by Jay Caboz | Feb 22, 2013 | News
Cool Kid Caryn Upton is a 6th year Medical student who has been running a successful business for 4 years
Story and Caption by Jay Caboz
Cool Kid
Caryn Upton spent four years of her varsity career tutoring and trying to make a little cash. She would earn, on average, R100 per hour and at the time she thought she was lucky to be paid that. Then she says she had a brainwave and “Study Doctor” tutoring was born.
What makes you a cool kid?
Well I am a sixth year med student who has been running a successful business for four years. I work hard and I play hard.
Why study medicine?
Initially, I was studying another degree, but then I found it was too easy and I wanted a challenge. I found working with people rewarding and then I knew that medicine was the right place for me.
Why open your own tutoring company?
One day, I was talking with my friend Claire Keene (now her business partner) who had also been a tutor and we said: “Hey, how come we work so hard and yet the company’s take a R300 profit? We could do a better job of this and make sure students get paid properly.” We were both med students and wanted to help people. We knew what it was like to be a tutor and were tired of getting screwed over by tutoring companies. So we thought “why not?”.
What makes your business cool?
It was started by two students who created something from nothing. We wanted to pay people for what they were worth.
How many tutors are you involved with?
At the moment we have about 70 to 80 tutors in our company.
How do you study and run a business?
Initially we were a lot smaller and I managed to fit it all in. But now we have grown so large, we have been able to hire someone and are currently looking to expand even further.
What achievements has Study Doctor made?
In 2012 we were voted as 94.7 FM’s business of the week. This year we are looking to pay back even further to the community and are trying to organise a charity that will give free tutoring for matrics.
by Jay Caboz | Feb 22, 2013 | Featured 1
THREE IN A ROW: Triplets Delicia, Alicia and Felicia Arjunan (left to right) might look the same at first glance but each have their own personalities. Photo Jay Caboz
Published in the Witsvuvuzela
By Charlotte Chipangura
Photos by Jay Caboz
WITS students and staff have been left seeing triple with the addition of identical triplets Alicia, Delicia and Felicia Arjunan to the campus.
“At first glance, people can’t tell us apart but after two weeks they begin to see the differences, after a while they will so see that our personalities are similar, though not identical,” explained the chirpy Alicia.
Born 19 years ago on the 17th of August in Durban, the Alicia, Delicia and Felicia are studying BComm Philosophy, Politics & Economics, BA International Relations and BComm General, respectively.
According to Wikipedia, identical triplets are extremely rare, something that occurs only once in every 500 000 births. But multiple births are becoming more common because of the increased use of fertility treatments.
Triplets or twins are born when either an egg is fertilised more than once or if the mother has more than one egg at the same time.
According to Alicia, their mother named them in alphabetic order after they were born. But somehow Delicia, who developed in her own embryo, was born second while Alicia and Felicia shared their own embryo and came out apart.
The Arjunans say they hope to be involved in modelling and advertising where their status as triplets could be put to good use.
Peter Maher, Wits alumni relations director, said his office had no record of twins or triplets studying at Wits at the same time.
“Unfortunately our database isn’t able to capture or indicate family relationships,” he said
The Arjunans always move around campus together and say it is normal for them to be seen as a collective and not as individuals.
“This is what we have always known since we were born. Maybe it will be a hard knock when we start working and have to go our separate ways,” said Felicia.
The girls celebrate their birthdays by dressing in identical outfits. They share the same interests and friends as they make a point of introducing new friends to each other.
“Because we spend so much time together, we have formed similar likes and dislikes,” said Alicia.
Being twins, and moving around in a group, also affects their love life and how boys approach them.
“They become our friends first, and then they get to know us,” said Alicia.
“They find something they are attracted to, and then they start spending time with the particular person they like,” added Delicia.
Felicia said guys who say they wouldn’t mind dating any of the sisters did not amuse her and her siblings.
THREE IN A ROW: Triplets Felicia(left),Alicia and Delicia Arjunan (back) might look the same at first glance but each have their own personalities. Photo Jay Caboz
by Jay Caboz | Feb 15, 2013 | News
STUDENT Mark Tatham started his varsity career doing a BCom in Business Management. A year later, he fell in love with dance and is now completing a degree in physical theatre at the Wits School of Arts. He recently performed in the physical theatre production In The Company of Wolves which was on show during o-week.
This sports crazy student is always busy doing something whether it’s scrambling over buildings doing parkour, playing hockey or working as a DJ.
What inspired you to change to a degree in the arts?
When I was at school I was interested in performing, but when I came to university I thought I should do a BCom first and then complete a BA in Drama. After a year of studying I just couldn’t handle it and so I dropped out and started a BA in 2011.
Why become a dancer?
I always saw myself as an actor. But one day I joined the parkour club for fun, in my first year as a drama student, and I fell in love with movement. Shortly after we were allowed to take physical theatre as a course and it allowed me to do what I loved.
When did you know you wanted to perform physical theatre?
I was chosen for the lead role in the play Carrying The Fire, directed by Bailey Snyman, which was on show last year. It was my experience under his direction that really cemented my love of performance.
How do you prepare mentally for a performance?
I have found the best way for me to focus is to clear my head. I walk around in circles and try not to think of my lines or what I am supposed to do next. When I am performing I do everything on instinct.
What do you love about performance?
I love the adrenaline rush of having to give the audience a show. It’s the same reason why I play sport.
Have you had to overcome any difficulties since doing your performances?
Injuries are always a problem. I have sprained my wrist, torn ligaments in my ankle and last year I broke my thumb.
How often do you practice for a performance?
Usually a production takes one to three months of work. We will practice five times a week for about three to five hours at a time. By the time you are on stage you know all your movements backwards and don’t even think about what happens next. It just happens.
Modernising the classical fairy tale of Red Riding Hood, In a Company of Wolves breaks the notions of feminine vulnerability in this high physical theatre production.
by Jay Caboz | Feb 7, 2013 | Featured 1, News
Modernising the classical fairytale of Red Riding Hood, In a Company of Wolves breaks the notions of feminine vulnerability in this highly physical theatre production. Photo: Jay Caboz
One usually associates a fairy tale, like Red Riding Hood, with a small unassuming girl who gently ambles her way through the woods on the way to grandma’s house. Unknown to the red-caped girl, she is followed by a fierce wolf who among other things intends to make a lunch for two, a dinner for one. If the wolf had to see the Wits’ theatre production In The Company of Wolves, HE would have been on the menu.
In this production, the meek girl is transformed. She is manifested though the bold manoeuvres of a set of dancers that challenge the misconceptions of feminine vulnerability.
In the Company of Wolves Cast (left to right back): Kirsten Mohamed, Raezeen Wentworth, Chanelle Sardinha and Linda Mdena and Mark Tathum and Jason Solomon (left to right front)
To watch the cast effortlessly weave among each other was simply sublime. Equally sublime was the musical score which paired perfectly with the dancing style. A rhythmic ebb and flow was beautifully built up to a crescendo at the end of the 25 minute production.
From walls to backstage the cast makes use good use of the Wits Nunnery, which seems very cramped when six dancers try to perform on it.
In a weirdly uncomfortable way, the cramped feeling adds toward the play’s success. You cannot distance yourself from the action.
It’s in your face and you become more involved as a result. You are also forced to respect the level of planning and curatorship involved in manoeuvring in such a small space.
Cast member Mark Tathum said that the crew was hoping the production would be in contention for the Grahamstown Arts Festival later this year.
At a cost of R10 a ticket the show is well worth making the long walk down to the South side of East Campus. It will be on till the end of the week (8 Feb) and is only showing at 13h00.
Directed by Jason Solomon and Chanelle Sardinha In The Company of Wolves delightfully overturns an out of date nursery tale and is a must see. Book it now.
In the Company of Wolves
Venue: The Wits Nunnery, close to the Wits Theatre, East Campus
Dates: O Week, 4 – 8 February 2013
Time: 13h00
Length: 25 Minutes
Cost: R10 per person
jaycaboz@witsvuvuzela.com
Modernising the classical fairy tale of Red Riding Hood, In a Company of Wolves breaks the notions of feminine vulnerability in this high physical theatre production. Photo Jay Caboz
Modernising the classical fairy tale of Red Riding Hood, In a Company of Wolves breaks the notions of feminine vulnerability in this high physical theatre production. Photo Jay Caboz
Modernising the classical fairy tale of Red Riding Hood, In a Company of Wolves breaks the notions of feminine vulnerability in this high physical theatre production. Photo Jay Caboz
