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March 29, 2024, 01:32:42 am

Poll

Which VCE subject would you prefer to do?

English
9 (17.3%)
Maths Methods
16 (30.8%)
Chemistry
13 (25%)
Legal Studies
7 (13.5%)
History Revolutions
7 (13.5%)

Total Members Voted: 50

Author Topic: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey  (Read 12080 times)

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smallbean

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Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« on: June 20, 2019, 09:02:10 pm »
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20 June 2019


Hey!
I've been a long time lurker of the VCE Journey Journal forums and for the past few months I've been wanting to start my own.
It's the time of year where 12 twelve exams are looming in the distance, with only 4 months left of school to go. It's honestly quite terrifying. I probably should've started this journal earlier in the year, but I guess it's better late then never.  ;)

Let's start off with a brief introduction about me:As you've probably realised by now, I'm in my final year of high school. The daunting year that everyone around me seems to believe is the be all and end all. Yes my ATAR effects my future, but I don't believe that this number defines me as a person. In saying this, I still want to do well.
It also helps that I'm in a super strong cohort, with people who place paramount importance on their grades and even buckle under the pressures that seem to hang like clouds over their heads.
Realistically, I'm hoping for an ATAR over 90. I've always been a dedicated student all throughout my schooling journey, and I want this year to reflect all the hard work that I've put into my learning. My dream university courses also require ATARs in the 90s, which gives me that little nudge I need to keep persevering no matter how tough this year gets. I can't believe I've made it through half of this year already whilst keeping a level head.

Subjects I'm doingThis year I'm completing a total of 5 subjects, having done Chinese 3/4 last year in year 11 which will probably be the highest study score I end up with to be honest (well after the generous scaling for languages *bless the VCAA Gods*).
The subjects I'm doing this year are: English, Methods, Chemistry, Legal Studies and History Revolutions.

My favourite subjects are definitely the writing based subjects, as I find that I prefer subjects that are more subjective in the sense that there's no specific answer, unlike in the maths and sciences. I guess I just have a greater affinity for subjects that allow me to express myself, mainly English and the humanities. Although I'm more inclined towards English based subjects, I still have that breath of fresh air with Methods and Chemistry (and also relief for my sore hand from writing so much haha). I also love reading, and if it wasn't for the insurmountable workload of year 12, would probably have my head stuck in a book.

I'm quite happy with the subjects I've chosen this year, as there's quite a nice balance and they also meet all my prerequisites. Although, I love writing so I'm kind of kicking myself for not having chosen Literature (having heard from some people that it's quite the struggle in order to fulfil the demands of teachers and examiners in using eloquent and expressive language whilst also remaining rational). Maybe that's something I'll pick up in the future as an interest?

Thank you for reading my first entry, and you'll be hearing from me soon.
Hopefully this journal will replenish my dwindling motivation and be a place for me to pour out my thoughts to my fellow strangers on the internet.
« Last Edit: June 20, 2019, 09:03:47 pm by smallbean »
~Class of 2019~
2018: Chinese {SL}

2019: English, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Legal Studies, History Revolutions

2021-2023: Bachelor of Arts @Melb Uni

Joseph41

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2019, 09:09:01 am »
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Hey smallbean! Welcome to the journal fam. ;D

Cool subject mix. Thinking back to last year, what did you learn from doing Chinese 3&4 in Year? Anything that you subsequently changed for this year?

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smallbean

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2019, 10:14:15 am »
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Hey smallbean! Welcome to the journal fam. ;D

Cool subject mix. Thinking back to last year, what did you learn from doing Chinese 3&4 in Year 11? Anything that you subsequently changed for this year?

Hi Joseph!

I learnt many important lessons from doing Chinese 3/4 in Year 11. One of them was how to manage my time effectively, especially in the lead up to exams where I did as many practise papers as I could get my hands on. As a naturally shy and timid person, training and building up my confidence for the oral exam definitely benefited me to a large extent, as now I can feel more comfortable giving presentations in English this year. Most importantly, I learnt how much hard work does pay off (as cliche as that sounds).  :) My language skills definitely improved through all the tedious essays that I'd completed.

For this year, one thing I've changed is my attitude towards school. I think what I regretted the most was not taking Yr 11 as seriously as I should have and not putting as much work into my 1/2 subjects in my firm belief that they did not have an affect on my ATAR whatsoever. Now I'm definitely more motivated to work harder in Year 12. All I've got to do is to make sure that this motivation does not suddenly plummet any time during the rest of this year.
~Class of 2019~
2018: Chinese {SL}

2019: English, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Legal Studies, History Revolutions

2021-2023: Bachelor of Arts @Melb Uni

Geoo

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2019, 12:25:54 pm »
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Hey smallbean, It is awesome to see another year 12 journal, as a year 11, it is always great motivation.
Do you have any ideas of what you want to do after school?
Yay, another book worm, what do you like read? I also feel your pain with not being able to read as much, I have barely been able to read anything this year.
Anyway, I am looking forward to more entries.
2020: VCE 93.2
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Joseph41

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2019, 12:35:14 pm »
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Hi Joseph!

I learnt many important lessons from doing Chinese 3/4 in Year 11. One of them was how to manage my time effectively, especially in the lead up to exams where I did as many practise papers as I could get my hands on. As a naturally shy and timid person, training and building up my confidence for the oral exam definitely benefited me to a large extent, as now I can feel more comfortable giving presentations in English this year. Most importantly, I learnt how much hard work does pay off (as cliche as that sounds).  :) My language skills definitely improved through all the tedious essays that I'd completed.

For this year, one thing I've changed is my attitude towards school. I think what I regretted the most was not taking Yr 11 as seriously as I should have and not putting as much work into my 1/2 subjects in my firm belief that they did not have an affect on my ATAR whatsoever. Now I'm definitely more motivated to work harder in Year 12. All I've got to do is to make sure that this motivation does not suddenly plummet any time during the rest of this year.


Nice one! Hopefully you can use this thread to sort of kick-start that motivation when needed. :)

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hums_student

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2019, 12:53:07 pm »
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Hey smallbean! Nice to see a new journal pop up. Love your subjects - I also did a very similar mix (including Chinese in year 11), it's awesome to see someone doing a mix of STEM and humanities. And yeah I agree writing subjects are the best ;) Which two revolutions are you studying, by the way?

Re: attitudes towards school - very relatable! It's definitely never too late to become motivated to study. What's important is that you realise it.

All the best for your VCE journey! I'll definitely be following along :)
2019-21: Bachelor of Arts (Politics & Int'l Relations / Economics)

smallbean

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2019, 05:18:21 pm »
+1
Hey smallbean, It is awesome to see another year 12 journal, as a year 11, it is always great motivation.
Do you have any ideas of what you want to do after school?
Yay, another book worm, what do you like read? I also feel your pain with not being able to read as much, I have barely been able to read anything this year.
Anyway, I am looking forward to more entries.

Hey Geo,
I've been reading your journal entries and they are so motivating! Year 11 is a year to cherish, as it really did set me up well for Year 12.
I'm thinking of doing either something Medicine or Commerce related, as I enjoy working with numbers and people as well.
Commerce is also slightly related to Humanities, so it'll definitely spark my interest. My dream course would be Medicine at Monash University, but it has such a high requirement that would honestly be a miracle for me to be offered a place there. For Commerce, I'm thinking of Melbourne Uni, Monash or Deakin. (Fingers crossed that I can actually get into any of them haha).

My favourite books have no doubt been any of Cassandra Clare's books, especially The Infernal Devices which I literally used to fangirl over so much. I also enjoy reading historical fiction, as I'm definitely a bit of a history nerd at heart.  ; D The Book Thief is also another one of my all time favourite books as it sits in this genre. It's honestly so tempting for me to just procrastinate by reading, but then I'd never get any work done. As an avid bookworm, I can't wait for this year to be over so that I'll be able to sit down with a good book and not feel guilty about it.

~Class of 2019~
2018: Chinese {SL}

2019: English, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Legal Studies, History Revolutions

2021-2023: Bachelor of Arts @Melb Uni

smallbean

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2019, 05:29:58 pm »
+1
Hey smallbean! Nice to see a new journal pop up. Love your subjects - I also did a very similar mix (including Chinese in year 11), it's awesome to see someone doing a mix of STEM and humanities. And yeah I agree writing subjects are the best ;) Which two revolutions are you studying, by the way?

Re: attitudes towards school - very relatable! It's definitely never too late to become motivated to study. What's important is that you realise it.

All the best for your VCE journey! I'll definitely be following along :)

Hey Hums-student!  :)
I remember reading your Year 12 journal last year, which was one of the most memorable and entertaining journals that I've read of this forum. It's also the journal that inspired me to start my own as I could relate the most to your journey.
It's such a coincidence that I happen to be doing similar subjects as you did, especially with Chinese.
 I feel like most people at my school think that students are either naturally more inclined towards humanities subjects or STEM subjects, and that very few that will even be able to survive the load of both. (The VCAA exam timetable this year basically confirmed this lol). I'm literally the only person in my History class doing Chem!

For Revs, I'm studying the Russian Revolution and the Chinese Revolution. I find both intriguing, but having done Chinese SL, it was definitely a benefit to already have some background knowledge regarding the culture and language of China.

Hope you're having a great time in Uni!
~Class of 2019~
2018: Chinese {SL}

2019: English, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Legal Studies, History Revolutions

2021-2023: Bachelor of Arts @Melb Uni

caffinatedloz

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2019, 05:44:20 pm »
+1
I'm thinking of doing either something Medicine or Commerce related, as I enjoy working with numbers and people as well.
Commerce is also slightly related to Humanities, so it'll definitely spark my interest. My dream course would be Medicine at Monash University, but it has such a high requirement that would honestly be a miracle for me to be offered a place there. For Commerce, I'm thinking of Melbourne Uni, Monash or Deakin. (Fingers crossed that I can actually get into any of them haha).

Hiya smallbean,
I'm a year 10 who loves working with numbers and people so I'm also looking at something in the health profession in the future. Best of luck through the rest of your year 12 journey. It sounds like you have been very level headed thus far, especially with such a high ATAR to aim for. Are you glad that you finished Chinese last year? I am looking at carrying a language through year 12 but we'll see...

I look forward to reading further entries!

smallbean

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2019, 06:09:02 pm »
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Hiya smallbean,
I'm a year 10 who loves working with numbers and people so I'm also looking at something in the health profession in the future. Best of luck through the rest of your year 12 journey. It sounds like you have been very level headed thus far, especially with such a high ATAR to aim for. Are you glad that you finished Chinese last year? I am looking at carrying a language through year 12 but we'll see...

I look forward to reading further entries!

Hey Laura,

Year 10 is a great year, especially with subject selections coming up. You sound as though you have a very good idea as to what type of career you want to do in the future, which is an awesome position to be in!

I have found Year 12 so far to be alright, as I've tried my best to meticulously complete my homework by the due date and have studied in advance for upcoming SACs. As exams are closer in distance than they appear, I feel as though Semester 2 will be a greater challenge for me in terms of keeping a clear and level mind. I've found that the most important thing in Year 12 would be to look after your physical and mental wellbeing, as regular exercise and sleep has honestly worked wonders for me (although it can be quite the struggle at first to adapt to this way of living haha).

I am so glad that I completed Chinese last year, as the end result coupled with scaling made it worth the seemingly unending hours of oral and writing practice. It's taken a weight off of my shoulders. I would highly recommend following through with a language to Year 12 as they are one of the most rewarding subjects that can actually be useful in the future.

I'll keep you updated on how I go with the onslaught of assessments and exams that will come at me for the next few months  ;)
« Last Edit: June 21, 2019, 06:11:44 pm by smallbean »
~Class of 2019~
2018: Chinese {SL}

2019: English, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Legal Studies, History Revolutions

2021-2023: Bachelor of Arts @Melb Uni

vehura

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2019, 08:18:51 pm »
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Hey! This journal seems really interesting already, I’m excited to see your progress through year 12 with any future updates!

I’ll be doing Japanese 3&4 next year and just wanted to know how you managed to study for Chinese! How long you studied for, how you studied for your oral and writing efficiently? Chinese sounds like a really rich and in depth language and subject so it would be interesting to know. Thank you!  :)
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smallbean

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2019, 09:59:00 pm »
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Hey! This journal seems really interesting already, I’m excited to see your progress through year 12 with any future updates!

I’ll be doing Japanese 3&4 next year and just wanted to know how you managed to study for Chinese! How long you studied for, how you studied for your oral and writing efficiently? Chinese sounds like a really rich and in depth language and subject so it would be interesting to know. Thank you!  :)

Hey Vehura!
Welcome on board this journey. I'm so glad that this journal has been of interest to you so far.

Japanese 3&4 sounds like such a fun subject, one I wish I'd picked up during my earlier years of high school and perhaps have done it as a 3/4. There's actually quite a bit of an overlap between Japanese and Chinese, as some Chinese characters are used in the Japanese language.  :)

For Chinese, as it was my only 3/4 subject in Year 11, I tried to dedicate at least 1 hour to it a night and the rest of my study to my 5 Unit 1/2 subjects. Before a SAC, I would do a maximum as two hours of study a night (which included memorising essay structures, phrases and writing characters over and over again until they were committed into my memory). I'm not sure if this applies to Japanese, but my Chinese teacher always drilled into our brains how important it was to get the essay structure right for the exam, as these are easy marks one cannot afford to lose.
Often, it was the Oral SACs that seemed to be eating up most of my time as they not only required memorisation but endless practice as well. I thought of my Chinese speaking as a skill that I had to master before the Oral exam. I'd suggest getting classmates or teachers to converse in Japanese with you as often as possible to build your confidence up.
In my case, I tried to memorise my General Conversation and Detailed Study before the start of term 3 so that I would only have to spend the rest of the term perfecting them, which alleviated a lot of the stress. As much as the Oral Exam is marked based on skill and fluency, Examiners also form an impression of you by how confident you seem as soon as you walk into the exam room. As cliche as it sounds, I really did 'fake it until I made it' with a big smile on my face, which worked out in my favour at the end of the day.

Languages are both rewarding and a useful tool to have up your sleeve for the future. Looking back at my Chinese experience, I really do miss the subject as I'd kept persevering throughout the year and even noticed a massive improvement in my ability to read and write characters. Maybe I'll even pick it up in Uni!

Best of luck with Japanese 3/4, and feel free to send any questions my way as I'd love to help.  ;D

~Class of 2019~
2018: Chinese {SL}

2019: English, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Legal Studies, History Revolutions

2021-2023: Bachelor of Arts @Melb Uni

caffinatedloz

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2019, 10:05:10 pm »
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I am so glad that I completed Chinese last year, as the end result coupled with scaling made it worth the seemingly unending hours of oral and writing practice. It's taken a weight off of my shoulders. I would highly recommend following through with a language to Year 12 as they are one of the most rewarding subjects that can actually be useful in the future.

Looking at doing Auslan as my language, which is quite different from any other language in respects to an "oral" but also in that there is no written component or reading component. I believe that some of the exam involves turning written English text into an Auslan presentation however I think that the lack of spelling will certainly suit me. (I have done Italian and Chinese through school but really struggled to learn characters and getting the spelling of words correct.)

Do you plan to use your Chinese in your career?

smallbean

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2019, 10:16:20 pm »
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Looking at doing Auslan as my language, which is quite different from any other language in respects to an "oral" but also in that there is no written component or reading component. I believe that some of the exam involves turning written English text into an Auslan presentation however I think that the lack of spelling will certainly suit me. (I have done Italian and Chinese through school but really struggled to learn characters and getting the spelling of words correct.)

Do you plan to use your Chinese in your career?

Auslan sounds like such an interesting choice for a language! I wish my school offered it.
I think the hardest part of Chinese is definitely remembering the characters, as each one is completely unique. I'm considering a potential career in Commerce or Medicine, which means that I may get to use my acute knowledge of Chinese in the future. If not, being fluent in another language will definitely be helpful in standing out to employers. 
~Class of 2019~
2018: Chinese {SL}

2019: English, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Legal Studies, History Revolutions

2021-2023: Bachelor of Arts @Melb Uni

caffinatedloz

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Re: Bean's Tumultuous Year 12 Journey
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2019, 10:46:36 pm »
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That is so true. The reason that I got the opportunity which lead to my job was my Auslan proficiency so I'm sure it will certainly help you with employment. My school doesn't offer Auslan which is why I'm still unsure, but there will most likely be an evening course in the city, so if I can juggle it with everything else I definitely will!!