Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I was doing grade 12

This morning I was reading a book at home when a matric student sat down next to me and said, “That’s a great read, isn’t it?”  So we started chatting. He told me he was getting ready to graduate from high school in a couple of weeks and then immediately starting his university career in the fall.  “But I have no clue what I want to do with my life,” he said.  “Right now I’m just going with the flow.” And then, he began asking me one question:

Ø  What do you do for a living?

Ø  When and how did you decide what you wanted to do?

Ø  Why did you do this?  Why didn’t you do that?

Ø  Is there anything you wish you had done differently?

I answered his questions as best as I could, and I also tried to give him guidance with the time I had.  And after a ½ hour chat, he thanked me for giving him advice or direction. But on my way to school I realized that the chat I had with him was actually quite ashamed for me.  He reminded me of me ten years ago.  So I started thinking about his questions again and I began imagining all of the things that I wish someone had told me when I was doing grade 12 in Kulani High School.

“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea, when you only have one idea”

This statement means that when the person has only one idea this person is at the high risk of just seeing things in one side, having a problem with that one idea and not seeing a world of opportunities that are available can be more dangerous.  Another thing is that; if you have one idea that does not become a reality, one may end up with nothing at all. That’s why is so vital to think wise about any idea that you have in your mind.

It is very important to set yourself a goal because if you don’t have a goal in life, you are spending your life running around and not achieving anything for yourself but having only one goal can be dangerous. Using only one direction can be dangerous.

“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it's the only one you have. There is a broad consensus that the financial crisis of 2007 was at least in part a result of record -low interest rates, huge deficits and large-scale credit-financed consumption. Today, governments across the world are trying to solve the crisis — by means of record-low interest rates, huge deficits and large-scale credit-financed consumption. This time, they are also using more novel means of creating easy money: bank bailouts, stimulus packages and quantitative easing.” An idea should be an ever emerging and evolving a feeling.

Have you figured out the second head fake?

Did you figure out the head fake? Randy wrote an article about the ‘head fake and he explained that “It’s not about how to achieve your dreams. It’s about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you.”I think that I live my life in the right way and I also treat other people right as I would like that to happen to me as well. I happen to think that I live my life according to God’s will and society’s rules. I know what it is to have morality and honesty and to live by them.  

In order to get a better understanding we need to know that the “head fake” he is talking about learning something indirectly or an indirect message … as he said in his speech:

“Most of what we learn, we learn indirectly (by head fake)” and “The best way to head fake someone in education, is to have them learn something while they think they are learning something else”.

For example, I have learnt to make mistakes, learn from them, to make amends where it’s needed and do things in your own way and that makes me unique. I have learnt to be the kind of person and I always respect others because I would like that to be done to me.

IMPORTANCE OF XHOSA LANGUAGE

Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa and is a member of the Bantu / Nguni family of languages. It is spoken by about 7.9 million people mainly in Eastern Cape Province, Orange Free State, Ciskei and Transkei in South Africa, and also spoken in Botswana and Lesotho. Xhosa is closely related to Zulu, Swati and Ndebele and more or less mutually intelligible with them. Xhosa is characterized by respectful forms of address for elders and in-laws. The language is also rich in idioms. To have isandla esishushu (a warm hand), this means to be generous.  

Xhosa consists of many words with click consonants that have been borrowed from Khoisan words. The "X" in Xhosa represents a type of click made by the tongue on the side of the mouth. Sometimes English speaking struggle to pronounce Xhosa words which is a big challenge that they are facing with. I think Xhosa government has to do something about that so that English speaking people can be able to interact with Xhosa speaking people.     

Names in Xhosa often express the values or opinions of the community. Common personal names include

Ø  Thamsanqa (good fortune)

Ø  Nomsa (mother of kindness)

Ø  Isiduko (clan or lineage) names.

Andy Warhol said, “In the future everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes.” You can’t choose the 15 minutes but why would you be world famous?

 Andy Warhol was right because everyone is looking for fame at least once in their life for at least 15 minutes.  This could be anything from managing to get into New York and prove yourself that you can sing like 50c or simply being famous in your township. E.g. Langa Township etc.  

If I had 15 minutes to be world famous in…. it would probably be for discovering some kind of cure for HIV/AIDS.  HIV/AIDS is such a terrible disease and the worst part is about it is when someone just donate his/her blood somewhere and then after few days, Doctor just call you and tell you that “you are HIV Positive….” Obviously, you’ll feel very sad and you’ll think that it’s too late.  If I had 15 minutes of fame, I guess I would try to find some kind of a cure to help those who are suffering from HIV/AIDS. This way, everyone could be able to be treated correctly as to avoid the chances of getting this disease. By doing so, I would improve the lives of other people living in South Africa, especially Cape Town. If I had 15 minutes of fame, I would like to live my life according to Nelson Mandela because he is well-known all over the world which is the right thing to do. I hope someone else can develop this and perhaps get the 15 minutes of fame – and more – that they deserve.

How hard is it follow instructions?

It's very important to follow instructions, or else the world would be in chaos. When some tells you that you must follow instructions so that everything can go in an orderly style, it's important do because you know what's going to happen if you don't. It's important to follow instructions because if you don't something can go wrong, its important follow directions because if you don't you'll get in trouble, for example if your mom told you to clean the house and then you decide that you are not going to clean, obviously when she comes back home you are going to be in big trouble and it's also important to follow instructions because if you don't you'll ended up blaming others.

I think people might also have trouble in following instructions because they may be in a hurry to get it out of the way to do something else, the problem is that they think that they know better than the instructor, and just shere ignorance!   Another thing that I have noticed is that most people don’t pay attention in class because they are bored. Sometimes they don’t pay attention because somebody else is distracting them or because they just get bored easily.  

I’m on my way

I have found my path, I see my goal

Following the calling of my soul

Feel the rushing in my veins

Passion burning up in frames

Excitement-running from the heart

Ripping, tripping of my heart

Hands trembling, eyes ablaze

Yearning to be centre stage

Rushing to make up the time

Dying to claim what is mine

Spinning round me, shining stars on the sky

Reflect on me all that you are on changing,

Becoming Everyday

Watch me now, I’m on my away.