Growing up
•While growing up, he attended the Wesleyan College. He was witty, and graduated his junior certificate in 2 years instead of 3. After the Wesleyan College he moved on to Fort Hare University. Nelson was fascinated with running and boxing while in college. At Fort Hare he was studying for a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Mandela did not complete his Bachelor of Arts degree at the time. After a year he became involved with the Student Representative Council and their boycott against university policies. This is the first representation on record of Nelson Mandela's political activism. He was ordered to leave the college. Not long after this Mandela refused an arranged marriage proposal and 'ran away' to Johannesburg. He found work there as a guard at a mine, but was dismissed when it was found he was a royal runaway. He then worked as a clerk and completed his degree at the University of South Africa.