By ‘Maleruo Leponesa
Matric exams officially started on Monday 20 October 2025. Grocott’s Mail touched base with a few matriculants from different schools to get the general feel around this significant moment and understand how they cope with the stress.
Isenathi Bloko from Hoërskool PJ Olivier: Like any matric right now I feel very nervous but I feel like I’ll make it through with the right preparation and hard work. I feel most confident about Design (Art). At the moment, I find maths tricky. I am still working through some revision. Listening to music always calms me. I study for eight hours a day with a one-hour break in between two-hour sessions and I like to study on my own. I have used past papers and have been making my own notes from the textbook. I’ve been attending extra lessons as well. My teachers and my mom are motivating me to keep pushing through. My teachers and family have been supportive during this time. Lying down and listening to music are my ways to relax after studying. Xhosa hip-hop and my own music are what’s on my playlist. I am still undecided about my plan or goal for after the exams. Anything and everything goes for snacks. If I could skip one subject in the finals, it would be history. I am going to the bush where I’ll be living in a mansion with an unlimited amount of room service.
Chumani Duda from Mary Waters High School: I feel a bit scared and anxious. I feel most confident about history and I still find maths lit tricky. I’m not ready but I’m doing some revision and I study a lot with my friends. I use past papers most of the time to revise, summarising my notes and revising them helps me prepare and I do attend extra lessons. My parents and teachers motivate me to keep pushing through and have been very supportive. Taking a walk or watching TV are my ways to relax after studying. My goal is to get good results and get into a university. Chips and biscuits are my favourite snacks while studying. I don’t listen to music while studying. If I could skip one subject in the finals, it would be English HL paper 1 because it’s hard and stressful.
Yivani Mzamane from Ntsika Secondary School: I am feeling very nervous but I am trying my best to prepare for the exams. I am most confident about business studies but economics is proving to be the most difficult. I am still working through some revision. Reading the bible and listening to music makes me much calmer. I am studying by myself. I’ve used a few past papers for each subject for revision. On Saturdays my school offers revision classes for four subjects. The one tip that has helped me immensely is changing your study area from time to time. My family is my motivation; their hard efforts and money spent on my matric dance is a lot therefore I want to repay them in a sense by passing with good results. My teachers and my family are the best support system for me. I don’t listen to music while studying because I find it very distracting. After studying I watch a vlog on YouTube to relax my mind. This grade took so much of me. If I could skip one subject in the finals, I would DEFINITELY skip economics. After that final paper I’m going straight to Cape Town. My plan is to have so much fun after these exams!
Dineo Nyedimane from Mary Waters High School: Now it is the final countdown, it is the last push, and it is the moment for all grade 12 learners to shine. I have mixed emotions and I am feeling very nervous for the exams. What is helping me to cope? I am working through some revision guides, because revision is the key for unlocking my potential. And it’s not just about me rereading, but it’s about reinforcing, learning, and building the confidence before going to write the examinations. Something that really helped me calm myself down, is my supportive family, my supportive friends and all the people around me. But mostly, it is me trying to pray, so that I can calm myself through this demanding year. I am a night owl, I study better at night, so I usually sleep early then study at night because I make sure that I study two subjects a day, depending on what my timetable tells me. Past papers are very helpful, because they give me an understanding on how questions are asked, and how I am expected to answer. But what has really helped me through this year is that I learned from my trial mistakes. I’m going through revision sessions, and having those general classes at school had really helped me a lot, as well. My family and my teachers, they have been very supportive throughout this year, they’ve been telling me that I should push through. When I study, I don’t have a snack, but I just make sure that I drink water. After writing the final exams, I will just make sure that I give myself a full day of resting because I really need that. To the class of 2025, I just want to wish you all the best and say that finish strong, because you’ve started brighter. Your future awaits.
