It’s 2017, I just got the scholarship and I am very excited because this is what I have always wanted. The cherry on top is that my new school is based in Sandton, I have never been there before and I am about to spend 3 years in this beautiful city. I felt like I was on top of the world, even my mother was very proud of me. Although things were still tough at home financially, she still supported me greatly. The woman behind my success is my mother; a cashier at Checkers.
My first year as a media student was hard due to many factors; firstly Sandton was foreign territory for a village boy. It was so unreal that I made it that far. Secondly, I am a product of public school attending an expensive private institution. The kids in college were different from me, they spoke nice fluent English almost all the time and I came with my broken mixed English. Thirdly, they wore even better clothes. All I had was a pair of Nike Air Force1 that I bought in December and three pairs of jeans plus five T-shirts. Lastly, I felt pressured, because college kids brag about their family riches and my family had none of that. So I had to switch friends often during the first year because I wanted to find somewhere, where I belonged.
Being in college made me discover things I didn’t know about myself. Started seeing a lot of celebrities around campus and in the shopping center. Me being introverted I never took even one pic with a well-known person. College was a dream come true, I was working towards my dream and everything in between was just a distraction. I only had one shot to make this education thing a success. I didn’t have a trust fund to bounce back to. During my second year, I got a job as a content producer for the campus radio. They taught me a few things and I enjoyed playing around in the studio. However, they sidelined every content producer and gave more attention to presenters. Slowly I start to lose interest in my lifelong dream. I have always been fascinated by the advertising industry. In college, we did everything media-related you can name it; Television, Radio, Marketing, Sound engineering, and many others. During our first and second years, we are taught to be a jack of all trades. Learn and know almost everything.
In the end, I left radio for a major in Advertising. That’s where I had fun. I have always considered myself a wise young man. During my final year, I led a team of seven for practical assignments for six months. We pitch our ideas to the marketing team at one of South Africa’s leading advertising agencies. In the end, we did well with the assignment. The assignment helped me come out of my shell and become a leader, also learned the importance of teamwork. In the same year, I had to balance school and work. This comes after I landed an internship at Marvin. I used to bother a lot of Ad agencies and other companies requesting internship opportunities. Some replied and others didn’t. Marvin replied and gave me an opportunity.
My college experience was amazing in so many ways although I didn’t make many friends. I blame it on personality and being introverted. The aim was to finish school, everything that came in between was a bonus. I had an internship, lectures to attend, chasing hectic assignments datelines, and maintaining a relationship. I recently graduated in absentia again this time due to coronavirus. Reaching the graduate status was not easy but I am grateful for the little change that has occurred over the past 4 years.
Writter: /PP.Selolo