It’s official: I am a qualified Journalist from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology!

As I had mentioned in a previous blog about saying goodbye to CPUT, starting a new chapter in my life and ending an old one has definitely been far from smooth sailing. The three-year journey I undertook was one that required a lot of patience, endurance and, most importantly, a very thick skin.

I initially thought that I would be graduating in April next year, as both Ndibs and Veronica (both friendly colleagues of mine here at FunDza) told me that graduations took place the following year, in either March or April. It was only after a friend of mine from Varsity sent me a message on Monday, the 11th of December, asking if I was ready for our graduation that would take place on THURSDAY, the 14th of December, that I found out about the all-too-sudden event. I was completely shocked and had to ask her numerous times if the information was true or if she was pranking me, I was in a state of complete panic.

As I sat in the office, red-faced with anxiety, tears were streaming down my face. “Why did I not get my graduation invitation? Maybe I failed,” I whimpered as Veronica comforted me and took control of the situation.
It turns out that our graduation invitations were sent via a link on the CPUT site with no notifications sent, and also had to be downloaded as a pdf. It was ridiculous that I could have missed my graduation because of a simple glitch in the system.

I literally had three days to plan my outfit, organise who would be doing my hair and makeup and buy my gown and sash, all expenses I had not budgeted for. I was beyond strained at this point, and even considered not attending my graduation at all, and simply fetching my qualification the following year.

On the day, I was running around, trying to fix my make-up after a friend had made me look like a clown with thick, black eyebrows and pale skin. I ended up getting dressed in the car, legs moving this way and that as I struggled to put on my dress and pin my hijab in the bumpy car ride to Bellville. When I got out of the car, I didn’t even notice that half my dress was inside my underwear. So there I was, flashing my backside, running into a filled auditorium, gown in hand. Luckily a friend was there to pull my dress down, but not before a few keen eyes gazed at my exposed self.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I ended up attending my graduation with a beautiful grey dress and hijab. I was proud to be posing with my parents with all my distinctions for which I worked extremely hard.

I am glad to have ended my journey at CPUT, where I learnt so much. The future beckons!

Do you guys look forward to studying in future? Is tertiary education really necessary for success?

This blog was written by FunDza’s intern feature writer, Kauthar Gool, read more of her blogs, short stories and Inspiring Tomorrow articles here.