Matric is the end of our high school life but the beginning of our lives as independent, self-reliant, young adults in society. A few months remain before we enter the final exams, the final meters of our schooling marathon. It doesn’t matter how many times we have fallen and failed. It’s now, this present moment, from now onwards that matters the most.

The football coaches will tell you that with a positive attitude and optimistic mindset, the match is already half way won. So it is important to be positive and confident if we’ll have a chance at success at the upcoming exams.

It’s now or never guys, it’s literally time to take the stand and grab our future with our own hands. We all know the daily song that says, “We as the youth, we are the future leaders”. The question is – do we really understand the meaning of this statement? The fact is that this is the last term for us, it mustn’t be the end of the road.

We should work together; we have the same goals after all. We’ve made mistakes and the imperfections are there, that means we are real. Two is better than one.

I am very scared about next year, I’m sure we are suffering the same fate. It’s usually said, opportunities come to those who wait. We have waited for eleven years and seven months for this one. We can’t miss this ride guys, not by any means. We all have what it takes to make it. The thing that makes me worry about next year is not knowing what the future really holds. It’s our journey, we may invite others to walk with us but no one can walk it for us. Let’s be ready to pay the price of our dreams. Free cheese can only be found in mousetraps. We might not know what we want, but we must know what we don’t want, like staying at home next year.

One of the problems we have is we don’t ask the big questions. What is the meaning of life? What should we do to have a better future? Where are we going as a society? What is education? Most of us have these questions in mind, but we despair trying to answer them. It’s good to dream big, as we all do.

Our wildest dreams are our first step into reality. One of my favorite authors, Paulo Coelho, is currently one of the best-selling authors. He was raised by Catholic devout parents. He determined at the early age that he wanted to be a writer but was discouraged by his own parents, who saw no future in writing. A few years later, he wrote his first novel called the Pilgrimage and his second book was the Alchemist.

His second book sold about 35 million copies because he followed what he believed in. Despite the challenges he got from the people he loved the most. With a strong willed-mind, he made it. Sometimes, it’s not about being intelligent but knowing what you want and wanting to get it despite the obstacles. Obstacles will always be there.

Those who really know me will recognise these words: “I know that I am not the best but my dreams make the best I think I am.”

It doesn’t really matter what people think, or say about you or your family. They talk about you because if they talked about themselves, nobody would listen. Make it happen and shock everyone. We should quit trying to please everyone, being afraid of change, living in the past and letting people decide for us and overthinking. One day reality might and can end up better than your dreams.

Take J.K Rowling for instance, the author of Harry Potter, her books were denied five times but she didn’t give in. At first she wanted to be a normal selling author but she ended up at the big screen. I may not know it all but even Mr Cele can confirm the claim from the evolution that talks about the survival of the fittest or natural selection. I am sure that we are fit and strong enough and we can survive.

The withering away of the darkness and the rising of the sun signifies the most important aspect of life, despair – giving way for hope. I believe that you are all beautiful, talented and one of a kind. No one can stop you from doing anything that is in your mind. We mustn’t wake up with the regrets of what we couldn’t accomplish yesterday. Wake up with solutions, while thinking about what you’ll be able to achieve today.

Even the smallest thought has the potential of becoming the best of success, all we have to do is get up and get going. Every sunrise is life’s way of saying, no matter how dark the past you’ve had, there will always be a new beginning out there as long as you’re willing to persevere. Let’s take a forward step and do the right thing for our own good. Whether it’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, as long as we work together it will always have awesome days.

Last but not least, with a little hope you could reach your dreams! Trials and tribulations. My friend, you can wear and even swipe the floor with that Gucci you’re always on and on about, if you can put aside your ego and hope for even better. In addition, I did find the meaning of Education. It says “Education is what remains after everything that was learned is forgotten.”

I just hope out of 900+ words I wrote, maybe, two words can make a change. Wishing you all the best and good luck.

Tell us: Are you also doing grade 12? Do you feel the same as the author (scared) about next year?