Hi guys,
Ignore my username, just call me John. I would like to start by saying that reading other VCE journals was quite a moving experience. The commitment of this community is quite unreal. I wholeheartedly hope that whoever reads my journal will acquire invaluable insight into Year 12!! And for those slightly older, I hope this gives you a little bit of nostalgia for Year 12 again! I also want to have an accountability of sorts, i.e. documenting my experiences so I can learn from mistakes that I will inevitably commit.
More about me:
Spoiler
I live in the western suburbs (so yeah). I like to play the piano (although currently not at a high level). I'm also interested in public speaking, and attempted to run for school captain, but failed.
The subjects I am studying for Year 12 are:
English
Biology (only in Bio because of insufficient numbers in Geography)
Chemistry
Health and Human Development
Maths Methods
This year, I studied Psychology 3/4 and I loved (most of) it!
Future??
Spoiler
I feel like this is a very common theme throughout this forum, but I would like study medicine. At this point, becoming a psychiatrist is my eventual goal. In terms of undergrad, just any science-y course that has a Psych major would do for me.
Enjoy, and strap yourselves in!
So, less than 3 weeks to go until the party kicks off! YAAAYYYY
In an attempt to scrounge some motivation for me to do decently this year, I've done quite extensive research into courses, particularly Science (read the OP for context). Personally, I don't know if it's too early to start thinking of 2020 and beyond now, but I don't want to be scrambling around by Aug/Sept, rushing to choose preferences and go to Open Days. If anything, thinking of the future will likely motivate me to get good results anyway. In reality, anything from VET/TAFE to a gap year where I do nothing is still on the table. Conversely, I want to genuinely enjoy the mere months of formal education I have left and savour the moment, y'know?
P.S I would list the Pros and Cons I have at the moment but I feel they will be too subjective and Oh, fine. *Will still be subjective though
For future reference for the forum lurkers and those who can't be stuffed digging the online equivalent of 50 feet down for gold in order to find it:
UniMelb Pros
Spoiler
- Closer than Monash
- More course flexibility
- Has more varied clubs and societies
- Rich history including buildings
UniMelb Cons
Spoiler
- Entry requirements are more difficult
- Lower student satisfaction (according to QILT)
Monash Pros
Spoiler
- Easier to get into than Science @ Melb
- Higher student satisfaction (not sure if legit tho)
Monash Cons
Spoiler
- Further away than UniMelb, less accessible than Melb as well
- Less variety in clubs and societies
- Less course flexibility (that I know of)
- Less appealing spaces (Though I will admit that Robert Menzies buliding is something else)
I want to find a way to get to both of these campuses before the inevitable rush of crowds on Open Day, as I feel that the respective Unis will give off a more genuine, pure vibe.
Anyone with more than half a brain, feel free to correct me!
Tl;dr
Science @ UniMelb or Science @ Monash???
8/6/19
What's the worst that can possibly happen when I get my mark back for Methods? I get roasted by my teacher in front of my entire class? (I haven't got my SAC back for Methods, in fact we probably won't get our marks back for another week and a half). Even the library is becoming quite a crap place to study, the irony. Home is comfy, but not a great place to study either. Not understanding circular functions doesn't make me stupid. It makes me bad at circular functions.
a letter to my Methods teacher, whom I am trying my hardest to show respect for
I don't completely blame you for my terrible failure in the SAC. But you should take some responsibility for it. You ARE my teacher, and undoubtedly the way in which you have taught the class has had an influence on my learning. You tell us what we need to do, but do you actually encourage us or make us believe that we can do well? Not really, in my opinion. I've tried persistently to seek help from you, but it genuinely baffles me that you can only help me with 'Maths-related questions'. Do you even know what it feels like to be a failure in Maths? You're good at Maths, we get it. But you have considered how that makes us feel? You show us the method, and that's it.
Look, I'm not even aiming for a 40+ study score in Methods. i just want to be able to walk in before Methods Exam 1 and 2 and say to myself, 'I am ready to withstand whatever VCAA has to throw at me'.
There are more important things in life. However, I just can't seem to get this one off my mind.
I know I can't be good at everything, but why have I floundered and suffered this severely in Methods, for 1 and a 1/2 years?
Hope you don't misinterpret my tone - dropping Methods is the last thing I want to do.
11/8/19 - What a difference 3 months makes
3 months ago, I was all like, Medicine? Nah too stressful. My interest in psychology remained. I don't necessarily want to become a psychologist, but I just have an interest in the brain and behaviour and the power of attitude and mindset, and the details of mental health. It's also VTAC's time to shine but I'm trying to keep a cool headspace in that regard. I never thought I'd be seriously considering unis like Swinburne and ACU (especially given how little attention they're given compared to the RMIT's and the Monash's of the world), but after visiting them, I'm convinced that I would be happy going to one or the other. :) And I've still got Victoria University's open day next week (don't judge me, I know I'm missing out on Melbuni, but I have my reasons), so we'll see how that goes.
justifying why I'm not much of a fan of the other unis, and therefore why I don't want to study there
MelbUni: #1 for psych in Australia, huh? I wasn't a fan of the sheer size of your campus. I know it's old and stuff, but I don't find such architecture all that inspirational or charming. Sorry.
RMIT: Automatic disapproval for any uni in the CBD. I know you're smack bang in the middle of everything, but it's not my style. I spoke to someone who was studying Psych there, and they legit lowkey sounded like they wanted to drop out.
Monash, LaTrobe and Deakin: Too far from my place of residence. Am not willing to travel that far. I am sorry.
But hey, I can always change and transfer. Many students forget that is a thing that exists. ;)
And ACU technically isn't in the CBD. It's in Fitzroy. And the campus is smaller. I like that.
25/8/19 - Dear AN, I regret to inform you...
On Friday 23rd, I probably experienced one of my worst days of the year so far. I got my marks and paper back for the last Methods SAC. About an hour later, after school was out for the day and the week, I received my Chemistry SAC results. Would you like to know what these two SACs had in common?
Spoiler
I failed both of them. And looking at both results made me feel miserable. Worst Friday ever.
So after letting out my initial outbursts, I decided to take a walk outside. Felt a little better. I have done no academic-related work since. After a rigorous search of the AN forums to see what I could do to cope with constant failure, I found that an effective course of action was to closely evaluate where I went wrong on both subjects. So I did that.
Methods evaluation
So I missed a fair chunk of the Integration topic due to illness (half to be exact). I could not manage to catch up in time for the SAC.
Chemistry evaluation
It might have been because I was not proactive enough in asking for help when I fell behind in the learning of the content.
I will not allow these failures to stop me from achieving my absolute best. I will not allow these failures to stop me from studying my desired course at uni next year. Failure strengthens me.
Ah well, there's always exams to look forward to. And a supportive community right here.
7/10/19 - A vain attempt to creatively express how I am feeling right now. I am feeling so unproductive.
Dear life,
You kind of suck right now. Like, a lot. You've put this poor soul through a lot in recent months. Every single day is a struggle. But that's just what you are, and I have no control over that. I am writing to let you know that I am learning. Learning that I am not cut out for certain fields of study. Through my suffering, I have been able to distinguish my passions from what I passionately despise. You have taught me to do things I hate. You are probably aware that I am so incredibly close to closing a chapter of my life that has been 13 years in the making. You may also be aware that I so badly want it to be over, especially due to the not-so-pleasant memories of that 13th year. You know what, thanks. Without the breath in my lungs, I wouldn't be able to express myself. Every day, you find a way to irritate me, but the good times will come eventually. I just have to keep waiting.
Yours truly,
J.R
P.S. Please make the next 5 weeks pass as quickly as the 2 weeks of school holidays. Thanks.
the non-creative part of my post, I guess
I hate each and everyone of my subjects. Methods because it's frustratingly difficult, Chemistry and Biology for pretty much the same reasons (science used to be kind of exciting, but now it's meh), English because I can't write an essay outside of an introduction and Health because I am forced to memorise content that would otherwise be kind of interesting to learn. I would love to be studying Psychology right now, but oh yeah, already did that.
20/12/19
please don't hate on me for this
I got an offer to study Psychological Studies at Victoria University in Footscray. I am apparently dumb. Yet I accepted and enrolled with zero hesitation.
In a forum in which a fair amount of users got an offer to study at Monash or the Uni of Melbourne, well I'm going against the norm here aren't I? Neither Monash nor Melbourne were on my VTAC preferences. I don't know why people hate on VU. Even as I type this, I can imagine students that go to other universities making fun of VU's inferiority. It can't be THAT bad, can it? I can't pass judgement on the uni, as I've never been there. Neither can any other non-VU student.
University ranking/prestige means next to nothing to prospective employers, right? (Then again, VU claims they're ranked in the top 2% of unis in the world)
I suppose I'll make a uni journal, as VU students are extremely underrepresented on AN.