As matriculants wait with bated breaths for their results next week, here is my piece of advice.

Those of you who will have made it with flying colours, give yourself a pat on the back and celebrate this milestone. Do so while understanding that the journey has just begun, you have not arrived yet.

Those of you who will have passed but your marks are not good enough to score you a place at a university or college, do not despair. Go back to school and improve your marks. It is pointless to drown yourself in a pool of sorrow over something that you can still fix.

The world is full of scammers, do not end up settling for some unknown city college somewhere in Johannesburg, Mbombela, Durban, Polokwane or Pretoria just to look preoccupied in the eyes of those who may rejoice over your setbacks.

This is your life, your future, your well-being and your everything. Do not ever be shaken by what people will say, you know they'll always talk.

To those who will not have made it at all, remember that in life we sometimes have to go through being a worm before we can become a butterfly.

Soldier on and work on what let you down last year. Nothing is ever impossible if you put your mind to it. To parents, I urge you to support these young souls and never use the opportunity to chastise them but rather encourage them to pull up their socks.

There are better days before them and only you can make them realise that. Let us work together to build the future we want to see, today.

Malphia Honwane, Gottenburg, eManyeleti