While others might choose to catch up on some much-needed sleep (after putting in the long hours of studying for exams), some might be looking to go on a trip or look for a job to keep them occupied for the December holidays.

OFM News spoke to two matriculants to find out how the exams have been so far and what their plans are for next year. The first of the two is Mosa Thetsane who is a Grade 12 learner at St Bernard’s High School in Bloemfontein. The 18-year-old is passionate about Judo which he had to juggle with his academics (he often participates in local and international tournaments, but manages to strike a balance between the two). He noted that stress is something that occurred often during the exam period, but other than that he was doing fine.

“After the exams, I will be participating in the Region 5 Games which will be held in Botswana, from then on, I will be spending more time with my family and some friends, maybe at the park or at the beach,” said Thetsane. He plans to go to university next year. Attending Judo training camps are also part of his plans. He would also like to reach out for sponsorships especially considering that he will be participating in various international tournaments.

Nonhlanhla Mpaki also had her fair share of academic and personal challenges this year. She is a grade 12 learner at St Martin de Porres Combined School in Soweto. Mathematics proved to be quite an academic challenge for her. “I struggled with Mathematics the most, I felt like giving up at some point, because I just thought I was too dumb to understand.” She also had to deal with the loss of her uncle.

“Moving on wasn't easy especially not getting the support from my family. But I appreciate the friends that were always there for me because I was able to pick up the pieces with their help/support,” she expressed.

“I could say exams were great and not so great at the same time. There were difficult papers that had me questioning my matric results (papers like Mathematics Paper 1 and 2 and Economics Paper) Then there were papers that were so great that I kept on smiling when I was answering the questions. I guess that's how great they were,” she said about her experience with the Matric examination.

Mpaki was looking forward to finishing school as she wrote her last paper on Monday, 26 November, but she became a little nervous when the reality of life after matric sunk in. She would like to study towards a BCom Accounting Sciences degree at the University of Johannesburg or the University of the Witwatersrand. She is looking forward to meeting new people and seeing where life will take her after matric.

She had some words of advice for 2019’s matriculants “My advice to the class of 2019 would be: study hard and ensure that supplementing/rewriting other subjects the next year isn't an option. Your matric year will show you who your real friends are - be aware of those friends. And lastly, be selfish if you have to... this is about you, not anyone else. It is about reaching your goals,” Mpaki concluded.

A time of rest, reflection and decision-making lie ahead for the class of 2018. The following activities are some of the things the class of 2018 can consider doing during the holidays, especially if they are still trying to determine what career they would like to pursue.

1) Volunteer your time to a cause (identify an organisation or a programme you can offer your time to)

2) Get a part-time job (this can provide you with the opportunity to gain job experience)

3) Shadow/get an internship (this will give you an idea of what you are interested in and will give you practical experience of the job you are interested in doing)

4) Travel (whether it is going to another city or travelling overseas, travelling gives you the opportunity to experience new sights, cultures, and activities)

OFM News