About the Student-Talk blog

The idea of the blog came about a day after I had started attending a program called PathwayForLife during the second quarter of 2014. It was discovered by UWC's Leadership and Social Responsibility department. It is a program that was started by a retired American couple - Mr Ray Brooke and Mrs Gay Brooke.

The aim of the program, as the department of Leadership and Social Responsibility puts it, is “to help students discover their identity with their unique set of gifts, talents and experiences; along with their dreams and ambitions". I got the courage and confidence to start the blog after the first session of the program.

The articles on the blog stem from my personal experiences as a student. What I've discovered is that we as students have common challenges which have been noted by fellow students and lecturers, too. There is also valuable information I get exposed to, which I feel other learners and students should be aware of as well. I then discovered a mission and vision, as stated below, which I long to fulfill:

The mission

The mission of the blog is to:

1. Share common challenges faced by students 
2. Share solutions obtained from personal experience, lecturers, students, student workshops and programs
3. Share valuable information obtained from student workshops and programs I've attended, from professionals and other intellectuals
4. Serve as a platform for discussions on student challenges and other topics raised on the blog 
5.  Serve as a platform for learners, students, lecturers, professionals, trainees and other intellectuals to share their experiences, challenges, solutions/strategies and advice pertaining the topics raised on the blog 
6.  Give awareness of student life to high school learners for them to prepare themselves for university.

The vision

The vision of the blog is to ensure that we as students realize our greatest potential to be what we want to be and can be. Through this, we may discover what it is we are good at. Once we get into the working world, we may excel in our field of work, because we would have prepared for something we wanted, something we're good at - something we’ll enjoy doing for the rest of our lives. Moreover, we may realize the contribution we can make to the needs of South Africa. Our passion may drive us to effectively and efficiently work to yield the greatest results for solving South Africa's needs, and perhaps those of the world at large. 

Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I certainly hope that this will encourage more people to engage in the blog. I hope it will inspire more people to initiate projects or partake in projects that contribute to similar visions.

Keep in touch - join the Student-Talk network on Twitter: https://twitter.com/student_blog ; and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Student-talk-blog-For-learners-and-students-496094020519505/

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.