So Matric results came out today and I have to say I was super proud when I heard about how certain provinces (more especially the Eastern Cape) improved from 2017. Congratulations to the class of 2018, yall have done us all proud, you’ve run the race and you’ve keep the faith.
By the time you read this, you have already seen your results and you’re probably in complete shock. Some of you are shocked in a good way because you did so much better than you expected and on top of that you have received final acceptance to the University of your choice and you’re well on your way to study what you want. From me to you – congratulations and I am super proud of you and I hope you’re proud of yourself too. It was not easy (I mean I remember my matric year and whew what a journey it was) but you’re here now, getting ready to step into the varsity life. As you’re getting ready to leave for varsity, I have some advice for you that I wrote in my blog post Dear First Year Student. I hope it encourages you and gives you hope. (and if you are going to Wits, don’t be a stranger, feel free to greet me if you see me lol ).
Now some of you are shocked in a bad way because your results are not as good as you expected. In fact, for some your results may be good but not good enough to gain final acceptance into University. You’re crushed and you probably feel yourself slipping into a depression. You feel like you’re not good enough and that you’re a disgrace. I want to tell you: 1) I understand where you are coming from and 2) you are NOT failure. You need to learn to separate your circumstance from who you are. Just because you didn’t do well does not mean you’re a failure – the same way me standing in a garage does not make me a car.
In this blog post I want to tell my story as it relates to my matric results and the options available to you should you be one of those people who didn’t do as good as you expected.
I matriculated in 2014 and your girl thought she was going to be on her way to AFDA Film School (I had been accepted and that’s what I wanted to do) but alas my dad wouldn’t allow me to go to film school and so I was forced to take a gap year (I talk more in depth about taking a gap year on my recent blog post Taking A Gap Year. Be sure to check it out). I took the gap year and decided to improve my math mark. Now to be honest my marks were pretty average I mean A-V-E-R-A-G-E. I remember the night before the results came out, I was so anxious I woke with a headache the next day. When I saw my marks, I was grateful for a Bachelor’s Pass but my heart sank because I knew these marks would not be good enough for my dad. (A lil background story, my dad forced me to do certain subjects like Physics and Life Sciences and because I hated those subjects, it showed in my academic performance. Child, I got 44% for Physics. Not only did I hate Physics but I just couldn’t grasp what was happening but my dad wouldn’t get it so I chose to suffer in silence in hopes to fake it until I ace it. Dololo mntase.). So I went back home after collecting my statement of results and I was just waiting for my dad to come home from work, see my results and just sigh at my results – and he did. So because I was forced to take a gap year, my dad asked me what I was going to do and I was like I didn’t plan for this so I decided to be like hey I will improve my math mark. During my gap year I applied to various universities to study law or accounting and got accepted with the marks I had so it turns out that I didn’t have to rewrite my math but I rewrote anyway because I had already registered to do so.
Moral of the story: I could’ve easily allowed my matric results to define me and I just not go on with life but I didn’t. Yes it was discouraging for a moment but as the year went on, I stirred myself up and decided to believe the best.
I know you don’t see it yet but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s 2019 and I’m sitting with a BCom Law degree preparing to leave home in a few weeks to study towards my second degree, my LLB, for two years at the University of the Witwatersrand. Suicide does not have to be an option. Reach out to someone (even if it means sending me an email. I don’t mind J ) if you feel like you have lost your will to live.
Now I want to discuss the options available to you:
1. Rewrite
Now with regards to rewriting your matric exams, you do not have to rewrite all your exams. Like me, you can choose to only rewrite certain subjects. Now with rewriting, you do not have to take a full gap year only to rewrite in November, you could actually opt to write earlier (March or June) and be able to possibly go to University in the second semester (Jul/Aug) and but make sure the university of your choice will allow you to start studying towards that specific course in the second semester of 2019. For more information with regards to how to register to rewrite your exams, you can follow this link: https://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/SeniorCertificate(amended)/ASCRegistration.aspx
If you have decided to write a supplementary exam, you now have to decide whether you want to take part time classes to refresh your memory and help stay disciplined in studying for those exams you are going to write. I personally took part time classes. If I remember correctly, I had math classes once a week and I attended a college/technikon type of institution to take these classes. So you can do your research as to whether there are any colleges or the like that allow you to attend classes to upgrade your matric. (If you’re from Newcastle, I highly recommend Qualitas Academy.)
2. Go Varsity
Wait, what? Flow with me here. Some of you, the problem isn’t that you didn’t do well. For some of you, you did well but the university of your choice didn’t accept you for your first choice of study. Here’s the thing, I normally wouldn’t recommend this but you can go and study for whatever it is they accepted you for and then come second semester request to change degrees. I have heard success stories from people I know – people who changed degrees halfway. However, I ask that you confirm with the relevant faculty what procedure you would have to follow and what requirements you would have to meet in order for them to accept you when you attempt to change degrees midway.
3. Take A Gap Year
As mention in option number 1, you can opt to rewrite at the end of the year which means you will take a gap year. I know you want to go to varsity like all your peers but a gap year could be what you need to just regroup. I mean you were in school non stop for twelve consecutive years so it might not be a bad idea. As mentioned before, I talked more in depth on the benefits of a gap year here.
I hope this post encourages you to keep pressing in despite what your matric results may be, good or bad. At the end of the day your marks don't define you.
Much love,
The Aspiring Advocate.
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