The cloud of all emotions: The Common Room

Without doubt the most enterprising place at res for me is the common room. Here, students engage, debate, fight, and even sleep. Different emotions are also showcased in the common room - from light-hearted moments such as identifying the res slouch potato and catching a student watching porn in the deep night, to more emotional moments, of outbursts and honest debates.

In my entries I am supposed to comment on issues which have been raised in the lounge (the common room) at my res, but lately I haven't spent much time there due to certain incidents that have happened in my res this term. So as an introduction to my various posts related to the common room, I will write on some of my most memorable moments in the common room thus far.

I thought I had seen all that is eccentric at Rhodes during the first semester, from all sorts of demonstrations, students reviving the hippie age with their choice of attire, men wearing skirts, and overwhelming history lecturers. Back to the common room. The slouch potato my resmates had identified was beginning show his mettle during the week preceding the June exams (Swot week). He would take all his books, and study directly infront of the television, whilst watching a movie. His frail-looking physique added to the amusement of this unusual sight, which was clinched with the bemused look he gave us when he walked in the common room while some of us were watching sport, and someone was sitting on his marked couch. Not to be outdone, the renowned drinking master at our res decided to gives his drinking friends a guided tour around our res, mumbling what happens in the rooms at res. He's had many other humourous episodes at res, and these characters are what makes a common room such an endearing place on occasions.

The common room has also been a place which has hosted numerous res functions, from Perve parties, to house braais. It is during these functions that I have decided to let go of myself, and savour the moments. In my tipsy stupor during these events, I would trek in my most vocal state, to the local clubs. I certainly do not excuse my occasional indulgence at the night life, as I rarely go out. But when I do go out, I make the moment worthwhile.

Tensions have been steadily building up in the common room through the year, and recently, they have burst dramtically, hence my reason for not spending much time in the common room anymore. I have been mystified at the amount of taunting some of my resmates have subjected themselves to, regarding English football league teams, and have always believed that the taunting would lead to a fight eventually. My instincts proved correct, as a fight did recently occur in the common room as a result of the taunting. I dislike fighting, and I maintain that the most supreme form of intimidation is the only understandable reason to fight. The pair were obviously provoked by the aftermath of the election of the 2009 Housecom, which was not met with the acceptance of some students at res. I'll admit, my eyes were also opened during the election, and I had my first hands-on experience on the biggest taboo facing this country.

My experiences or visits to the common room this year have created mixed emotions. The burst of excitement that surrounds the gentlemen in the room when a hot lady walks past our res, or the bitterness and anger which is apparent in scathing debates and general comments by some students, enhance my assertion on the common room being the cloud of all emotions at res.

Litha "Mpondz"