Johannesburg, Wednesday, 28 January 2026 - South Africa\u2019s favourite youth radio station, 5FM, is hitting the road in a partnership led by Standard Bank, the youth\u2019s biggest cheerleader, to bring the heat to campuses nationwide for O-Week 2026.<\/p>\n
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This year\u2019s theme, \u201cYour Campus Adventure Starts Now\u201d, celebrates the thrill, chaos and possibility of stepping into varsity life. From orientation jitters to late-night study sessions and unforgettable social moments, 5FM and Standard Bank are showing up together to ampli5 and celebrate every chapter of the student journey - on campus, on air and online.
\nCatch the 5 Lunch duo, Lula Odiba and Nadia Romanos, broadcasting live from campuses across the country. Each stop highlights a different chapter of first-year life:<\/p>\n
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-29 Jan \u2014 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg<\/p>\n
-30 Jan \u2014 Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch<\/p>\n
-5 Feb \u2014 Rhodes University, Makhanda<\/p>\n
-13 Feb \u2014 University of the Free State, Bloemfontein<\/p>\n
-26 Feb \u2014 University of Pretoria, Pretoria<\/p>\n
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The week culminates in First Big Friday, with a live set from Lula Odiba to celebrate surviving week one in style.
\n5FM and Standard Bank co-created a mix of on-air and on-campus experiences designed to be fast, fun and useful for students:<\/p>\n
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-State of 5 Nation - quick, relatable takes on first-week realities like The First Lecture and Campus Life.<\/p>\n
-Stereo Typical - playful sketches of campus archetypes that students instantly recognise.<\/p>\n
-Campus Confessions Booth - anonymous, hilarious and chaotic first-week stories recorded on site.<\/p>\n
-Co-Creator Fridays - campus radio talent joins Lula and Nadia live on air.<\/p>\n
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Student Montages - real student-shot clips under the theme Your Campus Adventure Starts Now.
\nAll content is designed to be concise, shareable, and authentically student focused.
\nThis year\u2019s activations go beyond entertainment - they\u2019re edutainment. Standard Bank is turning financial learning into interactive, relatable experiences that build confidence:<\/p>\n
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-Games simplify complex topics such as student loans and budgeting.<\/p>\n
-Interactive stations turn fear into understanding.<\/p>\n
-Fun lowers barriers to asking real questions and makes learning memorable.<\/p>\n
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This approach supports Standard Bank\u2019s position by offering a hand up through practical products, such as the MyMo Account voted the best Youth account by South Africa; exclusive benefits via Varsity Vibe; education funding through student loans; and immersive experiences that help students grow with confidence.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are more than a bank - we are a lifelong partner to young South Africans. From their earliest money habits to post-matric studies and everything that follows, we\u2019re there to guide, support and empower. By making financial education engaging and interactive, we help students build lasting confidence and skills. Education is a key pillar of our commitment, and we walk with young people at every step of their journey. O-Week is a powerful opportunity to show that we\u2019re not just a provider - we\u2019re a true partner\u201d - Tshiamo Molanda, Head Youth and Mass Market PPB SA.<\/p>\n
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Masi Mdingane, Business Manager for 5FM and Good Hope FM, says the partnership with Standard Bank is rooted in celebrating and amplifying the full spectrum of student life.
\n\u201cOur partnership with Standard Bank is an all-out celebration of students and student life, but it\u2019s also a recognition of the real challenges, questions and quirks that come with stepping into varsity for the first time. O-Week is electric: it\u2019s discovery, freedom, pressure, excitement and limitless possibility all in one. In proud association with the team at Standard Bank, we\u2019re helping students navigate this new study, party and bonding ground, Ampli5d by 5FM, and setting them up for massive success as they begin writing the next chapter of their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
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With the hottest music, the biggest vibes and the most relatable student content, 5FM is ready to make O-Week 2026 unforgettable on campus, on air and online. Your varsity adventure starts here, and 5FM is right there with you.<\/p>\n
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ABOUT STANDARD BANK <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","video_embed":"","article_images":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.5fm.co.za\/5fm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newsroom\/6055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.5fm.co.za\/5fm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newsroom"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.5fm.co.za\/5fm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/newsroom"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.5fm.co.za\/5fm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newsroom\/6055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6138,"href":"https:\/\/www.5fm.co.za\/5fm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newsroom\/6055\/revisions\/6138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.5fm.co.za\/5fm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nStandard Bank Group is the largest African bank by assets, operating in 20 African countries, 4 global financial centres and 2 offshore hubs. Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, we are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with share code SBK, and the Namibian Stock Exchange, share code SNB. Standard Bank has a 162-year history in South Africa and started building a franchise outside southern Africa in the early 1990s. Our strategic position, which enables us to connect Africa to other select emerging markets as well as pools of capital in developed markets, and our balanced portfolio of businesses, provide significant opportunities for growth. As at 30 June 2024, Standard Bank Group had 19.5 million clients, employed over 50 000 people (including Liberty) and had almost 1 200 points of representation and 5 500 ATMs on the African continent. The group\u2019s largest shareholder is the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the world\u2019s largest bank, with a 19.4% shareholding. In addition, Standard Bank Group and ICBC share a strategic partnership that facilitates trade and deal flow between Africa, China and select emerging markets. For further information, go to http:\/\/www.standardbank.com<\/a><\/p>\n