Ahhh, the age-old question.
If you are pondering this right now, it’s likely you are in the middle of a deeply stressful and overwhelming period in your studies. If that’s you, I want you to know that you’re doing well, and things will get better. Take a breath and take a break. When you’re feeling up to it, we’ve put together some thoughts on how to work through the feeling that all this academic insanity is for nothing.
1. School matters, just not in the way you think
It’s easy to see school as an all-or-nothing situation: either it determines your entire future, or it doesn’t matter at all.
The reality sits somewhere in the middle.
Your results can affect the next step of your life, but they do not determine the rest of it. If you don’t get the ranking needed to enter your dream course directly, all that means is that the timeline to getting there may be a little longer.
2. It matters most for opening first doors, not every door
ATARs, grades, and even co-curricular involvement help shape the next thing you do: the first course you enrol in and complete.
After that, you may be surprised by how quickly those things fade into the background. Skills, experience, and consistency will take you much further in the long run.
For now, you are working towards that first step into the world.
3. There are more pathways than you realise
Never feel boxed in by your grades.
There are alternate entry pathways, different universities, bridging courses, and transfer options after first year.
When you are in high school, the tertiary education system can seem impossible to understand, but universities are generally designed to help students find a pathway in.
4. The habits you build matter more than the number you get
It’s likely this question is coming up because you are stressed, exhausted, frustrated, or some combination of the three.
It’s important not to ignore those feelings. There are practical things you can do to build healthier study habits and avoid burnout moving forward:
- Have set study spaces and times
- Prioritise sleep and movement over constant study
- Break study into smaller, more specific tasks
- Study in groups for feedback and encouragement
- Track your progress to support healthy reflection
5. School should be taken seriously, but you shouldn’t break yourself over it
Effort and consistency matter because they help open opportunities.
But those grades mainly matter for your first step, not the rest of your life.
Be kind to yourself, find balance alongside study, and treat failures, setbacks, and mistakes as opportunities to grow stronger as both a student and a person.
Happy studying!
