“Grade 11’s, you need to pull up your socks this year as you all know that it is this year’s results you will need to apply with to university for your desired career… NSIKA!!!HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU TO STOP THROWING CHALK ACROSS THE CLASSROOM?!”
At age 17, some of us still needed help tying our school ties, some still haven’t conquered their fears of delivering a prepared speech in front of the class while others were still fascinated about the adventures and destinations chalk could navigate. The thought of having such a big responsibility of choosing the career you want to do for the rest of your life at that age was scary, but it had to be done, so the search began.
I knew that I wanted a career that involved mathematics because I have always found it fun working with numbers. Maths is like a game, with rules that are supposed to make it easy to work with the numbers and match patterns, but sometimes those rules don’t work, and you have to go on a mind stimulating adventure to solve the problem, a challenge I am always ready to welcome. When I came across Actuarial Science on google, while searching for maths related careers, I was intrigued about this career I had never heard about before, excited that it satisfies my fondness for mathematics and the job security and demand was enough to keep me invested for months and I finally applied for it…one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Before I continue any further, let me properly introduce myself. My name is Asabonga Zikhona Lethokuhle Ndlovu. I am the last born of four siblings, two sisters and one brother. My hobbies include reading novels, cooking as well as writing poems. I attended Durban Academy high school where I matriculated and received the overall award for academic excellence: 2021 Dux recipient, with full academic colours and seven distinctions. During my time in high school, I participated in the poetry club from 2017-2021 and gained the honour of being one of the leaders from 2019-2021.Being part of the poetry club taught me how to better articulate myself and it improved my confidence and communication skills, I enjoyed it very much.
“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”-Rumi.
My experience as an Actuarial Science student at the University of Witwatersrand has been fulfilling. I love what I am studying and the enthusiasm I approach my work with is evident in my performance and consistent progress. If you are reading this and the Actuarial career has caught your eye and is something you want to pursue, always remember that is possible to excel in this path if you work sedulously and never lose sight of your goals. Challenges along the way are to be expected, they are part of the experience so embrace them, learn from them and never shy away from asking for help.
My goal is to become a fully qualified Actuary and I am confident in my ability to achieve this goal as I have the determination to do so and the copious support from SAADP. SAADP has really played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of my academics as well as my general well-being. They have built and strengthened the meritorious framework needed for a student’s success. I will forever be grateful for being part of the SAADP family and I hope that they continue being the prayer answered for many other students.
