Johannesburg - Praval and Priyal Naidoo from Crawford Sandton will forever cherish the memories they made during their final year of schooling.
“It certainly had its ups and downs. It felt like a marathon, but now that I look back, it feels like it was more of a sprint.
“However, I will forever cherish last year’s amazing memories,” Priyal told The Star about her year.
Her twin brother added that there were obstacles that had to be overcome but also times of fun and enjoyment, such as the matric dance, which was a highlight of the year.
These memories have been made sweeter by the twins’ final examination results.
Praval and Priyal shined after they obtained nine distinctions each in their examinations.
Praval, who wants to study actuarial science at Wits University, earned distinctions in English home language, Afrikaans first additional language, maths, life orientation, further studies maths, physical sciences, accounting, information technology and music, while Priyal, who plans to study medicine or biomedical engineering at Wits University or Tuks, obtained distinctions in English home language, Afrikaans first additional language, maths, life orientation, further studies maths, physical sciences, accounting, life sciences and music.
Both of the siblings appeared on the Independent Examinations Board’s (IEB) outstanding achievement list for achieving within the top 5% in 6 or more subjects and achieving a rating level of 7 in Life Orientation.
But don’t get it twisted; the twins did not study together. “Heavens no. We probably would have killed each other,” joked Priyal.
The Naidoo twins’ mother, Dr Roshni Naicker, speaking about what her children’s successes mean as a parent, said: "If you have a successful child, they basically use their abilities to develop increasing skills that help form positive attributes that will lead to a successful life.
"Successful children do become successful adults in most instances, and that also goes with high levels of self-esteem and self-worth."
Despite the excellent achievements, the learners had their fair share of challenges, which included time management, distractions, feeling overwhelmed, and procrastination.
"Time management was a challenge. This was a result of having to make time for sport and music while still focusing on academics. I overcame this challenge by adopting a few strategies. These include, but are not limited to, the prioritisation of tasks, creating timetables, and removing any distraction while studying," Praval said.
Priyal added that creating reasonable daily goals and factoring in other activities into her study timetable aided her significantly.
The twins were very grateful for their parents, who supported them throughout the year by motivating them in times of stress and difficulties, motivated them to achieve their potential, and helped them keep sight of the light at the end of the tunnel.
Naicker said it was important to continue assessing, supporting, and nurturing each of her children on a personal level.
"It was about orchestrating the balance of work and play with an emphasis on emotional support, love, and trying to maintain a positive outlook at all times," Naicker said.
She added that it was also important that her twins maintained a good diet, rested and exercised regularly.
"My parents were always there for me, and my mom never failed to create a comfortable space in which I could talk freely about my difficulties," Priyal said.
When giving advice to the matric class of 2023, Praval said they should work consistently throughout the year.
"Focus on trying to understand the topics instead of just memorising. Also prioritise and spend more time on your weaker subjects (while still not neglecting the other subjects) so as to optimise your overall success," he said.
Priyal said: "Always try to view things from a multitude of perspectives. Don’t underestimate the power of your mindset."
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