Dux.
There is no greater attainment when you’re an academically inclined teen than having your name on the list of all every single top student your school has ever had.
Aditya Kumar is St David’s 2023 Dux Scholar, but keeping track of his results and how many times he got very close to achieving the 100% he aimed for with each exam and assignment he did was the last thing on his mind, the top IEB achiever tells Drum.
But he sure did get very close to near-perfect grades.
“There is no doubt that matric is a stressful year; one filled with insane workload and the expectations of getting good grades for university acceptance. However, I encourage you to not place too much pressure on yourselves,” Aditya pleads with the class of 2024.
“Something that has worked for me is completely ignoring my results,” he shares.
“And – believe it or not – the outcome is somewhat beyond our control - you cannot control what questions are going to be asked in a test or how it is going to be marked.
“But what you can control is how well you prepare. So, place all your focus on your preparation, and let your result reflect that effort. And if all does not go as planned, remember that it is not the end of the world. Learn from your mistakes and keep on moving forward.”
Read more | Late night studying lands Bizana learner 6 distinctions in matric finals
Loving the process of learning and self-improvement as much as the outcome; staying focused on the bigger picture, and plenty preparation for each exam have certainly served the young man headed to study abroad this year well.
He achieved an average of 95% across his eight subjects and was named among the IEB’s Outstanding Achievers and in the top 1% of candidates in Further Studies Mathematics, Afrikaans, Business Studies, English, Geography, Life Orientation, Mathematics and Physical Sciences.
Now he has some plans for Africa’s nascent creative industries. “I plan to study Computer Science in the US this year,” Aditya shares.
“The US is renowned for breakthroughs in technology, and I look forward to taking advantage of the many opportunities available so that I can bring my dream of tackling pressing global issues like poverty and lack of access to education through technological advancements to fruition.”
Read more | Does your teen still not know what to do after matric? These are the pros and cons of a gap year
His secret to success?
“I believe that my performance is a testament to unrelenting hard work and clear focus of my goals. There were countless days when I got back home from school and felt absolutely exhausted; however, I pushed myself to do some extra work because I knew that although it would suck in the short term, there would be no sweeter feeling in the world than getting the final matric results that would allow me to not only study in my dream university, but also feel proud of my effort.
“With that said, I would not have achieved any of my results without the unconditional support of the exemplary faculty at St David's Marist Inanda. My teachers were willing to push me past my boundaries - whether it be an early morning class at 6am or a late-night session at 9pm, my teachers were always there for me.
“And for that I am tremendously grateful.”
