LMAO I knew you'd write that
Things I did but probably shouldn't have done during VCE:
- VCE Physics
Things I did but probably shouldn't have done during VCE:
- VCE Physics
If only this thread had existed two years ago... but then again, being the naive little munchkin I was, I still woulda taken physics in the hopes that I'd like it. I'm still waiting for that moment where physics becomes engaging and fun and interesting though I suspect that shall never happen.This existed 3 years ago. :)
Things I'm glad I did during VCE:
- Took breaks when I needed to (Friday nights off folks!)
Things I'm glad I am doing in VCE:brah the first 3 things are the exact same thing for me.
- Using ATARNotes.
- Not getting caught up with/obsessing over study score calculations (this year).
- Using to-do lists (rather than study timetables [as was recommended by my school]).
- (Glad I did) two 3/4 subjects last year.
- Using and adding to "feedback compilation" word documents (one per subject) after completing practice essays/practice SACs (and actual SACs).
- Completing subjects I enjoy and find interesting.
- Legal via Distance Ed.
Things I wish I did (last year)/wish I was doing in VCE:
- Didn't obsess over one bad SAC mark and let it throw me off.
- Wish I was managing my stress better.
- Improving on completing SACs/exams within time constraints.
Things I did/am doing, but shouldn't have done/be doing in VCE:
- Not exercising.
- Not getting enough sleep.
- (Last year) underestimated the power of VCAA SAC moderation.
Things I'm glad I am doing in VCE:Pls elaborate.
- Using ATARNotes.
- Not getting caught up with/obsessing over study score calculations (this year).
- Using to-do lists (rather than study timetables [as was recommended by my school]).
- (Glad I did) two 3/4 subjects last year.
- Using and adding to "feedback compilation" word documents (one per subject) after completing practice essays/practice SACs (and actual SACs).
- Completing subjects I enjoy and find interesting.
- Legal via Distance Ed.
Things I wish I did (last year)/wish I was doing in VCE:
- Didn't obsess over one bad SAC mark and let it throw me off.
- Wish I was managing my stress better.
- Improving on completing SACs/exams within time constraints.
Things I did/am doing, but shouldn't have done/be doing in VCE:
- Not exercising.
- Not getting enough sleep.
- (Last year) underestimated the power of VCAA SAC moderation.
Pls elaborate.
Long story short, my 70/100 for GA1 (Unit 3) for Psych, was moderated to (at least) 95/100 (A+) post-exam. - I was rank 2 and my teacher was an insanely hard marker (which in retrospect, was a good thing); but I let this throw me off and stress me out.
- Looked at AN exam discussion boards after each VCE exam (now at uni, I'm learning to simply move on)If you don't mind me asking, considering that you did so well in your exams wasn't it reassuring to see that you did well on the exams? Or did you want to get perfect score in all exams?
- Keeping tabs on things and reassessing my life every so oftenYoo this is actually the best thing ever. Reassessing life - it's always extremely beneficial to just take a step back and think critically about life (vce and otherwise is there an otherwise?)
- Chose to do Further in Year 12 rather than in Year 11.Do you mind elaborating on that please?
Things I'm glad I did during VCE:
- Chose to do Further in Year 12 rather than in Year 11.
Do you mind elaborating on that please?
- Caring about what everyone else thought about me and adhering to others' methods, instead of doing things my way.as one of my biggest regrets.
Reassessing life - it's always extremely beneficial to just take a step back and think critically about life (vce and otherwise is there an otherwise?)
The process of reflection is where you gain the most out of something.
It's like doing a practice exam vs correcting it - doing it is only half as beneficial as marking it and learning from it afterwards.
You miss out on a lot by not taking a step back and reflecting.
-Day-dreaming too much about my dream career (lawyer :D)nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo never stop that
If you don't mind me asking, considering that you did so well in your exams wasn't it reassuring to see that you did well on the exams? Or did you want to get perfect score in all exams?
I'm doing year 12 this year :)same. except im pretty fat (and getting fatter tbh im shoving cakes down my throat left right and centre) no ragrets through it's fking great and im so happy when i have cake
Things I am doing
- ATAR NOTES :)
-Asking a lot of questions (and by a lot, I mean that I'm pretty sure my physics teacher is sick of my asking questions haha :P but he always encourages it...so that's where I am for 50 mins of every one hour period haha)
- stay ahead of school (that way if a hard topic comes up and I find I need to spend more time on it than everyone else, I am able to :) )
- ask around friends/previous year 12 s for exams/prac tests a: though I've been in tutoring since year 10
- have a clear goal in mind
- AND: It's my first year in high school that I don't have anorexia (in case it wasn't obvious to anyone, grades improve dramatically when you have the energy to actually learn, rather than spending looooong hours learning things that everyone else does in a short period of time. Not eating+ heavily excerciseing+being underweight+fainting don't allow for good marks! :)
Things I wish I did
- ask more questions early on in the year rather than spend time trying to wrap my head around the idea myself
- do more practice essays (though literature is my strength so this is a minor detail)
- socialise- I have zero social life
- exercise: I pretty much just study :P
- timing myself during tests
Things I do/did but probably shouldn't have done
- not spending like half an hour after every test (of which there are around 8 in a 2 week period) calculating what my grade is now, then what it would be if I hypothetically got, 'this %', 'x%' and y% in the next test
- stressing
- not listening to anyone when they tell me that study breaks are good. I'm one of those 'study in 8-hour blocks people' :P
- letting my well-known perfectionistic nature make me worried when i drop a few marks (even when i get the highest mark)
same. except I'm pretty fat (and getting fatter tbh I'm shoving cakes down my throat left right and centre) no ragrets through it's fking great and I'm so happy when i have cakeThankyou :) I am very happy when i am around cake as well....though not as happy as I am now with a mug of hot chocolate in my hands...perfect for this cold weather :)
So happy to see that you overcame anorexia! Hope you're feeling much better :D
you goo gurl :)
Sorry, but I was just reminded of one vitally important thing I missed.
Things I did but probably shouldn't have done:
- Gave my contact details to TSFX.
amirite? ::)
Sorry, but I was just reminded of one vitally important thing I missed.Things I'm glad I did;
Things I did but probably shouldn't have done:
- Gave my contact details to TSFX.
amirite? ::)
Things I’m glad I did during VCE:
- Choose subjects that I loved
- Not to allow my family to influence my choice of tertiary courses
- Delete Facebook (to eliminate the distraction but looking back, I think I used VCE as an excuse to delete toxic people from my life – absolutely no ragrets there)
- Spec and Methods in Year 11
- 7 subjects
- Joined ATARNotes
- Found a hella amazing English tutor
- Maintained a supportive af network comprising of old and new friends
Things I wish I did during VCE:
- A language
- Sleep more
- Eat more and eat heathily
Things I did but probably shouldn't have done during VCE:
- forsake sleep for study on way too many occasions
- Not dealing with stress/anxiety well enough
- Wrote too many English essays in order to deal with said stress
- Not socialise enough/go to any parties at all during Year 12 (seriously like my biggest regret)
- Stayed in the school library to avoid the distractions that family often bring (when they are on the TV all afternoon) and, to have a restricted access to the Internet (which helps reduce distractions).
- English Language instead of normal English
- Seek help more often.
- Not having a plan for immediately after the exams (which ended up as a boring, tedious affair as a result).
Final words: Whilst you can gain an insight as to what these other students have said, you have to work out what works for you. Never ever use a strategy just because they've worked for some high achiever.
- Paid attention in class (honestly, the key to success is paying attention. It removed the need to do so much work at home)
- I wish I was actually organised
My 2 bob into this haha
Things I'm glad I did during VCE:
- Joined AN
- Got involved in a few outside-school activities.
Things I wish I did during VCE:
- Took more photos. There is always a lot of memories and photo ops to be had. ;)
- Utilise my whiteboard a lot more often
There is definitely fun to be had in year 11 and 12. Cherish it. :)
Yeah? What would you do if you had the time again? Like, how would you go about it?
What was the best thing about this, do you think?Hmmm, the best thing imo is being part of a rad community, need I say more? :)
What sorts of things? Like, clubs?Things like being a survey panellist last year for a uni (who were looking for VCE kids at the time) (Seriously got so many freebies for doing one survey/month hahahahaha, not regretting that, at all :p) and indeed being part of a club which gave greater insight into the world of pharmaceuticals (run by Monash, obviously haha). :)
I'm in year 11. Why does vce feel like such a torture and nightmare. Like seriously, so many sacs, exams, feel so overwhelmed. And at the end of year 12, we get an atar an everyone judges us by that. And then there is scaling, the whole vce system is just horrible :(
I'm in year 11. Why does vce feel like such a torture and nightmare. Like seriously, so many sacs, exams, feel so overwhelmed. And at the end of year 12, we get an atar an everyone judges us by that. And then there is scaling, the whole vce system is just horrible :(
Im in the same boat as you. Its torture.
Well, I think I really should have used my diary...I used it at the start of the year but ditched it pretty quickly (mind you I did just opt to type things into a note on my laptop instead, but I really think I should have actually used my diary).
I also should have set aside actual times where I would do study/homework, not just do it at variable times, because then once you're in a routine it's so much easier to do day in, day out without much thought.
I think I also should have been more organised in terms of staying up to date with things like chem questions/using checkpoints - I'd smash out a lot, then leave it for ages and do nothing, then repeat the cycle, instead of just doing a steady amount on a regular basis.
So yeah, really should have been more consistent I guess? Would have made things easier and made for a few less late nights...but still, what I did in VCE doesn't keep me awake at night or anything, overall I'm very happy with how I approached the year :P
Hmmm, the best thing imo is being part of a rad community, need I say more? :)
Things like being a survey panellist last year for a uni (who were looking for VCE kids at the time) (Seriously got so many freebies for doing one survey/month hahahahaha, not regretting that, at all :p) and indeed being part of a club which gave greater insight into the world of pharmaceuticals (run by Monash, obviously haha). :)
I'm in year 11. Why does vce feel like such a torture and nightmare. Like seriously, so many sacs, exams, feel so overwhelmed. And at the end of year 12, we get an atar an everyone judges us by that. And then there is scaling, the whole vce system is just horrible :(
Im in the same boat as you. Its torture.
Things I'm glad I did during VCE
-Planning my study around 'to do' lists, so listing out tasks for the day such as 'watching videos, understanding and writing out notes for Spectroscopy for Chemistry' , it really provides more direction and breaks everything down
-Focused on conceptual based learning like actually understanding the logic behind the content, as well as doing wider reading and researching. Not to the point of spending time on things that are irrelevant, but instead those that add more depth to your responses (like researching the cultural and historical landscape and literary critiques on novel in English) or helps you understand the content better (like proofs in maths like partial integration)
-Being involved in a few extra-curriculars such as cello, social service, yearbook, debating, house activities
-Researched and applied for overseas and interstate universities (I didn't end up accepting the overseas offers mainly because of financial reasons, although I wished I accepted ANU, but applying is still still a great experience. Don't be afraid to do things off the beaten track if you find a path/degree/uni that suits you, I feel like this forum has a habit of bringing down people who do so)
-Developing mental strenght and grit (in the words of social psychologist Angela Lee-Duckworth) although I probably acquired such things earlier on through a difficult upbringing rather than VCE)
-Watching Steve Jobs' Stanford commencement speech and JK Rowling Harvard one. Although I still fear failure, they are both inspiring and down to earth. TED talks are great too.
-My english and maths tutors who tutored me even though I was poor. The things they've taught me (mainly the conceptual approach) gave me a great foundation in the areas of relevant studies such as philosophy and maths.
Things I wished I did
-handled crippling anxiety a bit better
-did VCE Physics (and maybe Global Politics) because I may major in Physics
-put more effort into Chemistry (did very little study for the last 2/3 of the year, due to poor SAC marks, having 3 teachers and knowing that it was going to be my 6/7th subject. I got an ok score- below 40.). I'm not advocating for spending heaps of time on subjects that you hate or know that it's going to be a 5th or 6th, but at least invest some developing a foundation, understanding some key basic concepts etc. A subject can end up being useful to your future studies (such as is the case for me with Chemistry). Many Science students I know regret not taking maths seriously enough because of its application in the natural sciences. Many Politics+History students I know wished that they put for effort into maths because economics complement those disciplines.
-Developing a strong work ethic for subjects I didn't enjoy much so that I can still do well in them. Especially in uni, you'll may have to do subjects that you don't enjoy or are very badly taught. Since uni grades are measured in WAM your worst subjects will be weighted equally unlike VCE.
-Explored and utilised visual learning techniques (mind-maps, diagrams, flowcharts). I'm currently experimenting with them.
-Did sport and exercise (completely neglected those two things during VCE)
-Seeking help from teachers and asking questions in class (I've always felt quite insecure about what I don't know even though it's always going to be much more than what I know)
-Put more effort into school debating. I didn't realise that I was going to spend but 10 hours a week on debating related activities (uni debating, personal practice +research and judging school debates)
Things I did but probably shouldn't have done
-Procrastinated a lot especially really close to exams. The stress was paralyzing to the point that I procrastinated.
-Regular all-nighters. I've haven't recovered from that cycle yet but I'm improving.
EDIT:nicer format :)[/list]
Ah, diaries are so useful! Do you plan to use one this year? (I recommend it, haha.)Mm, yeah, I think so. Personally, the whole drawing up a timetable and sticking to it strictly isn't really my style but I think it definitely would have been worth a shot at least and I should have stuck to it for a while to really see if it worked for me.
Interesting what you're saying about the routine. So in hindsight, would have you created like, a proper study timetable, and then tried to stick to that rigidly?
It's too late at night for me to post an appropriate reply but I will say if you need someone to talk to, feel free to send me a PM! Happy to chat about anything and help you guys :)So, finally getting to my reply (and apologies in advance for the long post)- as Joseph41 said, and as is the case for a lot of people, year 11 is awful & year 12 is so much better! Definitely was the case for me. In year 11, I lacked that tangible outcome at the end which comes in year 12, which was something I really needed to motivate myself.
Will post a reply to this tomorrow (if I find the time :P) & I'm sure there will be some words of wisdom from other users as well :)
The survey panellist thing is pretty nifty. What did that entail?
Mm, yeah, I think so. Personally, the whole drawing up a timetable and sticking to it strictly isn't really my style but I think it definitely would have been worth a shot at least and I should have stuck to it for a while to really see if it worked for me.
And yes, I'm using a diary this year! Really trying to use it. Need to work out a system that works for me with uni but I'm getting there :) I think it will be even more key this year because I no longer have teachers setting reminders about due dates, etc. and I really need to stay on top of my game.
Try and live in the moment :) enjoy your friendships, use this chance to make mistakes and learn from them, and if you really are struggling - speak up!! Talk to a friend, a teacher, a counsellor, your GP, etc. Don't suffer in silence :)
It was mostly about providing input about what we wanted from open days, what ads were most appealing to us (fun fact: I'm one of about 300 who helped pick the design of the ads for a uni, thanks to this, haha) and just general study/what do you want to do/vtac stuff (nothing to personal/nosey, haha). I also got to test run a website and a messenger bot, because they wanted feedback from us, haha. :)
it was cool to come back to this thread and read what I wrote almost a year ago, considering that if I wrote the post today it would be slightly different
would recommend other contributors doing the same :p
This is so good. ;D How do you think things would differ these days? :)
(Nice to hear from you, by the way!)
thanks! I haven't been on much lately
I'd probably be easier on myself about English lol, I remember being disappointed for so long but it was my best mark (42). I was also upset about my ATAR, however it was a blessing in disguise since I don't think I'd have been happy with my original plans
Also I don't care that I didn't give the UMAT a good go anymore, because if I prefer the idea of graduate professional degrees
Would also focus more on my achievements rather than what went wrong
I'm in year 11
Things i wish i did this year.
Completing 1, or even 2 unit 3/4 studies,
What 3/4 subject/s do you wish you did? Is it too late to change?I honestly wished that I could do further 3/4 in year 11 this year without the 1/2, but I didn't meet the criteria to do unit 3/4 in year 11. And it's too late to change now that it's march
I honestly wished that I could do further 3/4 in year 11 this year without the 1/2, but I didn't meet the criteria to do unit 3/4 in year 11. And it's too late to change now that it's march
I honestly wished that I could do further 3/4 in year 11 this year without the 1/2, but I didn't meet the criteria to do unit 3/4 in year 11. And it's too late to change now that it's march
Awww that sucks. I personally think it's bullshit that they have any criteria for doing a 3/4 subject in year 11. The school my cousin went to tried to deny him doing a 3/4 in year 11 because his grades were supposedly not good enough but he fought with the school for a long time and eventually won. Then he proceeded to get a 43 in business management which was the best score in year 11 for the subject so you clearly can't judge VCE results based on year 10 results.You're right. Personally I think anyone should be able to do a 3/4 in year 11, or if not then 6 subjects in year 12 because they can maximise their atar with 6 subjects
You can always do six subjects in year 12 ;) (not that I recommend it- seriously... If you do go on doing a sixth subject in year 12, please do make sure you are on top of your things... like have a really good time management system, otherwise you will fall really behind).Unfortunately my school doesn't allow 6 subjects in year 12, which is a pity considering that it is one of the top public schools in victoria
EDIT: grammar fix...
No worries - really good to see you. :)
Super interesting what you say about the ATAR being a blessing in disguise; do you think its importance, overall, is overhyped?
That's pretty cool! How did you get involved with that?To be honest, I can't even remember now, although I think it was advertised on Facebook and I thought it'd be cool and so on.
Things I shouldn't be doing in vce currentlyIt is a hard thing to get away from, especially if all your study is done on the computer! Have you checked out different ways to get off your computer/distracting sites? If not, I hear this and this, give some amazing little pointers*. :)
spending excessive time on the computer
To be honest, I can't even remember now, although I think it was advertised on Facebook and I thought it'd be cool and so on.The computer is definitely hard to get away from, just need to stop being addicted or otherwise it's going to ruin my vce :(
It is a hard thing to get away from, especially if all your study is done on the computer! Have you checked out different ways to get off your computer/distracting sites? If not, I hear this and this, give some amazing little pointers*. :)
*they mainly deal with procrastination though
Edit: I obviously cannot type today, fixed the BBCode!