Introduction

The time has come for graduation and I thought it would only be just that I put some kind words, and by some I mean a lot, toghether for those that I truly appreciated in my journey (and sometimes struggle) towards getting this degree of mine. It’s been more than an academic journey, it’s been so far - the greatest part of my life and honestly looking back I get emotional about how flawless it all really was. A lot of times people will strive to seek perfection in their daily life and all the events they attend and relationships they see through, I can tell you it wasn’t that - I’ve lost friends, made new ones but most importantly learnt invaluable lessons and truly came to the conclusion of how important it is to value those that will put up with your shananigans through it all and to know how really cares. This isn’t by any means a sob story - not at all. What it is however is a place for me to shed light on how one can grow and become a better person, appreciate those who have helped you throughout all the ups and downs and to say thanks to each and every family member, friend and faculty (the three F’s) who have helped me, whether they know it or not, get to where I am today.

Life lessons

Before I get into the good parts (not that these are not good, but I wouldn’t call them “fun”) I must say some very important things that I have learnt through my journey of univerity:

1. Don’t think you are invinsible or always right
2. A criticism from your closest friends isn’t a slant at you, they want to help you change because they care who you are. Someone who isn’t your friend would leave you in a pit and not give a shit. Take the critique, improve on it.
3. The above is also an important measurement of who your closest friends are, note these ones on a list and remember that they are dependable.
4. Stay true to who you are but know compromise exists
5. The Double Brandy-and-Coke deal at The Happy Oak is by far the best deal you will ever come across innie ‘bos

This is by far obviously not an exhaustive list but it was instructive for me.

People

I’d now like to begin talking about those who have truly helped me get to where I am today, there is some order but I can say that as I am writing this I know it will begin chronologically and then change midway to which I can most easily recall factual memoirs from in order to beef up the content of each person, so please don’t see the order necessarily as a slant towards you and making you look bad in any way. I can tell you the first 3 have an equal placement in my life - they’re impossible to rate one against another <3.

Mom

There’s a special part in every man’s heart for this person who gave birth to him, nurtured him when he was sick and was there till today to support me emotionally whenever I needed it, organised my life to make things easier for me. My mommy dearest, you’ve been there since day one for me. I do indeed remember those days in preschool when every other child’s mother had dropped them off already and I wanted you to stay for longer and you did, till the first class only then did you leave, my bond with you is as strong as Steenvas (tm). I cannot ever imagine life without you, and whilst we still reside on this planet I will always spend all the time I can with you. Nothing has really changed since then, of course I can now use the toilet by myself, eat with a knife and fork but whenever I need someone to talk to about life and someone who is always keen to listen to my computery things when no one else will - well, that’s you mum! <3

I remember the first day of primary school and how excited I was. The reason was, I never had to worry about anything as you had always sorted out everything for me to the T! I never went hungry, I never went sick. I only went and had the best years of my life. That has stayed true all the way up to and will continue to be that way due to your caring heart.

I called you within the first math class I had at university, crying, saying that this wans’t for me. You knew and believed in me and it turned out you and your support is what made it possible for me to realise that dream of studying computer science.

You mom, you made that happen

I struggled with mathematics back in school, and literature to an extent. You organised lessons for me. These lessons, albeit it at the time, I thought were annoying and I could have spent my time elsewhere as I thought I would never truly grasp the concepts but little did I know I would in the end. It’s this invaluable foresight of yours mother, that is a treasure not found with many other moms - I am forever indebted to you for all you have done for me. Without all those remedial lessons I would never be anywhere near my success of now, hell I wouldn’t have passed mathematics in school, never mind get accepted into a mathematics course at university.

Dad

Dad, you are the best dad I could have asked for. I look back on all the adventures we went on as a kid. Not all of them were what some would see as “typically glamorous”, some of them were the more simple things. Going on mountain bike trails with you when I was a younger kid, discovering new places whilst doing so - those were all things I am etremely fond of to this day. The trips to go get supplies for my next project at Builder’s Wearhouse were too things I was fond of because you were always keen to lend a helping hand in my personal projects with all your technical knowhow you had built over the years - it was never too much to ask. You taught me so much when it came to handy work, both me and Vaughan and we appreciate your willingness to teach us the more practical things in life - the things university never will teach one - for that is what a dad does.

There were how ever more glamourous ones but I see them as equally fun. The trips around the world to see some of the greatest places I have been to, from Spain to Portugal to many of the states in the United States of America. These trips are some of the sources of my fondest memories I have with you and my family dad. Those fun roller coaster rides we went on in Disney World in Florida were a blast and I can’t wait to oneday do it again!

Love you lots dad!

Vaughan

Ever since I was long I always saw my brother as the person I looked up to, not only because of him being physicially bigger than my small wee body but because I saw such a strong man both physically and mentally. I saw a man who did karate and could always protect me from any thug that tried to hurt me, a real man is what I saw in Vaughan. When it came to brains and smarts I saw even more than the physical side. I saw a person who knew what he was doing, what he wanted and his determinism to get anything he wanted done and done very well too - there was never a half-arsed job with him.

Not only has none of this changed in the way I see you Vaughan, it has only gotten stronger. I see a true academic with a degree in the arts (and a great artist at that you are whether it be from your pencil drawings or pen drawings to your oil paintings and 3D animations you did, your ability to create beauty real or digital always left me in awe because it really isn’t an easy thing to be able to put one’s creativity in their head down on paper, there aren’t many who can). When it came to physics (your second degree you are working on), you are well, amazing, you are doing better than I ever did (I never took physics) and better than most did in first year at university - you actually grasped concepts I never could but you did it so flawlessly and lasltly you always wanted to help people learn and that is why you are tutoring. This is my segway to what I wanted to say.

You always taught me as your younger brother new things. I remember the days of sitting next to you and watching you play Myst on the cpmpyter, in awe of your ability to match patterns and grasp ideas. This is why I looked up to you, for all of these things and yous sheer will and determination to study what you really wanted to and to do well in it is something that I still look up to today, you never give up Vaughan - and I love you for that because you showed me anything is possible - you taught me a major life lesson.

And lastly Vaughanie, I love you more than anyone ever will for you are my brother

Transformation Matrix

This section is dedicated to Thomas, Joseph&Joseph (their bizarre adventure), Kyle and Risima

I can tell you there was nothing linear about these people, but they definately were transformative

Thomas

Thomas or Thooms as you’re more affectionately known by us all. I honstly forgot how I met you in the first place, I think it was a hot sunny afternoon in NARGA D (the best NARGA), I came in with Kyle and he brought me to a group of people I would later come to know as and become a part of “The Transformation Matrix”.

Now the story as to why it was called that was solely based on the diveristy of ethnicities of the people in this group - so called - according atleast to the progressives in the campus faculty as transformative but the funny thing was, as students of mathematics we also knew the meaning was a doubled-edged sword - a “transformation matrix” is another word for a linear transformation which you can obviosuly go search google for - that’s besides the point. However, memes aside after meeting these people I honestly spent so much time with them - more on that later.

The first time I met Thomas, I met a shy person that seemed to have an avid interest in Linux. He had this big laptop - in comparison to mine and was running some pretty cool stuff on it, I recall us chatting a lot about Linux and stuff after the first few encounters. He was a welcoming and warm personality. As the the encounters went on we started a budding friendsip, we talked about more than just technology, whether it be current affairs and most importantly D i r e S t r a i t s. I think I can truly attribute a lot of my music tastes really expanding into the oldie-goldies due solely to this one man. It’s hard being the only person on campus with such music tastes - so finding someone to jam to the best of Elton John, Boston, Alan Parkinsons Parsons Project, The Who, etc. was truly a great cultural expanding experience.

God forbid, this was operations research

I almost think I may have found a clone() of myself in this person, obviously that’s hyperbole, but finding someone with so many of the same interests of me - irrespective of our more specific view points - was an amazing and still is experience. We can always talk about which new single-board computer we’d like to get, networks we’d want to expand and software we’d like to run on his laptop Proxmox cluster anytime, whether it be online or at Dorp 🍻️. I also do hope for your sake that you don’t bork out your system again with the dreaded pacman -Ssy - you told me nightmare stories about that laptop of yours and the self-proclaimed “arch experience (tm)" - I hope for your sake you job will be understanding of your distro choice and give you days off to fix your UEFI hibernation support on your bleeding edge kernel ;).

Wearing the jacket, those who know v.s. those who don't know

I must say this squire (as my dad would say) can really dance, perhaps a few classes of Klein Zalze would be required but hey - it takes one to know one. I’m happy to have experienced some boogie moves on the dance floor with this oak.

The second thing to mention is Thooms - you’re humor - is on another level. You can just give me a dead stare for 5 seconds and I will break up laughing and wheezing. There’s an ability for us to easily communicate memes to each other wihtout ever saying a word and I must say there have been several times in public conversations with others where we are thinking exactly the same thing and some how are on the same wavelength - it has made for some rather funny experiences.

A song you and I know too well and definately bonded over:

'Cause I've run every red light on memory lane
I've seen desperation explode into flames
And I don't want to see it again
From all of these signs saying "Sorry, but we're closed",
All the way down the Telegraph Road.
~Mark Knopfler

Side note: Up till now I knew it as “I’ve seen the inspiration explode into flames”, so whatever the wording “I’ve seen the desperation explode into flames”, simply discard that

Risima

My brother from another mother. I’d like to spend this section describing my inter-statal relationship between the King of the Principlaity of Worcester (me) and the Governor-General of the Free State of Giyani (Risima). You were probably the second person I met after I walked into NARGA D with Kyle that day. I didn’t know who you were at the time, I was testing the waters with my edgy jokes and luckily - at the end - you laughed at them all. From thereon I knew that we would be buddies for life - and oh, did we become buddies alright.

The first thing about this friendship was having a friend from out of province, sorry Thomas but Eastern Cape is just East Western Cape and I wasn’t even aware that such a province existed, from Limpopo!

Now you and me shared many hours studying in the SS (Student Sentrum), I think operations research was one of the most recurring ones but often times we’d be studying our own subjects but there to help each other and keep each other company. I remember us now and then checking each other’s screens to see what we were listening to and nodding ours heads at each other whenever we say each other playing a Fleetwood Mac banger (and yes, back before Fleetwood Mac was “cool” by the masses of zoomers these days). After some work we’d then unanimously decide “let’s go get some to munch” and my stomach agreed happily, on to the Neelsie we’d go and grab something to eat and drink, have a good conversation and then head back to the silence of studying coupled with the slightest audio leaking out of my earphones of Boston’s More than a feeling.

We were having more time listening to good music than studying but it was so worth it, the studying can wait - the music is making memories. Speaking of which, the best was you and I singing to Elton John’s Tiny Dancer with you blasting out of the top of your lungs BLUEEE JEEEANN BAAAABYYY, L.A. LAAAADDDDY whilst we had a good glass of Sandeman Port (all the way from Porto, Portugal) and some cheese or McDonalds if we were mixing it up, under the lovely music of Thomas’s record player. We then blasted all the tracks we could find on that doible-plated Fleetwood Mac vinyl, or Dire Straits Brothers in Arms one. We went till midnight and damn, those nights hey - those nights were just great and the best thing is - there’s still many songs we haven’t listened to - so this will definately not be one of the last we do.

There were other notable instances of just how great our bond was. We could be seperated by masses of land, several provinces and criss-crossing national highways yet somehow, whenever we called each other, that link (eish baba!), it was still there. Seeing you give me a tour of your home in Giyani and the surroundings was great and even more the reason for me to come up oneday (that’s a promise!). I also recall you showing me a chicken you had that you named Tristan, he was also the only white chicken you had… then you at him the next day. I was kind of sad as I thought that chicken would be like my chicken like you know, whenever people come buy your house you could tell them “Hey man’s that my friend, Tristan” and they’d say “Where’s he from?" and you’d then tell them he is from the Western Cape and they’d be surprised and in awe. So kind of like some sort of novelty item but that clearly wasn’t on the agenda -_-.

In the more recent times, I must say we really did have a joll going on hikes and walks up to and around Coetzenberg. You were always keen to takeka break from it all and I really appreciated that as a lot of those walks helped me really clear my mind I must say. Walking across that little stream that ran through Stellenbosch and falling off slippery rocks whilst trying to get an epic selfie was all worth it (as tye great philosopher of our time said “Picture that with a Kodak” ~Pitbull/My WorldWide/Mr 305).

We’ve done a hell of a lot toghether and damn it has just been such a great experience for me. Now I just need to find that Jelly Na Custard.mp3 on my laptop and listen to that again ;-).

I’d like to end this piece on us with:

In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms
~Mark Knopfler

Joseph

General engineering back plaza

Joseph Williams, otherwise known as black joseph (despite being coloured, this must have been confusing to anyone outside our friend group), you were literally the second person I met (during O-week (orientation week)) and actually became friends with. I recall you, I and Keegan, would get toghether in the library at the very first days of first year - trying to study to get ahead of the pack. Damn, that didn’t last for long, I think we only ever did it once probably. I remember time after time spending nights with you in the “bib” studying for upcoming tests we had and having quiet chats in the silent library late into the late nights before that “It’s closing time” song would start playing - damn how I even miss the days of being able to use the library (COVID rules and all…) - in that light I’m happy we got to do so.

The last day of O-week

Of all the elements that make up the rows&columns of the transformation matrix you were the quietest one but it was something I appreciated a lot as there’s a side of me that is like that too. When everyone else was going mad, you’d be there to just talk about life and some jokes here and there - that’s a personality trait I really appreciated - the calmness and levelheadedness you had.

We had a lot of great times in those first few days in the Pieke “Pig-sty” on Joubert Straat having either a lekker braai under the hot Stellenbosch sun or doing what we thought was cringe then but I, to say the least, found very fun in retrospect - Serenading the Venustia Meisies. A lot of other good memories were had too, just chilling on the rooiplein having lunch, going to the botanical gardens and just talking about many of the simpler aspects of life. It’s honestly a great trait about you, the ability to get passed all the bullshit and complexities of academia and just talk about the important things in life and have some laughs too - even midst academic uncertainities we both had going through the rough patches of university. I truly appreciated that about you Joseph.

Havin a beer at Centraal

Joseph

Joseh Kirru, or “white” Joseph (despite being black?!?! - yes it never made sense but I am happy we all went along with the meme this long). I can’t recall how we became friends but I must say I look forward to hanging out with you next year as lockdown really pushed us apart into building a friendship further but I must say you always brought class to the table, had a great taste in music (and a love for playing De La Rey by Bok Van Blerk on the acoustic guita) and a genuinely interested personality, always intrigued and willing to just talk about anything - and of course - a funny sense of humour.

The squad listening to records whilst playing, God forbid, FIFA

You were also, as of late, a great support when I needed to talk to someone about personal things, appreciate you man - you’re down to earth - no bullshit.

Kyle

Kyle De Kock, we became friends during during “the struggle” and by that I mean the wretched subject of Operations Research 214. I remember many fond times of your vlogs that you’d make all around campus and just how funny they were, whether it be me trying a super hot chilly (twice in a row nogal!) or “calling my crush” it truly was a fun experience man and I enjoyed every part of it. The thing about your personality that I really loved was, despite how whacky of a person I may have been you always embraced everyone for who their were and joined in on their quirks. It made me feel very accepted for who I am and I truly appreciated that about you. You had the ability to make anyone feel at home in your presecense no matter how off the walls they were. We had so many funny endavours toghether and even some that I missed but due to your vlog I got to witness, cough cough Tygerberg.

Rooiplein, Universiteit Stellenbosch

I also must say, congrajulations on your endavours into music production. I remember it from the beginning of when you begun, us jolling to your beats at Thomas’s place, and damn, now look at you - Spotify and all! Congrats man! (Check out KXLE - you can find the hilarious vlogs there to!).

There’s a great quote I’d like to leave the transformation with here, uttered by a very smart fellow and thankfully documented by you:

You cannot operate heavy machinary ~Risima

The three T’s

The Three T’s are Thomas, Tieg and Troy. Now Thomas has already had his fair share of the limelight, it’s time to discuss the last two.

We’re an inseperable bunch, we are like a well-oiled machine - okay maybe that gives us too much credit but we’re the stellies squad and Okay I pull up, hop out at the afterparty, you and all your friends ya-you love to get naughty

Tieg

Melkbos Strand vaaabs

I actually don’t even know where to begin with you Tieg. The very first time I met you was when we happened to somehow end up sitting next to each other (along with Justin) the one day in Computer Science (it was Lynette’s class on ALgorithmns) and I actually thought it was so cool this “surfer bro” was sitting next to me. I mean, my first impressions were that (and I wasn’t wrong as I’d find out). You had all the telltale signs. Long hair, somewhat goofy (in the good way, it’s so you), and just really really c h i l l e d. It was this spontaneous seatiung arrangement that really started it all or us. We had to make groups of three and I recall saying I would go with you, we then completed thr trievecta with Justin to top it off and from their it was sealed - we’d have to become buddies if we were going to get through this project - and well, to say the least, those were some of the best times we had toghether.

I remember us working in many of the NARGAs toghether and then joking about “the mush” that (actually smelled nice) that you’d put in your VeganSafe+NonMicrofractures (tm) and how if we even rolled it across the ground that it would “get microfractures” (this is still to be confirmed as that jar honestly never had any glass cracks on it). It’s little things here and there like this that I really loved about who you are as a person and it made you just such a character. There was never a dull moment when around you. If it wasn’t that then it was the so called “pedo van” which wasn’t dubbed that by you - but by us - as much as you wished it would have been called otherwise, that name stuck. I mean, it did have a mattress in the back of it, no windows, a FRIKKEN CAGE…. So I mean I just shrugged it off as another one of Tieg’s brilliant absurdist acts that made me ever more fond of him (knowing how off-the-walls I can be).

Front lawn of General Engineering

There were many great aspects to you other than your humor. Your eagerness to share memories toghether and to make the most out of any available time we had was a true blessing. You were always happy to go out, have the whole group of friends over for a braai and some good food (and oh boy, you cooked some very delicious food on numerous occasions). You’d take that great film camera of yours, and save some of the best times we ever had togehther. Your care and love for our friendship and what seems to be almost a mantra of yours - make the most of every moment we have toghether as a group of friends - is something that I greatly appreciated.

One of the greatest things about us was how we got along despite having very different viewpoints on many things and our ability to not take things too seriously as, as you have demonstrated, you got to enjoy life every moment - don’t get strung up in the worries of life or atleast those that may seem to be huge propblems but in reality are not.

Lastly Tieg, you put up with me and taught me some very important life lessons and I am forever thankful for those and for you sticking around with me, it’s beautiful and I can’t show how much I appreciated that moment.

Troy

Good old Guiness at Centraal

I don’t really recall how our friendship came to be but perhaps sometime during operations research 214 we found each other both trying to simply pass that module and we ended up in the same study groups along with Thomas and Risima. In the beginning, to be quite honest, I was ~scared~ treading lightly as seeing this ominous man with an iPad and these really black headphones gave off a very serious tone. So I was a bit hesitant to starting to chat with you in the beginning, but after you had clearly shown your very humurous side I welcomed you with open arms. Your ability to quickly switch from a very serious and monotonic (but in a good way, hyper focused) to a master of memery is something I truly appreciate as you should know by now I have an acquired taste in terms of humor and you satisfy it more than anyone else could.

Coopmanhuis, Stellenbosch

Your kindness is much appreciated, you were always there to provide support when I needed it most but unlike most people - you gave your unadultered take on it, not to please me but to teach me and show me whenever I may have been doing something wrong. You were brutally honest in the moments I truly needed it and you helped me make what I could consider life ultering decisions for the bettering of myself. But it’s not all about the negatives and improving on them, there also the good times we have had toghether. There are so many great things that happened to me this year and achievements I had, you were always supportive (and for some of the ongoing ones, you still are). You’ve always been a bok for sport (or gone by alternative names according to my dad - all in good faith ;)). Wehether it be going to Casa de Cerveja for some risotti and a beer or Calcachioz to have some pizza and wine after a long coding session in NARGA H - it’s small things like this that are some of my best memories I have with you.

Sauce circa 1994 (colorized)

Your appreciation of my Portuguese culture and your constant Espetadas and the photos you send me of them, is greatly appreciated. I would like to dub thee, an honorary Portuguese.

I have enjoyed a lot of the things we did toghether, you’ve also taught me a lot and introduced me to some rather interesting types of music such as Clown Core, which despite the absurdity, I do actually enjoy. You’ve been an amazing friend. you’ve shown an interestnin the things I have done. You’ve always been keen to go out and try some new food and grab a bite to eat irrespective of whether you had an exam in the next 2 days - this sort of commitment and sheer love for life is something taught me how to embrace taking opportunities when you have them a lot more than my less-eager past self and for that I am truly appreciative.

Keep it up T-Roy-Rex 🦖️.

Junior Java developers

This group is dedicated to the, contrary to the namne, very senior experienced Java and C developers that made up my true nerd group and I mean that in the most respectful way possible. I believe there’s some Haskell developers in this group too as well.

I’ve never a photo depicting so many people with such high intellects. This is truly my favourite group of computer people - we all speak the same language - machine code and make the same sort of jokes - cringe ones. I feel at home.

Gustav

I had just come to sit in NARGA A for a tutorial session we had that afternoon for Computer Science 144. We had been given the task to, that we should be working on our computer science assigned project. The project assigned back then was Obstacle Chess or OChess for short. The idea is to program an interactive GUI for playing chess but with the few additions of things such as trapdoors, land mines and walls. So it was like chess but a little more fun. Mine never worked, but I can tell you who’s did - Gustav’s.

Anyways, we were sitting in this room, in the afternoon when everyone is kind of hot and bothered and doesn’t really want to be there. I was speaking about something to someone and then I had overheard this fine young man behind me talking about implementing exactly what I was talking about but in a way that I had found very alarming surprising - doing it with r e g u l a r e x p r e s s i o n s. It was at this moment I knew this guy had to be my friend, he was clearly passionate about computer science and truly an out-of-the-box thinker - traits I admire. This would not be the last time I saw you.

We had a maths tutorial the next day and I saw you again and decided to take a seat next to you as you showed me your final version of your OChess game and I was pretty impressed that it:

1. Worked
   • Mine never could get into check-mate, yes, the fundamental aspect of mine never worked
2. Had cool fancy effects
   • Mine looked k*k

From here onwards we spent as much time working next to each other as we could seeing that the term and semester and year was nearing a close. From second year however I recall us really getting to know each other better then, sitting at that huge table in the turorial venue for Operations Research or chatting during clas in Lynette’s algorithmns class. From there we’d do what all of us CS students in my friend group would do, study toghether, work toghether and eat toghether.

Fast forward to now and IO can easily explain why we are such good friends. We’ve always been interested in what one or the other of us two is doing, always wanting to learn and tinker with new technologies (or old for that matter whenever we go dumpster diving at Jan’s ISP in Worcester). You gave me free reign to SSH into your Rasoberry Pi and do what I wanted on it, you went along with it all and I appreciate the trust and willingness to learn and want to help me with the endavours I embarked on such as CRXN and BonoboNET. I want to say, those two projects are a part of my life bland man, and damn, without you it wouldn’t have been possible, I really really appreciate it all man and it’s not the end yet.

We still have so much to do and we make a great team - so let’s get that bread 🍞️.

Stephen Cochrane

Stephen “Kow-crain”, sorry but the first time we met and for the next year and a half that is how I said your surname. Stephen Cochrane, my boy, my boy, my boy. My G, Mr Mr Sir. Damn, you’re a bloody unique one hey, like jirre.

I know exactly how we met, we were both humblebgragging about our programming skills whilst waitinf for the first Computer Science tutorial to start. We were sitting on the floor outside NARGA D on the right-hand side entrance (next to that weird stinky toilet on the outside). I recall you bringing up J a b b a (that’s Java for the based-illeterates) and then my flex-rebuttle being I know D-lang, and you were like “What’s D?" - little did I know this flexermony (flex-ceremony) would actually turn into a great friendship starting some week later and I guess really starting in the end of first year I would say, as all sweet things do.

Of all of my friends I think you really had a knack for mathematics, you never seemed to struggle grasping any of the new concepts and I knew that if I needed help for anything maths related I could always come to you, including in the worst of times when we were both under an equal amount of stress due to upcoming mathematics exams themselves - you’d still give out a lending hand and help not just me but anyone who asked. You’re a wonderful person in that respect - your willingness to help.

As our friendship grew we more and more would come to like each other. We shared a common interest of low-level programming, Linux and the like (even networking too), we would always be working on our own projects and I really found another part of me within you, and vice-versa, we really loved programming and the fact that I had finally found a friend that was like this made me so happy. Gone were the days of people being willing to listen to me but not really be all that enthralled by what I was talking about, with you I had a keen ear that as soon as I mentioned something about my implementation you’d have something to say - whether for the better of my idea of the worse - it was greatly acepted - always.

Second to the above, we’d always share our thoughts on the current political affairs around the world and that too was great fun. I am happy to say you, like most of those on this list, one of my best friends.

We will still be the true intellectuals on campus ~C45

Honourable mentions

There are obviously so many more people to thank, these were just some of the very important ones, of those that had been the closest to me over the years but I would still like to mention many more than I can easily recall the hours before I graduate, you know who you are. The family friends, the extended family and the teachers and lecturers - you all played a pivotal role in my life.