January Blues

Good morning/afternoon/evening, you beautiful people!

A little late Christmas letter that I feel still holds relevance in January, considering all the bills that have to paid at the beginning of a new year and academic season.

I know ( as a marketer and consumer) that Christmas and the holidays surrounding it can be one big splurge or at least a great temptation to do so. Christmas lights, tree decorations, new clothes, lots of food. All of these requiring one thing in common, money!

The pressure can feel overwhelming. With the beginning of the academic year, the needs, lists and responsibilities are endless. 

It's okay to feel and be overwhelmed, it's okay, the beginning of the year is always stressful for me as I try to find my way and rhythm as the year progresses. I allow myself to be and somehow I always find my way in the end! 

Do your best, focus on what's on your plate and what you have the power to change and work on. Remembering that you do indeed have power to change, to improve and progress. Your circumstances are not permanent, as nothing is in life but the direction in which it goes has a lot to do with you. 

Whether that change requires you to ask for help or pray more, study more, start a side hustle or get a part time job. Take this as your sign to do it, go for it! Life may not be fair or easy and many things happen to us outside of our control but your reaction decides how your life will be altered and shaped. 

January blues come like clockwork for me but I am starting to realize that I have more power over my life than I was led to believe. 

Take it one week at a time. Don't overwhelm yourself but don't allow life to overwhelm you either. 'Embrace your power and face your future', I truly believe that 2024 will be beautiful for us all, even though it may not feel like that now. 

With just a little faith, trust and pixie dust! Some hard work too! 

Question of the week: What change are you having faith for in 2024? 

I'll go first! Financial independence! 

All my love♥️

Ruthy

Let's Talk: NSFAS update + my final year in college

Good morning/afternoon/evening, you beautiful people! 

Photo Credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/poverty-black-and-white-emotion-4561704/

All talk and no action that's what our current government is best at. To say that I am disappointed is an understatement. The lies, the corruption and the audacity! It's all too much!

Last week I informed you that the NSFAS funded students were promised to be sorted out by Monday, the 15th of January 2024. I waited the entire week for any progress or official news but all to no avail. It hurts a lot because the government promised a certain amount (R45 000 annually) to those on accommodation. I do not even remember how much those on transport get because it's so little money, a little over R1k monthly for 10 months. 

So it seems now that they have decreased the bursary amount of R45 000 to R30 000 overnight. The difference that they owe so many has now vanished, all with no accountability. It's so exhausting because I am in my final year of college and the NSFAS money that I get helps my family and I so much. 

The government's greed will be the end of their reign. I have registered to vote but if I do actually decide to go through with it, I am definitely not voting for the ruling party. At this rate, I would rather that education be free and it's my business to make sure that I get transport money. That's easier than being used as an excuse to loot funds. Funds that are being collected in my name, in the name of those who need it most, all for selfish gain! The NSFAS system is a great initiative but without accountability and honesty, it's pointless. 

What hurts the most is that we are told to value the ANC because of what they have done for our past. While that is good, they are using that as an excuse to rob us of our future. They are using apartheid as an excuse to continue to wreck havoc in our systems, whether educational or political. It's all too much because while apartheid has hurt us, there is no European to blame for our unpaid school fees and outstanding bursary fees. 

I am in my final year of college with every intention to go to university next year but at this rate getting a job or a side hustle is inevitable, seemingly wise actually. Yet I am studying full-time and the bursary that I qualify for is supposed to help me to focus on my studies. There are bills that come like clockwork and the systems that are in place to support those who need it most are failing dismally. 

I speak from personal experience when I say that those at college are not there for fun. We don't have many options. Writing the National Senior Certificate without support is difficult. For many of us who do not even have a grade 12, this system is such a saviour. We NEED all the systems put in place to work seamlessly, otherwise it defeats the purpose. Making room for vulnerabilities and hurting so many people who just want a better future. 

Question of the week: What are your thoughts on South Africa's flawed higher education system? 

All my love 

Ruthy♥️

Let's Talk: NSFAS + My final year of college

Good morning/afternoon/evening, you beautiful people! 

We are officially in the middle of the month and I am so ready to start the academic year!

I received my results on Friday and saying that I am relieved is an understatement! I have touched on this in several posts but I was so concerned and worried about maintaining being an excellent student. Maintaining a good thing is a lot harder than attaining it and being aware of this concept was rather overwhelming for me because I want to maintain the good things in my life. I am so grateful to God, to Jesus for carrying me through 2023! It was such a rough year but He saw me through me and gave me 6 distinctions (again!🙊🙉🙈♥️🙏🏼). I also thanked my mom and will be spending the rest of the week, thanking my teachers. So, don't forget to thank those who have been there for you along the way, they deserve their flowers too💐! 

Speaking of the 2024 academic year: NSFAS owes us , about 20 000 of us, myself included and I pray that they give the amount that they owe us on Monday, the 15th, as it was said that by then things should be sorted out. With college opening on Thursday, the 18th, time is of the essence. Honestly the looting of funds is insane, how do you need billions to fund 1 million students! How they steal money so shamelessly is beyond me! 

I am currently 21-years-old and I will 22 in June and I have registered to vote but our current ruling party is embarrassing and hurting me. Importantly they are robbing us of a start that we so desperately need. Those of us who are on NSFAS are not on the bursary program for the fun of it. We need the bursary and most of us help out at home. The government's incompetence has such a ripple effect on so many of us. Due to this bursary, we can pay school fees, take care of ourselves and our loved ones, whilst looking at what we can do to better our lives. It gives us a chance to focus on our education, while relieving the stress of the bills that come like clockwork. But with the organization's incompetence the covering that NSFAS is supposed to give is not being given. What good is thousands of Rands, when a family has struggled for months on end?!  Yes, the lump sum is highly appreciated but long overdue! 

Students are getting tired and WILL look for alternatives, NSFAS' days as an organization are numbered because they lack two things: integrity and consistency. We deserve better!

On a lighter note I am so excited for my final year in college! Finally being able to say that makes me feel so much pride. I remember applying online in 2021, like it was yesterday. I never thought that college was an option for me but it has proved to be such a beautiful second chance at life! Don't look down on what you have, even if you wish to attain better. 

 I am praying that NSFAS gives us what we are due. I will report back next week! This topic needs to be thoroughly discussed and unpacked because at this rate, is a bursary actually helping the students or is it an excuse for greedy leaders to loot? Or it is an unfortunate mixture of both? 

What are your thoughts?

All my love♥️

Ruthy

Season 5!!!

Good morning/afternoon/evening, you people! 

I am still in such shock and awe. My writing on the blog turns 5 this year and I cannot believe it! 

I have always loved writing and being able to do what I love for the past 5 years have been such a blessing to me. The immense joy and pride that I feel whenever I open my blogger app to write and the joy that I feel when I hit publish.

I want to thank you all. This journey has been quite an interesting one. I started this blog at 15 but I never had the courage to write, so I just sat with it for two whole years. In 2019 something just clicked for me, I love writing, I have a blog, why am I not writing? So, I just started and although I have been far from consistent, I have realized just how passionate I am about this. 

I view writing as being able to exercise my human right of freedom of speech. It also enables to connect with you and share my world. 

I don't know what season 5 has in store as I write as I go along and I take you along with me on this journey called, 'life.' 2024 will be a busy year, with it being my final year studying my course in Marketing and the road to another journey unfolds, as I plan and apply for next year's endeavors. I am looking forward to sharing this year with you, as I am working on a few projects and it's very exciting! 🩷

I am viewing this year as a year of purpose, to ask myself why I do what I do, do I love what I do, am I learning from my actions, do my actions bring God glory, do my actions bring me peace? 

So stay tuned! 

I upload every Sunday at 22:00 CAT!

All my love ♥️

Ruthy