I have just finished talking with my grandmother on the telephone. She wanted to talk to me about applying to study, which I haven’t done yet. She then complained and scolded me for not being interested in my own education. That is not really true but she knows I was too late applying last year. That’s why she called to remind me about it. She doesn’t want me to waste another year.

If you didn’t know already, it has been nearly two years since I last went to school. I was a totally different guy back in junior high (grades 7-9). I used to be a good student who loved to come to school. I was in the top class and had quite a high ranking in the exams. But all of that changed after I graduated from grade 9. I got into a bad group of friends and started drinking and taking drugs. I changed a lot and everyone was shocked about my behavior. I was soon kicked out of school.

For the following six months I was in and out of drug rehab before I decided I was ready to start again at a new school. But, I didn’t last very long. The problem was that I was finding it hard to concentrate on anything as I had so many distractions going on in my life. I kept thinking about my friends and things that really were not related to school. At first I was absent just once or twice a week. Then it was nearly every day. Finally they asked me to leave and not come back.

You know, it is weird at the moment because in just over a month, all of my old friends will be graduating from grade 12. I am very happy for them that they have made it to the end of high school. But I am also feeling jealous of them and ashamed of myself. They are soon going to be university students while I still haven’t finished grade 10!

But, even though I haven’t been studying for the past two years, I haven’t wasted my time. I started up an Internet business and I now earn enough money to support my family and myself. However, I have kind of forgotten about life as a normal student at school. I am worried that I won’t be able to sit down and study in a class like any other normal student my age.

Really it is not exactly a normal school that I am going to apply for; it’s more like a tutoring place. It’s run by the government and it allows people to have a second chance to complete their education. One big difference from normal schools is that you only have to organise yourself to go to class and study once a week! I think even I could manage that! Anyway, it allows people like myself to carry on working during the week and then study at the weekend.

My dad has recently earned himself a degree by doing this. He worked during the week at his normal job in the dockyards and then in the evenings and weekends he worked towards his degree. He said it was hard work doing both but it was worth it in the end. The degree has already got him a promotion and a good pay rise.

From now on, I am going to take my education seriously and qualify as far as grade 12 as the first step. Then later I’ll work towards a degree like my dad. Some people might say that they don’t care about a piece of paper. If they can already work and do a job, why do they need it? But I know it is important to get a degree. I have seen how it has changed my father. I believe that education is the most important thing in life and that it will lead to success.

Pay attention while you at school and don’t mess it up!