That was the motto and motivation used by Yasha Longstaff on her way to obtaining eight distinctions in the 2013 National Senior Certificate examinations.
The Benoni High School pupil decided to pull up her socks in Grade 10, after realising that she was performing below her potential, telling herself: “I can do this”.
She went for it and matriculated with eight distinctions, in English home language, Afrikaans first additional language, life orientation, mathematics, maths paper three, accounting, consumer studies and economics.
She will study towards a degree in actuarial sciences at the University of Cape Town this year.
The 18-year-old was hopeful of furthering her studies while in school, but had no plan to do so until she received financial aid from the university.
Asking how she pulled off the remarkable achievement, she said: “Plenty of hard, hard work”.
She said she was well prepared for the easy final exams, and was more stressed about the prelims.
Longstaff said she only revised her maths and accounting for the exams, but conceded that she had to study very hard to ace her least favourite subject, economics.
The day before her consumer studies exam (her favourite subject) she was at home having her nails done.
The youngster said listening in class and not allowing herself to be distracted was key to her success.
