A day that was meant to be joyful turned into grief for 19-year-old Angelos Arsalides, whose father died of cancer on the day of the release of the IEB matric results (February 19), which yielded eight distinctions for the Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) learner.
Angelos described his father, Christos Arsalides, as his rock and foundation and said he feels as though a part of him has been lost.
“Since I was a little boy, he taught me the importance of human kindness and the importance of having good intentions. He mentored me in so many facets of my life, particularly my personality and the different behaviours I express. My dad was not an easy man to get along with, but to me, he was somebody who I loved dearly and cherished. He disciplined me when I was wrong, he guided me when I was lost, he calmed me when I was anxious and he inspired me when I was uninspired. My dad was somebody who gave me direction when I felt that all else in my life was lost. He is a part of me and he will always be a part of me,” Angelos said
He said the support he got from his family and friends during 2020 was unwavering.
“My mother would constantly ask me how I was coping with school and my father would ask if I needed help with my time management. Friends would also offer to assist. I would say matric was a learning curve for general kindness – everybody I knew seemed to understand the circumstances and they were wholeheartedly considerate towards me,” he said.
Angelos said he didn’t expect to get eight distinctions though he was confident that he would do well.
He has been accepted at Wits University to study a Bachelor of Medical Sciences and Surgery (MBCHB) and has been awarded a scholarship to study medicine.
With a passion for people, the teen believes studying to become a doctor will help him follow his passion of helping others.
“I have a lot of love and compassion to offer the world and I think this is the path I was meant to choose.
“It has been my passion for as long as I can remember,” he said.
His message to the Class of 2021: “Do not resist the difficulty because it is part of shaping you into the best version of yourself. Life may seem daunting and matric may seem difficult and unachievable in the current circumstances; however, if you are strong enough to adapt and cope with the given tasks you’ll make it. I believe you need to embrace adversity to become the best possible version of yourself. You would not be given these challenges if it didn’t benefit you in the long-run.”
Some tips for the Class of 2021 from Angelos:
• Make sure you work competently every day. Use your public holidays, mid-terms and holidays to consolidate work you weren’t too good at.
• Ask others for help when you don’t understand something fully.
• Finally, reach out to someone if your mental health is taking a toll. You can only operate at full capacity if you are mentally prepared to do so. You are important and your mental health is what makes you who you are.
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