My Experience At NWU Vaal Campus: More Than Just A Degree(2025)

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Table Of Contents

• Why my experience at NWU Vaal Campus was so surreal.
• The first days: Stepping into the unknown.
• The spirit of diversity and inclusion on NWU Vaal campus.
• The academic journey: More than lectures and exams.
• Learning independence and responsibility
• My experience at NWU Vaal Campus  & challenges that shaped me
• What NWU Vaal Campus taught me
• Frequently Asked Questions NWU Vaal Campus

When I first walked through the NWU Vaal Campus gates, I felt as though I had entered an entirely unreal world.

Large, elegant buildings, lots of White, Indian, and Colored people walking around minding their own business, vehicles we only see on TV, and everything else that seems like a magazine.

Hence, my time at NWU Vaal Campus was unlike any other, as I was both anxious and eager about what lay ahead for me in the years to come and whether I would be able to handle it.

In this guide, I will discuss my time as a student, my experience at NWU Vaal Campus, and how I gained more than just a degree.

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Why was my experience at NWU Vaal Campus so surreal?

Let me give you some background information. Back then, I was just a girl from Kasi Evaton North, and I still am.

Who went to Rutasetjhaba Secondary School, not a higher achiever, but an average hard-working girl fighting to at least have a National Senior Certificate (NSC)

And being allowed to study at NORTH_WEST UNIVERSITY was simply God showing off with my life.

As a result, my experience at the NWU Vaal Campus still feels surreal two years later. I didn’t realize that I was embarking on a journey of self-discovery, growth, and experiences that would influence my future.

The first days: Stepping into the unknown

Looking back, I regret not attending orientation as a first-year student, as it affected my entire experience.

I had no idea what was going on around me and had to rely on other students for directions and instructional assistance.

To make matters worse, everything was moving too quickly for my liking. I went from moving into a new residence as a first-year student to attending lessons the next day, and this is what I noticed back then:

1. There are enormous structures with alphabets and numerals.
2. You will find security at the gate; we refer to them as “bo member.” All university stakeholders, aside from lecturers, we call them “bo member,“ lets says its a slag that aims to give respect and dignity without belittling their professional positions.
3. There are two entrances, the main gate and the second bus gate, where students are dropped off by the residence shuttle.
4. At the heart of the university lies the library.
5. The campus is surrounded by small rivers all over it.
6. It’s common to see birds singing, peacocks wandering, and monkeys throughout the institution.
7. Despite having to walk a considerable distance from one structure to another, you won’t lose any weight at all.

Honestly, getting used to campus life is not difficult, but it may take some time for first-year students to learn how to navigate a new environment, such as how to find their student card and activate it, where to get meals, and where to find lecture halls and campus utilities, and how NSFAS bursary works, especially if they did not attend orientation.

The spirit of diversity and inclusion on NWU Vaal Campus

I would like to believe that NWU is one of the most inclusive organizations in terms of different cultures, customs, and communities.

I have never witnessed any discriminatory behavior within the institution, which I believe is affected by the internal culture and protocol of the university.

And, without making a collective claim, how you interact with individuals of different races is determined by your personality as an individual.

For example, I am extremely bubbly, and people find it easy to speak with me, which might have an impact on how I perceive certain interactions.

Furthermore, I chose a qualification with theory as its core foundation; hence, much of my coursework required working in groups, which made it easy to learn from other people’s backgrounds and experiences while achieving the same academic goal.

And via simple conversations with academic acquaintances, we somehow discovered mutual positions that led us to working together on academic initiatives and becoming friends, with some supporting each other on a more personal level.

My favorite aspect of this was that during study sessions, we would switch from discussing varied cultures and communities such as LGBTQ+, African Spirituality, and so forth without making affected stakeholders feel uncomfortable within lessons, but instead feel the need to educate us more about their specific identity.

The academic journey: More than lectures and exams

Academically, my experience at NWU Vaal Campus was a little difficult because I didn’t grow up in a home where I had access to a computer, a laptop, or programs like Microsoft Office and typing programs in general, which resulted in me having a hard time catching up during the first few weeks.

Therefore, before I could concentrate on the primary academic course work, I would enquire from my senior roommates about eFundi, the NWU academic website and system.

Hence, I believe that as a first-year student, it is crucial to surround yourself with a suitable group of individuals, with 20% being seniors and 80% being students in the same academic year and faculty as you.

Because it’s one thing to be a university student, and it’s quite another to know how to manage the entire experience by cultivating self-discipline and effective study habits.

For me, my overall functioning was affected by hanging out with people who were far above my academic level. It’s not that they were bad people to be around; the problem was they had already figured out how to handle school, life, and everything in between.

So I adopted that instead of developing my own profitable routine and essential strategies that would help if I encountered obstacles along the way.

Learning independence and responsibility

And after encountering challenging modules and academic obstacles along the way, I began to reflect on myself, like what influenced my actions, and how I may adjust them to improve my academic performance.

In this particular instance, I was beginning to incorporate lessons that went beyond the classroom, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. For example:

1. Putting myself in the company of academically focused individuals who are performing far better than me.
2. To better understand the module and gain insight into what is more necessary, learning and normalizing asking academic advisors and lecturers for help.
3. Deciding to use educational content, including faculty-focused YouTube videos, to learn additional strategies.
4. Looking for a more productive time to study and a location such as a library.
5. Above all, learning how to relax when life seems overwhelming.

Lastly, deciding to improve your self-image can help you become more resilient and self-assured no matter what life throws at you, without ignoring the fact that life can become challenging no matter how many times we try.

My experience at NWU Vaal Campus  & challenges that shaped me

My experience at NWU Vaal Campus was different, with self-doubt and a dread of failing in between. I recall thinking to myself, Maybe I’m not the problem, but my educational pursuits are the problem.

Tell me why I would be enjoying myself and having a blast in one module and receiving an 80–90% performance mark, while in another class I would be fighting for my life, even fighting to qualify for an exam.

And these are the kinds of experiences that I will never forget: experiences at NWU Vaal Campus that shaped me, such as using Harvard referencing style, paraphrasing tools, the use of ChatGPT, and receiving a red mark on Turnitin symbolizing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which led to failure.

Dealing with deadlines and tests while still trying to make sense of the harshness of adulthood was the real part of it, and holding dear to my favorite coffee mug just to help me focus and save the semester.

And to this day, these experiences have taught me the value of following the law, safeguarding my reputation, and—above all—remaining as authentic as possible.

What NWU Vaal Campus taught me

 My experience at NWU Vaal Campus taught me that while my degree can open up opportunities for employment, the lessons I learned while improving my knowledge, abilities, and values have a greater impact on life than anything else.

For reference, I don’t think I would have had the mindset to launch this blog without the experience I gained in the Desktop Publishing module, which was essentially a module that gave us the tools for establishing careers for ourselves with websites, professional writing, and creative design.

While on that, after completing my qualification, I took advantage of the tools provided by the university to network with industry professionals as an alumnus in order to gain experience in a professional environment, build confidence, self-belief, and understand the value of venturing outside of our comfort zones.

Today, I am using my academic knowledge to create potential for myself and my township, Evaton North, by generating interest from external stakeholders. This will additionally benefit residents who want to migrate due to a lack of employment.

Looking back, my experience at the NWU Vaal Campus was much more than coursework, lectures, and tests. It was about defining my identity, developing meaningful relationships, overcoming obstacles, and planning for the future.

The degree I received is essential, but the lessons, memories, and personal growth I experienced along the way are what truly made the journey unique.

Frequently Asked Questions NWU Vaal Campus