‘Easier said than done’ – Goal-driven Jody’s good exam results required sacrifice

For goal-driven Jody Van Zijl from Reddam House in Waterfall, being in matric was her light at the end of the tunnel which was what kept her motivated.

Obtaining seven distinctions and securing an average of 89%, 18-year-old Van Zijl was ecstatic and very proud of herself.

Van Zijl was one of the outstanding top performers at Reddam House.

‘Simply work hard’

“I was always academically driven and I have worked really hard,” she said.

Van Zijl said the best way to navigate through matric was to maintain balance. According to Van Zijl, everyone thought top students sit at home all weekend and do not have lives but in order to do well in matric or school in general was all about sacrifice.

“At the beginning of last year, I told myself that some things require sacrifice and I decided what I wanted to sacrifice and what I didn’t. Preparing for matric is about preparing yourself mentally and to simply work hard,” she said

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“It is easier said than done but you just have to work hard and keep your nose in the books.”

Van Zijl said the challenges experienced during her journey were the continuous examining. She said Matric was almost like revision of what you have learnt over the past 12 years and it required consistency.

“It is not like you are learning new stuff which is very difficult but it is that you are doing three sets of different exams which is a lot of studying which may take a big mental toll on some people,” she said.

“I am a very high strung person and I put a lot of pressure on myself in terms of academic results so it is difficult to be in that state of worrying about tests and exams because the exams do not stop coming.”

Anticipated as she is about to kick start her career, Van Zijl said she would be furthering her studies at Stellenbosch University to pursue a degree in Biology with a focus in psychology.

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‘Life changes every day’

“I am not entirely sure what I am going to do after my degree but I know I have interests in psychology. I will also continue with dancing because it is something I love doing.”

Van Zijl concluded it was important people maintained their love for learning and enjoy as much as their can.

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“As kids we wish away our schools years. As life changes every day, I have learned to enjoy learning new things so people should relax and enjoy as much as their can,” she said.

-lungas@citizen.co.za