Nonqaba Stamper, if she was a piece of clothing, would be her gorgeous grass green summer coat with large buttons down the front, makeshift lanyard flailing behind her on a ridiculously long pink and blue ribbon. Effortlessly chic, grounded, warm, approachable – with a quirky, whimsical touch. Chatting with her till 4am led to a multitude of discoveries, two of which really stood out.
Discovery 1: You can’t box this
When arriving at Rhodes, one issue that stood out was the stereotyping people were subjected to. “I wouldn’t say B.Comm. to a bungy – immediate stigma”. The clean slate that one thinks they have when coming to Rhodes is immediately drawn on by others.
Judgment of people before she gets to know them is something Noni does not subscribe to. “Boxes really mean nothing. By stereotyping others, you miss out on a lot of who they are, and change your perception of them to how you think they should be”.
Escaping stereotypes, not quite fitting profiles, and showing individuality can prove a difficult task at University. Having to start over and move to a new place, we may find ourselves in social situations that may not be ideal, but grapple onto anyone at first, because anything, even if it’s the wrong thing, seems better than loneliness.
When finding your feet in this quaint little place, by all means try on new masks- but try and not let them become you. Take some of Noni’s advice. “By being yourself, and not stereotyping others, you transcend stereotypes in the sense that their possible judgement of your personality is not internalised, so it’s like water off your back”.
Discovery 2: Taking a breath, and then its DONE!
Noni has a blazer gilded so richly with badges that one can hardly see the fabric. This is a memento from her year away in Finland, where she was effectively a youth ambassador for South Africa, through the Rotary exchange program. She was a Duracell bunny, filling up every moment with meetings, extra school courses, trips, and jols.
This year, she consciously decided to take a bit of a more chilled outlook, and has learnt to say no. “I needed a filter and took a step back to do the things that I really want to, the things I feel are really worth my time”.
An opportunity arose with a manifesto clear, pure and full of potential. DONE! Is a youth mentorship programme that chose Nonqaba. “My dream and hope for myself is to be there for the benefit of other people. God put my empathy on overdrive!”. The programme selected 16 youths from around schools in Grahamstown, and hopes to be the voice in their head that says, “Yes, you can do it, believe in yourself”. Nonqaba is one of the people that encourages and helps them realise their dreams. “Come as yourself, and there you are, there for them”.
From boxes, to friends, to chill pills and the power of humanity, this conversation is among many I’ve had, and many more I’ll have with this majestic lady. Lucky me.
Check out Noni’s FB profile here.
Discovery 1: You can’t box this
When arriving at Rhodes, one issue that stood out was the stereotyping people were subjected to. “I wouldn’t say B.Comm. to a bungy – immediate stigma”. The clean slate that one thinks they have when coming to Rhodes is immediately drawn on by others.
Judgment of people before she gets to know them is something Noni does not subscribe to. “Boxes really mean nothing. By stereotyping others, you miss out on a lot of who they are, and change your perception of them to how you think they should be”.
Escaping stereotypes, not quite fitting profiles, and showing individuality can prove a difficult task at University. Having to start over and move to a new place, we may find ourselves in social situations that may not be ideal, but grapple onto anyone at first, because anything, even if it’s the wrong thing, seems better than loneliness.
When finding your feet in this quaint little place, by all means try on new masks- but try and not let them become you. Take some of Noni’s advice. “By being yourself, and not stereotyping others, you transcend stereotypes in the sense that their possible judgement of your personality is not internalised, so it’s like water off your back”.
Discovery 2: Taking a breath, and then its DONE!
Noni has a blazer gilded so richly with badges that one can hardly see the fabric. This is a memento from her year away in Finland, where she was effectively a youth ambassador for South Africa, through the Rotary exchange program. She was a Duracell bunny, filling up every moment with meetings, extra school courses, trips, and jols.
This year, she consciously decided to take a bit of a more chilled outlook, and has learnt to say no. “I needed a filter and took a step back to do the things that I really want to, the things I feel are really worth my time”.
An opportunity arose with a manifesto clear, pure and full of potential. DONE! Is a youth mentorship programme that chose Nonqaba. “My dream and hope for myself is to be there for the benefit of other people. God put my empathy on overdrive!”. The programme selected 16 youths from around schools in Grahamstown, and hopes to be the voice in their head that says, “Yes, you can do it, believe in yourself”. Nonqaba is one of the people that encourages and helps them realise their dreams. “Come as yourself, and there you are, there for them”.
From boxes, to friends, to chill pills and the power of humanity, this conversation is among many I’ve had, and many more I’ll have with this majestic lady. Lucky me.
Check out Noni’s FB profile here.
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