Me VS The World

Chapter 2: Coming To Accept What I Didn't Want To

Woo-oh! High School! Where dreams die or are conquered (if you know, you know.)

Nonetheless, the reason why said that is because I still become shocked and heartbroken when I see some of the bright minds we had in both primary and high school, now street kids or into drugs. Worse, mentally insane.

I'll tell you now, free of charge, that most peers my age that I come across today have their lives turned around in the blink of an eye because of one or two (or all) of the below factors:

They were disrespectful towards their educators or peers in school.

They were disrespectful towards their family members when they were growing up.

Neighbors or family members had cursed their lives because they were rude and disrespectful beyond a bearable level.

Respect goes a long way. You don't only respect anyone older than you, but even those younger than you.

Lets follow our book timeline in sequence. Where were we again in 2011? Yeah.

In 2012, in grade 8, I was friends with a high school friend (well refer to him as Sipho.) Alright, Sipho and I were known as the cleanest guys in eighth grade, and that was true in every aspect. The problem started when I started smoking cigarettes (I remember the brand very well, Craven A) and had 2 girlfriends in 1 calendar year; its safe to say that I had changed.

My aunt gave birth to twins at home, and my grandma and the rest of the family were delighted for her. Me and my grandmother had to look after the twins straight after they were born because my aunt was busy with some stuff. I would either come back from school, feed the twins, bathe them, or prepare them to sleep before doing my homework, while Granny would cook supper for the whole family, or vice versa, every day. We tackled those responsibilities with Granny interchangeably, and eventually, I didnt have time to feed my smoking habit for a very long time.

Unfortunately, in May of 2013, my grandmother and a few of my family members got involved in a severe car accident heading to one of our families in Ladysmith, which is a city in the Uthukela District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, for a family ceremony. My grandmother suffered from diabetes and, unfortunately, had her levels so high that she didnt make it.

They say a woman can turn a house into a home with just her presence. I can very much attest to that because, ever since my grandmother passed away in 2013, our home in KwaMashu has never been the same. The warmth is gone.

One thing about grief is that it might manifest suddenly if not properly cared for. Shortly after my grandmothers funeral, I went back to smoking cigarettes. One thing I will always remember about my high school life is that the teachers adored me, including the principal, which led to my joining the debate team.

As the youngest learner to be part of my schools debate team, I couldnt tell my peers, at least not until I was eligible as per the school requirements. Later on, in 2013, I passed grade 9, with Sipho on my side.

My class teacher, Ms. N. Mbanjwa, made sure I got into the physical sciences stream the following year, following my academic marks in Grades 8 & 9. I started my grade 10 but somehow hung with the wrong crowd and started smoking marijuana. I passed my grade 10, but not as I envisioned, and because I could feel it deep within my veins that these were not my marks. I told my parents. But that was fabricated. I decided not to go to grade 11, repeat grade 10, and change my studies to suit me & my lifestyle.

I thank God for giving me the strength and faith to see my peers progress to the next grade, including Sipho, because I held on. Following the success of my grade 10, I pursued my music journey and became an upcoming hip-hop artist (at first), then I went to music production and deejay. I would juggle both my studies and musical ventures just fine.

Moreover, my original academic mojo returned fully in grade 11, and I was the top-performing history learner throughout grade 11, number 2 in geography, and among the top 5 in life sciences.

In 2017, my school decided to make me the senior debater on our debate team, as I could switch sides in competitions, from opposition to proposition, without prepping. Shortly after, I started an after-school program to help my fellow grade 12 students with history, geography, English, & life sciences. That was a major success, and more students from other schools joined my sessions, mostly from private schools. I was more flabbergasted than just mediocrely happy.

However, I had to create a more conducive system, which ultimately prompted me to obtain previous national examination papers, for revision. That unfortunately resulted in me being mugged 3 times in 1 calendar year, but that did not stop the mojo I had. Long story short, I passed my matriculation with ease, and it was now time to face the real world outside of my high school years.