Faculty of Arts and Social Science student Zainab Khafif's dogged determination to make a success of her studies was rewarded with a 2021 Rector's Award of Excellent Achievement.
Khafif, one of many recipients of this annual award, was honoured in the academics category during a recent ceremony at Stellenbosch University. The awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of students in the areas of academics, sport, leadership, social impact, culture and service provision.
Khafif, who enrolled in a BA Language and Culture course in 2018, majoring in Psychology and General Linguistics and minoring in Sign Language Linguistics, said of the award: “Truth be told, I worked very hard and it feels gratifying that the University recognised that I worked so hard. It validates my whole undergraduate experience, perhaps more so than my actual degree certificate."
She attributes the 100% pass rate she received in her studies to a “terrifying fear of failure".
However, Khafif, who is currently doing her honours in General Linguistics, admits that her fear of failure has softened a bit and evolved to a pursuit of contentment.
“Failure now is not doing my best with the time I have. If my best is quantified below 75%, or 65%, or 55%, then so be it. Sometimes, other things in life are more important than studying. I wish I had realised this earlier."
This newfound relaxed approach to life is also evident in her future career plans which she hopes to pursue after she graduates at the end of this year.
“I am planning to teach English in South Korea next year. I reckon I'll spend a good few years teaching English in a number of countries. Being able to travel and experience different cultures is something I greatly value. One day, I'd like to open up a coffee shop. Perhaps I'll return to my studies much later on in life. Or maybe I won't. Who knows? The important thing is being content with life."
The Cape Town born student who now calls the seaside town of Hermanus home after moving there with her family when she was in high school, said growing up in a small-town environment had a huge impact on her growth and her values.
“My family is hardly well-off, so I started working part-time at a coffee shop in Grade 9 every weekend and holiday. I think being forced to learn about the value of money that you earn from your own hard work was an incredibly important lesson to learn early on in life. It has not only made me a money-conscious person (always a plus for a student), but it has also taught me the true value of hard work and my time. I suppose some of that must have rubbed off on my academics. Moving to Stellenbosch as an almost fully independent adult was also a major turning point in my life. Oftentimes I feel like my circumstances have matured me much quicker than perhaps needed, but I am who I am," she said proudly.
Click here to read more about the Rector's Awards and recipients.
*A total of 82 top Stellenbosch University (SU) students were recently honoured with Rector's Awards for excellence in academics, leadership, social impact, culture, sport and service provision. During the next few weeks, we will feature some of the winners.
