On 11 April, TuksEkhaya hosted a social at their clubhouse called Rodney’s Revival, an event that Jason Dickinson, the First Year Guardian and Head of Clubhouse and Marketing of TuksEkhaya, described as their “biggest clubhouse of the year”. Rodney’s Revival is the headline clubhouse event for the year. Traditionally, it is the first clubhouse of the second quarter, and it symbolises the return of Rodney’s after its “death” at the end of the first quarter. It is one of the longer format clubhouses, lasting four hours instead of the usual three.
The clubhouse started at 18:00, and students were lining up at the gate, incentivised by the fact that the first 100 people were given free shots. The tickets to enter the clubhouse were R20, with the money going towards renovations such as “[adding] a designated sitting area in [Rodney’s]”, Dickinson said. “We would like to add recycled plastic picnic tables,” he said, so that people can sit and have a good time while chatting with their friends. The funds will also be used to maintain the clubhouse’s facilities, and the Clubhouse Committee is in the planning stages of the next addition to Rodney’s Clubhouse.
The clubhouse is designed to be inclusive and welcoming for everyone, featuring amenities such as an indoor dance floor, a braai area, and pool tables at the top bar. Both of the clubhouse’s bars offer the same student-friendly prices and a wide variety of drinks, ranging from shots and beers to mixes and non-alcoholic drinks. At the braai area, there were beer pong tables set up for people to play, which served to be a good icebreaker among students.
A first-year student from TuksEkhaya said that he was looking forward to the event as he has never been disappointed when he has attended a clubhouse event. Stuart Tyrell, State President of TuksEkhaya, described the event as a “major success, with guests having enjoyed the special DJ line-up that was prepared specifically for Rodney’s Revival”. The line-up included Leben, a DJ who has performed at major events across the country, as well as a few of their resident DJs. Students were seen dancing and singing along to their favourite songs during the night.
When asked how an event like this contributes towards residence culture and student life, Tyrell said, “[We] provide students with a safe and welcoming environment where they can meet new people, share unforgettable moments with the Rhino Calves and Citizens of TuksEkhaya, and sing and dance on our dance floor to enjoy their Friday or Saturday night.” This felt like a much-needed boost for students after test week and the return from recess while also reinforcing the strong sense of community within residence life and culture.
