Star College high-flyers who achieved nine distinctions in the National Senior Certificate exams said they had thrived under pressure.
Zachary Govender, 18, who will be studying medicine at one of the top four universities, said his matric year was daunting but he had a good support system.
“There was definitely pressure, but I’m thankful that I had a good support system being my parents. Everything I needed they got for me, they encouraged me and gave me advice that really helped me to do well.”
He said with the field of study he chose to pursue, the main pressure was that he needed to get high marks to get in.
Zachary added that he also wanted to make his parents and family proud.
“That’s also a big pressure, but I’m glad that my parents and my family never put pressure on me really. They told me that I need to do my best and that’s what I did.”
He thanked his teachers for making a big contribution towards his success and for always going the extra mile to help him.
Zachary said the final matric exams went well because he prepared with consistency and discipline from the beginning of the year.
Zashya Deolall, 18, said the final exams were strenuous and she felt a lot of pressure but having a goal in mind, she was willing to work towards it and overall she was happy with how it went.
She said as a pupil who has been excelling, the year started with a lot of pressure because she wanted to succeed and do well.
“The pressure was there, but it was enjoyable because if it wasn’t there I don’t think I would have performed as well as I did in the end. I like working under pressure,” she said.
Zashya added that she took to night studying to cope with the pressures of load shedding.
Her advice to this year’s matric class was not to procrastinate and to have “full faith in their potential and to believe in themselves and not lose sight of the end goal”.
Zashya will be studying actuarial science at UCT.
Paveshan Naidu, 17, said the matric year was a bit stressful but enjoyable.
“I had a good support system with my family. My sister Derushka Naidu was in matric last year and achieved eight distinctions. She helped me cope with the stress and helped me cope with any issues I faced throughout the year.”
He added that he plans to study medicine and has applied to all the relevant universities.
He advised the matric class of 2024 to enjoy the year.
He added that he plans to study medicine and has applied to all the relevant universities.
He advised the matric class of 2024 to enjoy the year.
“I know you enter the year and there is a lot of stress but enjoy it and make sure you have a good support system. The memories that I won’t forget are the matric farewell and school colourfest after our final exam.”
Yurav Hirachund, 18, said that the matric year was full of pressure but he got through it in the end.
“It was important to prioritise the mental side of things. Your mental health is important and you need to take care of it. Remember matric is a mental challenge and you need to look after yourself to be successful,” he said.
His advice to the class of 2024 was to remember that while it was important to study, it was just as important to take a step back and prioritise well-being.
“For me, getting through the matric year is the biggest highlight, as it is one of the hardest years. You need to just embrace the year and enjoy every moment.”
Yurav plans to study medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The Mercury