Durban - Star College Girls High pupil Janelle Naicker had a stressful year because she had to cope with her father being ill during her trial exams.
Janelle, who achieved nine distinctions and plans to study medicine at Wits, said she had worked hard to make her father proud.
“During trials my dad was sick and it was a very stressful time but I put it to the back of my mind and tried to focus on what I wanted to do and what would make my dad happy and proud,”Janelle said.
Rylan Odayan from Star College Boys High, who got eight distinctions, said his year had been good because although it was stressful, he still had his friends and social groups.
“I thought it would be worse than what it was,” he said.
Rylan will be studying mechanical engineering at UKZN.
Fellow Star College pupil Kerwyn Pillay, who also achieved eight distinctions and wants to study aeronautical engineering, said matric had been a year “that just breezed by.”
“It's been quite fun and memorable despite the sleepless nights,” he said.
Sashin Moodley, who is also from Star College Boys High, got eight distinctions and plans to study aeronautical engineering.
Sashin Moodley
“The year wasn't terribly stressful because I knew what to expect, so I worked smart and hard,” he said.
Kirthi Misra from Eden College, who got eight distinctions, said her year had been good and stressful.
“I wouldn't change it because it was fun bonding with friends and overall it was a good year,” she said.
Kirthi is planning on studying actuarial science or computer science at UCT.