Behind the glamorous Ivy League graduation photos and the historic title of former Miss South Africa lies a raw story of isolation, bitter winter conditions, and immense sacrifice.
Speaking candidly on My Top 10 at 10 with Tbose, Shudufhadzo Musida pulled back the curtain on her time in the United States, revealing the deep emotional and physical tolls she endured while completing her master’s degree at the prestigious Columbia University in New York City.
For Musida, walking across that stage wasn’t just an academic milestone; it was a spiritual victory and a tribute to her lineage.
“Musida Name is Now Ivy League Status”
The crowning moment of her academic journey arrived when her name echoed through the graduation grounds. Hearing her Venda surname pronounced correctly on an international stage carried profound weight.
“For me it was important because it represented my grandfather,” Musida shared emotionally. “He was part of this journey before he passed. That moment happened and I was like, damn, the Musida name is now Ivy League status. Barack Obama walked here, Warren Buffett has walked here, and now it’s my grandfather’s name, Musida.”
The milestone was a monumental victory for her mother, a single parent who had Musida at just 19 years old and traveled to the Big Apple to witness her daughter make history.
“I’m so grateful that she never limited my dreams just because she didn’t have the finances at the time for my dreams,” Musida reflected. Seeing her daughter conquer Columbia brought an unmatched joy: “I’ve never seen her smile that big.”
Freezing Temperatures and Foreign Isolation
However, getting to that stage pushed the former Miss SA to her absolute limits. New York City tested her in ways she never anticipated—starting with the brutal, unforgiving East Coast winters.
Adapting to temperatures that regularly plummeted was a shock to the system for the Limpopo-born beauty. She revealed she had to rely heavily on vitamin D supplements just to cope with the lack of sunlight and extreme cold.
With characteristic candor, Musida admitted the weather pushed her to lose her composure:
“I was swearing. Every time I’d walk, my favorite word became the F-word,” she laughed.
Beyond the climate shock, the true test was the emotional isolation of being an international student.
“Being sick in a foreign country without people around you is the hardest,” Musida admitted. “If I’m sick here, my mom would bring me medicine. No one will ever really, truly know how hard it was for me to walk across that stage. But to know that God has been with me every single second just made it all worth it.”
Musida’s triumphant graduation stands as a powerful testament to resilience, proving that behind the polished exterior of high achievers are unseen battles conquered through faith and determination.
