like they owned the place. The hike up was a reminder to me, of how unfit I was. But nevertheless I enjoyed it. One of the funniest moments was coming face to face to a big baby baboon, he practically popped up out of no where and just sat in front of me, trying to eat a bag of condoms. I was thoroughly amused. We then got up to the top of the old Lighthouse, explored and took pictures, the scenery was breathtaking and I'm sure my parents and anybody else would enjoy it.

It was time for us to hike back down, easier than coming up. Then it was time for the reflection circle, where we used our senses to to soak up our surroundings. All in all, this was a good and fun and insightful trip, one in which I'm still suffering from the side effects that cold air and strong winds offers. Otherwise known as a flu.

Reflective Essay of Life Science in ECP

I came into University, with a clear mind and not knowing what to expect. One of my first classes was biology, but being new to University I had to get used to calling it Life Science 151. Within that first class, we were given an activity in which we had to write a paragraph on the various videos was shown to us. I remember being so excited to write the paragraph, that I lost track of time. Little did I know that time would be a major issue throughout this year.

We took no hesitation by starting with work, the first Chapter was based on life and what it entails and need to sustain. I felt very confident, as I could comply with the work as it deemed trivial to me. I remember being so excited to go to my first practical. I bought my lab coat, I wore it proudly and I of course took plenty of pictures. I felt accomplished and I knew that I could see myself in this environment. My first Life Science Practical involved us working with the microscope and familiarizing ourselves with its various components of which I knew very well, however I never worked with one individually.

As time transpired, work got more, I got more tired and all I wanted to do was sleep. However, I couldn't because I had work to do.  The work covered in Life Science 151,was merely just an extension from my final year of high school. The work was trivial, and I felt I knew everything and I therefore felt unenthused

by lectures. I felt no obligation to go to class, as it was not capturing me intellectually and I instantly felt tired the moment I entered class, however me being I was I wouldn't dare not to go to class. I sometimes ask myself , "why do I have to be dedicated and determined". The reason for this was due to it being summer and the weather was a scorcher. To me it was amazing to see how quickly the excitement of being a first year in university shifted to something way more serious. I knew what I wanted to accomplish in life, however it is going to be a tough road in which I have to comply with and be fully dedicated. With that being said, I fought through the scorching heat, exhaustion and that thing we call procrastination and I managed to get a good mark for my first semester.

A new term arrived, and the new friends I made, seemed like I made a good choice. They shared the same desires as I did and they all had a clear mind of what to become. This new term brought new opportunities,  new work, work that I enjoyed learning about.One thing that should be changed is that lectures should be more interesting to capture all of our attention as students.