With seven distinctions in the 2022 matric examinations, Azraa Esau has now taken on her next big academic challenge, a degree in medicine.
Currently enrolled at the Stellenbosch University school of medicine, her hope is to make a difference in other’s lives.
“From a young age I knew I wanted to go into the medical field and as I saw it as a great way to help people and make a difference. As of now I want to finish my medical degree and specialise in anaesthesiology, however, I am not entirely sure if that will stay the same. Being on the Tygerberg (hospital) campus at Stellenbosch University is definitely broadening my view of the different paths I can take and maybe with time the section I want to be my focus area will change,” she says.
“I have always enjoyed biology and helping people, so this career path was always clear to me. In the future I hope to pursue this career and be successful.”
Esau was recently awarded as the top performing learner of the Belgravia Engen Maths and Science School programme (EMSS).
Growing up in Manenberg and an alumnus of Rylands High School, Esau faced many challenges in the lead up to achieving this great success in matric.
“I wasn’t allowed to play outside because it was too dangerous, so I became quite antisocial and started to focus on my studies. I was also determined to prove to others that where you come from does not define you and I didn’t want to let the area I grew up in determine how far I would go,” she says.
Furthermore, living up to her parent’s expectations was another challenge but Esau used this as a motivator to give it her all throughout her matric year.
“What helped me get through my day is knowing that I did my best and that no matter what situation I was in, I did what I could, and I won’t have any regrets in the future,” she says.
Esau, who lives by the mantra ‘the mistakes of yesterday are the lessons of today’, credits her ability to cope with the rigours of school to a supportive family that always encouraged her to work hard.
“My older-sister’s guidance helped me flourish when I entered high school and my mother taught me a lot about time management and responsibility,” she adds.
She attributes some of her success to EMSS, which helped her prepare for the exams and focus on her problem areas.
“We also went through numerous past papers during the classes and that allowed me to be more prepared for the final examinations and find new methods of solving problems,” she says.
“I heard about the EMSS programme at my school and they gave us a letter regarding the programme and some of its details. It was handed out to me as well as other learners doing physical science and pure mathematics. What really helped me with regards to the programme is that every Saturday I was there, there was some benefit for me,” she continues.
“Sometimes we would do work that I already did in class and it would be a great opportunity for revision for me. Other times, however, we did work that I didn’t do in class and that was again a great opportunity for me to learn something new. It was all of these things that aided in my preparation for the final examinations.”
Receiving her results at school earlier this year was a day of great achievement.
“The most prominent feeling I felt when I received my matric results was relief. I was extremely stressed and kind of kept overthinking worst case scenarios most of the time leading up to the results day, just as most of my peers. However, seeing my results and knowing that I made my family proud really brought me a sense of relief and pride as well,” she says.
Now, with the first few days of her tertiary education already underway, she looks forward to making her dream a reality.
“The first few days of university were tiring. Orientation week had a packed schedule. But although it was tiring, it was also extremely fun. I got to meet amazing people, do things I never would have done otherwise and just overall bond with so many people,” she says.
“By the time classes officially began, I already knew quite a few people and that helped with some of my nervousness. The lectures and classes so far have been great and while there has been busy days, all of those days were filled with excitement.”
Esau’s advice to the class of 2023 is to not be afraid of taking a break regardless of how much work you still must finish.
“In the end, those hobbies or those moments spent with friends and family are what will keep you going,” she says.
“The most thing that I can say to the youth of my community is that it is important to never let your current circumstances impact your future. I know that it’s not uncommon to let the area you live in or your financial state define what you make of yourself. However, that does not necessarily have to be the case. With hard work and effort, a lot can be achieved.”
