Matrics share their plans for the future and advice for the incoming class
By Chandrea Serebro
Jared Mosselson, KDL Matric
What is your plan for the future?
I’m going to Israel next year for a gap year and I will then decide whether or not I will make Aliyah. I want to study Law and Political Science.
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
Being able to enjoy a new sense of freedom while gaining the opportunity to find yourself and do what you like.
What will you miss the most about school?
Being involved in school life and having the opportunity to make a difference in other people’s lives. I also enjoyed being able to see my friends every day.
Advice to students entering matric now?
Even though it’s hard, enjoy every moment because it’s gone in the blink of an eye. Appreciate school while you are still there because you never realise how much you miss it when you are finished.
Dani Schwartz, Torah Academy Boys
What is your plan for the future?
I plan to go out and make my mark on the world, to do what I can to improve the lives of the less fortunate and build a loving and caring family with the same views.
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
Entering a new world of responsibility and purpose.
What will you miss the most about school?
The incredible shabbatons with great friends.
Advice to students entering matric now?
Make small goals and work towards them, but at the same time remember to have fun.
Elisheva Ozeri, Hirsch Lyons Girls
What is your plan for the future?
I am hoping to go to Wits next year to study, and I am also hoping to make Aliyah in the near future.
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
The fact that all that I was working towards is now complete. When you’re in grade 7, reaching matric and finishing school seems so far away and so you set your mind entirely to working towards that goal. Now that I have left school, it is time to set new goals and think about what else I would like to achieve.
What will you miss the most about school?
I will definitely miss the friendly atmosphere and all the girls in the high school as well as all of the teachers, whether academic or kodesh, who contributed in some way to the irreplaceable knowledge that I have gained in the last six years; but what I will miss most is the high school secretary, Mrs Schneiderman. No words in the current dictionary can effectively describe the complete empathy and selflessness that she expresses towards each and every person, be it student or teacher, who walks through the doors every morning.
Advice to students entering matric now?
Stay organised and make sure to minimise your distractions.
Gavriel Labe, Herzlia
What is your plan for the future?
In 2020, I will be heading off to Israel for a year, with Bnei Akiva on their MTA programme. After that, I will return to Cape Town to spend time with family and then I will probably make Aliyah and study/do the army in Israel.
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
I can’t wait to explore the world outside of Cape Town and meet new people and try new things. I am excited to have the opportunity to make decisions for myself and not have responsibilities.
What will you miss the most about school?
I will miss having my friends so close to me and learning new and challenging things every single day.
Advice to students entering matric now?
The only advice that I can give to the matrics of 2020 is to work hard and consistently, but also give yourself regular breaks and outdoor-time. Matric is challenging, not because of the enormous workload, but because of the pressure that you and the teachers load yourself with. Remember to not be too hard on yourself and to let yourself have fun.
Menucha Fox, Torah Academy Girls High School
What is your plan for the future?
I am going to be going to a seminary in Australia for my gap year. And then, hopefully, after that, I plan to study therapy or psychology.
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
Being independent, forging my own path in life, and doing what I want without being confined to the regulations and certain box that comes along with school.
What will you miss the most about school?
The unity. The fact that girls of any age and grade are able to bond with one another.
Advice to students entering matric now?
Be consistent with the work, do assignments as soon as you get them so that you’re not panicked the night before something is due. Most importantly, have a balanced lifestyle. Matric and the work should not be the only focus, you should work hard, but also be able to relax and create some time for yourself to have fun.
Avital Devir, Herzlia
What is your plan for the future?
The year 2020 sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, so even next year seems like the distant future, so I can’t exactly say I have anything planned past university, but I’m enjoying the prospect of not having any concrete plans for the distant future; it’s extremely freeing.
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
Independence. Until now, most major decisions have been made for us, or at least made by us, but with input from some adult figure. The prospect of becoming that adult figure is exciting.
What will you miss the most about school?
The structure. Although the school schedule can prove gruelling to say the least, it was always a comfort for me to know exactly how the next few weeks of my life would pan out. Although breaking the same, or at least very similar, routine I have been following for the past 12 years will undoubtedly be beneficial, I’d imagine it will also prove challenging.
Advice to students entering matric now?
Do whatever you can to remain motivated. The year will simultaneously fly by and drag along. Burnout is inevitable, so find out what keeps you going and apply it as often as you can.
Jesse Hautemann, Cape Town Torah High
What is your plan for the future?
I plan to make Aliyah next year and go on a kibbutz ulpan. After that, I am going to go to the army and am going to study in Israel.
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
I think the most exciting part about leaving school is all the opportunities ahead of me. It feels as though there is a blank space and you can do with it whatever you like. I am able to make my own schedule and do what I like without the stress of schoolwork on my shoulders. Having that weight lifted off is refreshing and I’m excited to see what I am able to accomplish with so much time.
What will you miss the most about school?
I think the routine of school is what will be missed the most. Obviously, the people and community as well, but knowing what needs to be done every day gives someone structure. It’s hard to say goodbye to the people you’ve seen every day for the past four years and I think that will be the hardest part about leaving.
Advice to students entering matric?
Honestly, enjoy your time with your friends and the people around you. Try to stay on track with your work by breaking things up, as an avid procrastinator it was definitely my downfall this year.
Batya Hepple, Cape Town Torah High
What is your plan for the future?
My plan for the near future is to be a madrich on Bnei Akiva end of year camp, following which I will be furthering my knowledge of Judaism and Israel while on the amazing Bnei Akiva Gap Year Programme, MTA. After that, I will either start tertiary studies or take a second year to work with a community abroad.
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
I’m excited about following my passions and learning outside of school a school setting, as well as just gaining different life experiences, while exploring who I am in a new setting and environment that I haven’t been in before.
What will you miss the most about school?
I’ll miss being with my friends every day, the structure that school provided, the security of what you were doing on a daily basis, as well as a learning and gaining knowledge.
Advice to students entering matric now?
Strive for your best. There is going to be a huge amount of pressure for you to get straight As and a lot of peer pressure to work at the same level and consistency as your peers. Just remember that some people are able to work less and achieve fantastic marks, but you may be different and that’s okay, it doesn’t make you less, you may just have to work harder than them, in order to achieve your personal best.
Leah Hepple, Cape Town Torah High
What is your plan for the future?
Bnei Akiva Camp as a madricha and then going to Israel on the MTA programme!
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
The freedom I will have with regards to time. Being in school means that extracurricular and hobbies, for example, are only allocated for very specific and limited hours of the week. Leaving school means I can pretty much make my own schedule and allocate my time how it suits me best.
What will you miss the most about school?
The safety net that I had to fall back on. Being out of school means being on my own, and while I still have my friends and family around me, I am going to have to become far more responsible than I ever have been. Having the teachers and faculty in my school as a support system for the past few years has been huge, and it’s going to be quite the adjustment getting used to doing things, well, on my own.
Advice to students entering matric now?
Celebrate your own accomplishments. There is going to be a lot of competition within school and your personal life and you must try your utmost – even though it’s extremely difficult – not to compare yourself to your peers. Celebrating your accomplishments, small or large is important, and they’re worth the celebration! So, next year, if you don’t get the recognition for something that you worked hard on, take this as a figurative tap on the back, well done!
Kayla Henen, Head Girl, Yeshiva College
What is your plan for the future?
I am so excited for my gap year in Israel. I will be going on MTA. I will be learning at Harova, in Jerusalem. After my year away, I plan to study medicine.
What is the most exciting part about leaving school?
I am so excited to leave the boxes in which I have been placed. As students, we are defined by our marks and what we achieve. Leaving school allows for a person to be known for more than just their academic successes.
What will you miss the most about school?
I will miss seeing all my friends every day. Making memories with my friends and class as a whole will be always cherished. I will miss having a committed time for Torah learning. This precious time with incredible mentors and teachers and the time to speak to Hashem will no longer be a dedicated time. This will be sorely missed.
Advice to students entering matric now?
Students must remember to take a break. This year is a very stressful and hectic, filled with lots of work and assignments. It is important to give yourself time to chill and be with friends.
