Sun 12.08.18
I have barely had any time to update this journal. It's just been so full on!
Psychology Practice Exam Results + More Practice Exams - Thu 02.08.18
I got 72 out of 90 (80%) for the Unit 3 Practice Exam we did on the holidays, which was higher than I thought it would be! I only lost five marks on multiple-choice as well as 3 marks from short-answer, of those that I did answer (didn't answer 10 mark question). I'm pretty pleased and I hope I just keep improving from here. My teacher's also been handing out Practice Exams (two so far) to do not under timed and closed book conditions yet, and he tells us not to answer the questions about mental health and disorders and phobias but I just try because why not.
Chemistry SAC Results - Fri 03.08.18
I received my results for the Chem SAC that was on the Wednesday (compare two days with the 4 weeks she took to mark the other SAC) and I was at first, quite disappointed. I received 87% for what seemed to be an easy test (then bumped up to 90%), rank 2 and equalling my lowest SAC mark this year. Then the teacher emphasised that percentage was not that important and marks and the exam were more important. I need to get that into my head.
La Trobe University Open Day - Sun 05.08.18
I went with my sister who was a former La Trobe student to the university and it was really good! I didn't expect to like it that much as I was hoping for somewhere closer to the city, but the atmosphere was really great. There's lots of food to eat (my first HSP), activities to do, the library was massive and the open space was really peaceful. Definitely considering coming here as one of my top picks. However, like the Swinburne one, I never had much time to explore most of the campus and activities because I only arrive at like 1:00 or 1:30 from going to church. I really don't want to miss out on church either - I volunteer there. It's also why I wasn't able to go to the Monash open day on the same day when I wished to go there as well (it takes around more than 2 hours for me to get there I think?). This is also an issue with the ATARNotes legal lectures. They're always in the Sunday mornings but I really want to attend Legal as well! About the volunteering, the careers teacher came to one of my classes recently to ask who wants to apply for the Aspire program. I put my hand up but she didn't see me and I didn't write my name so I never bothered.
Methods SAC Results - Mon 06.08.18
I am super happy with my results for methods! I thought I was going to get lower. Overall I got 92% but this bumped up to 24/25 marks going to VCAA because I lost one mark in each of outcomes 1 and 3 so it still counted as like 8/8 and 7/7 when rounded for both outcomes, but I lost around 5 in outcome 2. I maintained rank 1... hopefully I can do better in the next SAC - probability! Which I found surprisingly underwhelming in terms of difficulty.
English Practice Exam and Parent Teacher Interviews - Tue 07.08.18
I blame some of my performance in the Legal SAC on the Practice Exam that took place the day before. Took a lot away from my revision time. I don't really see the point in lumping an English practice exam in the middle of many SACs, which means nobody will even take the practice exam seriously (unless they spent heaps of time revising). The one on the last week of last term was an appropriate time, because SACs were done for the term, but not this time, no, no. I didn't do that well in this one, too. I left out a whole body paragraph for Medea and awfully wrote my language analysis. For the last parent teacher interviews for probably the rest of my life, it was quite shorter than usual and it was just the similar comments all around. I also received my results for the rest of the Unit 3 Practice Exams - Legal was 69%
Methods was 70% and Chemistry was 58%.
Legal SAC - Wed 08.08.18
I cried. I never cry over a SAC or SAC result but I cried at the end of the Legal Studies SAC. I had to excuse myself from Methods and the teacher gave me a pep talk afterwards next to the other class doing the Legal SAC. My methods teacher is so great. The reason I just broke was because I didn't answer a 6 mark question and lost at least one mark from an unfinished answer of another question. Time ran out. It was such a long SAC.out of 50. I prepared myself but not enough I guess. The 10 mark question is given before the SAC and we have time to prepare an answer. I didn't memorise my response in time so I spent too much time on it. In addition, the teacher told us we had to answer the questions for the significance of High Court cases like this: Case name, facts, issues, Section of the Constitution, outcome, and significance (important). But the marks were only out of three or four for each case and only five lines were given? (My practice responses prior were at least 10 lines and got full five marks). It was a tough day, but by the end of the school day I felt determined, then sad again going to sleep.
RMIT and ACU Open Days - Sun 12.08.18
Today I went to both universities with my sister again (and then another sister in ACU as she was a volunteer there) in city campuses for only around 1 hour each because of church and travel, as mentioned before, so all I had time to do was ask things and walk around. Both unis were good, but RMIT didn't have an ideal double degree with law, so if I ever plan to do just science and/or engineering I might prefer it.
VTAC Applications
I've made a VTAC account but I haven't applied yet. With four universities I've been to and the information I've gotten in mind, it will be really difficult for me to find my eight courses and put them in order of preference. There is one more university I will go to (Melbourne) but even for a shorter time than the other unis since something special is happening at church, so after that it's crunch time. There's so many things to take into account though, such as travel times, atmosphere and utilities of the university, fees and scholarships involved, and of course the courses and teaching. Life is moving so fast...
Subjects and Goals
Time to list some of my goals as of this moment (they're pretty high and I'm expecting less because they probably won't be achieved, but why aim low when you can pursue your ability to get higher):
Methods: 48+ (formerly 45+) and don't lose more than three out of 120 marks in both exams
Chemistry: 45+ (formerly 43+) and don't lose more than twelve out of 120 marks in the exam
Legal: 45+ (formerly 42+) and don't lose more than five out of 80 marks in the exam (formerly 15 marks)
Psychology: 46+ (formerly 41+) and don't lose more than eight out of 120 marks in the exam
English: 43+ (formerly 40+) and don't lose more than five out of 30 marks in the exam
Further: Achievement Complete - 48+ (formerly 47+ and formerly 45+)
Meanwhile almost everyone in my school aim for 50% in every task they do.
If I took a LOTE, I would choose Spanish or Italian, or possibly even my nationality's language which I can't speak but can only understand a bit.
A lot today, but that's it. |-/ <3 <3 <3 Watching the third (or fifth, whatever) season of Australian Survivor is taking up a lot of my time but it's a challenge