I applied to another university to study my honours degree majoring still in Mathematical Statistics. I did so even though I was not optimistic about it. For some reason I got accepted and I got to register for my honours degree majoring in Mathematical Statistics at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

This was a much smaller University as compared to the University of Pretoria. I was completely overwhelmed by the difference between the cultures of both these University. Their curriculum was almost the same and some of the honours papers we wrote were moderated by proffesors from my previous university. However the experience was totally different. In this university (NMMU), I was treated like a coleague to some of the academic staff. Some of our lecturers even took the time and effort to get know us on a personal level I guess it’s size allowed this to happen. As honours students we were allowed to partake in some of the statistics seminars, workshops, presentation and even dinners. We were made to belong and there were no different lectures for different groups (e.g the English and the Afrikaans group). We were all one group and we had our own laboratory as post grad students and we had access to the staff tea room and bathrooms. This made me feel really valued and made me to feel belonging as well. It was an experience I never even thought I would ever have.

I am graduating this year with an Honours degree in Mathematical Statistics (Cum Laude). Who would have thought I would graduate Cum Laude in my honours studies. A distinction was a dream when I was studying at the University of Pretoria and graduating Cum Laude was a fantasy. There were more black students at this university even though all our lecturers were white. The experience was different. I was treated like one of the most important people at this university and I was made to believe I was capable of so much more than I thought.