It’s never too late to chase your dreams and write a brand new chapter. Sammy Xulu has proven this with an incredible six distinctions!
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (14 January 3026) – Life may take us along unknown paths and deliver unpredictable experiences, but ultimately, we choose how to live it and possess the free will to make the most of it.
Choosing to go back to school in her 30s was not an easy decision for Sammy Xulu, but it was her way of exercising that very will – building a life she can be proud of and equipping herself to chase the dreams that have always been alive inside her.
Obtaining her distinction-studded National Senior Certificate this week, Sammy is currently trending for all the right reasons and Good Things Guy caught up with the woman who refused to let her age or her past determine her future.
Hailing from KwaDukuza in eDoringkop, Sammy found herself dropping out of school in 2012. She did a few short courses hoping she’d get employment, however things didn’t go quite as planned.
“In 2024 I got employed at a construction site in Saltrock as a cleaning lady. I worked for few months there then decided to go persue my dreams because the pay was too little. I knew I was capable but I had to go back to school,” Sammy tells us.
She decided to enrol at Sinenhlanhla Secondary School in Shakaskraal, slightly further from her hometown, to better focus on her goal, away from distracting discouragement.
Asked how she found being in the classroom full-time after so many years, Sammy admits it was no walk in the park.
“It was so challenging, I won’t lie! The school does take in adults but I was the eldest of them all!”
But despite the obvious age difference and the occasional unwelcome comments about it, the 32-year-old persevered and remained focused, keeping in mind the reasons she decided to go back to school.
“The support from my family, friends and teachers kept me going.”
And the long study sessions have proven all worth it, with Sammy achieving an incredible six distinctions and one B grade!
“I’m very happy with my results. I’m still awaiting responses from universities but I’m definitely going to study further,” the achiever says excitedly.
Sammy’s advice to anyone wanting to go back to school is to just take the plunge.
“Don’t do it for people but yourself! People will talk, yes, but never take it to heart. Tell yourself that it’s possible and everything else will work out.”
Congratulations Sammy! You’ve proven that we’re more than capable of rewriting our own narratives and achieving great things even in the face of challenges.
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