Brand Pretorius - In the Driving Seat

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Brand Pretorius. Brand Pretorius - In the Driving Seat

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In the Driving Seat

LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

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It was with a huge lump in my throat that I said goodbye to my family at Kroonstad station. The train journey to Pretoria was a mixture of sadness and excitement – excitement because a new chapter awaited me in Pretoria, sadness because I suddenly felt very alone and vulnerable. It was the first time that I would be living away from my family and friends. I was not aware of anybody I knew who would also be studying at Tuks.

My first year of studying Mechanical Engineering was not a pleasant experience. I had hopelessly underestimated the adjustment it would take. Residence life was not quite what I envisaged – for the first time in my life I had no privacy and had to adjust to an environment where late nights and constant noise was the norm. To make matters worse, I enjoyed my studies even less. Applied Mathematics and Physics was simply not my cup of tea. I struggled to cope and after two re-examinations, finally passed my first year. But in my heart of hearts I knew that my dream to enter the motor industry would not be attained through a degree in Mechanical Engineering. A few weeks before I had to return to Pretoria for my second year I confided in my mother. In her normal diplomatic way she prepared my father for the bad news. Notwithstanding the serious financial implications of the repayment of my Iscor bursary, he agreed that I could change courses. For that I will forever remain grateful.

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