Ratu Sukuna Memorial School head boy Rusiate Seduadua got a pleasant surprise when he was announced the runner-up for the top academic award at the school prizegiving.

“I was very shocked when my name was called as it was a surprise for me,” Rusiate said after he was presented the Proxime Accessite Award on Thursday.

He said he usually stayed back after school and studied until 6pm before going home.

“I studied hard for my family and because I also wanted to prepare for my external examination,” he said.

He said he found the external examination very easy because he had prepared well for it.

“I overcame my challenges by balancing my time with my peers and studies. But most of the time I spend it by studying,” he said.

With rugby as his favourite pastime, he found it challenging to refuse his friends’ proposals to play while he was busy studying.

“I was also a prefect in school and during the time I spent studying, I was called by the teachers to go and supervise somewhere else,” he said.

“The thought of committing suicide never came across my mind because I always had my peers come to me and invite me to play whenever I break from my studies, so that’s how I handle the pressure.”

He plans to study for a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in the Fiji School of Medicine next year.

His motivation to succeed comes from the longing to visit more with his parents who currently reside in their village of Vatukarasa in Tailevu.

He grew up in his parent’s village until he was in Year 8 but moved to Suva with relatives to pursue his secondary school education.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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