Re: How to excel in senior year studies (yr 11/12)
Hi Mei,
so im in year 10 this year so I'm sure i will be referring to this guide later in my studies. I did IPT this year, so if i did well in it that means i have one less subject to do in year 12.
I was pretty excited for year 11, but now im not really feeling it - it seems like there is no room to breathe in the senior years... does anyone ever go out on weekends, maybe even before school for breakfast, or after school to a cafe (we have a cafe right down the road from our school, so it serves a great part of my school life)?
You said in the holidays you went out 2-3 times a week! That doesnt sound like a lot at all!!
I'm going on german exchange these summer holidays, so that means i won't be able to 'prepare' for year 11 too well... is that okay?
I dont think im going to be very motivated at all in the next years, because i dont have any goals i want to achieve. The course im thinking of doing requires an 80 ATAR, and if i dont get that, i can get 70 an add a portfolio to it and will still be able to get in. The only reason i might want 99+ is to get a scholarship for $2000. And at the moment thats not really motivational enough.
I like to make movies, and i do a lot during the school year, will i even have time for that anymore??
Arg, sorry if this is already answered, im just feeling pretty not-excited for year 11/12 anymore
Hi Kittyrules,
Thank you for your question, I think your question touches on a very important aspect of humanity, and that is, we are all very different. There is a great emphasis on boredofstudies of academic excellence, particularly on these forums, but I am fully aware that there are many other types of excellence to pursue, whether it be a sporting dream, whether it be a dream of becoming a graphic/game designer or many others that may not necessarily fit the dominant conventional path but are nevertheless valuable as dreams.
People definitely go out during year 11 and year 12, it is an exciting time for those who wants to test out their extremes, how good their time management skills is going to be, how much stress they could endure, how much more fast paced they could handle with never ending assessments and exams. There is definitely room to breathe if you try to find room. For me, amongst the hectic schedule of assessments, I always gave myself some time to dance, I wasn't a particularly good dancer, but listening to the music and dancing to my own rhythm made me enter into another world that is entirely my own, one where I was welcomed by the music, one where I did not need to care or worry about the gaze of onlookers, one where I truly belonged. Take some time out everyday to do a thing that you enjoyed, because in the end, you will find that these are times well spent, not wasted in any way.
I was an extreme case. I valued studying quite a lot, particularly in high school, I knew studying a lot was the only way to achieving my dream degree, i.e. involving the study of law, and hence I knew I didn't have much option but to sacrifice some fun and just focus on my studies in order to achieve a longer term dream. That doesn't have to apply to everyone, it is not a solid rule, as I have made a disclaimer earlier on in my guide, none of the advice was meant to be solid. It was just a sharing of my personal experiences, often based on my own personality traits of being a slight introvert, and as such, doesn't need to be followed, perhaps just considered as a very rough guideline.
Congratulations on going to German exchange, it will definitely be another experience to broaden your horizons and experience of this world. As I have said in this guide, psychological preparation for the greater workload of year 11 and year 12 is far more important than academic preparation. Relish in this holiday, enjoy the experience and stop worrying about the future too much. Enjoy the present moment and live life to the fullest.
Motivation is a product of goals and thoughts, if you changed your thoughts from I am not going to be very motivated to I may not be motivated now, but I can be motivated by establishing some solid goals, having an unstable/flexible way of thinking rather than a stable way of thinking is going to assist you to change your mindset to a more positive one. You do have a goal to achieve, I don't think you should set an ATAR goal of 99+, from the sound of it, it is pretty meaningless and will never be quite intrinsic enough to motivate you. Consider the course that requires 80+ATAR, besides the ATAR requirements, what extra-curriculars can you do that relates to the course, that will assist you to be one step ahead of your peers. By the sounds of it, it might be a course possibly related to cinematography and design, which might be competitive in terms of job prospects, perhaps looking for any work experience opportunities(even if they are for free) will leave you much more likely to be working in your dream job after you graduate if you do have the extra time.
You can continue to make movies, continue to pursue your dreams and hobbies, because they define who you are. The HSC is not two years where you lose yourself, it is just that sometimes you have to sacrifice some things or moderate some of your hobbies to achieve that final dream, but in this instance, making movies helps you to achieve your dream, and actually is beneficial to it, may consider posting on youtube so you can get some constructive comments on how you can improve or how people find your type of movies. But just prioritise your studies, so that you don't spent so much time indulging in movie making that you slip behind your studies completely.
Perhaps your lack of excitement for the senior years has also arose from some of the rumours and stress you think you will be facing. Perhaps stop thinking so excessively about it, and just focus on how you are going to get the most out of your German exchange, in terms of meeting friends, getting to be more immersed in the culture and language. ATAR requirements are not the only goals in life worth pursuing, there are many non-academic goals that are equally important, i.e. spending more time with family and friends, taking care of our health etc. As long as you do things in moderation and truly keep a 'balanced' lifestyle in the best sense of the world, you will thrive, nor just survive year 11 and year 12. Stress less, smile more and embrace the new experiences. Your mindset is the only thing standing between you and your goals, so change your mindset and you will be one step closer. Remember, you are not alone, there are others on the BOS forums, there are your family and friends who will be standing by your side.
Best wishes for the next two years, I wish you a fabulous summer holiday and if you ever have any more questions, feel free to ask on this thread
From Strawberrye
(with much love
)
