ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => Victorian Education Discussion => Topic started by: JR_StudyEd on April 04, 2019, 06:24:19 pm
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Couldn't find a topic like this, so here we go.
A very thought-provoking question indeed. As you can tell from my sig, I'm in my final year! (Not sure if excited or petrified) I've just finished Term 1 (1/3 of the way there!!!) but this week has been comparatively poor in terms of my study habits. Don't know if it's burnout or if I'm just completely over it. So I ask you all ANers, what kept you going in spite of those days/weeks which you just couldn't be stuffed?
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For me, the key things were:
- not expecting myself to study all the time - allow time for leisure/social/sporting stuff, and don't hate yourself for wanting to do things that aren't school related
- think of the end goal - I really wanted to get into physio, so when I struggled I just tried to remind myself that I was putting in the effort now to get myself to where I wanted to be in the future
- remember that year 12 isn't the be all and end all, so if you don't do well on a SAC or don't study well for a few weeks, don't sweat it - just think about what you can do in the future to help yourself
Most of all, when I really struggled, I just got myself through one day at a time. Definitely helped with my stress levels :)
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-rewarding myself after a sac (hang out with friends, movie marathon etc.)
-do non-school related things every-night. i.e exercising, talking to friends etc.
-if i'm seriously having a down, low-energy type of day, it's just better to not study because even if you do, chances are very little will be absorbed. rather, spend the night to rejuvenate so you have more energy for tomorrow.
-ranting (or complaining ;D) to my friends
-see your school counsellor :)
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I have an additional question related to the OP. Is motivation the key to getting through the year? Was it all about maintaining motivation? I mean, since it's a feeling, it won't last. I'm certainly feeling none at all right now.
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I have an additional question related to the OP. Is motivation the key to getting through the year? Was it all about maintaining motivation? I mean, since it's a feeling, it won't last. I'm certainly feeling none at all right now.
Nah, definitely not the key. I'd say I felt thoroughly un-motivated for the great majority of year 12 lol. What's really important is self-discipline. Sure, you could wait for that once in a blue moon moment where you want to spend the whole day studying, or you could put in a smaller, consistent effort every day for better outcomes. Having the self-discipline to say "nah, I'll watch this video/tv show or I'll go on social media after I've finished my tasks for the night" instead of choosing to do what you want first is what will set you apart from other people.
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Nah, definitely not the key. I'd say I felt thoroughly un-motivated for the great majority of year 12 lol. What's really important is self-discipline. Sure, you could wait for that once in a blue moon moment where you want to spend the whole day studying, or you could put in a smaller, consistent effort every day for better outcomes. Having the self-discipline to say "nah, I'll watch this video/tv show or I'll go on social media after I've finished my tasks for the night" instead of choosing to do what you want first is what will set you apart from other people.
Yeah but isn't having the self discipline to say something like 'nah, I'll watch this video/tv show or I'll go on social media after I've finished my tasks for the night' a form of motivation? I think I wouldn't care enough about finishing my homework (which I see as a lack of motivation) to stop myself from watching a TV show
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For most of the year I thought I wanted to study a course where I only needed a 70ish ATAR to get in, but I was studying to get as high as I could - so there were points where I was thinking to myself "why are you trying so hard?". What kept me trying is:
- wanting to do something different for my school. The school hadn't had a 90+ ATAR in a while and the year before when I got 47 in biology I noticed my cohort started lifting their goals and believing in themselves more
- wanting to keep my options open. (As it turns out, I did change into a course where the ATAR cut off was higher)
- the potential for getting a scholarship
- potential resume impact (expect this isn't really a thing outside tutoring....)
- wanting to do my best so I'd have no regrets
Things that enabled me to have a headspace conducive to self-dicipline
- practice & building habits from last year
- sleep
- seeing a counsellor
Yeah but isn't having the self discipline to say something like 'nah, I'll watch this video/tv show or I'll go on social media after I've finished my tasks for the night' a form of motivation? I think I wouldn't care enough about finishing my homework (which I see as a lack of motivation) to stop myself from watching a TV show
Imo no - maybe this is something that could be split off and made into its own thread?
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I've been told this was a bad idea but I'll just put it here and you can choose whether or not you think it'll work for you -
What kept me motivated was not having any back-up plans. I had one goal - BA with a GDP at Melbourne, and never asked myself 'What if I don't get in?'. I saw having back-up options as halfway to giving up so it was kind of the mentality of 'get in or else'. I had applied to other schools in my VTAC application (as my school made me fill up all 8 spots), but never applied for accommodation for them, thus I made Melbourne my only feasible option.
And it wasn't just back-up options regarding schools or courses - I initially planned on a vocational career path until my original career goals went down the drain before year 12 started and I was left with the options of either 'study hard and going to uni' or 'Centrelink'.
Another thing was the thought of proving to others that I am capable of making it to uni. When my peers and teachers first found out that I was planning to take VCE seriously the collective response was 'What a joke. He'll never get in', and it acted as motivation for me to prove them wrong.
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Nah, definitely not the key. I'd say I felt thoroughly un-motivated for the great majority of year 12 lol. What's really important is self-discipline. Sure, you could wait for that once in a blue moon moment where you want to spend the whole day studying, or you could put in a smaller, consistent effort every day for better outcomes. Having the self-discipline to say "nah, I'll watch this video/tv show or I'll go on social media after I've finished my tasks for the night" instead of choosing to do what you want first is what will set you apart from other people.
What does it actually mean to have self-discipline? What is 'self-discipline' about?
And is there any benefit to self-criticism after multiple days of procrastinating on schoolwork?
This is an excerpt from the following article on AN https://atarnotes.com/work-ethic/
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.’ – Tim Notke
I see this quote all the time in almost every single classroom at school. As cliche as this quote sounds, it really is important to establish a strong work ethic. Even though it would be great to be able to wing an exam, many of us aren’t lucky enough to be able to score perfect marks and thrive on stress. This is why motivation is the key to success.
What do you make of this? Does motivation level play any sort of contributing role in someone's academic performance?
EDIT: Additional question, do short-term rewards for studying really work? (i.e. sweet treats and time with friends) Or was it more long-term rewards like your uni course that kept you going?
EDIT 2: How much time should I set aside to 'relax'? Because if just use the time left over after studying, surely there'll be no time left?
Mod Edit: Merged double post. In future please avoid double-posting unless you have a very strong reason (eg it's your journey journal and you're posting your next update)
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Mods, it's been more than 7 days! This is not a double post (I think)
To start, I've loved all your responses! Thank you very much. I see a common theme, that of mindset and the intangibles. How about the influence of other people? Who inspired you to do your best and keep going? How did they inspire you?
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Mods, it's been more than 7 days! This is not a double post (I think)
To start, I've loved all your responses! Thank you very much. I see a common theme, that of mindset and the intangibles. How about the influence of other people? Who inspired you to do your best and keep going? How did they inspire you?
Interesting question. I had a family member go through VCE a few years before I did, so I was in a lucky position in one sense because I knew roughly what was required (at least to a degree). And they could help me out with things like what a SAC was, some good ways to prepare for exams etc.
Honestly I developed some good relationships with a couple of my teachers and didn't want to let them down.
What's your biggest motivation atm, JR?
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What's your biggest motivation atm, JR?
Oh boy. Nah jk. I try to think about the feeling I get when they tell me to put my pen down in my final. VCE exam. ever. Pure, unadulterated satisfaction that I gave it all I had. The knowledge that my efforts to give it my all were 100% worth it.
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Oh boy. Nah jk. I try to think about the feeling I get when they tell me to put my pen down in my final. VCE exam. ever. Pure, unadulterated satisfaction that I gave it all I had. The knowledge that my efforts to give it my all were 100% worth it.
Nice one. Gotta hold on to what works for you. I had these thoughts through Year 12 also!
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Honestly I developed some good relationships with a couple of my teachers and didn't want to let them down.
I can relate to this quite strongly. I have had most of my teachers for a couple of years previously and get along with them great. As such, all of my teachers seem to really praise me and tell me that I've gotta get that top score and beat the top study scores of last year. Their enthusiasm for my personal learning does really have a downstream effect on motivating me, if not for my own success but out of respect for them.
Other than that, my motivations to study are quite mixed and often change. While sometimes I find myself motivated by a particularly potent passion for science, other times I am primarily driven by a competitive spirit in wanting to beat my friends in the next test. Other times - particularly when I'm tired, my motivation to study banks entirely on Poet and her disappointed glare.
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I can relate to this quite strongly. I have had most of my teachers for a couple of years previously and get along with them great. As such, all of my teachers seem to really praise me and tell me that I've gotta get that top score and beat the top study scores of last year. Their enthusiasm for my personal learning does really have a downstream effect on motivating me, if not for my own success but out of respect for them.
Other than that, my motivations to study are quite mixed and often change. While sometimes I find myself motivated by a particularly potent passion for science, other times I am primarily driven by a competitive spirit in wanting to beat my friends in the next test. Other times - particularly when I'm tired, my motivation to study banks entirely on Poet and her disappointed glare.
Definitely agree. I had good relationships with all my teachers, especially my English and chemistry teachers. I asked for constant feedback and questions and they felt very appreciated I believe. These two teachers really believed that i would do well in the exams (especially my English teacher who thought I was doing way more than I should do as he already expected highly of me). Trust me, its very uplifting if your teachers believe you will do your best and smash the exams- i used it as inspiration.
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Motivation fluctuates steeper than a rollercoaster. I'm currently in a phase where next to no subject satisfies me. What do I mean by that? Well, I just can't be bothered at the moment. The impending flood of SACs still isn't enough to spur me on. I'm uncertain and scared about the future. Learning is supposed to be fun, yes? Right now, it is extremely tedious, painful and unrewarding and even with my best attempts to cultivate a growth mindset, nothing my teachers say seems to be going in.
Is it just a matter of patience? It's getting really hard for me to develop self-discipline when I would much rather watch TV or YouTube.
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Motivation fluctuates steeper than a rollercoaster. I'm currently in a phase where next to no subject satisfies me. What do I mean by that? Well, I just can't be bothered at the moment. The impending flood of SACs still isn't enough to spur me on. I'm uncertain and scared about the future. Learning is supposed to be fun, yes? Right now, it is extremely tedious, painful and unrewarding and even with my best attempts to cultivate a growth mindset, nothing my teachers say seems to be going in.
Is it just a matter of patience? It's getting really hard for me to develop self-discipline when I would much rather watch TV or YouTube.
Hey, I just wanted to say first of all it really sucks that you're feeling this way about school. I always enjoyed school, from prep all the way until about year 10, but then VCE is not even learning - it's about regurgitating answers that your teachers have drilled into you will create marks. It's so frustrating when it becomes a matter of appealing to the assessors, and bouncing from one SAC to another without pausing to ask why we are learning any of these things, or without getting to have deep discussions on interesting topics. This can very quickly lead to feelings of disenchantment and frustration.
I also underwent a lot of mixed motivation throughout VCE - I got burnt out quite quickly, and small disputes with friends or family would send me spiralling. Further, I was very busy a lot of the time outside of school (with extra-curricular activities), so it constantly felt like I wasn't studying enough or I wasn't doing enough.
I think that in your case, my advice would be to find parts of your course, or study activities that you enjoy. Perhaps in Psychology you find learning really interesting - make sure that you study hard and know the course back-to-front for the parts that you DO like! Then hopefully, that passion and enthusiasm will carry across into other parts of the course. Further, if you explore different study techniques that you find entertaining, e.g. creating mind-maps, making cue cards, colour-coding your notes, then you'll feel a lot more ready and excited to study.
Moreover, in regards to your concerns about self-discipline, I found it really helpful to speak to my parents, friends, and teachers to let them know that I'd like them to hold me accountable for my study. I told my mum that my phone was distracting me often, and so she would usually ask me if I'd like her to take away my phone - this allowed me to remove distractions without having to practice that discipline myself. Further, I asked my Eng Lang teacher to make sure I handed in a practice analysis every few weeks, in order to keep this skill up during Unit 4. Asking other people for help usually kept me motivated.
Finally, I think that if you are 'good' at your subjects, that often creates motivation as well, because it works in the whole 'positive reinforcement' sort of way (i.e. you work hard, and you get rewarded with good marks). If you feel comfortable, ask your teacher for help in areas that you don't fully understand, or ask what tasks you can do to improve - or more simply, just try to get all of your class assigned work done! I find that even completing what appears to be 'bear minimum', actually leads to a lot of success! Your teachers assign the work for a reason :~)
I really hope that you get out of this rut soon, I've been there a few times too, and I've found that after a little while, my friends and family are always there to pull me out :) All the best!
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Honestly I developed some good relationships with a couple of my teachers and didn't want to let them down.
What's your biggest motivation atm, JR?
I re-read this and thought a little harder about what you wrote. I definitely agree with you. Another great, newfound source of motivation for me to do well is to not let my teachers down, as they work so hard to try to get us to do the best we can. So much of their work is taken for granted, don’t you think?
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I re-read this and thought a little harder about what you wrote. I definitely agree with you. Another great, newfound source of motivation for me to do well is to not let my teachers down, as they work so hard to try to get us to do the best we can. So much of their work is taken for granted, don’t you think?
Likely the case. I'm sure there are many, many hidden hours.
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What if you don't have an end goal in mind? What if you feel like you're just going through the motions, like myself? My 'goals' are difficult to quantify, since I'm not such a big fan of using numbers to evaluate my academic progress. I prefer to ask myself, 'What did I really learn?' My medium-term goal is to be as ready for final exams as possible, but it's very broad and doesn't really inspire any action. Long-term, I got nothing. Who knows what course I'll end up doing next year, or even if I'll be in uni.
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I feel like mini motivations are the way to go!
(^I don’t even feel like that’s real English but whatevs!)
Like, rewarding yourself with small things so that you always have something to look forward to.
I have a job and I don’t usually buy a tonne of stuff and mostly save it up but when I have a massive slab of study coming my way, like before a horrific SAC or an exam or something when I know I’ll have no life for a while, I like to do online shopping.
I don’t mean like splurge on HEAPS of stuff, but maybe just a small thing that you’ll like. I typically will order a book and try and play around with the shipping so that it arrives on the day that my SAC finishes. You have NO IDEA how good that feels.
When my long term motivation kinda diminishes, I find it helpful to put in place a small thing to look forward to.
One more thing, Sam and Dean Winchester are also getting me through year 12. ;) I’m obsessed.
Hope this helps ;D
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To what extent did setting goals help you to persevere through the adversity brought about by Year 12? I'm trying to set goals right now, but they aren't motivating me to do anything. I'm even setting deadlines and breaking them down into smaller parts, but even that still doesn't seem to be working.
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My thoughts have evolved quite a lot since making this thread...
I fully understand how self-discipline is more effective in the long-term than motivation, but right now, I am seriously lacking in motivation. I feel like I need that "push" or "nudge" to get me going again. Self-discipline and hard work aren't going to cut it for me right now, as my motivation levels are really close to zero. So, surely, to push past the most difficult parts of Year 12 (which I believe I am in right now), you need both self-discipline and motivation? In other words, do you need motivation in order to be disciplined and also work hard and smart?
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In other words, do you need motivation in order to be disciplined and also work hard and smart?
Motivation is always helpful, but sometimes it won't just fall in your lap. I use the "10 minute rule". When I'm putting something off, I just start it and spend ten minutes on it. At the end of those ten minutes, if I still hate what I'm doing, I stop and try again another day. I don't think I've ever actually stopped though. Most things are fine once you get started!
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Does anyone believe in what sheer willpower can achieve? To what extent can willpower help you with the study grind? I don't have a lot of it right now, personally. (Not to be confused with motivation, as I already addressed that)
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Does anyone believe in what sheer willpower can achieve? To what extent can willpower help you with the study grind? I don't have a lot of it right now, personally. (Not to be confused with motivation, as I already addressed that)
I think that if someone got rid of every single distraction (willpower) and sat down at an empty desk with only their study materials for hours (more willpower), the could motivate themselves to do some work through their willpower. What do you think JR_StudyED?
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I think that if someone got rid of every single distraction (willpower) and sat down at an empty desk with only their study materials for hours (more willpower), the could motivate themselves to do some work through their willpower. What do you think JR_StudyED?
Hey Laura, I'm sorry for replying so late. Isn't willpower finite? Doesn't it run out after a while? And even I forced myself to sit at a desk for 2 hours or something with no distractions and only writing materials and a past exam in front of me, wouldn't I still find a way to procrastinate?
So I'm now getting to the worst (some might say it's the best) time of Year 12. In a matter of days, the book will close on my final year of schooling. The truth is, despite my best efforts, I have come to dislike each of my subjects more as the year has gone on. My hard work has been rewarded with an unprecedented number of mental breakdowns during SACs and trial exams. And as you would expect, the results have not been great compared to previous years. I'm not going to go ahead and blame my year-long dip in motivation on Year 11 subject selection or the VCE system, because those are things I am not in control of at this present moment. I'm not particularly great or confident in any of the subjects which I have studied this year. And I know it's never too late, and there's always a way.
There's no worse feeling than regret. I do in fact want to do my best in these exams, so that I don't walk out of my school gates wondering if I should have done more. But all my mediocre and outright terrible results this year have only added to the burden. All I know is that no matter how hard I try, I'm just mediocre at science and oftentimes near-clueless in Methods. Right now, it feels like the minute I stepped into a Year 12 classroom (Psych 3/4 in Year 11 doesn't count) all the desire and drive to actually learn something new has completely disappeared. I've searched far and wide, but am unable to rediscover it. I just feel that I don't have it in me to push just for these next several days.
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So I'm now getting to the worst (some might say it's the best) time of Year 12. In a matter of days, the book will close on my final year of schooling. The truth is, despite my best efforts, I have come to dislike each of my subjects more as the year has gone on. My hard work has been rewarded with an unprecedented number of mental breakdowns during SACs and trial exams. And as you would expect, the results have not been great compared to previous years. I'm not going to go ahead and blame my year-long dip in motivation on Year 11 subject selection or the VCE system, because those are things I am not in control of at this present moment. I'm not particularly great or confident in any of the subjects which I have studied this year. And I know it's never too late, and there's always a way.
There's no worse feeling than regret. I do in fact want to do my best in these exams, so that I don't walk out of my school gates wondering if I should have done more. But all my mediocre and outright terrible results this year have only added to the burden. All I know is that no matter how hard I try, I'm just mediocre at science and oftentimes near-clueless in Methods. Right now, it feels like the minute I stepped into a Year 12 classroom (Psych 3/4 in Year 11 doesn't count) all the desire and drive to actually learn something new has completely disappeared. I've searched far and wide, but am unable to rediscover it. I just feel that I don't have it in me to push just for these next several days.
You are not the only one feeling this. I am feeling this too ;D. What keeps me happy though is the thought that one day I will look back at laugh at myself in yr12, remembering how down I was from a grade that would have a negligible impact on the long term ;D.
I think the truth is while bad grades suck, they are certainly not the end, and we can take joy in the fact that no matter what happens, we will always get a chance to reach our goals. I just finished a maths exam I am not too proud of, and I felt terrible, really terrible the 2 hours after. But then in a moment, I decided to change it to a positive moment. I don't know why, but I felt I will probably laugh at myself in 10 years or so of how stupid I was at getting sad about marks.
Seriously, this is not the end! You probably know this, but just keep going. Even if you get mediocre or surprising grades, it does not matter. What matters is that you have experienced what you have said above, to become a wiser, much more experienced adult. Even if you procrastinated, you will reach the goal you want one day, even if it is not defined right now. Don't worry about grades; hopefully you, like me, will be laughing at them in a few years too ;D
I don't know if that helps, probably not, but just keep going!
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Hey Laura, I'm sorry for replying so late. Isn't willpower finite? Doesn't it run out after a while? And even I forced myself to sit at a desk for 2 hours or something with no distractions and only writing materials and a past exam in front of me, wouldn't I still find a way to procrastinate?
If you were determined to procrastinate, I'm sure that no matter what you did you wouldn't actually get the exam done. And I agree that willpower with no motivation will run out. (However, in theory, infinite willpower could help you with the study grind. The more you have, the more you can use it to accomplish. Right?) If you don't care then there's no reason to force yourself to do something. However, if you do care and you want to get a good mark, that motivation can help you when it feels like your willpower is waning.
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Bump - for the Class of 2020 and younger, what's getting you through this year?
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The end goal - I want to make my parents (and myself too) happy with the marks I get, and I also want to get into a course where the lowest they took in, ATAR-wise, was around where I'm aiming at/expecting to get....
There's a small amount of proving that my school is a great school (which it is :) even though it's not so academically focused) and thus I want to get a decent set of study scores.
Mostly just I want to get through the exams etc. so I can look at the ATAR/study scores and be happy with them (and get the uni offer I want too).
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The support from my school - my school is just incredible and I have some great teachers and an amazing year level coordinator who is always there for me.
Also, a couple of my close friends who truly motivate me and always make me feel incredible. They know who they are and how much they have truly done for me :D
And lastly like The Cat In The Hat said, the end goal. I want to make my parents and school proud and show them that I can do well academically while being school captain, house sports captain and balancing lots of sport and other things. ❤️
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Current Year 12s (and younger students, too) - what things are getting you through this year?
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going on walks and reminiscing on pre-lockdown memories with friends