Health Science Reviews

by Nompilo Mpanza

This year has been both a challenging and rewarding year. It has been like nothing I have ever imagined yet somehow, I have felt like I have stepped into the door of a future I had always hoped for. I can sum up this year into a string of letters that make up the word HONOURS.

The H for Honor– Even on the worst of days where submissions felt like they would drown me and the content and expectations of me felt so overwhelming I often would stop and remember that being here is an honor and privilege. An honor I do not take for granted, and on the very bad days – my peace would come from the realization that this was once a dream and a hope – what an honor it is to be living in that dream.

The O for Opportunity – This year has been filled with opportunities to learn and expand my knowledge far beyond what I was accustomed to in undergrad. This year gave me the opportunity to ask the questions I have wondered about and be able to apply myself in finding answers to some of the questions.

The N for Not what you expect. – While some may say I was delulu, I was pretty convinced that this year I would be in my chilled girl era, and that postgrad would give me a little rest from the demanding nature of undergrad. From the very first week of the Honours program, it was certainly not what I expected, I quickly learned that this year would need the same level or even more of hard work, commitment, and dedication from me. This year really challenged me to be the best version of myself and to put in the work for academic excellence.

The other O for Others – This year was a gentle reminder of the role and importance of others in this journey of life. I am forever grateful for the family, friends, classmates, and supervisors who have made the journey a whole lot more bearable. There is really a strong force in working alongside others in pursuit of a common goal.

The U for Unique – One thing for sure about the Honours experience is that it was unique, it was unlike anything I have ever experienced. The journey was not only unique in that it was one that had a model that looked nothing like what an undergrad was but also unique in the sense that no one’s journey was the same. From having different research topics to your peers to compiling a totally different list of modules, there is a sense of individuality that comes to obtaining this degree.

The R for Real world – This year was undoubtably a step into what I imagine to be the real world. This was a year where your education is in your hands. Where the idea of getting or not getting Dp is not what keeps you up and ready for the next day. This year much like the real world was a consistent choosing to prioritize your education and taking time to engage with content and materials for your benefit without having a register to insure you do what you need to but merely a conscience and understanding of what is required of you and what you need to do to bag that degree.

And finally, the S for Success – I could have easily said S is for second belt, but then again second belt and success are quite an interchangeable concept considering the context of this year. Even on the darkest of days where the dream seems unattainable and the odds are all against you, may you never lose sight of the end goal, that second belt, or should I say the next step in your success story.