Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
26 August 2020 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Pixabay
Mental health is a crucial component for a healthy and happy life, as it directly affects how we think, feel, and behave. Mental health also determines how we manage stress, cope with challenges, relate to others, and contribute to our community.  

As noted in the University of the Free State (UFS) #WellbeingWarriors campaign, heightened negative emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic are normal. You might experience feelings of anxiety, fear, sadness, helplessness, anger, and confusion. Your thoughts can also increase negative emotions, but thoughts are not always reality. Therefore, it is best to educate yourself.

According to Dr Melissa Barnaschone – UFS Director for Student Counselling and Development (SCD), the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) will establish and enhance the mental-health support services offered by SCD and Careways as from 1 September 2020 in the following ways: 

- SADAG will extend SCD services by offering a dedicated UFS student mental health careline, which is free and accessible 24/7 to all UFS students. This will ensure that a constant means of mental-health support is available to UFS students. 

- Careways will serve as an extension of the emergency services offered by SCD.

Dr Barnaschone further explained that SADAG is working closely with the university to assist identified students, who will benefit from longer-term counselling offered by the SCD in order to continue with their therapeutic process. SADAG will also offer further support to students while they wait for their appointments with SCD.

This helpline will provide containment, crisis intervention, and support, as well as referrals to mental-health professionals and other psychosocial resources for all students on all the UFS campuses. 
students also have the option to contact SADAG by email or SMS for counselling assistance. 

Counselling for both the SADAG and Careways services will be available in the various South African languages.

Dr Barnaschone reiterated that the SCD will continue with all the services and resources currently offered by the department, and that these additional counselling services will serve as an extension of the SCD, assisting them with patient capacity and reducing the waiting period for students to receive adequate mental-health support and counselling. 

“As we are all navigating the uncertainties and changes that are taking place within our environments, it is vital to remember that we are all human and that we are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious. We need to keep reminding ourselves and each other that this is not a hopeless situation, and when we feel that we need help, all we need to do is ask for it. We are all here to support each other,” encouraged Dr Barnaschone.



News Archive

Kovsies reign FNB Superbowl
2007-05-10

The FNB Super Bowl took place from 26 – 30 April in Potchefstroom.
The Kovsies reigned the tournament in their respective categories.
It was an absolute mega Intervarsity. The following tournaments took place in which Kovsies was represented.
 
Senior rugby tournament
The Shimlas won their first game against TUT 33-0
In the Semi-final Shimlas lost against Pukke 17-8.
The Shimlas played for third and fourth place against Tukkies and won the game 41-19. Which secured them the third place in the tournament.
 
The following teams participated in the tournament
Pukke, UJ, Shimlas, Tukkies, Maties, NMMU, TUT, UCT
 
SA Students team
The following Shimlas were selected for the SA student games:
Steph Roberts (prop)
Drikus Strydom (hooker)
Philip Steyn (lock)
Marlin Ruiters (Scrumhalf)
Marcel du Toit (flyhalf)
 
Pharmaton Junior Rugby Tournament
The Kovsies u/21 & u/19 teams won their respective tournaments. It is a wonderful accomplishment for the University. The following teams took part in the tournament: Kovsies, Pukke, Tukkies and UJ.
 
u/21 results
Won Pukke 12-11
Won UJ 22-18
Won Tukkies 47-16
 
u/19 results
Won UJ 9-8
Won Pukke 25-13
Won Tukkies 25-16
 
Hostel Rugby Tournament
Reitz and Armentum represented Kovsies. These two teams played against each other in the final which Reitz won 47-0. To have both our hostel teams in the final is an outstanding accomplishment for Kovsies.
The following Universities took park: Kovsies, Pukke, Tukkies and UJ
 
Reitz results
Won Sonop (UJ): 27-7
Won Patria (Pukke): 11-10
Bastion (Tukkies): withdraw
Won Armentum in the final: 47-0
 
Armentum results
Won Overs (Pukke): 15-7
Won Afslaan: 49-12
Won Boekenhout: 43-0
Lost against Reitz in the final: 47-0
 
Hostel Soccer
Veritas represented Kovsies and won Kiaat from Tukkies in the final with 3-1 after a penalty shoot-out.
 
Hostel Netball
Vergeet-my-nie and Emily Hobhouse represented Kovsies. Vergeet-my-nie lost in the final against Wanda from Pukke17-14.
 
Hostel Cricket
Vishuis lost in the final against Villagers from Pukke with 5 wickets.
 
Hostel Hockey
Wag-‘n-Bietjie and Vergeet-my-nie represented Kovsies. Unfortunetly none of them went through to the finals.
 
 We won most of the games against the strongest Universities in the country is an outstanding accomplishment for Kovsies.
 
Compiled by
Ansu Colditz
Rugby Manager

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept