i got a 99.95 - ask me stuff :) (1 Viewer)

user2022

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How did you keep yourself from burning out? If i did have full day rests, should I feel guilty for not studying for a day?
1) Don't immediately start doing work in the holidays (after the term ends take several days / a week off to hang out w friends etc) otherwise you will feel like all you've been doing is studying
2) you can take full rests days, but what I would like to do is take half days off. For example in the run up to the hsc, for some days I would plan less work so I could sleep in or take the evening off to watch a movie
3) think of studying not as a chore but as an intellectual pursuit! If you become interested in your subjects and think of them as a way to expand your knowledge, then it is a lot more enjoyable
Don't feel guilty about taking time to recharge. I used to feel really bad if I wasn't study every day, but in your time off try not to think about schoolwork. For example, with some of my friends when we go out we wouldn't talk about school we would just talk about silly stuff so we could relax properly
 

user2022

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How did you study ?
1) make weekly summaries
2) do textbook questions
3) for essay subjects (eng + eco), I would type up essays for each mod / chapter
4) practice papers!! this is the biggest one. make sure you do the papers in exam conditions - have a timer, no notes open, then mark it yourself. corrections is the most important part - make sure you understand your errors and be honest with yourself (no half marks, no excusing errors as silly mistakes). for mx2, it would sometimes take me 3 hours to do corrections because I would redo questions I got wrong, covering the solution. also i would always write my mark on the front of the papers, which is humbling esp for mx2, but over time you will see an improvement which is v satisfying
 

user2022

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How many past papers did you do and did you ever wake up at 3am like those youtube video productive day in my life thingies? What did you do during the period of HSC and graduation?
i did 22 past papers for mx2, 26 for mx1, didn't count for my other subjects
not an early riser haha in the lead up to the hsc i would wake up at around 8.30, aiming to start study around 9
during the hsc on days w no exams i would do a full day of study (it was peak productivity because the end was in sight). if i had an exam, i would sleep in as much as possible (never study on the day it'll freak you out, read over notes only). I would also try to go on walks most days to relax / actually get fresh air
I didn't do work during the week of grad bc i was just trying to enjoy my time w my friends, and it served me well as when it was time to study, I was fresh and ready to go
 

user2022

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  • Did you use textbooks or videos (or both) to study?
  • How did you learn the content like how did you take notes from said textbooks or videos? (and did you take notes?)
  • Did you use any study techniques like the pomodoro, spaced repetition, flashcards etc. that everyone talks about?
  • Do you recommend working ahead of your class? (and how)
  • How do you stay focused during class? Because I find myself losing focus and then not understanding the content.
  • How did you study for English Advanced and Chemistry? (if you did those subjects)
  • Did you study in the library as opposed to home? (and do you recommend it)
  • What is one thing you wish you knew before doing your HSC?
  • Will you use the same methods you used in high school in Uni?
Sorry for asking so many questions you don't have to reply to all of them lol.
I'll number my responses to answer the questions
1) i would textbooks mostly for practice questions + content. however, if i didn't understand a concept i would then go to youtube bc i find video explanations are often more thorough (especially for maths, I would watch a lot of eddie wu and other channels)
2) yes, I would take notes which would combine textbook and lesson. for maths, i had class notes, then i had a summary book. summary notes would be concise, just theory / formulas (highlighted), and maybe a tricky example that i would handwrite in a notebook
3) yes, I would do pomodoro sometimes (1h on, 10 min off), but over time i stopped using it as much as it can disrupt flow (my concentration would vary day from day so would take breaks when i was v tired / when there was a natural gap in content). i would use quizlet to learn vocab
4) would only work ahead of class for eco (writing summaries in the holidays before). in other classes i would just work at class pace. i quite liked this as it meant i had concepts properly explained to me and i could ask questions as i was trying to understand, rather than teaching myself and pretending i understood, only to have not learnt something vital. it meant i was concentrated in class as well, and classes were more interesting
5) ^sorta answered that one above. note taking helps me keep focus, as well as trying to ask questions
6) didn't do chem. for eng adv:
  • i would write something every week (a themed paragraph, creative, essay intros etc), building up to having a 'base response' for each mod at the end of the term. this meant that when it came to the run up to the hsc, i had a lot of material i could work w / had thought through many different essay qs
  • the crucial time for me was between trials and hsc. i went through all my mods, editing heavily, doing lots of drafts
  • i would do a lot of critical readings / articles (mostly from jstor), which helped me build up vocab and find new analysis / literary theories / philosophies that i could weave into my essays. would recommend this, it really gives your essays an edge and a sophisticated voice. again, did this between trials and hsc (it is quite time consuming, so wouldn't do it in a busy term / right before an assesment)
  • practice papers. wouldn't write out whole essays, would just write intros for different questions
7) mostly studied at home. however, i would recommend the library if you have bad concentration at home / get easily distracted. e.g. i would sometimes go to do mx2 papers at the library bc it forced me to focus bc everyone around me was v serious. i would recommend going alone, as going w friends can be quite distracting
8) don't compare yourself to others. everyone works at their own pace, with their own goals, drive, and ability. make time for yourself, enjoy times with friends, and just try your best (ik this is really cringe, but its true, year 12 is lots of fun, and going out / perserving your mental health is so important at it makes the year so much more enjoyable, breaks up study nicely, and means u can concentrate better when its needed)
9) couldn't tell u yet!
 

user2022

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how much of doing well in mx2 is hard work + grinding out past papers and prac qs compared to being mathematically gifted
i would say its mostly about hard work. yes, being good at maths can make it quicker to understand concepts, but u don't need to be a maths genius to get an e4. if u do past papers regularly, do corrections thoroughly, then it is possible to do well
 

user2022

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What was your biggest regret during Year 12? (Can be non-academic).
And what is the most important piece of advice you’d give to yourself at the start of Year 12? :)
That's a really hard question. Can't really think of any major regrets. Maybe spend more time w the grandparents
Relax :) the year goes by quick, no point worrying about every little thing
 
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I'll number my responses to answer the questions
1) i would textbooks mostly for practice questions + content. however, if i didn't understand a concept i would then go to youtube bc i find video explanations are often more thorough (especially for maths, I would watch a lot of eddie wu and other channels)
2) yes, I would take notes which would combine textbook and lesson. for maths, i had class notes, then i had a summary book. summary notes would be concise, just theory / formulas (highlighted), and maybe a tricky example that i would handwrite in a notebook
3) yes, I would do pomodoro sometimes (1h on, 10 min off), but over time i stopped using it as much as it can disrupt flow (my concentration would vary day from day so would take breaks when i was v tired / when there was a natural gap in content). i would use quizlet to learn vocab
4) would only work ahead of class for eco (writing summaries in the holidays before). in other classes i would just work at class pace. i quite liked this as it meant i had concepts properly explained to me and i could ask questions as i was trying to understand, rather than teaching myself and pretending i understood, only to have not learnt something vital. it meant i was concentrated in class as well, and classes were more interesting
5) ^sorta answered that one above. note taking helps me keep focus, as well as trying to ask questions
6) didn't do chem. for eng adv:
  • i would write something every week (a themed paragraph, creative, essay intros etc), building up to having a 'base response' for each mod at the end of the term. this meant that when it came to the run up to the hsc, i had a lot of material i could work w / had thought through many different essay qs
  • the crucial time for me was between trials and hsc. i went through all my mods, editing heavily, doing lots of drafts
  • i would do a lot of critical readings / articles (mostly from jstor), which helped me build up vocab and find new analysis / literary theories / philosophies that i could weave into my essays. would recommend this, it really gives your essays an edge and a sophisticated voice. again, did this between trials and hsc (it is quite time consuming, so wouldn't do it in a busy term / right before an assesment)
  • practice papers. wouldn't write out whole essays, would just write intros for different questions
7) mostly studied at home. however, i would recommend the library if you have bad concentration at home / get easily distracted. e.g. i would sometimes go to do mx2 papers at the library bc it forced me to focus bc everyone around me was v serious. i would recommend going alone, as going w friends can be quite distracting
8) don't compare yourself to others. everyone works at their own pace, with their own goals, drive, and ability. make time for yourself, enjoy times with friends, and just try your best (ik this is really cringe, but its true, year 12 is lots of fun, and going out / perserving your mental health is so important at it makes the year so much more enjoyable, breaks up study nicely, and means u can concentrate better when its needed)
9) couldn't tell u yet!
Thank you so much!
 

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