My Academic Odyssey

On graduation day 

Welcome to The Academic Odyssey!

Hello, and welcome to my little corner of the internet!

My name is Portia Joyce Kawa, and I’m a PGDE student at Catholic University in Zimbabwe. After months of thinking about it, I’ve finally decided to start this blog to document the wild, rewarding, and often chaotic journey of academia.

Why am I doing this?

I’m starting this blog for a few reasons:

1.  For myself: To create a living record of my progress, my challenges, and my successes. I want to look back and see how far I’ve come.

2.  For accountability: Writing about my goals and progress is a powerful way to stay motivated and on track.

3.  For community: I hope to connect with others on a similar path. If just one person reads a post and thinks, "Oh good, it's not just me," then this will be worth it.

What can you expect to find here?

This blog will be a candid log of my academic life. I plan to write about:

What I accomplished, what held me up in my academic journey.

Personal Reflections: On productivity, work-life balance, and the mental side of a long-term degree.

A little about me:

When I'm not buried in books or code, you can find me cooking, watching movies and doing flower gardening. I’m passionate about teaching learners, this is the reason why I'm studying education.

Let’s connect!

This blog is not a monologue; I’d love for it to be a conversation. Feel free to:

Leave a comment below to introduce yourself!

Thank you so much for reading. I’m incredibly excited to begin this odyssey and share it with you.

Here's to the journey ahead,

Portia J Kawa 

What this journey has taught me

Education has always been an important part of my life, shaping not only my future but also the person I am becoming. Looking back, I realise how every stage from primary school to A’ Level came with its own challenges, lessons, and triumphs.

Primary Level

I began my academic journey at Kuwadzana 4 Primary School in Kuwadzana, Harare, a place that laid the foundation for my love of learning. Primary school was where I discovered my strengths, built friendships, and learnt the discipline that has carried me through the years. 

However, in Grade 6, I faced a major change when I transferred to a new school, (Vimbai Primary School) in Norton. That was after my parents bought a house in Norton.At first, the transition was not easy. I had to adapt to a different environment, new teachers, and classmates who already knew each other. I often felt like an outsider, and it took time for me to adjust to the new system and make friends.

Despite these challenges, the experience taught me resilience and adaptability. I learnt how to step out of my comfort zone, ask for help when I needed it, and slowly gained confidence in my new environment. By the time I reached Grade 7, I had settled in and was able to focus fully on preparing for my final primary school examinations.

Passing my Grade 7  with flying colors motivated me to aim higher.

Ordinary Level

For my secondary education, I enrolled at a boarding school, a whole new chapter in my journey. Boarding life came with mixed experiences. It was exciting to live away from home, but also challenging to adapt to strict routines, discipline, and a more competitive learning environment. Being away from my family taught me independence and responsibility.

Academically, O’ Level was demanding. The workload increased, and I had to learn how to manage my time effectively while balancing studies with boarding life activities. I particularly enjoyed the sciences and dedicated myself to them with great interest. 

However, when results came, I found that I performed better in the arts subjects. This was an eye-opening moment that taught me the difference between passion and strength. It was not easy to accept at first, but it helped me recognise where my true academic abilities lay.

Advanced Level (A’ Level)

With this new self-awareness, I chose to pursue arts subjects at A’ Level, such as History, Literature, and Shona. The transition from O’ Level to A’ Level was not simple. I still admired the sciences, but I realised I was better equipped to excel in the arts. The workload increased, and I had to apply stronger discipline, critical thinking, and writing skills.

Studying arts subjects helped me grow in new ways: I became more confident in expressing myself, analysing issues deeply, and seeing the world through different perspectives. Although it wasn’t the path I originally envisioned, it turned out to be the right one for me.

Tertiary Education

After successfully completing A’ Level, I enrolled at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Media Studies. Spending four years at NUST was a transformative experience that opened a new world of knowledge, creativity, and professional growth.

At university, I was exposed to the practical side of education, research, writing, media production, and communication skills. The program sharpened my ability to tell stories, analyse current affairs, and think critically about society. Beyond academics, NUST also gave me the opportunity to build networks, form lifelong friendships, and discover my career path.

It was at NUST that I truly understood the power of words and the responsibility that comes with being a communicator. Those four years not only prepared me for a professional career but also shaped me into a more confident, outspoken, and socially aware individual.

Postgraduate Studies

Currently, I am pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Education at Catholic University. This stage of my journey reflects my passion for teaching and shaping future generations. The program is equipping me with professional skills in pedagogy, curriculum design, and classroom management, preparing me to apply my knowledge of communication and the arts in the education sector.

Being in postgraduate studies has reminded me that learning never stops, it evolves as we grow. It has also deepened my appreciation of education as not just a personal achievement, but also a tool to empower others.

Reflections

My academic journey has taught me that success is not only about pursuing what you enjoy but also about recognising your strengths and maximising them. From transferring schools in Grade 6, to navigating boarding life, shifting from sciences to arts, graduating in Journalism at NUST, and now training as an educator. I have learnt that education is a journey of discovery, perseverance, and growth.

Conclusion

As I look back, I am proud of how far I have come and excited about where I am going. My hope is that my journey inspires others who may feel discouraged or uncertain about their paths. Sometimes the road takes unexpected turns, but those very turns lead us closer to our true calling.