When you have failed matric, it may feellike it's the end of the world.
You start having feelings of incompetencyand wonder if you will ever achieve anything in life. However, you need to knowthat it's not the end and you can do better.
BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF
Jeffery's Bay-based educationalpsychologist Marion le Roux says you need to share your feelings with someoneyou trust.
"You need to be honest with yourself andadmit that you have failed. Do not deny or ignore your feelings or pretend thatyou do not care," she says.
She adds that you must remember that youare not the first one to fail matric and that it is not the end of the world -there is still a future for you, even if it does not seem like it.
"Be as positive as possible and look forsolutions rather than sitting around and sulking or becoming so discouragedthat you make more wrong choices and wreck the rest of your life."
Marion says it's no shame to fail matricand admitting that you didn't do well, but the important thing is that you mustlearn from the mistakes you've made. She says the reasons for failing a classvary from one person to another, so make sure you know what got you in thepredicament you find yourself in.
DEAL WITH THE FEELINGS IN THE RIGHT WAY
"If you did not work hard enough or therewere other reasons for not studying enough, resolve to find a solution to theproblem and see the obstacle as an opportunity," she encourages. Marion saystrying to bandage your hurt feelings with alcohol will only do you more harmthan good.
"Don't abuse alcohol or drugs to numb thepain - it will only lead to more harm, guilt and shame. Write down yourthoughts and feelings in a journal. It really helps," she advises.
OPTIONS YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE SITUATION
Study again:You can rewrite the failed subjects early in the new year to try and betteryour results. For that you have to go back to your school and re-register forthose subjects. You can also enroll at an institution where you can do yourmatric through correspondence or online.
"Consider attending a college for furthereducation where you do not need a matric certificate to enroll as a student,"she suggests.
Ask for re-marking: If you suspect there was a mistake, you can contact your school andask for the relevant forms to apply for a re-mark of your papers. There is acost involved in re-marking a paper, so make sure that you want to do it.However, if you decide to re-write the exam and want something to keep you busyon the side, you can find a parttime job that will not be a distraction togetting that qualification.
Be creative with your talents: Marion says find out what your talents are and what you are goodat. Offer to work as a volunteer somewhere or with a person where you can learnskills and get experience. She says you will be more motivated to do it thanjust another job to generate an income.
