The aim of the recent DSSO Activity trip was to raise awareness and share with the Jafta Mahlangu Secondary School learners about the potential career paths offered at UP and how to access these, as well as to warn them of the potential pitfalls scholars and students can fall into at university.  The targeted grades were grade 9s and the grade 11s; for the grade 9s we wanted to assist them in choosing subjects for grade 10 that will align with the courses that they wish to enrol in after matric and with the 11s, we wanted to assist them in deciding on courses that they want to apply to when they get to grade 12 next year and the expected grades needed in order to be accepted in those particular courses.

Thus, in trying to raise awareness and share about the potential career paths offered at UP, we looked at the nine faculties that UP offers, the required high school subjects for some of the courses that these faculties offer and some of UP’s undergrad bursaries. We also shared pamphlets and prospectuses that the learners could take home for more information, as well as the university website links for those who wish to apply. A number of students from the grade 11 class were interested in studying Law, others on Education and some on Business Management. Furthermore, we spoke about some of the challenges that students are likely to fall into at university especially first years and we focused on challenges like adaptation, which is the transition from high school to university life, the lifestyle changes and mostly substance abuse that students tend to be a victim of. We also tackled on the mental health challenge and how they can go about asking for help. Subsequently, we offered some useful study tips that they could use in preparing for their upcoming exams. Before ending our presentation, we played a fun quiz game where we offered chocolates as prizes for those who got their answers correct. We also donated some fruits to the school which were to be distributed to the classes that we were focusing on.