Grade 11s should use the time they have now to invest in their future, this is according to Senior Head of Programme: Faculty of ICT at The Independent Institute of Education Wonga Ntshinga.
“There are some sure-fire ways you can ensure you finish your school career successfully and set yourself up for entering higher education on the path towards a fulfilling career,” said Ntshinga.
“It is important to seize the day, however, and make optimal use of the weeks and months ahead, as time is now on your side,” he said.
Ntshinga said it is to be expected that there will remain some challenges associated with this period in history in the year to come, and some new challenges may arise.
“The only certain thing at this stage is uncertainty. So it is crucial to use times of relative calm to fortify yourself and your academic career by paying attention to those matters within your control. The last quarter and the December holidays provide you with this opportunity to get in the right frame of mind by finishing the year strong and considering your future path without the pressure next year will bring,” he said.
Wonga advises Grade 11s to invest in their future now by taking the following steps:
1) Shoot for the stars when sitting for your Grade 11 finals. “Grade 11 is an opportunity to hedge your bets against any potential problems that may arise in Grade 12, whether academically or personally. So, as you head back to school for the fourth term, resolve to do everything in your power to finish the year as strong as possible and to perform to the best of your ability in the exams,” Ntshinga says.
2) Take some time during the holidays to work on subjects requiring attention. After the exams, make sure you get some well-deserved rest following a tough year. And then, when you have relaxed sufficiently, invest a small amount of time working on concepts or subjects you found tricky during the year or which showed up as areas for improvement during the exams.
3) Plan your year ahead. During the holidays, draw a calendar outline of next year and note down important dates. He says the calendar overview should denote the start and end of school terms and when exams and significant events are likely to happen – even if those dates have not been fixed yet.
4) Take time to think of your future plans. By now, most Grade 11s should have a good idea of what they want to do after Matric. If you do not yet know or are undecided about your plans going into 2023, now is the ideal time to consider the matter – before you go to Matric. For those learners who don’t yet know what they want to do after Matric, the December holidays provide the perfect opportunity to consider their plans.
5) Get some good habits going. The past two years have been stressful, and next year seems likely to continue in a similar fashion, at least for a while. So starting right away, if you have not yet done so, start introducing small, positive new habits into your daily life, and work on leaving behind those habits and behaviours that no longer serve you.
In these uncertain times, sometimes the only thing we can control is ourselves and how we respond to external challenges. By building your mental, physical and emotional resilience little by little each day, you will be rewarding yourself with the best possible chance of attaining future success.