“Fake It Till You Make It”: Woman Manifests Degree, Finally Achieves Goals and Graduates

• A young South African woman shared how she turned her dream of graduating into reality before turning 25
• In a video posted in May, she first pretends to collect her degree while being recorded by a friend, before the scene shifts to her actual graduation day
• Social media users were inspired by her manifestation journey, with many congratulating her on achieving her goals through positivity and determination

A Pretoria-based digital creator shared her inspiring story of manifesting her graduation through positive thinking and hard work. Facebook user @adelaide.mashigo shared the creative video in May.

At first, the young woman is seen pretending to graduate while a friend records her in an empty room. She walks towards an imaginary stage as her name has been called out by someone else in the room. The scene then transitions to her actual graduation day, where you can hear people cheering as she proudly walks up to collect her hard-earned degree.

She captioned her post:

"The aim was to turn 21 without a baby and bag a degree before 25, I did that."

The TUT student's journey shows how setting clear goals for yourself can help make them a reality. According to other posts, she is now working towards her second degree, proving that her determination didn't stop after this achievement.

Watch the Facebook reel below:

Power of positive thinking

The power of a positive mindset is clear in this success story. By visualising her goal and working consistently towards it, @adelaide.mashigo was able to turn her dreams into reality.

Positive thinking combined with action is often called manifestation, the practice of focusing your thoughts on what you want to achieve until it becomes your reality. This approach involves setting clear goals, visualising success, and then taking the necessary steps to make it happen.

For students, this might mean creating vision boards of graduation day, writing down goals, or even pretending to receive a degree before it happens, which is exactly what @adelaide.mashigo did in her video.

Overcoming odds to earn a degree in SA

In 2022, Statistics South Africa reported that about 13.1% of women and 12.3% of men aged 25 and older held tertiary qualifications. Meaning only around 12.7 % of adult South Africans have a college degree. Yet the path to a degree is far from guaranteed. BusinessTech recently reported that roughly 60% of first-year students drop out before year two, often due to financial challenges, academic unpreparedness, or lack of career guidance.

Many learners juggle tuition, textbooks, and living costs on top of housing and transport, leaving little room for study. Others enter without clear career plans or support structures and struggle to keep up with coursework demands. For first-generation students, language barriers and unfamiliar classroom culture can intensify isolation. Despite bursaries and financial aid schemes, insufficient stipends and administrative delays push vulnerable students toward dropping out.

Completing a degree is not just about passing exams, it reflects overcoming systemic hurdles, mastering time management, and securing scarce resources. Graduates demonstrate resilience, resourcefulness, and community support.

Briefly News spoke to psychological expert Jayshri Rangasamy on how visualisation and positive thinking can impact achievement on a neurological and behavioural level. She stated that:

"Visualisation techniques and positive thinking can significantly influence both behaviour and neurology by reinforcing neural pathways associated with goal-directed actions, emotional regulation, and self-efficacy. These practices activate brain regions like the prefrontal cortex and the reward system, promoting motivation and resilience."

"In contrast, harmful thinking patterns—such as chronic negativity or catastrophizing—can strengthen neural circuits linked to stress and anxiety, potentially leading to maladaptive behaviours and mental health issues. While manifestation often overlaps with positive thinking, it can become problematic if it encourages magical thinking or avoidance of real-world effort, unlike constructive visualisation, which is typically paired with actionable steps and realistic goals."

Social media reactions

Facebook users were quick to celebrate her achievement and found inspiration in her manifestation journey.

@Vunene Nene cheered:

"Fake it till you make it 🥳😹👌"

@Pholoso Marupeng was moved:

"If this didn't inspire you, then I don't know."

@Xiluva Lia congratulated:

"Congratulations 🕺🥳🥳"

@Jeneva Zikhali shared warm wishes:

"Wow, that's the best video of the day. Congratulations, my sister. May God bless you with a good job matching your qualifications."

@Enthusiastic Mqho praised:

"Amazing 😍"

3 More graduation success stories

• Briefly News recently reported on a young South African lady who manifested becoming a cum laude graduate by constantly showing up for herself and her goals.
• A graduate from Sol Plaatje University named Kamogelo Mogotsi was captured in a joyful video celebrating her achievement of completing her Honours degree in Anthropology.
• In a touching throwback video that left many in tears, a university graduate surprised his mother at her recycling facility workplace, with the content creator sharing moving footage and a heartfelt caption thanking his late mother.

Hilary Sekgota, human interest head of desk at Briefly News, contributed to this article.

Source: Briefly News