… and how you can fix them
My name is Dineo and I’m almost finished with matric. The journey has been tough, but it has also been a learning process. Along the way I learnt that there are certain things that you do that might not be so good for you in the long term. I wrote them down here so that you can learn from my mistakes.
1.Never speaking up in class
Okay, this one is a tough one because I’ve always been the shy girl, but I learnt the hard way that it doesn’t help to pretend that you know what’s going on. I now know that speaking up in class is super important, and whenever I get a bit self-conscious (it still happens!), I wait until after class or during break to speak to my teachers. My older sister says this is great because in college and university, the professors always expect you to speak.
2. Not using your support system
Let’s be honest, school is hard, but it’s even harder when you don’t go to the people around you when you are down. When I didn’t know what was happening to me during puberty I went to my mother, when school or my social life felt too overwhelming, I went to my school counsellor and when I was feeling a bit sad I was able to chat to my sister. Having these support systems helped me do better in school and improve on myself.
3. Missing out on learning from your mistakes
Mistakes should be seen as opportunities for growth and not failures. If you’ve made a mistake, learn from it and appreciate it as your next step to success. When I failed my June exams in Grade 8, I was disappointed, but I didn’t feel bad for long. By the time we were in third term I was asking my teachers where I went wrong and how I could improve. I ended up being top of the class in Maths, Natural Sciences and English that year.
4. Not planning for you future
It’s always important to have a vision for yourself and your future. I’ve been writing down my visions and plans for the past two years now and they’ve helped me focus on my dream of studying medicine and my teacher told that with the way I’ve been working, I’ll definitely be able to achieve my dreams!
What are things you’re going to change to improve your life and your future?
Let us know in the comments below!
