Health Science Reviews

by Zama Mngadi

I applied for an Honours in Medical Biochemistry as my second option after taking a two-year hiatus from academia. I was pregnant with ambition and cultivated by the possibility of studying at the University of Cape Town. Back in UKZN, I was doing Anatomy and Physiology as my majors and dabbled in the introduction of biomolecules module during my second year which alluded to the thought that biochemistry is fun and doable.

Ta-da! My return to academics has been one long bumpy ride opposite to what I had romanticized during my gap years.

It feels as if I had to play catch-up with the rest of my classmates since they mostly come from MCB, MBChB or Med Biochemistry backgrounds. I was always lost. Quite frankly, I was always confused, stressed, down and feeling inadequate for this course. I would often ask myself; ‘Why am I here?’ or ‘How did I get here?’.

After days, weeks and months of constant back-to-back teaching and learning and being bombarded with information I needed to quickly become acquainted with, understand and apply – I hit rock bottom. Now let me tell you something, the pits of despair wrapped me up so cosily that I was on the verge of packing up and going home.

I did not go.

I stayed. Fought. And tried again. After a long battle of appealing for full funding, coursework, and depression I found healing through SWS, love from family and friends and the support of my department.

I am still here, fighting and hoping, just hoping that I get great grades to pursue a master’s degree next year. Today I tell myself ‘You did not get here by happenstance’ and ‘You deserve every last bit of the victory you seek’. I am doing this for 13-year-old me who had so many dreams to become something worthy and a symbol of hope for those coming after her in her community.  

This year has taught me to be resilient, and courageous and knowing that learning is a process- trust the process. As it ends, my heart smiles with fulfilment, ambition and constant disbelief that I get to call myself a UCT student and soon-to-be alumni.