Health Science Reviews

by Gomolemo Molope

Hey, I am Gomolemo. A young individual from Gauteng who is aspiring to be a scientist. I cannot share a whole lot more about myself right now, but I will share something in particular. The final semester of my undergraduate studies was the most nerve-wracking time of my life. I would try to make the most of my days but my thoughts were always about doing well on my final exams, ultimately getting my degree and then furthering my studies. On top of that, I would check my email regularly to see if any of the universities I had applied to do my honours at had
accepted me.

Once the exam season had finally ended and the long-awaited festive season was approaching. I received an email confirming my admission to UCT. To say that I was happy would be an understatement. I was over the moon! I could not wait to share these amazing news with my family and friends. As excited as I was though, I realised that going to UCT would mean that I would have to move to a different province and stay in a place that was completely new to me. Extremely far from friends, family and home – my comfort zone. However, I will admit that in high school my friends and I would constantly say, “I can’t wait to leave high school. I will finally feel grown and independent.” Needless to say, that is every teenager’s dream. However, it started to feel like everything was suddenly happening way too fast and I felt like I was no longer ready to be grown and independent. On the other hand, I kept thinking that it really could not be all that bad. I would be just fine, right?

Soon after New Year’s Day, I finally made it to Cape Town. I was overwhelmed with a feeling of excitement and a dash of fear. But surely I would be just fine, right? A few days into my stay I eventually got to meet my stream convenor and classmates for the first time. Surprisingly, many of my classmates were just like me, in that they had now moved to a place which was totally unfamiliar to them. It was during our orientation that we realised that the journey we were now embarking on would not be as terrifying as we had imagined. Although we had all just met, we discovered that together we would form the best support system for one another. Our similarities would be what allow us to form a strong bond which would make those days away from family and friends slightly bearable. Our connectedness would be the source of strength and courage needed to help us through the eventful year ahead of us.

It certainly did not take me months to finally believe that I would be just fine. All my uncertainties and fears were slowly overcome with each passing day. That was all thanks to my stream convenor, lecturers and most importantly my classmates. A small group of compassionate and friendly people who somehow showed me that change is not always scary. They revealed that stepping out of your comfort zone allows you to live a fulfilling life in which you discover your abilities and potential. You learn to stand on your own and experience moments that will allow you to grow as an individual. So with all that I have shared, trust me when I say that throwing yourself into the unknown seems daunting. But take that leap of faith because in the end, you will be just fine.