A series of stressful events (HSC journal)

[Joseph41]

If anything, I think your results in trials show why you should feel confident in your abilities. You clearly have the potential to score well, and you should embrace that where you can.

Is it bad to feel nervous or anxious before exams? I don't think so - it's natural. But as you've identified, you don't want to let those feelings impact your performance. Either way, I'd try not to worry about it too much; how you feel on the day will take care of itself.

[dcesaona]

So I'm getting back into full mode studying right now, but not too much as I don't want to burn myself out. I have been getting reallyyyyyyyy bad neck pains from stress these past few days because I feel like I don't know everything! All the information is supposed to be there by now and it's stressing me out like nothing else. I'm honestly having such a hard time coping with it because I feel as though I'm running out of time now. This is the last thing that I wanted to happen. It doesn't help that everyone I know is basically feeling pretty relaxed at the moment as everything from trials is still fresh in their memory...but it's not for me!!! I feel like I'm the only one!!!!

I need to be careful because I don't want to stress myself out to the point where I'm actually tiered and angry all the time, because a negative mood around the HSC just won't be good for me. I want to perform my best. UGGHHHH this has been the most stressful journey....

[dcesaona]

Welp, I had my UOW early entry interview today. I guess it's my fault that I should have been more organised. But I didn't realise that I had to have a form signed by my principal for validation of my results, instead I brought my reports (which are signed). However, I also didn't realise that I was meant to have brought my year 11 report as well. My interviewer spent about 6 minutes sorting through my papers trying to figure it out, and all I could do was sit there and apologise and try to keep my hopes up. I brought along my awards and everything too...she didn't have time to look at them. After that kerfuffle she seemed really annoyed and very short with me. I'm not going to get this early entry, which is okay. I suppose I understand...I just wish it had gone better. I guess the fact that my parents are also very disappointed in me makes matters worse. This experience has just put me in an awful mood. Before leaving I felt confident with my knowledge for my exams and I was revising in the car, and then on the way back I've just been miserable and got into this really negative mindset where I just feel like I'm so screwed for these exams. I don't know why but suddenly I feel like I'm letting everyone down. I'm going to sit in my room for the rest of this afternoon and night and study I guess, to make up for the time I lost at the university.

Maybe that was too much personal info, but I just feel like I needed to have it acknowledged, because I have no one else I can tell really 

[kauac]

Welp, I had my UOW early entry interview today. I guess it's my fault that I should have been more organised. But I didn't realise that I had to have a form signed by my principal for validation of my results, instead I brought my reports (which are signed). However, I also didn't realise that I was meant to have brought my year 11 report as well. My interviewer spent about 6 minutes sorting through my papers trying to figure it out, and all I could do was sit there and apologise and try to keep my hopes up. I brought along my awards and everything too...she didn't have time to look at them. After that kerfuffle she seemed really annoyed and very short with me. I'm not going to get this early entry, which is okay. I suppose I understand...I just wish it had gone better. I guess the fact that my parents are also very disappointed in me makes matters worse. This experience has just put me in an awful mood. Before leaving I felt confident with my knowledge for my exams and I was revising in the car, and then on the way back I've just been miserable and got into this really negative mindset where I just feel like I'm so screwed for these exams. I don't know why but suddenly I feel like I'm letting everyone down. I'm going to sit in my room for the rest of this afternoon and night and study I guess, to make up for the time I lost at the university.

Maybe that was too much personal info, but I just feel like I needed to have it acknowledged, because I have no one else I can tell really 

Oooh! I was there today too. What faculty were you at??

Try not to be too hard on yourself about the interview. Early entry is only one of many ways of getting into your desired course. 

Also with remembering your content for the exams, studying is a constant cycle of revising information than practicing. So it is okay if you forget something, you might just want to revise that area again. I will tell you this: I'm 100% sure that I do not remember everything from my notes. And I'm okay with that. It shouldn't have to be a major stress point, but knowing the areas where your knowledge is weaker will help you to effectively prioritize your study. Even if you don't feel like you remember everything from your notes, it is still helpful to try practice questions, so then you can diagnose which areas you might want to consolidate. You might even surprise yourself on questions that you thought you couldn't remember knowledge for.

With any exam: we will always feel an element of being 'under prepared'. Like J41 said before, let your trial marks remind you of how well you have prepared, despite how you may feel. You have done so well already, and there is only a few more weeks to go, and you are bound to smash these last exams. 

[dcesaona]

Oooh! I was there today too. What faculty were you at??

Try not to be too hard on yourself about the interview. Early entry is only one of many ways of getting into your desired course. 

Also with remembering your content for the exams, studying is a constant cycle of revising information than practicing. So it is okay if you forget something, you might just want to revise that area again. I will tell you this: I'm 100% sure that I do not remember everything from my notes. And I'm okay with that. It shouldn't have to be a major stress point, but knowing the areas where your knowledge is weaker will help you to effectively prioritize your study. Even if you don't feel like you remember everything from your notes, it is still helpful to try practice questions, so then you can diagnose which areas you might want to consolidate. You might even surprise yourself on questions that you thought you couldn't remember knowledge for.

With any exam: we will always feel an element of being 'under prepared'. Like J41 said before, let your trial marks remind you of how well you have prepared, despite how you may feel. You have done so well already, and there is only a few more weeks to go, and you are bound to smash these last exams. 

I was at the faculty for law, humanities and the arts. Which one were you at?
And yeah, I know there are other ways and I keep reminding myself that, but I just know that I could've tried harder for this interview, as I really neglected it. I guess it's just the guilt that's taking over, that I could've secured my place there but I f*cked up due to me just not caring enough. Anyways, trying not to dwell on it too much!

Honestly, your message about revision and content has reassured immensely! I was feeling really shit about my knowledge, as I think of things as a whole in my head. I go, "okay, USA - effects of the depression, what can you remember" and my head just feels empty, save for an odd statistic here and there. But then I study it really hard and revise it, going over and over it at different periods of time (often a few times a day) and the info is retained. There's still a small bit for my histories (modern and ancient) that I haven't revised yet - but I'm definitely prioritising them. Those ones are the harder ones to revise as it's my first time going over them and I immediately expect to have them stuck in my head. But just like you said, it's all about that constant cycle of revising information.

[kauac]

I was at the faculty for law, humanities and the arts. Which one were you at?
And yeah, I know there are other ways and I keep reminding myself that, but I just know that I could've tried harder for this interview, as I really neglected it. I guess it's just the guilt that's taking over, that I could've secured my place there but I f*cked up due to me just not caring enough. Anyways, trying not to dwell on it too much!

Honestly, your message about revision and content has reassured immensely! I was feeling really shit about my knowledge, as I think of things as a whole in my head. I go, "okay, USA - effects of the depression, what can you remember" and my head just feels empty, save for an odd statistic here and there. But then I study it really hard and revise it, going over and over it at different periods of time (often a few times a day) and the info is retained. There's still a small bit for my histories (modern and ancient) that I haven't revised yet - but I'm definitely prioritising them. Those ones are the harder ones to revise as it's my first time going over them and I immediately expect to have them stuck in my head. But just like you said, it's all about that constant cycle of revising information.

Science, health and med faculty.

Glad I could help! Keep in mind that we can get an unrealistic perspective of how prepared we feel when studying, because we focus on what we don't know at that particular moment. Thus, you definitely know more than you think you do. 

[dcesaona]

Holy shit it’s almost here. I have the worst tension in the back of my head right now, as I just realised that there’s only 10 days until paper one!!!!! I just completed a timed practice of a discovery essay and creative just then, but I read over it and ughhhhhh there are parts of it that just aren’t to standard. I guess I’m rusty because this has been my first practice since trials. But I’m going to be doing a FULL PAPER tomorrow (with a second related text for discovery - because I just know that Nesa are going to chuck us under the bus and we need to be prepared - i’ll just use the long related text in the comprehension). So I should be more on track with discovery by tomorrow - I have a really good understanding of my texts, it’s just coming down to skill. Speaking of english, I’m going to revise all of my modules today, as I definitely need to brush up on those. I want to complete a past paper for this maybe on Tuesday, as time will definitely get the better of me for those essays.

I’m feeling pretty confident with art - I’m going to do a full past paper today and (type it up ugghhhhh, is there any easier way to get a written essay to your teacher through the webs) send it to my teacher - and hope more than anything that he marks it, because knowing him he’ll open it and then leave it. I might upload it to atarnotes feedback thread and see if anyone else could maybe have a read through.

Ancient history. The bane of my existence. I’m chipping away at it everyday. My weakest spot is my Sparta long answer, so I’m going to focus on that today in my study for ancient. I also want to revise the building programs of all pharaohs - none of that knowledge is cemented in my head. I’m feel pretty good with foreign policy, as I revised this a few days ago but I might go over it again briefly today. I also definitely want to cover the modern and ancient interpretations of Akhenaten, as I’m going to do a practice response on Akhie tomorrow and use that question. I’ll also revise the efforts made to conserve and preserve Pompeii and Herculaneum as that 10 marker is always a pain in the ass and I want to practice for it wayyyy more. I’ll never feel fully prepared for ancient, which makes me sad. There’s just so much f**king content and so many areas to doubt yourself (and I’m the queen of self doubt). But I know I have the right to feel confident going into that exam, because to say I haven’t put my all into this damn subject is a lie. I know it’ll be okay - we’ve got this!!

Modern history is a stress. Not so much the content, more so the bloody questions they ask. They really try and throw you off - and it’s hard to try and wrap your head around how you’re going to go about answering it. I spend ages just looking at past questions - not even answering them - just thinking about them… Nonetheless, I’m chipping away at this too. I’m going to revise the turning points of WW1 and the treaty of Versailles, as I’ve barely revised them, as well as the role of women in the war. I’ll do this today. Then I should be solid to start answering some timed content and source analysis questions tomorrow! Happy about this - they’re not too bad, surprisingly source analysis is my strong point lol. Then today I’m also going to revise some of my national study, as this part is rusty in my brain.

Drama - wow okay I haven’t revised this yet. I sent my teacher an essay a month ago though! She hasn’t gotten back to it…I think I might go into school to see her and chat with her about it briefly, or I could send her a follow up email - but I’m not confident she’ll even respond to that. I have 2 weeks between my modern exam and drama exam though so that’s when I’ll get all the drama past papers done. But until then, in this next week I’m going to revise all of my plays, so I’m not a massive stress head leading up to that exam - and so I have all of my knowledge cemented, so that 2 weeks is just practicing.

That’s my update for the holidays! Remember, we have a week and a half left. That’s still quite a bit. I can’t believe that it’s almost over. Ahhhhhhhh that scares me.

[clovvy]

Holy shit it’s almost here. I have the worst tension in the back of my head right now, as I just realised that there’s only 10 days until paper one!!!!! I just completed a timed practice of a discovery essay and creative just then, but I read over it and ughhhhhh there are parts of it that just aren’t to standard. I guess I’m rusty because this has been my first practice since trials. But I’m going to be doing a FULL PAPER tomorrow (with a second related text for discovery - because I just know that Nesa are going to chuck us under the bus and we need to be prepared - i’ll just use the long related text in the comprehension). So I should be more on track with discovery by tomorrow - I have a really good understanding of my texts, it’s just coming down to skill. Speaking of english, I’m going to revise all of my modules today, as I definitely need to brush up on those. I want to complete a past paper for this maybe on Tuesday, as time will definitely get the better of me for those essays.

I’m feeling pretty confident with art - I’m going to do a full past paper today and (type it up ugghhhhh, is there any easier way to get a written essay to your teacher through the webs) send it to my teacher - and hope more than anything that he marks it, because knowing him he’ll open it and then leave it. I might upload it to atarnotes feedback thread and see if anyone else could maybe have a read through.

Ancient history. The bane of my existence. I’m chipping away at it everyday. My weakest spot is my Sparta long answer, so I’m going to focus on that today in my study for ancient. I also want to revise the building programs of all pharaohs - none of that knowledge is cemented in my head. I’m feel pretty good with foreign policy, as I revised this a few days ago but I might go over it again briefly today. I also definitely want to cover the modern and ancient interpretations of Akhenaten, as I’m going to do a practice response on Akhie tomorrow and use that question. I’ll also revise the efforts made to conserve and preserve Pompeii and Herculaneum as that 10 marker is always a pain in the ass and I want to practice for it wayyyy more. I’ll never feel fully prepared for ancient, which makes me sad. There’s just so much f**king content and so many areas to doubt yourself (and I’m the queen of self doubt). But I know I have the right to feel confident going into that exam, because to say I haven’t put my all into this damn subject is a lie. I know it’ll be okay - we’ve got this!!

Modern history is a stress. Not so much the content, more so the bloody questions they ask. They really try and throw you off - and it’s hard to try and wrap your head around how you’re going to go about answering it. I spend ages just looking at past questions - not even answering them - just thinking about them… Nonetheless, I’m chipping away at this too. I’m going to revise the turning points of WW1 and the treaty of Versailles, as I’ve barely revised them, as well as the role of women in the war. I’ll do this today. Then I should be solid to start answering some timed content and source analysis questions tomorrow! Happy about this - they’re not too bad, surprisingly source analysis is my strong point lol. Then today I’m also going to revise some of my national study, as this part is rusty in my brain.

Drama - wow okay I haven’t revised this yet. I sent my teacher an essay a month ago though! She hasn’t gotten back to it…I think I might go into school to see her and chat with her about it briefly, or I could send her a follow up email - but I’m not confident she’ll even respond to that. I have 2 weeks between my modern exam and drama exam though so that’s when I’ll get all the drama past papers done. But until then, in this next week I’m going to revise all of my plays, so I’m not a massive stress head leading up to that exam - and so I have all of my knowledge cemented, so that 2 weeks is just practicing.

That’s my update for the holidays! Remember, we have a week and a half left. That’s still quite a bit. I can’t believe that it’s almost over. Ahhhhhhhh that scares me.

I feel you man... I still fear of getting <90 atar just for personal satisfaction... the reason is that I actually need the right skills for HD average WAM and for tough subjects in uni...  of course being scared etc won't help and could worsen the situation so just get as much done as possible..

[dcesaona]

I feel you man... I still fear of getting <90 atar just for personal satisfaction... the reason is that I actually need the right skills for HD average WAM and for tough subjects in uni...  of course being scared etc won't help and could worsen the situation so just get as much done as possible..

Same! I'm always the one that puts stress on myself, no one expects me to do amazing but myself. It's overachiever syndrome really. I know how you feel about not feeling too nervous as well, but it's always fine to feel normal exam nervousness! When I really put the hsc into perspective, I really only need an 80+ to get into uni, but of course, being me, I have such high expectations for myself. But yes, same as you, I'm trying to get lots of revision done, but also take regular breaks to make sure I don't get burnt out. When it gets closer to the date, I feel as though I might feel more calm, because then you're amongst it - it's not so much apprehensive stress, it's just kind of like "well, let's get it done" hahah