students as agents of social change

Have you ever experienced that feeling, that overwhelming feeling of passion and the need o do something, to change something and to be something so much bigger than what you are? I can personally say this is something I feel so often. But for some or other reason we don’t act on this passion and slowly it starts to simmer down and after days, weeks and even months of not acting on this feeling you are left with nothing but a mere memory of what of would’ve , could’ve and should’ve instead of what you did.

This blog post is dedicated to this feeling and why I had this feeling last night. In the beginning of the year every student in Stellenbosch University received an email that encouraged us to apply for a course with the Frederick Van Zyl Slabbert Institute called “Students as Agents of Social Change”. In all honesty I think that most students skimmed the email or did not even take the time to figure out what it was about but because this is where my passion lies and what I love I applied and fortunately was one of 25/26 students chosen to take part in his short course.

Last night was our 4^th session and we had an amazing opportunity to meet students from the University of Georgia. We spent the afternoon eating and socialising, getting to know one another and in truth it was the first time I had actually spoken to and gotten to know so many of my fellow “agents”. In the week each agent had to send in a photo that we identified as a problem in today’s society and then speak for 2-3 (inevitably much longer for most) about why it is a problem and what role students play in trying to fix the problem.

We discussed various topics from sustainability, education, land, politics till even imagination. We sat in a room so pumped up, our blood boiling with eagerness to say or do something. To have our opinions’ heard and to go out and change the world. But as one student from Georgia pointed out, and it’s something that is pointed out in every one of our sessions, it’s great that we are able to discuss this and to be so passionate about it but if we don’t act on this passion it says in the room we are in. All it then becomes is a weekly 2.5 hours of passion that disappears into nothing after days, weeks and inevitably months of not acting on our passions.  

Whenever I had this feeling of passion, I’d have these huge dreams of what I would accomplish but slowly but surely I would convince myself that I am far too small in this world to create this change that I dream of. But my first step is that I no longer want that passion that I feel to be limited in a room which I why I am sharing it

with each and every one of you reading this post.

I want to encourage you to start speaking about what you are passionate about, even if you are speaking to your friends about it. And don’t think that your passions are in any way inferior to someone else’s. Whether your passion is fashion, music, dancing, politics, economics or any other topic you can think of, your ideas are in no way limited or inferior and ultimately it is up to you to make you passions so much more than a passion that may one day just die down.

I hope you find in yourself the passion and strength to want, create and be so much more than even you think you are capable of

“The world is not interested in what we do for a living. What they are interested in is what we have to offer freely - hope, strength, love and the power to make a difference!” - Sasha Azevedo

a photo from our session last night - found on Lloyd's twitter account :)

A special thanks to the Frederick Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership, Lloyd Blake, (uncle) Llewlyn MacMaster, my fellow agents and the students from the University of Georgia for an amazingly inspiring and eye-opener of a night

be sure to check out what other courses are running if inerested and apply to as many as you like!

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