TARYN RICHMOND
Zoep Week last week succeeded in acquainting the new Rag partners for next year with many socials, early morning serenades and gift-giving.
According to Boekenhout’s Rag HK, James Johnson, Zoep Week is the week before Pot ‘n Pons where the newly formed Rag partnerships have an opportunity to interact and get to know each other. “Zoep Week is a fun and easy way to ‘break the ice’ and sets the way forward for the rest of the partnership,” Johnson said. It consists of inter-residence flirting and visiting each other’s residence with gifts.
Juanita Opperman, Rag HK for Katjiepiering, added that during the course of Zoep Week, the different Rag partners also work on their Pot ‘n Pons preparations in the hopes of “blowing everyone away” and ensuring a first place position for the Rag procession which will take place in February next year.
Last week’s Zoep activities included speed dating between Taaibos and Katjiepiering, cheese and wine evenings between Klaradyn and Mopanie as well as a trip to Nkwe for Vividus Ladies and Maroela. Many of the other residences, such as Kiaat and Zinnia and Taaibos and Katjiepiering, spoilt each other by decorating each other’s residence as well as arriving early in the morning to give their new partners coffee.
The traditional Magrietjie “Groot Ja” happened last week Thursday which involves all of the lights in the residence being switched off and then certain rooms lights were switched on in sequence to spell out the word “Ja”. The intention of the Magrietjie “Groot Ja” is to show the rest of the university that Magrietjie is excited to participate in Rag with their new partners, Vividus Men. Christine van Aswegan, Magrietjie Culture External HK explained that the pink “[ja] flashes a few times and at the end there are girls dancing in the windows. It looks insane.”
The week ended with Boekenhout carrying their Eiffel Tower to their new Rag partner’s residence, Erika. The girls were excited when Boekenhout set the Eiffel Tower down in front of Erika.
Boekenhout’s chairman, Marco Koch, explained that Boekenhout was moving into Urban Nest next year while their residence is being upgraded. Their Eiffel Tower would therefore be unprotected. They decided to give their tower to Erika for six months until they move back next year.
“It is a huge honour and we will protect it with our lives,” Erika’s Rag HK, Elaine Groenewald said.
Photos: Melissa Kemp
