Wandile Mtoba – Bachelor of Science of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Cape Town
“Every dark cloud has a silver lining”
In the middle of grade 9 2005, I was faced with a problem that seemed too daunting to tackle. Yet looking back later in life it was definitely one of the most important decisions I would make in my academic career. I was unhappy with my situation at my previous High School St Andrews College Grahamstown. A combination of not being fully mature to handle studying at a full time boarding school, almost 1200 kilometres away from home and a feeling that I would not be able to achieve my full scholarly potential, had caused this unease. I decided that a change in school was needed, a drastic choice, that at the time seemed as though it was “the end of the world”. The South African schooling system high school is from grades 8-12. Therefore changing schools in the middle of that period generally frowned upon by both teachers and students alike. In addition to that changing school would mean restarting high school in the social sense. I worried about the seemingly infinite number of problems I would face and the seemingly endless list of negative effects the change in school would have on my life.
However the dawn of grade 10 came, a signal that my journey into a new school was to begin, and I found that the best way to adapt was to do so whole-heartedly. I engulfed myself in duties by enlisting in a multitude of clubs, societies and other extra murals. I joined the Ubuntu society, a group that celebrates the African principle of “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabanye abantu”, which means a person is himself through others. This group looks to incite, a spirit of community awareness through service to others, in its members. I joined the voluntary Drama department a decision I would cherish for the rest of my life. I joined the St Stithians Mathematics Team and I was able to represent St Stithians at the International Young Mathematicians Convention in Lucknow India. The year was a busy and tiring one, I remember many a late school night at the Stage Door Theatre rehearsing our production of Barbershop and many an early Saturday morning playing rugby for the Under 16 D’s. But the long hours were crammed with many memories such as: playing rugby against our east coast rival school Kearsney College and competing against some of the sharpest young minds in the world at IYMC in India.
Suddenly the end of grade 10 was upon me and it seemed that the previously impossible task of changing school and location was easily conquered. Furthermore the vigour and intensity with which I got involved had exposed me to a multitude of new skills. I had forged a myriad of new friendships with students from all sects of the school with a diverse range of interests. This experience had changed the way I approached challenges. I truly appreciated the motto “Nec Aspera Terrent”, stating difficulties do not dismay us. I learnt to find value in the negative, a life skill that I would use once more when beginning new jobs or starting university.
In conclusion my “end of the world” experience taught me that “every dark cloud has a silver lining” and that every obstacle in life can be conquered if one works hard enough and has the right attitude. Furthermore conquering these challenges proved to be a whole lot of fun.
