Matric results: Why your marks do not define your future or your worth
Your matric results do not define who you are.
Image: Freepik
The weight of an entire country's expectations is currently sitting on the shoulders of matriculants. Right now, it feels like the air is thick with one single question: "What did you get?"
Between the news headlines, the social media countdowns, and the questions from relatives, the pressure can feel suffocating.
It is as if your entire identity, your future, and your worth have been narrowed down to a row of percentages.
But before the results are released, there is something you need to hear that the noise of the world might be drowning out.
This moment is not a final judgment on your life.
It sounds like a cliché, but it is the absolute truth: you are not a number.
A National Senior Certificate is a tool, but it is not a reflection of your inherent value, your kindness, or your capability as a human being.
There are many reasons why a set of exams might not go the way you planned.
Maybe you struggled with anxiety in the exam room, maybe you had a difficult year personally, or maybe the test intelligence just does not capture the way your unique brain works.
None of that changes the fact that you have individual talents and a massive future ahead of you.
Whether you get five distinctions or you do not meet the requirements for your first choice, you are still the same person today that you were yesterday.
You are someone with immense potential, and your intelligence is not fixed.
The South African education system is just one way of measuring growth. If your marks are lower than you hoped, it does not mean you are not smart.
It means that, in those specific subjects on those specific days, the results were what they were.
Your brain is still growing, and your ability to learn and succeed is something that continues throughout your entire life.
As the day approaches, remember that the "Results Day" noise will be loud.
You will see people posting their successes online, and you might feel the sting of comparison.
If you find yourself feeling "less than," remember that social media is a highlight reel.
You do not have to explain your marks to anyone. Your journey is yours alone, and you are allowed to feel disappointed without letting that disappointment turn into self-hatred.
If the results are not what you wanted, give yourself permission to feel that "gutted" sensation. It is okay to be sad or frustrated. But do not stay there.
Acknowledge the feeling, and then look at the horizon.
In the grand scheme of a 60 or 70-year life, these few weeks are a tiny blip.
You will look back in five years and realise how much more there was to you than these marks.
Most importantly, look after your mental health.
If you feel like the pressure is becoming too much to handle, reach out.
There is no shame in saying, "I am not okay."
You can contact SADAG (South African Depression and Anxiety Group) at 0800 567 567 or send an SMS to 31393.
They are there to listen, and they understand exactly what you are going through.
You have finished thirteen years of schooling, and that is an achievement in itself.
Be kind to yourself. You are more than a code on a screen, and your story is just beginning.