Good luck with the pre-release period #APC2017

Do you remember writing those Grade 7 exams?  How about Matric finals?  Undergrad? Honours? ITC?  APC professional programme? 

Every time you were required to step up, with butterflies in your stomach, you have achieved your goal. 

It will be no different with the APC.

At this stage of the process, after school, undergrad, honours, ITC, articles and passing the APC professional programme, it’s not about radically changing your approach.  

It’s about doing the basics well. This APC is an exam where you can lean into the support base you have formed over the course of this programme.  You have a team to work with over the next five days so as to bring out the best in each other. 

Do your best.

Today my encouragement comes from the life of Usain Bolt – World Record holder for 100m, 200m and 100m relay.  He also won Gold medals in all 3 disciplines in Beijing, London and Rio.  Nine times he stepped into a high pressure moment and made his mark.  

Bolt burst onto the scene when at age 15 he won the u20 World Junior 200m title.  The race was in Jamaica and there were high expectations placed on him.  As he prepared for the race, the qualifying times of his American competitors were a lot quicker than his.  He told his coach that he didn’t want to race anymore and would wait until he was a bit older.  One night his mom sat with him on the verandah and putting her arm around him, said:

“Why don’t you give it you all?  Go out there and just try. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

I could feel a lump tightening in my throat.  The emotion and the stress was too much.  I began to cry. “But Mom, I can’t.” 

“Don’t get upset about it.  Do your best.  Whatever you do, we’ll accept it.  We’ll be proud.”

Pre-release period:
Tomorrow the pre-release information will be made available to you at 8am. An email will be sent to your personal email account, with both the English and Afrikaans versions of the pre-release information.

Finally…
A large team from UCT Board Course will be going up to Joburg to help SAICA with the marking, so soon the ball will be back in our court. We look forward to seeing your professional competence put on display not just on 22 November but throughout the rest of your careers. 

You have got what it takes!  That is not wishful language – you have demonstrated your ability in Grade 7, Matric, Undergrad, Honours, ITC and in the APC Professional Programme.  It’s normal to feel nervous but…  

“Don’t get upset about it.  Do your best.  Whatever you do, we’ll accept it.  We’ll be proud.”

 

Paul Maughan on behalf of the whole UCT Board Course Team

 

P.S. As a final final encouragement, here is a 3mins video from yours truly, You (CA)N make this your field of dreams!

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