WATCH: Students voice frustrations as registration deadlines approach

As university registration deadlines in South Africa draw to a close, some students are still rushing to campuses to enrol in their courses.

The Citizen visited the University of the Witwatersrand in Gauteng and several colleges across the province to find out what students are experiencing with registration or late registration, which courses or subjects they are studying, and what they are looking forward to in the upcoming academic year.

Second-year University of the Witwatersrand student Musawenkosi Maqubela said: “The application process is pretty stressful, I can’t lie. I’ve never been through this kind of situation before, so going through all of this, the anxiety of applying, different people telling you different stuff, you really get stressed”

Cultural policy management major Kgabo Tautsoala said: “It’s been exhausting because as a self-funded student, it’s difficult to get registration and get accommodation. Being a missing middle is quite difficult because you can’t afford a private accommodation and you have to stay at a Wits res accommodation, but that’s also expensive and challenging, seeing that you still have outstanding fees, but other than that, the registration process is ok.

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With final registration dates ending between early February and late March, students are excited about the academic year, though some are stressed by registration and others are excited about campus life and beginning their social lives on campus.

“So far I’m meeting good people, and I’m looking forward to meeting more, so I’m looking forward to the parties, I feel like University is not just fixed studying all the time. There’s a social life, there’s a sports life, there’s a culture life, and there are societies you can join for your academic year to not only be stressful but also motivated, and that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
Said Thabo Sithole, who is an Interdisciplinary undergraduate degree student at Wits University.

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