This is my very own personal opinion about grade 12. It might be controversial but it could just be of help.
First of all: your entire schooling experience is not now concentrated into a few hours of exam in grade 12. You have not been at it for 12 years just for this moment of glory or disaster.
There is more to life than sitting at the desk in the school hall and battling through the exam.
Whenever I google grade 12 (and its many offshoots) it comes up with exam preparation and exam papers and exam tips and all kind of things.
If I google grade 11 or 10 it comes up with things to (also) do, like have a life. But nor for grade 12. Do we not live in grade 12? Is this it?
You have to pass the exam. That is clear. But there is more to it.
If we look at school subjects that are ‘easy’ we may see that some of these have an appeal all by themselves. Maybe we are destined to do more in art and not so much into becoming the next Einstein. So we need to do enough in math, but our interest could be some- where else. And that is not a crime!
Grade 12 is intense, but it does offer the chance to realistically look at what to do after matric. Use the exam preparation to gauge yourself. Where are your strengths and what are your interests?
If I am interested in performing arts I would need to look at NSA. National School of Arts that is. So get on with practicing and get on with looking at life after the dreaded exam.
The horrible truth is that matric does not teach you a vocation. It only proves that you can sit down and study a subject. A lot of potential employers look beyond the marks (as important as they are) and look at your attitudes and interests and what else you have been doing during school.
In essence: it might be very impressive that you’ve been a volunteer for something and that speaks about your character. That cannot be seen in the marks!
… but just pass that exam!
