A determined young woman, Nomthandazo Xaba, has achieved an inspiring academic milestone, graduating from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama, Performance and English Studies.
She achieved this success years after dropping out four different times in the course of her journey. Her journey to graduation was anything but easy. Behind the applause and celebration was a long road filled with setbacks, emotional struggles, and moments she almost gave up.
Yet, despite every interruption, Xaba refused to let her story end in failure.
Xaba's Story and How She Did It
She first began her studies at UKZN in 2016 with dreams of earning a degree after four years and building a better future for herself. However, life quickly became more complicated than she expected.
Coming from a difficult background and trying to balance academics with her work as a presenter became overwhelming. Along the way, she was forced to drop out, not once, but four times.
However, she still had one goal all those years, to complete her studies. For Xaba, each setback became another reason to fight harder.
Reflecting on her experience, she described her academic journey as “long and arduous,” admitting that there were many moments when the pressure felt unbearable.
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“It wasn’t easy at all. I had to stay disciplined, manage my time properly, and constantly remind myself why I started, especially on the hard days,” she shared.
Through every interruption, one person remained a constant source of encouragement, her mother, Bonisiwe Khanyile.
Xaba credits her mother for continuously pushing her to complete her education, even during the moments she doubted herself. She also acknowledged the unwavering support of her husband, family, and close friends, who stood by her throughout the difficult years.
“My faith, my mom, and my purpose kept pushing me to come back every time,” she said. “I knew I owed it to myself to finish what I started.”
Instead of allowing failure to define her, Xaba used every return to school as a fresh opportunity to move closer to her dream. Little by little, semester after semester, she rebuilt her confidence and pushed through the exhaustion.
Finally, after years of interruptions and perseverance, she crossed the graduation stage, earning her degree with honors and proving that delayed success is still success.
For Xaba, the moment carried deep meaning.
“What I love most about being a UKZN graduate is the atmosphere during graduation,” she said. “I don’t think there’s any other institution that shows as much excitement and appreciation for its graduates.”
Now looking ahead to the future with hope and confidence, she is using her story to encourage other students who may be struggling academically or emotionally.
“Take it one day at a time. Rest if you need to, but don’t quit. You’ll thank yourself later,” she advised.
She also added that they should not compare their journey with others, instead they remain steadfast. “Your journey won’t look like everyone else’s, and that’s okay. Just don’t stop.”
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