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As you will know, a lot of preparation goes into studying for university, and as you will know, some of the most important preparation work for entering college is not necessarily academic. There is a direct link between your health and academics, as result, your health is an important factor in your overall academic success. It’s also a beneficial path to a good start.

If it’s your first time moving away from home, you are likely to spend a lot of time on your own without much supervision. This will be an important time in your life when the demands will be far greater than ever before. And perhaps, this will be the first time where you have to rely on yourself and not your parents/guardians to take care of you.

Maintaining good health is critical to ensuring that you can focus on what you are learning, prepare for exams and meet other demands. Lucky for you, there are free health facilities at the university that don’t require you to spend money. Institutions understand that there are many pressures facing students. Therefore, they provide resources that support good mental health, wellbeing and fitness.

Wellbeing

As a part of cultivating your well-being, being part of a social network is an important part of a fun and healthy experience. Therefore, joining a society or club can be a great way of socializing with people with similar interests, religions, political beliefs, cultures, etc.

Mental health

Most institutions, if not all, have some form of student wellness service where they offer free professional health and counselling services. Here are some health facilities available to you as a student from a few public universities:

UNISA Health and Wellness Clinics

UNISA has health clinics in two campuses, with limited primary health care services:

• Muckleneuk campus
• Florida Campus

UCT Student Wellness Service (SWS)

They “provide professional medical and counselling services to students at a primary health care level. They are involved with the promotion of a balanced and healthy lifestyle as well as the prevention, early detection and treatment of all physical and mental health conditions.

Students can reach these services by calling 021 650 1017.

Wits Campus Health & Wellness Centre (CHWC) 

Offers a wide variety of health services to Wits students and staff members. The services are convenient, accessible, caring and cost-effective. Wits also offers a Counselling and Careers Development Unit, Disability Rights Unit, Gender Equity Office, Safety on Campus and Wits Integrity Hotline.

University of Johannesburg (UJ) Centre for Psychological Services and Career Development (PsyCaD)

Through PsyCAD, the University of Johannesburg offers student support. Sessions are free for UJ students and are generally 30min in duration.

Rhodes University Counselling Centre

The counseling centre offers counseling services to students for free, to work through any difficulty that might be experienced at a particular time. Students can make an appointment by emailing counsellingcentre@ru.ac.za

UKZN CAES Student support services

The University of Kwazulu-Natal offers a range of free, professional and confidential services. They provide academic support in the form of study skills, academic risk assessments, time management workshops; and psychological support for students experiencing personal and psychological difficulties.

Stellenbosh University Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD)

The centre offers psychotherapeutic & support services which offers professional support and counseling to students who are experiencing personal, professional, or academic challenges and emotional trauma.

Students can call 021 808 4994 or email supportus@sun.ac.za

Nelson Mandela Student Health Services

The Health Services actively seek early identification of mental disorders, treatment of common mental disorders, attention to the mental health needs of people with physical health problems, and mental health promotion and prevention and counseling.

North-West University Student Counselling and Development (SCD)

At Student Counselling and Development (SCD) professional services are rendered to students by professional members of staff qualified in psychology, counselling, and social work. The aim is to be a support structure for students in times of need, as well as to inspire and aid them in developing and reaching their optimal wellness potential in all dimensions of life, ranging from emotional, social, and physical wellness, connectivity, growth and influence.

Medical support

Universities often offer Consultations and support are offered through their various Student Wellness Service, which is run by medical practitioners and nurses that are often free and done at a discounted student rate. They offer a range of services for those who are sick or in need of non-urgent medical attention and help students maintain overall health. Please consult your respective university website of student bodies for more information.

Here’s what’s going to be different in your life this year:

You will play at a higher level. You will raise your academic standards.

It’s 2023 my friend, and we are coming with that full court press!

Cheers to acing your academic responsibilities 🥂.

Now then, let’s delve into the concept of Academic Wellness.

For starters, it includes extending your knowledge, building networks and habits that support lifelong learning, whilst taking good care of yourself.

Further than that, it consists of managing academic workloads, using available resources to make effective decisions, challenging yourself to new academic experiences and achieving your goals without burning out.

Number one rule of the successful: strategize to achieve greatness

The year carries twelve months. That’s why it can get overwhelming to handle all the workload and still have time to be a person outside of the classroom.

To be an effective student, break the year into digestible pieces.

Planning and strategy are the lifeblood of consistently successful endeavours.

For example, you may begin by developing weekly (academic) habits, as time goes on come up with monthly milestones, fight to commit to them and before you know it, the habits will be hardwired —— and the year will take care of itself.

And whenever you lose your perspective and motivation, think of an elephant. The analogy goes: you cannot eat the entire elephant with one big bite. (Neither can you see the whole elephant if you are standing too close to it. Take a few steps back to get an unobstructed view.) Self-introspect — and journal your thoughts — all the time.

One lecture at a time until the course is finished. Mantra.

It’s 2023, let’s get academically healthier

First, let’s both accept that wellness is multi-dimensional.

That’s the reason it is important to take care of yourself holistically.

In addition to the need for food, shelter, communication and transport, there’s the need to be healthy —— academically speaking.

It’s your responsibility to monitor how well-off you are on the school front.

And while in pursuit of academic happiness, be on the look-out for:

• Stress (learn to navigate change)
• Anxiety (don’t create problems in your head; breathe, relax, you got this!)
• Sleep difficulties (are you giving enough sleep to the body and mind?)
• Nutrition (how and what are you eating?)
• Depression (what is currently stressing you out? And why?)
• Sexual health (love and take care of yourself always)
• Participation in extracurricular activities (all work and no play made Jay a dull boy; leave behind the textbook, the phone and go interact with the world fully)
• Relationship challenges (learn to solve disagreements with a calm, intelligent and respectful demeanour; that’s how you keep lifelong relationships)
• Alcohol and other types of drugs (look out for yourself; don’t depend on substances to function)
• Body image and self-esteem (how do you really feel about yourself? Explore that question deeply and you’ll be better for it).

Above all else, tend to your wellness consistently. Make it your foundation. Mainly because on a good day, being a student and juggling other life commitments can be daunting. Hence a student with poor academic health has a higher chance of flunking their subjects and perhaps, end up dropping out as a result.

Take advantage of campus health services.

Supportive health services are interventions designed for students. This includes the provision of a wide range of services that can influence health and well-being.

For a tangible feel and understanding of academic wellness in action, check out a few student support initiatives from South African universities:

• WITS University

• University of Pretoria

• University of Cape Town

• University of Johannesburg

• University of the Western Cape

Always keep in mind that health is the gas. Make sure you got too much in the tank.

All the best with the year 👊🏾

Transition and change are very tricky times for everyone. A good transition can mean the difference between floundering and flourishing. As such it is crucial to get it right. Transition can put enormous strain on you socially, emotionally, academically and even practically. Whether you are progressing from high school to university or university into the workplace or another setting altogether, the transition does not have to be an anxiety-inducing period in our lives or make us run away.

To be frank, even the prospect of change can be terrifying but it doesn’t have to be. So, what can we do to make the transition work and set your student life or career off to a good start?

Acceptance – things will change

The most detrimental thing you can do for yourself when it comes to change is to deny its occurrence. The sooner you accept it, the better. If you’re a student going to university, things will be very different. Perhaps you will be moving to another province, leaving your family and comfort zone behind. You will probably live alone or be responsible for yourself, which is something you’ve probably never had to do. You must do your best to accept and even embrace these changes. Try to see this change as an opportunity for personal growth and learning, instead of a negative thing.

You’ve dealt with change before, and you’ll do it again

They say that the only constant in life is change. So always remember that you’ve managed to deal with previous changes in your life, so you’ll adapt quickly again this time. If you just graduated and you’re starting work soon, think back to when you first started university – everything about your life changed overnight – but you quickly managed to settle in. Adjusting to the changes that come with starting your new job is no different. You are more adaptable than you think, so draw some confidence from that as you prepare to enter the next chapter of your life. Understand these changes are only temporarily unsettling, and you will quickly form new habits, schedules and rituals, and importantly, start to enjoy your new life.

Try to not feel intimidated

The key word here is “try”. Contrary to popular belief, intimidation is a natural feeling to have. As a matter of fact, people feel intimate in life constantly, more than they like to admit. University or the world of work is a whole different ball game. You’ll almost certainly come across people who are much older than you, know more than you, and are in much more senior positions than you. Try not to feel intimidated by this, instead see it as an opportunity to learn.

Make connections

The simplest way to encourage a good transition is by making a connection in your new settings. This can simply be done through building relationships – forming genuine friendships. Now in no way does this mean you have to force things but you’ll be surprised that having a friend or two that you can relate and share with can help change your perception of the change. This can also help with feeling safe, secure and creating a familiar space for yourself.

Don’t be too hard on yourself

The last thing you need is to be hard on yourself by adding unnecessary pressure to yourself. Relax and breathe. You’re doing well. Don’t expect to understand things the first time you do them – give grace to yourself. Everyone starts somewhere, even that 3^rd-year student that looks like they have their life and academics on lock, they were once a first-year student who probably felt homesick and even displaced. Once again, everyone starts somewhere.

The transition from high school to student life to the world of work can understandably feel intimidating and overwhelming – but it really doesn’t have to be that way if you follow the above five steps.

What is Gratitude?

In the song Toast by Koffee, the lyrics “Gratitude is a must” seem so mundane yet are so impactful because indeed, gratitude is a must. November and December are always that time of the year when a myriad of emotions are naturally present. Amidst academic, work, personal, and family challenges, you have made it till now. That could be a sign of determination, perseverance, and resilience. And given all those emotions, whether affiliated with positivity or negativity – there is always something to be grateful for.

Gratitude means more than simply saying thank you. Researchers usually define it as a feeling or state that results from both (1) recognizing a good thing, such as a positive outcome or gift we’ve received, and (2) recognizing that this good thing came from outside ourselves. 

Bouncing back from failure

Like many of you, this is the time of year when I take time for reflection and gratitude. Reflection and gratitude form an innate core of my being because they help me build better connections with the people in my personal and work/academic life and improve my relationships. Each year, I reflect on my experiences and think about how I could have done better. But what happens when I did not achieve my new year’s resolutions, failed an exam, did not complete my work KPIs, did not save money, or lose weight? What now? Perhaps you walked into that exam room feeling very confident but the results prove otherwise.

I recently watched a YouTube video by one of SA’s best content creators, the Financial Bunny: Nicollete Mashile. And when I was watching, she said one sentence that completely changed my outlook. “Make your financial mistakes early – you have time to recover”, whilst this statement was aimed at financial advice, it can be relevant to most aspects of our lives. You are young. You will recover. Whichever mistake you made, which ultimately lead to your failure or not achieving your goals, just remember that there’s always time to dust it off and redeem yourself.

If you’re currently trying to navigate failure which you will inevitably go through at some stage, two things are always important to remember:

1. Failure is not the end of the world – everyone goes through it at some stage.
2. Failure is only redirection and we should always learn from it.

Overcoming failure and learning from the process requires certain stages:

• Take a step back

Failure seems earth-shattering when it happens which means your emotions are all over the place when it happens

• Identify the cause of the failure

Were you taking too many classes? Did you fail to implement good study techniques? Was there something in your personal life distracting you from your studies?

• Develop a plan

Think about how you can retry more smartly. For instance, get an accountability partner, download commitment apps, and study in the library instead of your room.

• Get help if necessary

Get a tutor if necessary or simply raise your hand in class if necessary.

If you feel like a failure in other ways, let’s say for instance you did not achieve some of your new year’s resolutions, the points above are still relevant. Remember, to not be too hard on yourself. There is always next year. And amid the “failures”, force yourself to find something to be grateful for – even if it is as simple as the gift of life.

 And for those who have had good marks and are generally happy with the outcomes of the year, please keep up the impressive work. I hope you can find a way to celebrate yourself and acknowledge all your hard work.

I also encourage you to take time to recharge over the summer and get back stronger for 2023! As we wrap up this year, I hope you will take a moment to reflect and learn from your failures, revel in all your successes, and always remain grateful. And remember, gratitude is not gratitude unless it is expressed.

There’s no getting around it: when the year draws to a close, there can be quite a bit to grapple with.

This can range from:

• Approaching annual deadlines
• Being unable to get good sleep
• Low energy levels and lack of motivation
• The feeling of being unable to keep up with multiple commitments; writing examinations, planning holiday activities, maintaining healthy relationships with family, friends and colleagues
• Anxiety over the year’s highs and lows; report-back meetings with your bursary sponsor or family about your 2022 performance; planning for the following year 

This time of the year can also make you rush to wrap up your coursework and commitments, and go bask in holiday mode.

After all, this is the perfect time to recharge your batteries after a full year on the grind.

Watch out for academic burnout (symptoms and tips to recover)

Academic burnout is characterised by mental, emotional, and/or physical exhaustion. Followed by a lack of inspiration and decreased performance standards, and sometimes, negative feelings towards self.

And just as you have come to know, stress, pressure and tertiary education go hand-in-glove. Handling the demands of lectures, writing papers and submitting projects, and of course, preparing for exams comes with unique challenges. 

Collectively, all these responsibilities and expectations can get overwhelming. This can cause you to shut down.

What do the symptoms look like?

If your bout of fatigue goes unchecked, the harmful effects may change how you usually function. Here’s how you can spot the signs:

• Loss of appetite
• Absent-mindedness or being unable to keep concentration
• Trouble with falling or staying asleep for more than a few nights
• Feeling emotionally depleted and detached from work and people
• Exhaustion – the inability to pull off basic tasks such as jumping out of bed to face the world
• The loss of your get-up-and-go attitude in some parts of your life such as study/work or relationships
• Physical illness and symptoms such as light-headedness, chest pains, headaches or abdominal tension/unease

What can you do to get over the slump?

If you — or another person you know — is on the brink of a breakdown, try to:

• Seek help from other people
• Make relaxation a priority. Get plenty sleep. Make a conscious effort to stay away from electronic devices. Go meditate, play sports or dive into a hobby that you loved as a kid.
• Open up about your struggle to a person you completely trust – a friend, family member or colleague.
• Never over-apply yourself. Learn to say NO to some requests of your time that come your way.
• Write a list of commitments that stress you out a lot. And next to each one, indicate ideas on how you might minimise the stressors.
• Socialise outside of your regular circles or visit new places. New interactions and experiences might give you a fresh perspective on your work and lifestyle as a whole.

Eat the elephant one semester at a time

Think like a project manager to develop a healthier relationship with your responsibilities.

Just as a bandleader conducts musicians, a project manager leads a team of professionals. In this case, it’s your duty to manage yourself, your coursework and life efficiently.

Below are four tips you can implement to transform your relationship with your work:

1] Set aside dedicated time slots for planning

Make room for thirty minutes to one-hour sessions each weekend. Plan out what you need to do in the upcoming week. Don’t allow any interruptions to get in your way — multitasking is right at the top of that list. Connect deeply with your work.

The time spent on strategy and scheduling will determine how efficient you become for the week, for the year, for your entire course, and for your career.

2] After finishing each project, test or exam, evaluate your performance

Look at areas where you experienced roadblocks. Come up with proactive solutions on how you will avoid them next time.

3] Write everything down

As a project manager (you and the schoolwork being the project), you constantly handle new information and juggle various tasks. 

To manage all that effectively, write notes. Do this daily. Don’t rely on your memory. Keep a notebook and use a digital notepad — this allows you to access your second brain from any device, anywhere.

This habit provides a reliable reference to visit when you forget any details for your work.

4] Take care of you – set boundaries

Efficient students know that when they draw up work plans for their tasks, they create space to meet deadlines.

Set clear boundaries (in both your personal and professional life) and stick to them. This will help you perform at peak efficiency and avoid burnout.

Bonus tip:

Don’t run from difficult conversations. 

For example, leaving unanswered communication leads to misunderstanding and eventually, conflict and frayed relationships. For example, when you have an upcoming end-of-year report-back meeting with the organisation (or individual/s) funding your studies, prepare for it like you do your exams. 

Lead with honesty. Take full accountability for your responsibilities and expected deliverables.

Do not hide. This shows character and why you deserve the growth opportunities that are being presented to you.

And please, remember this: it’s not unusual to face emotional, physical and mental challenges due to the hard work you put into your hustle.

Overall, accept what has been of the year, take a deep breath, and celebrate how far you’ve come and start thinking about how to navigate the following year.

All the best with everything that you touch ;).

Like any other year, when the year ends, we begin to reflect. Are you energized for the year that was? Did you experience any life-changing achievements? Stressed by all the outstanding tasks that still need to be completed before the year ends? Disappointed by unattained goals or healing from scars? Most importantly, how are you managing the year coming to an end?

The last couple of months of the year is always busy for everyone. If you’re a student, you’re completing final assignments and preparing for exams or if you’re an employee, you’re wrapping up projects, preparing year-end reports, and making plans for the upcoming 12 months. Add to that the potential stress of family get-togethers and festivities over the holidays, so it’s easy to see how stress levels can start to soar.

While a bit of stress over short periods can improve your performance, high levels of stress that last for longer than a couple of days can have a serious impact on your body and mind. Symptoms of stress include head, neck, and backache; low energy levels; anxiety and depression; forgetfulness; and irritability. And when you’re experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it’s not too long before both your personal and professional life and or academic start to suffer. So, how can you better manage everything and keep your sanity?

Fortunately, there are several ways to handle year-end stress. Keep the following tips in mind:

Learn how to manage other people’s expectations of you

After altering your own expectations, learn how to manage other people’s expectations of you. Talk to some of your colleagues, friends, and family members about the real expectations that can be completed before the year ends. And if there are some unrealistic expectations that you have identified and would like to either shift to the following year or delegate, be transparent about that.

Break down tasks into bite sizes

One of the biggest stressors is the size of what you have to accomplish. Sometimes just viewing the lists of what we need to do can be massive but it is always about perspective. If possible, break down those big tasks into smaller tasks that can be achieved. This is to help us feel a sense of accomplishment so that we are not overwhelmed.

Do something you enjoy every day. 

Set aside 30 minutes to an hour for an activity you love, such as reading, listening to music, playing your favourite sport, or meeting with a friend. This can help you relax and increase your resilience to stress.

Practice self-care

We tend to put all of our projects and others ahead of us during the end of the year mad rush to get it all done. Don’t do this. You’ll be better equipped to handle stress if your mind and body are healthy. Eat healthy food, drink plenty of water, exercise, and get enough sleep.

The end of the year comes with celebrating various holidays and welcoming in a brand-new year. It should be a time of joy and yet; it often comes with the stress of having too much to do and not enough time to get it all done. Following some of these tips might just help you get your energy back and enjoy this holiday time and ringing in the New Year.

Hurry up and submit your application for the 2023 academic year!

While we prepare to round off 2022, the opportunity to submit your university application is fast approaching.

And we have to say … there’s a slight chance that you might not find your preferred institution open. Some schools closed off their application windows between July, August, September and October.

But good fortune is on your side.

Below is a list of universities that still have their 2023 application processes open:

University of South Africa (UNISA)

Applications for Unisa’s Graduate School of Business Leadership postgraduate diplomas:

30 November 2022

Master’s & Doctoral qualifications:

14 November 2022 (some exceptions apply)

More information, here

University of the Free State (UFS)

Applications Close: 

1 November 2022 (Fine Arts)

Rhodes University (RU)

• Undergraduate programmes: 30 November 2022
• Postgraduates: 15 December 2022
• Masters & PhD’s: 6 November 2022

For more information, click here.

University of Fort Hare (UFH)

Applications Close: 

30 November 2022

University of Cape Town (UCT)

GSB Exchange Programmes:

MBA Exchange: 15 May 2022 and 15 November 2022

MIM Exchange: 1 July 2022 and 15 November 2022

University of Limpopo (UL)

Applications Close:

30 November 2022

Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)

Applications Close:

30 November 2022

Durban University of Technology (DUT)

Applications Close:

31 November 2022

Walter Sisulu University of Technology and Science

Applications Close:

30 November 2022

University of Mpumalanga (UMP)

Applications Close:

• All other Undergraduate Programmes: 30 November 2022
• Honours Programmes, Advanced Diplomas and Postgraduate Diplomas: 30 November 2022
• Masters Programmes: 15 January 2023
• Doctoral Programmes – 15 January 2023

By definition, heritage is an individual’s set of traditions, belief systems, values, and cultural practices. 

Admittedly, this is an oversimplified definition. 

Our interaction with cultural heritage has undergone transformation partly because of the spread of digital media.

In addition, as the world grows more globalized and connected, our understanding and attitude towards culture and heritage shape our worldview. Therefore, our relationship with heritage continues to evolve. This phenomenon affects how people from various cultures interact with their heritage.

Culture is an incredible resource for the identity, cohesion and progression of communities. And in today’s interdependent world, it can be a powerful ally in transforming communities and the people who live in them. 

The maturity of the digital space makes the world smaller. Even the most distant cultures and people become accessible. For example, in high school, in the halls of university, and in the workplace – we interact with people from different cultures than our own.

Because of this, it’s important to develop soft skills that will allow you to interact with people from all walks of life.

We asked Career Wise writers to share their experiences with culture and heritage. Check out what they had to say:

Zipho Majova: Heritage encourages us to look at our education from multiple perspectives

Growing up in a conservative black Christian Xhosa family and having had the opportunity to attend one of the leading higher education institutions on the African continent, but most importantly, a secular university, I’ve had to learn to marry these two polarized worlds. Attending a university that attracts a substantial amount of international students from various cultures and religions – I now understand and appreciate the importance of cultural preservation. Being exposed to other nationalities at a greater level forced me to confront my own internalized stereotypes and taught me about tolerance and acceptance.

The key takeaway: growing up in a cocooned environment or culturally homogenous background, almost cost me the value of learning and being open to learning from multiple perspectives. This limits our ability to collaborate, solve unusual problems and, in some situations, can be harmful – particularly in institutions of higher learning and the workplace. In other words, the more we neglect cultural preservation, the less flexible our world becomes. When we are ignorant of the importance of cultural preservation, our thinking narrows.

Themba ‘Jay’ Ndlangmandla: a culturally diverse township taught me a few languages, and to connect with people from diverse backgrounds.

I grew up in a township called Orange Farm, in the south of Johannesburg. Both my parents were born and raised in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This makes me a pure IsiZulu speaking individual. 

The folks moved to Jo’burg to seek better work opportunities as soon as they could travel under the apartheid laws that governed South Africa in the 1980’s.

That’s how I had the opportunity to grow up amongst neighbours from different cultures. I remember that by age seven I could speak bits of Sesotho because a friend taught me the basics. Today, as an adult, I can also write the language because of those childhood experiences.

Two houses further from my Sesotho speaking mogotsi (friend), there was a Xitsonga family we were close with. Yet another language to understand — a win for my linguistic and communication abilities. (In high school, I befriended Xhosa people and eventually became fluent in the language.)

In retrospect, the love for languages sprang from the people I grew up around. It was a mixture of almost all ethnicities in one neighbourhood — and we interacted with each other. It was like an exchange program.

After high school, I did college in Sandton (further north of Johannesburg this go-round). I was out of my depth in the first year. I met people from all over South Africa, and abroad. There were students who came from private high schools. They spoke and behaved rather differently than the kids like me from township schools. 

For one, they were articulate, never feared speaking up during class discussions, and they displayed more confidence.

The experience was a culture shock that jolted me awake. It made me re-evaluate my writing and speaking skills (I was doing a media studies diploma). My confidence levels plummeted during the first few months in that once intimidating space. However, it was a good opportunity to strengthen my self-esteem, refine my English, learn to collaborate and showcase my skills in a different environment.

The whole experience was a vivid preview of the workplace a few years later.

Over the years, the key takeaways have been:

• A variety in thinking, beliefs, ideals and actions enriches the thought process of all people involved.
• Diversity is a good habit to build. On a personal level and for teams of all sizes and types (family, school, work, etc.)

What eventually becomes of our stories and traditions as the world constantly evolves?

Every single person has a way in which they identify themselves.

This plays out in various ways, namely:

• In how people talk
• Their dress sense (traditional regalia or any other)
• In how they prepare their food
• The values and beliefs they live by (such as traditions that inform cultural practices)
• How they raise and nurture children
• How they interact with each other as a community

Fun fact: even if you have a wish to free yourself from carrying any identity at all, you’ve still chosen to identify yourself.

And as the digital age continues to mature, it’s important to self-reflect on the evolution of culture and identity in our lives.

For example, communities used to gather around the fire to share stories about their tribe. Fast-forward to the connected economy, stories are shared with global audiences in a matter of seconds.

This one change – moving from local communication to global sources of information and acquaintances – informs how we:

• Talk
• Wear our clothes
• Prepare our food
• Think about the values and beliefs that our ancestors lived by
• Raise and nurture our children
• Interact with each other as a tribe

Wait a sec, let’s define + differentiate heritage and culture

The two concepts appear identical at a glance as they are often used interchangeably. But these are different ideas that highlight related, yet distinct notions.

Heritage means the passing of culture, traditions and values from previous generations. It is a crucial part of identity formation and a great way to foster individual and societal growth.

Culture is the daily life of a specific group of people and their unique characteristics. Example: language, behaviour, food, music and art, social habits, beliefs, values and other characteristics that express their lifestyle.

The value of heritage in our families, learning institutions, and workplace

Heritage, culture and identity are fluid concepts. As such, they form part of our lives in all the environments that we occupy. And because of this, it’s not helpful to restrict them to one interpretation.

For example, culture can also be defined as collective human beliefs with a well-thought-out structure customized to a certain tribe or era.

It is worth noting that the following sections within our communities play an important role in the development of career-wise professionals and their success.

Let’s take a look.

The Family

Our heritage is a legacy from our past.

Because of that, it is an important module in the process of identity formation. It is an essential tool for human development.

Cultural heritage is a necessity for all communities because it serves as a record of history. A documented set of traditions and ideas for living across generations. Plus it’s a unique and rich source of creativity, healthy self-esteem and tight-knit family structures.

Inside the family structure, heritage and culture influence our identity and give us the values that serve as signposts to navigate a world that constantly reshuffles how it operates.

Learning Institutions

Globalization continues to influence how societies communicate, organize and live.

That’s why it makes business sense for tertiary institutions to enroll and educate a wide array of students from different backgrounds.

Besides a favourable reputation, it’s important for the following reasons:

1. Campus diversity inspires open mindedness and challenges stereotypes.
2. It pulls students out of their comfort zones. To live comfortably with different personalities demands a perspective that looks at human differences as a multiplier, not a setback.
3. Diversity enriches the academic experience. Students simultaneously prepare themselves for diverse workplaces.

The Workplace

It makes business sense to recruit and collaborate with different types of people at work.

It’s important for the following reasons:

1. It’s an opportunity to interact with different worldviews. A glorious occasion to learn from people from all walks of life.

2. Informed decision-making. This requires an attitude that sees opposing perspectives as an advantage, not a barrier.

3. Quicker solutions to challenges; different world-views can produce a richer knowledge base than the collaboration of like-minded people.

In a world where Millennials and Gen-Z explore their heritage while on the edge of innovation, live in a more connected/transient world and have to figure out their identity within a global village, some of the best ways to succeed at this are to keep the following points in mind:

• Heritage is a key part of identity formation and a great method to foster individual and societal growth.
• Heritage and cultural norms can be passed on amongst different generations, for time immemorial.
• It’s also a phenomenal cultural process; a transition that has an enduring power to influence the present generation and the ones that follow.
• Plus… with the digital and communication capabilities that the current generation has in its collective pocket, the possibilities to study, archive, continually iterate and share information around our heritage, culture and identity with future generations are endless!

Millennials are generally an open-minded, technological, innovative, and creative generation. However, for the millennials and gen-z, it is undeniable that the impact of economic, political and health crises experienced in the past few years has led to much loss: the loss of employment and loss of wellness. And above these losses, many fear that millennials and gen-z have also lost the attachment towards traditional heritage and pride in the preservation of history. The concern is that young citizens are left with no option but to transform their lives and focus on sustaining and adapting to the current living conditions, thus being disengaged with the preservation of cultural heritage.

Millennials and gen-z – although they are different age groups, for this piece, we will be using the terms interchangeably. It is considered that the members of the same age cohorts have similar behavior, opinions and way of making decisions. The reason is that they are born in the same period and besides the years they have shared their life events through time. They existed in a certain period in cultural history –shared important social and cultural events which acted on their behavior, thereby sharing views and worldviews. As a result, millennials tend to have the same disposition and attitude towards heritage celebrations.

Contrary to the popular conversation, the question is not whether millennials view traditional heritage as obsolete, but rather the possibility of revising traditional norms to fit the modern age. Research has proven that millennials are interested in engaging with history and culture, just in a different manner. Be it music, food, fashion, arts and crafts or even hanging at our local spots. According to Millennial Research Report, Millennials relate to the cause but are not necessarily active in the preservation of history.

When it comes to heritage, we need to determine ways to position historic preservation in a way that speaks to Millennials and motivates them to engage. We need to take a look at some of the behavioral, social, and psychological characteristics.

Is it possible to revise traditional norms to fit the modern age?

The millennial era is not a threat, but instead, it opens a big path for the millennial generation to explore heritage: creative talents of design, performing arts, production, and authorship, combined with media production, distribution technique, and new interactive technology.

Authenticity

Authentic Experiences matter: as we approach Heritage Day, what does this mean? Many think that experiences: museums, food, clothing, and gatherings need to be complex to engage young people. More than anything else, millennials desire authenticity. They want to learn, but all the better if it’s for a social purpose and has the relatability factor. As previously mentioned, millennials relate to the cause. Yes, being regarded as cool by peers, posting and hashtags are important, as long as a compelling story is engagingly told, all are equally interesting in the eyes of the millennial.

Manipulating artifacts, the millennial way

The usage of the target market and insight to craft and transform user experience is nothing new. It’s important for users to be able to ask what’s important that will make the experience relatable to the millennial. For instance, when it comes to the Xhosa traditional gear known as umbhaco – we see a lot of designers creating umbhaco but adding modern twists such as lace, and feathers to give it the modern “edge”. At the core, it is still umbhaco with just a modern flare to it.

Technology

Millennials – immersed in the digital era and living in a past faced world, technology is probably the best way to connect to young people. Heritage brands should adopt a layered approach to their digital strategy – making use of available technology to enhance rather than mask the heritage essence of artifacts. Doing so will ensure heritage artifacts can attract new audiences (millennials, gen-z) without alienating existing ones (older generation such as baby boomers).

Innovation

Millennials are perceptive of global issues, and with their skills in utilizing technology, they can lead innovation in the creative industry based on cultural heritage and in the attempt to build “postmodern” cultural heritage.

Conclusion

Perhaps the concept of preservation of heritage should not be a ‘protectionist’ one but rather it should be seen as an integrated concept for the revitalization and development of culture – which is where millennials and gen-z come in. How can we celebrate heritage in a way that speaks to the older generation but does not alienate the young people of today?