Johannesburg - A top achiever from a Soweto school said she is looking forward to discovering how different university is from high school as she embarks on her new journey.
“Competing with Covid-19 during my matric year was not easy, especially because our Grade 11 was the worst year ever,” said matriculant from Forte Secondary School in Soweto, Amogelang Molopyane, as she described how she entered 2021.
She obtained seven distinctions in Setswana (home language), English (first additional language), life orientation, accounting, business studies, economics and history.
The top achiever told The Star that the Covid-19 pandemic made schooling tough for the Class of 2021, and as a result, her final year of high school was difficult, hectic, and the pressure was on.
“If you’re a person who doesn’t work well under pressure, you wouldn’t have been able to keep up,” Molopyane said.
She added that matrics were told that if their Grade 11 wasn’t successful academically, their matric year would be worse, and that added pressure on the class.
Despite the issues, Molopyane said that she managed to obtain good marks, and that gave her the confidence she needed going into the final examinations.
“The results I received every term showed that I was good enough, and it gave me the confidence I needed to enter my final exams with positivity in my mind. I was able to fully see my capabilities,” she said. The learner said her preliminary examinations results, particularly, made her feel good.
She added that she surrounded herself with like-minded friends who were as dedicated to their academic success as she was. Molopyane said when she and her friends got together, they would have fun, but they also understood that their academics were a priority.
“I had their support, and they had my support, and we helped each other out. My family was also amazing because when I needed to study, they gave me my time and left me alone to focus on my studies,” she said.
The top achiever said she wants to study Accounting Science or BCom Accounting at the University of Pretoria this year.
“Accounting has always been an interesting subject, and I initially used to love Mathematics more, but when I chose my subjects in Grade 10, I realised that I’m very passionate about Accounting, and it was stronger than Mathematics,” she said.
As she moves from high school into adulthood, Molopyane said she was looking forward to making more friends and discovering how different university is from high school.
“I am open to the challenges that come ahead because I’m fully aware that it’s tougher in university. I’m determined to figure out how things work outside high school,” she said.
The Star