Struggles shape Radrotini’s success

Balancing the weight of family responsibilities with academic pressure proved to be one of the toughest parts of the journey for Adi Salote Radrotini, but it was also what shaped her success story.

The 22-year-old from Nabaitavo in Naitasiri graduated yesterday with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the Fiji National University graduation ceremony, a milestone she describes as a mix of happiness, relief and reflection.

“I’m feeling overwhelmed and it’s a mixture of happiness and nervousness because of all the struggles i've gone through in the past three years,” she said.

For Radrotini, the biggest challenge was not just academic workload but managing life at home while pursuing her studies.

As the eldest sibling at home, she had to step into a leadership role in her family while her mother went abroad.

“I had to juggle my school life with my personal life being the elder sister, trying to manage my younger siblings and running the household,” Radrotini said.

Despite the pressure, she pushed through, drawing strength from her family background in agriculture.

Her grandfather, Ratu Manasa Radrotini, who was well known in the field in the 1990s, played a major role in shaping her passion.

“All we heard growing up was agriculture and he always encouraged me to go for agriculture,” she said.

Radrotini also revealed that her academic journey has now opened a new pathway, as she is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Education in Agriculture, combining her love for teaching and farming.

She said she hopes to eventually become an educator in the field, a dream she unknowingly carried since childhood when her family often called her “the professor” because of her love for books.

A former dux of Adi Cakobau School in 2022, Radrotini credited her success to perseverance and the support system around her.

Her advice to other students is simple: “Never give up. Your journey is not alone—it takes a village.

Think of your family and those who pushed you to get here.”

She dedicated her achievement to her grandfather, her parents, siblings, friends, and everyone who supported her along the way.