LOCAL Morningside lass, Maxine Khumalo, left Durban on Saturday morning for an exciting new chapter of her life.
Maxine, former head girl of Gordon Road School and 2016 head girl and Dux of Durban Girls’ High School, will be studying a BSc in Astrophysics on a full Allan Gray Scholarship at Wits University this year.
“Leaving Durban for Johannesburg is the most emotionally and psychologically taxing – especially after spending a whole year focusing on just academics and leadership. My actual degree, for me, seems like the reward so I’m really excited to get stuck into it. I’m passionate about maths and physics so I’m excited to learn as much as possible and to change the way I understood mathematics and the world as a whole,” she said.
Maxine said Allan Gray specifically has a gruelling process that includes a lengthy applications process with multiple essays, an interview process that includes an assessment task and a three-day selection camp of tests and teamwork.
“I started the process because I was researching options and this scholarship specifically allows for no employment restrictions after study and cares more about our growth as entrepreneurs over just employability. I was very proud and excited to receive this honour as it has always been a goal of mine to be able to fund my education without financial support from my parents because they already give me so much,” she said.
Maxine’s choice to study Astrophysics, which is about the science and behaviour of celestial beings, came as a result of her passion for star gazing.
“Star gazing and the beauty and elegance of elementary physics made this a perfect fit for me. The degree is three years long but I plan to continue my studies as far as I can, I love learning and studying and with science the opportunities to study are worth taking,” she said.
She said she loved her time at Durban Girls’ High School, as it provided her with the skills to succeed and provided a space for her to find out more about the person she wants to be.
“My matric year was definitely the busiest year of my life and I pride myself on working hard for the benefit of my prefect body and my school. I certainly was not perfect but every mistake taught me a lesson about people – one I could never find in a textbook and could only be learnt from experience. I achieved 8 As for finals which I’m proud of but more importantly I spent the year mastering my study techniques and that was a far greater academic reward than my results,” she said.
Outside of her studies, Maxine’s hobbies include a great love for debating and public speaking, and made the KZN team throughout high school.
“I made the KZN team throughout high school, and debating gave me an opportunity to see different parts of the country. I also like to see and create art. I took art as a subject in Grade 10 and fell in love with it. Otherwise I am pretty much the typical nerd into books and studying,” she said.
Maxine has also always been very involved in her community Church, St James in Morningside.
“I have attended services there practically my whole life. My great grandmother was the first in our family to join and the legacy has pretty much continued from there. I was confirmed in St James and was involved in Sunday school and youth fellowship as both an attendant and an helper. I’ve been an altar server since I was 12. The church acts very much like my extended family,” she said.
Maxine said she is feeling both excited and anxious about this new adventure in her life, and said she has spent many months in anticipation so she feels ready for the opportunity. “My parents are proud and happy but also quite anxious because I will no longer be under their watchful eyes!” she said.
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