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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 doing
This 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.
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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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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.
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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.
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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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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 :)
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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.
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.
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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 :)
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!
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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!
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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 ;)
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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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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
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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?
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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.
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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!!
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Hey!! Guess who is a keen bean to follow along your journey?? Me! This journal sounds like it is going to be amazing!!
What are your passions, dreams and future aspirations? How do you think you have kept a clear, level head (because I haven’t haha) throughout this tumultuous journey? And what strategies have you used to study for sacs in advance?
I also love the writing subjects better, and that’s where I always thrived as well, because you have more freedom and opportunities to showcase your ideas and views, and show who you are. But yes, I totally resonate with the ‘breath of fresh air’ feeling since the variety of subjects helps make learning more enjoyable and less tedious, and yes, my poor hand after writing so much!
And I am a huge reader, or was, until VCE hit. I haven’t read an actual book in what feels like forever. I think you would have flourished in Lit but it’s okay! You can pick it up later on!
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.
OH MY GOSH YESSSSSS!!!!! THOSE BOOKS WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE MY NUMBER ONE. So thrilled that you and Owlbird love them too! What are your historical fiction recommendations?? I loved The Book Thief too! I’ll never forget that book. I cannot wait to start reading again as well, it’s honestly so sad never being able to read. I used to read a so many of books in a ridiculous amount of time.
Take care and really excited for more x
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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.
OH MY GOSH YESSSSSS!!!!! THOSE BOOKS WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE MY NUMBER ONE. So thrilled that you and Owlbird love them too! What are your historical fiction recommendations?? I loved The Book Thief too! I’ll never forget that book. I cannot wait to start reading again as well, it’s honestly so sad never being able to read. I used to read a so many of books in a ridiculous amount of time.
The Book Thief is SO GOOD! Do you like dystopian fiction or fantasy?
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The Book Thief is SO GOOD! Do you like dystopian fiction or fantasy?
Oh my goodness! I LOVE THE BOOK THEIF and dystopian fiction in general!! Can't wait to hear your answer to this smallbean. ;D
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Oh my goodness! I LOVE THE BOOK THEIF and dystopian fiction in general!! Can't wait to hear your answer to this smallbean. ;D
have you guys read the shatter me series? How about Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses (acotar technically isn't dystopian but it's still AMAZINGGGGG)
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Hi smallbean! I really like your journal and I too am a keen bean to join you on your journey ;D
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Hey!! Guess who is a keen bean to follow along your journey?? Me! This journal sounds like it is going to be amazing!!
What are your passions, dreams and future aspirations? How do you think you have kept a clear, level head (because I haven’t haha) throughout this tumultuous journey? And what strategies have you used to study for sacs in advance?
I also love the writing subjects better, and that’s where I always thrived as well, because you have more freedom and opportunities to showcase your ideas and views, and show who you are. But yes, I totally resonate with the ‘breath of fresh air’ feeling since the variety of subjects helps make learning more enjoyable and less tedious, and yes, my poor hand after writing so much!
And I am a huge reader, or was, until VCE hit. I haven’t read an actual book in what feels like forever. I think you would have flourished in Lit but it’s okay! You can pick it up later on!
OH MY GOSH YESSSSSS!!!!! THOSE BOOKS WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE MY NUMBER ONE. So thrilled that you and Owlbird love them too! What are your historical fiction recommendations?? I loved The Book Thief too! I’ll never forget that book. I cannot wait to start reading again as well, it’s honestly so sad never being able to read. I used to read a so many of books in a ridiculous amount of time.
Take care and really excited for more x
Hi Mango!
I'm so happy that you've come along for the journey. :) I've been a fan of your journal entries ever since you've started writing them.
In terms of passions, dreams and future aspirations, I am very passionate about helping other people and dream of a career where I will be able to make a positive difference to this world. I can only dream of a career in Medicine and becoming a doctor, as the requirements are sky high. Music is also one of my passions, as I'm frequently involved in my school bands and love the freedom of expression that performing offers. However, I don't think I would pursue music as a career as it's more of a hobby to me.
I think I've kept a clear, level head throughout this journey through trying to find confidence in myself. If I have studied for an assessment, I instantly feel more confident. (Postive self-talk helps a lot for confidence, as sometimes I'll repeatedly mutter encouragement to myself in my head before a SAC until I actually believe what I'm saying).
I also try and avoid those people that panic before a SAC and talk about how screwed they are because frankly, there's always going to be that one person that triggers a host of nerves just by stressing everyone else out. Those people are simply not worth my time before an assessment and nothing should deter me from doing my best. It's so so important to also focus on your physical and mental health. In fact, I always take some time to de-stress by either taking or walk or going for a run whenever I feel like the pressure is mounting. If exercise isn't your thing, I'd recommend doing some light stretching or simply watching some youtube videos that will put a smile on your face.
In terms of studying for SACs in advance, I keep a diary in which I jot down whenever I have an assessment. I try and study at least a week before a SAC so that the information sinks in and I feel comfortable with the content. This is especially the case for the content-heaving subjects I'm doing. Sometimes procrastination comes and rears its ugly head, but I just remind myself why I study in the first place and the hope of that 90+ ATAR that I cling to for dear life haha. I also like to visualise how happy I'll be before the SAC if I know that I've been well-prepared. Also, Studytubers like Unjaded Jade and Ruby Granger also are a gift to this world because they put me in the mood for studying and I just admire how amazing their work ethic is.
I can totally relate to the struggles of being a reader but literally having NO TIME to read because Year 12 is literally taking up all of my time. I'M SO GLAD YOU ALSO LOVE THOSE BOOKS TOO!! A FELLOW MUNDANE FANGIRL!! Cassandra Clare's books literally made me cry like a baby because I fell in love with the characters and got so invested haha. My historical fiction recommendation in 'The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue', it's one of those books that makes you feel all warm and fluffy inside and also addresses a lot of important issues such as racism etc...
Good luck with your studies, and you'll be hearing from me soon! xx
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The Book Thief is SO GOOD! Do you like dystopian fiction or fantasy?
Hey homeworkisapotato (I love your username btw)
I KNOW RIGHT!! It was one of those books that just hit me like a tonne of bricks on some many levels and still manages to stick with me even after so many years of reading it. I LOVE dystopian fiction (Divergent, Hunger Games etc) and live for fantasy as well. A Sarah J. Maas 'A court of thorns and roses' fangirl right here. ;D
The 'Shatter Me' series seems so good and I've always wanted to read it.
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Hey homeworkisapotato (I love your username btw)
I KNOW RIGHT!! It was one of those books that just hit me like a tonne of bricks on some many levels and still manages to stick with me even after so many years of reading it. I LOVE dystopian fiction (Divergent, Hunger Games etc) and live for fantasy as well. A Sarah J. Maas 'A court of thorns and roses' fangirl right here. ;D
The 'Shatter Me' series seems so good and I've always wanted to read it.
ahaha thank you! I also really like the acotar series... the second half of acomaf and first half of acowar is probably my favourite part of the series. Shatter me is sooo good but the final book is coming out next year which is irritating. I've just started reading Cruel Prince by Holly Black and so far it's been pretty good. Have you read it?
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ahaha thank you! I also really like the acotar series... the second half of acomaf and first half of acowar is probably my favourite part of the series. Shatter me is sooo good but the final book is coming out next year which is irritating. I've just started reading Cruel Prince by Holly Black and so far it's been pretty good. Have you read it?
I love the acotar series too! It's one that I've finished reading and acomaf was my favourite. I haven't read Cruel Prince yet, but I'll definitely add it to my list of books to read after I finish my exams at the end of the year.
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24 June 2019
Hey guys!
First and foremost, I’d like to say thank you so much to all those that took the precious time out of their day to reply to my first post. I hope everyone had a lovely weekend.
When I wrote my first journal entry, little did I know that I’d have so many keen beans joining me on this journey for the next few months. Get ready, because we are truly in for a wild ride.
Today I thought that I’d give a little run down of the events earlier this year that have lead to where I am now in order to follow on from my introduction in the first journal entry. Let’s take a quick glance at my experience thus far in Year 12:
Term 1:
I went into this term determined to overcome the myriad of challenges that I would be faced with throughout the year. Deep down my feelings of confidence were inextricably laced with feelings of fear, fear of failure and a fear of letting down those around me. It is one thing to have a goal of a high ATAR, but another challenge entirely to achieve a number that I’ve envisioned so visibly in my mind whenever things get tough.
The SACs came at me full speed as soon as the year started. I remember trying to stay calm when my teachers announced my SAC dates and I found out that I had three SACs in the span of two days, whilst those around me weren’t as fazed due to having their SACs evenly spaced out. (Yay, the perks of sticking out like a sore thumb by doing both the humanities and a two STEM subjects that often clash in terms of assessments).
Miraculously, I managed to survive this term and emerged unscathed and somehow also found the opportunity amidst my hectic schedule to turn up to band rehearsals in between. Running on 6 hours a sleep some days was perhaps one of the biggest setbacks though, as I often found my eyes feeling heavy and almost gave into the sweet, sweet temptation of sleep even when the teacher was teaching us something that I would definitely regret not listening to. If only we could have ‘nap time’ in year twelve like we did in kindergarten.
The main highlight of this first term:
-Formal. It was worth all the hype in the lead up, as I had an amazing night filled with laughter, dancing and smiling until my face felt sore. (It still hurt to smile for several days after lol). Looking back, the memories that I made with friends that night will stay with me for years to come. Formal will definitely be in my list of things that I’ll miss the most about school.
Term 2:
I remember feelings very underprepared for the onslaught of SACs that would ensue. One of my teachers even warned me that Term 2 was apparently the most stressful terms of the year in terms of the rising workload. However, I found that Term 2 was better than Term 1 in that the mere word ‘SAC’ did not elicit fear within me, but rather an urge to commit to studying and get organised as soon as possible. Having two assessments in a day the previous term definitely prepared me in terms of what to expect and how to prepare. (Thank god I narrowly missed having 3 SACs in one day).
I was even able to loosen up a little and went to a couple of my friends’ 18th birthday parties which taught me the importance of balance. I think sometimes it’s so easy to forget to take time to have moments of enjoyment and fun with the people that you care about, especially when the end goal of the ATAR starts to cloud every aspect of your vision. I’ll only ever get one final year of school and I know that it’ll be a lot harder to keep in contact with my friends and classmates once school ends. I really should make the most of the connections that I still have.
This term, I found that my motivating was dimming. I found myself becoming overwhelmed with floods of doubt that did not seem to ease. Doubt about whether I would even get into my desired courses and about letting my parents down when all they’ve given me is endless support and words of encouragement.
As an introvert, I tend to bottle my feelings up and have an extremely hard time opening up to anyone. Waves of procrastination would come and go, and I felt myself unrelentingly becoming mad at myself whenever I didn’t complete the tasks that I had set out to do. I hardly ever talk to anyone about how I feel on the inside, to the point that it’s almost becoming detrimental.
Term 2 has come to an end, and I will use these next few weeks of school holidays to try and gain back traction and to also lay out a solid framework for the next term, the last full term before a graduate. Hopefully my motivation will rekindle itself when I need it the most.
Side Note: The UCAT is also fast approaching, in less than a few weeks. I really need to get my act together and do more preparation because at this rate, I don’t think I will do well at all because I’ve barely scratched the surface.
Now for the main highlight of Term 2:
-Sitting the GAT. (I know this seems like the opposite of a highlight haha, but hear me out). Now I was one of those people that did not bring a dictionary, and went into the GAT feeling confident that I would know all the necessary vocabulary. Then I was instantly hit in the face with the word ‘jocularity’ and other words for which I did not even have a clue what they even meant.
It was actually quite amusing, because I remember telling one of my friends literally two second before walking into the examination room that I did not need a dictionary at all.
For some reason, I really enjoyed doing the GAT the writing tasks,as this year’s ones were SO much better than last year’s one. It also helps that I enjoy writing. Also, the memes that emerged made every single second the three hours of my life that I’ll never get back worth it. The reason why the GAT was a highlight for me was because it was an event that everyone sitting a 3/4 subject had to endure, but all somehow turned it into a positive event with all the hilarious GAT memes and jokes that gave me probably one of the best laughs that I’ve had in years. The thought that I never have to do some of the unnecessarily difficult questions in the GAT again also makes me feel very joyous.
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Wow, that was a very long journal post haha. It’s just so hard to sum everything up that has happened to me so far this year in a few paragraphs. I could literally write a novel about my first semester.
I also want to have this journal to reflect on and reminisce after Year 12 and will try and update it as frequently as possible.
Well that’s it for now. I really hope that I can stop procrastinating and will try and have a productive week.
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24 June 2019
This term, I found that my motivating was dimming. I found myself becoming overwhelmed with floods of doubt that did not seem to ease. Doubt about whether I would even get into my desired courses and about letting my parents down when all they’ve given me is endless support and words of encouragement.
Hey smallbean! It's nice to see that you are having fun while still studying. Whenever I scroll through journal entries and posts and stuff, a common trend I notice is that people tend to lose motivation in Term 2. This is completely normal and you're not the only one. Self-doubts and fear of letting others down through personal failures are something I go through too even though I'm only in Year 10. I think remembering your end goal and maybe taking a break if you are having a burnout is a good way of recovering your motivation. As for the letting your parents down, I'm sure your parents will be proud of you regardless of your ATAR as long as they know you are putting in all of your effort in your work. Don't give up and keep punching your way through Year 12, but don't be afraid of taking a breather from studies if you have to! You have a lot in life waiting for you! We all like happy beans, not shrivelled beans so be confident in yourself and proud ;)
"Believe in your infinite potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself. Believe in yourself, your abilities and your potential. Never let self-doubt hold you captive. You are worthy of all you dream of and hope for."
- Roy T. Bennett, The Light In The Heart
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Hey smallbean! It's nice to see that you are having fun while still studying. Whenever I scroll through journal entries and posts and stuff, a common trend I notice is that people tend to lose motivation in Term 2. This is completely normal and you're not the only one. Self-doubts and fear of letting others down through personal failures are something I go through too even though I'm only in Year 10. I think remembering your end goal and maybe taking a break if you are having a burnout is a good way of recovering your motivation. As for the letting your parents down, I'm sure your parents will be proud of you regardless of your ATAR as long as they know you are putting in all of your effort in your work. Don't give up and keep punching your way through Year 12, but don't be afraid of taking a breather from studies if you have to! You have a lot in life waiting for you! We all like happy beans, not shrivelled beans so be confident in yourself and proud ;)
"Believe in your infinite potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself. Believe in yourself, your abilities and your potential. Never let self-doubt hold you captive. You are worthy of all you dream of and hope for."
- Roy T. Bennett, The Light In The Heart
Hey homeworkisapotato!
Thank you so much for your kind words and reassurance. I totally agree with you, as Term 2 is where everything hits us students like a ton of bricks and it's so so important to just take a breather in order to avoid burnout. I'll keep persevering through the rest of the year (through the tumultuous next four months) and try my best to find intrinsic motivations that do not simply stem from the expectations of those around me.
I'll hopefully finish this year as a happy bean if I just simply believe in my own abilities and potential. I love the quote you found as it speaks to me on so many levels.
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...as Term 2 is where everything hits us students like a ton of bricks and it's so so important to just take a breather in order to avoid burnout. I'll keep persevering through the rest of the year (through the tumultuous next four months) and try my best to find intrinsic motivations that do not simply stem from the expectations of those around me.
Wise words! Wishing you the best of luck along your final stretch of school in finding that intrinsic motivation.
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Also, Studytubers like Unjaded Jade and Ruby Granger also are a gift to this world because they put me in the mood for studying and I just admire how amazing their work ethic is.
I thought I was the only one from Australia to see their videos!
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As an introvert, I tend to bottle my feelings up and have an extremely hard time opening up to anyone. Waves of procrastination would come and go, and I felt myself unrelentingly becoming mad at myself whenever I didn’t complete the tasks that I had set out to do. I hardly ever talk to anyone about how I feel on the inside, to the point that it’s almost becoming detrimental.
As someone who score 96% introverted on the 16personalities test, I totally feel you.
It's so hard to become self-reliant even with exams looming closer and closer but I think sometimes it's necessary to push ourselves out there and talk to others so that they can keep us accountable when we can't. It's scary, definitely, but I think the benefits in the long run far outweighs how intimidating opening up to others is. It's something I've been forcing myself to work on for ages, and I've noticed that once you take the first step things become a lot easier! Don't be afraid to talk to others, though I can totally understand how scary it may seem.
Also, revs and legal seem like fun subjects! Humanities subjects are underrated but they're the best. ;D
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I thought I was the only one from Australia to see their videos!
Me too! I recently found out that some of my classmates are fans of them too. It's so interesting to see how similar the UK education system is to our own VCE system.
As someone who score 96% introverted on the 16personalities test, I totally feel you.
It's so hard to become self-reliant even with exams looming closer and closer but I think sometimes it's necessary to push ourselves out there and talk to others so that they can keep us accountable when we can't. It's scary, definitely, but I think the benefits in the long run far outweighs how intimidating opening up to others is. It's something I've been forcing myself to work on for ages, and I've noticed that once you take the first step things become a lot easier! Don't be afraid to talk to others, though I can totally understand how scary it may seem.
Also, revs and legal seem like fun subjects! Humanities subjects are underrated but they're the best. ;D
I think that opening up to others is perhaps one of the greatest challenges for introverts, but one of the best feelings is to have someone to share our thoughts and concerns with during times of trouble. Thank you so so much for your advice and words of encouragement. I'll definitely take it on board, no matter how scary it seems at first. Revs and Legal are both amazing subjects that I consider 'fun subjects' amongst rigid subjects like Methods and Chem (although STEM subjects will always have a special place in my heart haha). Humanities subjects are definitely the most underrated, especially at my school. They deserve way more recognition I reckon. ;D
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1 July 2019
Hey everyone,
I can't believe that it's already July, with the dreaded exams being closer than they appear.
Spoiler
My Exam Timetable
30th October: English
6th November: Methods Exam 1 (morning) & History Revolutions (afternoon)
7th November: Methods Exam 2
12th November: Chemistry (morning) and Legal Studies (afternoon)
Last week was my first week of the school holidays, a (partially) productive one. I've been trying to finish off my holiday homework by the second week of the holidays so that I can use the third week to dedicate wholly to revising for SACs and Unit 3 practice exams. My UCAT is coming up in 8 days and this is probably the most underprepared I've ever felt for something as important as this. I've completed a few practise exams, with no improvement whatsoever.
My 'school holiday' day in the life routine has been looking like this:
-Wake up early (around 8-9am)
-Make breakfast
-Work out (going for a run or cycling uphill)
-Library for most of the day
-Travelling home and doing UCAT preparation
-Sleeping earlier than I'll usually sleep on a school day
As a morning person, I've found this routine to be the most beneficial. I'm not really one to sleep in, as it makes me feel unproductive due to most of my 'working' hours in the morning having already passed. It's almost been impossible for me to get work done at home, especially with the distractions of noise and the tempting allure of my warm bed that just happens to be right next to my study desk. Going to the library has been a tremendous help for me in terms of getting work done, as seeing others hustling makes me want to complete as much work as I can before I have to travel home (the free wifi at the library is also a huge bonus haha).
For English, I've written my oral speech, with my Oral SAC being on the first week of Term 3. It really didn't take me long to write, as it's a topic that I'm rather passionate about and is also quite interesting.
For Chemistry, I had a little 'oh crap' moment at the beginning of last week when I 'attempted' (key word) to complete a Unit 3 practise exam and realised to no avail that I had forgotten most of the content covered way back in Term 1. It's time to get stuck into some revision!
On the weekend, I went to two 8-hour Chemistry lectures for Unit 3 and Unit 4. Although they were somewhat draining in that I had to pay attention for the full eight hours to the same subject being covered, the presenters were amazing and so full of energy. I immensely enjoyed the lectures as they were a massive help.
Last week's productivity rating: 7/10
My teachers have warned that Term 3 will be rather hectic in the rush to finish all of the content before SWOTVAC in Term 4, so I'll try and give myself the upper-hand by being well-prepared for the storm of SACs that are to come at me.
Hopefully, this week will be more a productive one! :)
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Hey! It's great to see you so motivated and productive... good luck for the exam preparations!
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Looks like a good routine you have at the moment!
Do you find exercising earlyish in the day gives you better focus later on?
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Looks like a good routine you have at the moment!
Do you find exercising earlyish in the day gives you better focus later on?
Hey Joseph! :)
I find that exercising early to be one of the factors that really help me to have a productive day. Something as simple as going for a walk can do wonders to my mindset, especially during stressful times of the year where the pressure just gets too heavy and I need a little escape. Breathing fresh air and just being content amidst nature keeps me grounded and also clears up my mind so that I can complete the tasks I set myself after feeling refreshed.
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Hey Joseph! :)
I find that exercising early to be one of the factors that really help me to have a productive day. Something as simple as going for a walk can do wonders to my mindset, especially during stressful times of the year where the pressure just gets too heavy and I need a little escape. Breathing fresh air and just being content amidst nature keeps me grounded and also clears up my mind so that I can complete the tasks I set myself after feeling refreshed.
Everyone needs some Zen
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Hey Joseph! :)
I find that exercising early to be one of the factors that really help me to have a productive day. Something as simple as going for a walk can do wonders to my mindset, especially during stressful times of the year where the pressure just gets too heavy and I need a little escape. Breathing fresh air and just being content amidst nature keeps me grounded and also clears up my mind so that I can complete the tasks I set myself after feeling refreshed.
Love a good walk to clear the head! Do you have a favourite spot to go?
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Everyone needs some Zen
Haha yes, agreed! ;D
Love a good walk to clear the head! Do you have a favourite spot to go?
Walks definitely do wonders! My favourite spot to go would be around the neighbourhood or to the local park. As someone who has always yearned to have a puppy, my mouth always seems to curl up into a smile whenever dogs in the park walk past or run up to greet me.
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As someone who has always yearned to have a puppy, my mouth always seems to curl up into a smile whenever dogs in the park walk past or run up to greet me.
Absolutely feel your pain!
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14 July 2019
“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.”
Walter Elliot
The fleetingly blissful weeks of the holidays flew past like a breeze, leaving me bracing for the term ahead that is, unfortunately, starting this week. As if almost foreshadowing the short semester to come, the weather has been dreary with rain almost every day.
With three SACs in the span of four days this week, I’m really starting to feel the monsoon of pressure to quickly wrap up my revision before I head back to the classroom for the last home stretch of the year. I’ve ticked off most of the tasks that I hoped to complete during the holidays off of my checklist such as textbook questions and memorising my oral presentation, but feel as though I’ve wasted a few days of the holidays by not being as productive as I should have. I guess that a few lazy days will ensure that I won't burn out anytime soon though. :)
After receiving my result for my last Chemistry SAC, which was an experimental poster, I felt a tinge of relief. It was the highest SAC score that I've gotten so far this year, although posters don't really count for the end-of year exam haha. It seems as though my chemistry score isn't looking too doomed after all, which makes me feel a lot better about myself.
On a slightly frantic note, I’ve come to the realisation that the English Exam is in a little over three months, which means that I’d better get cracking in terms of exam preparation throughout this term. The end of the year is really approaching faster than I can comprehend. English is the subject that I hope to do well in, as my English teacher told me at the start of the year that she had high expectations for me (which is comforting I know, but now it’s slightly stressing me out because I really don’t want to disappoint her).
I’d have to admit that technology is really making the academic world a greater challenge for our current generation. It’s just so easy for us to check social media platforms or to click on a youtube video and to get lost in a rabbit hole of procrastination as a couple of hours tick by, with no work being done. In Term 3, I hope to banish these negative habits which will, in turn, improve my quality of sleep (I ‘aim’ for at least 7 hours of sleep a night, but it’s increasingly becoming more difficult as the year progresses).
My careers counsellor has even sent us a reminder that we should start thinking about university preferences that will be due soon. I’ve written down a rough draft of the courses that I hope to be accepted into, with some being a bit of a stretch because, at this point, I'm starting to seriously doubt myself and my abilities to get a high enough ATAR.
Thank you guys for always being there as support, I appreciate each and every one of you <3
Productivity rating: 6/10
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heyyy it's nice to hear that about your results with chem! If you can't control yourself from procrastinating at all like me then maybe blocking some websites on your computer for specific times can work! Keep pushing through you're doing really well ;D
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20th July 2019
“We won’t be distracted by comparison if we are captivated with purpose.”
Bob Goff
News Update:
Had to reschedule my UCAT exam for next Friday. In terms of preparation, I’ve done very minimal practise (instead, I’ve been focusing on the mountain of homework that I have). The sheer lack of effort that I’ve put into this test will probably come back to bite me on the day though.
Starting Term 3
Waving school holidays goodbye, I went back to school, determined to make this last full Term count. It was quite a hectic four days, as I was first greeted with a big scary Unit 3 Chemistry exam that was being used to rank our cohort, followed by two sacs back-to-back on Friday. Despite this, I was really glad to see my classmates and to spend time at school with friends, familiar faces that I know that I won’t be able to see everyday in just a few months time. It was nice to fall back into routine again just like clockwork, as the tight schedule of school days mean that I am kind of forced to be more productive after school to finish everything on time. My teachers have also started to hammer into everyone the warning that exams are nearing and the fact that it’s now basically “crunch time”.
English: It was time for the Oral Presentation SAC. Now public speaking really isn't my forte, but after doing a LOTE Oral Exam last year, doing an oral in English seemed to be much less fear-inducing. I think that my speech went alright as I only stumbled over a few words and maintained regular eye contact with the audience (hopefully without freaking the teachers out because I kept staring at them haha). Most of the time my classmates were staring at the pictures on my powerpoint, diverting their eyes from me speaking, which was somewhat a bit of a relief because it made me feel less intimidated, being the natural introvert that I am. Fingers crossed that I did well on this SAC.
Chem: The Unit 3 exam in the first lesson back went way worse than expected. I'd spent a lot of time revising in the holidays in the hope that I could somehow use this to pull my ranking up and even walked in feeling confident (which hardly ever happens in chem). My heart sank deeper and deeper as I pushed through the exam because I just simply couldn't answer all the questions due to a lack of time. I'm really not looking forward to getting it back and seeing how badly I went.
On a brighter note, we've started Unit 4 in class. Naming organic compounds is both hard and easy at the same time. I wouldn’t call myself naturally good at spatial awareness which has made this quite a struggle, but organic chem was definitely my favourite topic in Units 1/2 so hopefully, I’ll get my head around it before the next SAC.
History: We're well into Unit 4 now. I'm really enjoying history at the moment, as my teacher puts in a lot of effort to make lessons engaging. He even made us write a rap about a particular event which definitely helped me to remember the heavy content.
Legal: Had a Legal SAC which (hopefully) went well. It felt really pressed for time, as I just managed to finish by the time pens were meant to be down. I was glad that I was able to answer all the questions fully though, a big improvement from Term 1 when I left a whole 10 mark question blank in a SAC due to poor time management. :P
Methods: We've started differentiation and anti-differentiation which are both pretty straightforward topics. I will try and dedicate more time to doing more practise questions, as Methods was greatly neglected this week due to studying for my other subjects.
Productivity rating: 8/10
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heyyy it's nice to hear that about your results with chem! If you can't control yourself from procrastinating at all like me then maybe blocking some websites on your computer for specific times can work! Keep pushing through you're doing really well ;D
Hey homeworkisapotato!
Thank you so much for your kind words and helpful advice! I've found an app that I downloaded on my phone which tracks how much time I spend studying and doing work, whilst also stopping me from using other apps such as social media. This has helped me immensely, as I found that I was a lot more productive this week as a result.
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What app is it, if I can ask? Would be helpful for me too ;D ;D ;D
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What app is it, if I can ask? Would be helpful for me too ;D ;D ;D
I'm not smallbean but it sounds like Forest. I've got it and it's pretty good. Only bad thing is that you can't pause a timer.
Hey guys,
The app is called Flipd and it's pretty good because it's free and sends you notifications once you have completed a set time of study! I've also heard of Forest before and have it downloaded on my laptop but don't have it on my phone. :)
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28th July 2019
“Forgive yourself for your faults and mistakes and move on.”
Les Brown
Last week was full of ups-and-downs.
Fortunately, it was a week free from Sacs and started off with a Legal excursion for a full day. Our Legal Class got to visit courts in the city and sat in on a pleading in regards to a murder, which was quite confronting as we saw the accused in person as he walked to his seating position with police officers trailing behind him. A highlight of the excursion was also meeting a judge and being able to interview him to get an insight into what his daily life was like in such a highly regarded occupation. Although I’d never want to be a lawyer (because I’ve barely ever won an argument), being able to see content that we’d been ROTE learning from a textbook simply come to action in the real world was definitely a very valuable experience.
News Update
On Friday, I sat the much dreaded UCAT. It’d almost felt like an interrogation at first because as soon as I went into the testing centre, they gave me a pat-down to make sure I wasn’t carrying anything suspicious with me. When I went into the testing room, it was dead silent with computers next to each other and others had already started the exam. Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself that this wasn’t the be-all and end-all, and that doing my best was all that mattered.
During the exam, I struggled quite a bit with timing and even had to guess some questions but it was due to a lack of timed practise. After the exam was completed, I felt a sense of relief as it’d been lingering in the back of my mind for so long and it felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. Now it was time to find out how I went.
UCAT Results (warning, disappointment ahead)
I’d been told that I would receive my UCAT results half an hour after taking the exam. I had to wait until I got home to check it as for some reason the website wasn’t working on my phone. I took a deep breath upon seeing the email and shakingly logged in, telling myself that there were other universities that didn’t require a UCAT score for Medicine.
A score of less than 2500 appeared on the screen. My stomach dropped. I didn’t know how to break it to my parents that Monash Med was out of the picture, that I had no chance of applying to universities that would use my UCAT score as an indicator of my abilities. Mustering up the courage, I first told my dad, who was never intent on me getting into Medicine anyway. He just gave me a sympathetic look and told me that Commerce would always be my back-up option. I then told my Mum. She wasn’t sure what to make of my results, as percentiles hadn’t been confirmed yet and reassured me that I could apply to James Cook or other courses instead. I was almost 100% certain that whatever percentile my score was, wasn’t enough to get into Med as some friends had got scores close to 3000. A wave of disappointment washed over me.
Part of me wants to do Commerce or Computer Science, whilst another part of me can picture myself doing Medicine. I don’t just want to be a doctor because of the money or status, but because I want to help patients and make a positive difference to this world. I’ve only got myself to blame for not trying harder to prepare for the UCAT. Perhaps some paths just aren't for me to tread on.
I’m not going to let this discourage me from doing my best in Year 12.
Productivity rating: 7/10
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It's not the end of the world, remember that.
It's great that you have a positive look at what being a doctor requires and needs, and not doing it for the money.
I wish you the best of luck :)
If you have any doubts/rants, please let me know. I'm a med student and have been in the same situation as you.
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Hi Smallbean
I too have received terrible UCAT scores so I completely understand how you are feeling right now. Even though there are people who received 3000+ there are plenty of others on the other end of the spectrum.
Keep smashing your VCE and consider applying interstate to universities that don't place much emphasis on the UCAT such as JCU.
Keep your head up and good luck with the final stretch of your journey.
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Med might be for you - I don't know. What I do know is that there are plenty of other ways of helping people & that you shouldn't be pushed into medicine on that basis. There's lots of pros & cons to med (the same being true of other courses too) and it seems like you haven't really decided if med is for you yet.
The pressure to do med can be strong and push you into convincing yourself you would like it so please triple check with yourself if this is really the pathway you want. If it is, you can certainly overcome your UCAT :)
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It's not the end of the world, remember that.
It's great that you have a positive look at what being a doctor requires and needs, and not doing it for the money.
I wish you the best of luck :)
If you have any doubts/rants, please let me know. I'm a med student and have been in the same situation as you.
Hi Smallbean
I too have received terrible UCAT scores so I completely understand how you are feeling right now. Even though there are people who received 3000+ there are plenty of others on the other end of the spectrum.
Keep smashing your VCE and consider applying interstate to universities that don't place much emphasis on the UCAT such as JCU.
Keep your head up and good luck with the final stretch of your journey.
Med might be for you - I don't know. What I do know is that there are plenty of other ways of helping people & that you shouldn't be pushed into medicine on that basis. There's lots of pros & cons to med (the same being true of other courses too) and it seems like you haven't really decided if med is for you yet.
The pressure to do med can be strong and push you into convincing yourself you would like it so please triple check with yourself if this is really the pathway you want. If it is, you can certainly overcome your UCAT :)
Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement as it means a lot to me. :)
I'll have a go at applying to JCU and other interstate universities just to give myself a chance to overcome such a terrible UCAT score. Medicine itself requires such a high ATAR regardless of the UCAT score so I should keep on hustling no matter what happens.
At the end of the day, Medicine just may not be for me and I will have to learn to accept that sooner or later. There are plenty of other uni courses that hold my interest and I will always find a backup option.
In the meantime, I'll keep my head up (I can't believe there are only three months till exams begin) and try my best to not let this discourage me from aiming to do my best.
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Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement as it means a lot to me. :)
I'll have a go at applying to JCU and other interstate universities just to give myself a chance to overcome such a terrible UCAT score. Medicine itself requires such a high ATAR regardless of the UCAT score so I should keep on hustling no matter what happens.
At the end of the day, Medicine just may not be for me and I will have to learn to accept that sooner or later. There are plenty of other uni courses that hold my interest and I will always find a backup option.
In the meantime, I'll keep my head up (I can't believe there are only three months till exams begin) and try my best to not let this discourage me from aiming to do my best.
What a fantastic attitude! Wishing you all the best. ;D
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3 August 2019
I can't believe it's August already! This week one of my classmates reminded me that we have less than 100 days until the English exam. yikes
General:
At the beginning of this week, I was hit with the flu. :P Suddenly, studying for my upcoming Methods and Revs SACs became 10 times harder whilst fighting an illness amidst a throbbing headache. I took a day off school to recover which worked wonders as my sore throat disappeared and I instantly found that retaining information wasn't as much of a challenge anymore.
I also had parent teacher interviews this week which went pretty well. I found out from my English teacher that she has faith in me to do well as I have a good ranking in my cohort which takes a huge weight off of my shoulders already. It had hit me that this was the last parent teacher interview that I would ever had to sit through ever. Time to breathe a sigh of relief!
Subject updates:
English: My most chill class at the moment. English is the one class that we don't have a mountain of homework to complete for as we have just started the comparative. I also received my English Oral SAC and Text Response SAC back, both of which I was really happy with as I'd been convinced that I hadn't answered the text response question completely in my essay.
Methods: Due to my illness, I had to reschedule my integration SAC (which was split into two lessons) to do at the end of this week. I found the first few questions of both parts suspiciously easy, until I got to the end and was instantly hit with a 16 mark question which I had no idea how to answer. My barely legible scribbles may have gotten me some sympathy marks, but hmmm we can't be too sure about that. Fingers crossed that I can get at least a B for this SAC.
Legal: Got my Legal SAC back for which I received an A+ for. I was really surprised, as I'd stayed up late the night before cramming all of the extra case studies that we had to know. The constitutional law unit that the SAC was on was also quite challenging and I'd been expecting lower grades due to the level of difficulty. I'm so glad that all my work during the holidays paid off. :)
Chemistry: We've started Chromatography which is definitely one of my most favourite units as it carries over from Year 11. My teacher skimmed over Organic Pathways which is super crucial for the exam and left our class to teach ourselves this unit, to our dismay. I'm starting to feel like a dog holding its own leash in chemistry.
Revolutions: The Chinese revolution is by far one of my most favourite periods of human history to study. I have my essay SAC in two days time which I feel quite underprepared for due to forgetting most of the content that I'd memorised while I was sick. My only option now is to cram as many dates and statistics into my head that I can hopefully use in my essay.
Uni preferences also open next week! I've written down a meagre outline of the courses that I am considering, with Commerce being one of my top preferences. I'm still not sure whether to put Medicine at Monash as my first preference as I know that the UCAT score is weighted quite importantly. I don't think I'll stand a chance at getting into Medicine in Victoria, but I might apply interstate because I don't have anything to lose.
Productivity rating: 6/10
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Sounds like you are doing very well. Congratulations! If you want to get into Med at Monash, why not put if first? (Even if you don't think you will get in.) What have you got to lose?
Best of luck!
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8 September 2019
Hey everyone! I haven't been on here in over a month and it feels so good to be back. With less than 25 school days left, it's officially SAC season as I have four SACs in the next two weeks. A VCE Student's worst enemy is definitely time, which is something that is quickly dwindling away from me. It's crazy that we're at the home stretch now with the short countdown until the start of exams.
General:
I've decided on my VTAC preferences after much pondering and am quite satisfied with how they are right now. In terms of applying for Medicine, I've had a chat with my careers counsellor about my UMAT score and have decided to still try for Monash Med as I really have nothing to lose. I can't wait to finish school and to finally see the light at the end of the never-ending tunnel.
Spoiler
My VTAC Preferences:
1. Medicine-Monash
2. Commerce-Melbourne
3. Commerce-Monash
4. Science-Melbourne
5. Computer Science-Monash
6. Science-Monash
7. Commerce-Deakin
8. Arts-Melbourne
Subject updates:
English:
With a comparative SAC (my last SAC) in a week and a half, I feel semi-prepared as I've written a few drafts and will hopefully be ready by the end of this week.
Methods:
This week I received my Calculus SAC and was more than surprised to see that I'd gotten an A, as Methods has always been one of my weakest subjects. The mark gave me the spark of motivation that I needed to work even harder in the coming weeks.
Legal:
I had a Legal SAC tomorrow and on Tuesday (the first worth half of Unit 4 and the next worth only 10 marks). I'm feeling fairly confident in this subject as the case studies are super interesting. The biggest challenge for me is to memorise the sheer amount of laws and dates.
History:
My teacher's absences have meant that our class is slightly behind, but I'm feeling okay for our coming source analysis SAC due to doing a practice SAC at least once a week. At the moment we are doing China, which is definitely my favourite country to study in Revs.
Chemistry:
Honestly, I have no idea what has gotten into my Chem teacher. She seems to have given up on our class and has left us to fend for ourselves in terms of the food chemistry unit by not teaching us in class. Our class has continually dreaded going to Chemistry class as she will get us to read out our answers to questions and criticise what we've written for everyone to hear. It's almost comforting to know that there are only a few weeks left before I never have to see her ever again. :-\
General Productivity rating: 6/10
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28 September 2019
Hey guys,
Long-time no see!
Now that I'm on the term 3 holidays, exams are just around the corner. I've successfully managed to survive all of my SACs this year and finished off my English Comparative SAC and last week. I only have one SAC left, which is the Probability SAC for Methods. Yay! It's crazy to think that now the only thing left to determine my study scores left for most of my subjects are the exams.
Life Update
Your girl has finally submitted her VTAC preferences!
On another note, I've got trials next week which I am pretty nervous for, as I feel quite underprepared especially for Methods and Chemistry.
This week I had a lot of lectures at school and even went to a TSFX lecture for Legal which was really helpful but a lot of my time for studying was taken away by travelling to and from the school. Procrastination has decided to hit me like a ton of bricks during the worst time of the year. I haven't been at my upmost in terms of productivity this week and have barely finished any practice exams. I've recently gotten into the group BTS and have fallen into a rabbit hole of watching their videos instead of studying. If you're a fellow Army, feel free to message me ;)
If anyone has any advice on how to avoid procrastination, it would be very much appreciated! Hopefully, this next week of trial exams will be a more productive one!
Productivity rating: 5/10
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How have you been, smallbean?
Hey Snow Leopard, thank you for reminding me to update this journal as I've taken a hiatus due to exams. I've been pretty stressed these past couple of weeks, but made it through exam season. The light at the end of the tunnel has finally been reached.
12 November 2019
A few hours ago, I walked out of my last exam. Some of my friends who haven't finished exams yet have been asking me how it feels, and honestly it feels surreal. I almost immediately started opening my books and started studying as soon as I got home before realising that I have nothing left to study. ;D
I'll give a quick run-down on how each of my exams went. Buckle up, because this is going to be a long one haha
English:
I'm quite disappointed with my performance in English. My teacher had told me that I was Rank 1 in my cohort and I'd genuinely believed that I could score over 45 with all the hard work I put in. Even though the Argument Analysis was quite bland and easy and Section A was the exact same topic as one that I'd done a few days before, the Comparative lead to my demise. I just had a complete mind blank when I saw both topics for Section B, one we had never touched in class and the other for which I barely had any quotes for. I scribbled a meagre essay that was definitely lower in standard than my comparative SAC. On the bright side, walking out of the English exam was like coming out unscathed from an obstacle course. Here's to 3 hours of my life that I won't get back.
Methods:
I'd done decently in my Methods SACs this year, but Exam 2 will definitely be dragging down my study score. Exam 1 actually went quite well, as I managed to solve every single problem (don't know how much I got right though) with a few hurdles here and there. Nothing about Exam 1 really surprised me though. Exam 2 should have been better because I had a calc and notes but I just didn't get any of the questions, save for a few of the multiple-choice. It was kind of funny that VCAA misprinted the last question, as the supervisor made us change the question from "horizontal" to "vertical" axis before reading time, giving me a sneaky peak at the questions. Changing the question was no help at all however, as I wouldn't have understood the question anyway. At this stage, I'm honestly hoping for a 25 that will get me into my desired Commerce course.
Revolutions:
To be honest, the questions on the Revs exam were quite straightforward and easier than the 2017 monstrosity of an exam. I'm not quite sure how to feel about History, but I feel as though I'll get in the low to mid-30s as I had a mind blank in the exam and couldn't remember any dates for the 20 mark essay which was on a topic I had done in one of my SACs. If only I'd revised that topic before the exam, I would have aced it. My short-term memory loss definitely cost me a lot of marks, but tearing off the pages of Revs notes and dates I had on my wall was the most satisfying feeling ever.
Chemistry:
Oh Chemistry, the cause of many tears in Year 11 but ended up being one of my most favourite subjects to study in Year 12. Trust me, Chemistry is worth keeping as a 3/4 subject as its quite interesting once you get past the basics. I finished the Chemistry exam this morning with only five seconds to spare to skim over my last answer. All in all, Chem wasn't as bad as I was expecting, just really really long. The multiple choice questions I surprisingly understood, but the short answer questions were quite difficult and I had to skip a few of them. I'm hoping for at least a 25+ in Chemistry, a 30 would be amazing.
Legal:
The Legal exam was absolute butchery. Legal was one of my favourite subjects this year, another in which I was Rank 1. This exam today was by far the most difficult in the last ten years and the long names on the case studies that we had to rewrite in our answers gave me a stroke every time haha. It was also very time-limited, and when the supervisor announced that there was only "5 minutes left", my heart literally jumped out of my chest because I still had a 6-marker left to do. I literally wrote the fastest I've ever written in the entire 17 years of my life, like it was almost as if steam was coming out of my ears. After finishing the exam, two of my classmates walked out in tears because the exam was just so much more difficult than we'd expected. People who would have memorised the content instead of understanding it would have aced last year's exam, but this years exam was the opposite. I'm relieved that I managed to finish at the last second.
So what now?
I've been looking forward to this moment since the start of VCE in year 10. I'm going to catch up with some friends in a while and actually leave the house because I haven't left the house other than to go to school in ages. I'm definitely not going to stay idle and will try and get my Learners to learn how to drive. I'll also try and find a job to keep my mind busy instead of stressing about my ATAR everyday. In exactly a months time, my results will be revealed. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the pure bliss of ignorance.
It'll be a while before I update this journal before results day. See you guys soon!
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How exciting!! Congratulations on completing all of your exams!! Now, all that's left to do is enjoy yourself and relax. ;D
Best of luck getting your Learners and for all the other adventures to come!
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13 December 2019-Results Day
Yesterday was the big day that I had been working towards for the past few years of my schooling. I'm honestly feeling happy and relieved right now.
This is also a bit bittersweet as it will be my last post on my Year 12 journal.
ATAR Reaction:
The night before results were released I only got 2 hours of sleep, tossing and turning in bed whilst pondering all the ways I could have possibly messed up my exams. At 6am I texted my best friend who was also up and we were both chatting to calm our nerves. My parents had also experienced a sleepless night so at 6.50am they were in their bedroom anxiously waiting with me.
At 7am on the dot, my Dad received the email with my study scores before I had even gotten the results page to load on my laptop. I felt a mix of emotions as my parents read them out to me, whilst pressing "view atar" on my own laptop with a pounding heart.
The first result that surprised me was Legal studies. After having walked out nearly in tears thinking that I'd butchered the exam, the result exceeded my expectations. English was slightly disappointing as I'd been Rank 1 at my school all year and was aiming for a 50 but I'm still thankful that I got what I did. Revolutions also shocked me, as a 40 seemed way out of my reach after only doing 2 practise exams. For Methods and Chem I wasn't surprised as I would have been happy with anything over 30 in Chem and was relieved that I got over 25 in Methods (my worst subject). My results just go to show that I'm definitely a Humanities kid haha ;D
Here are my long-awaited results:
English: 45
Legal: 47
History Revolutions: 40
Chemistry: 32
Methods: 27
Completed in Yr 11: Chinese SL: 35
ATAR: 97.95 Wow!!!!
(I thought I'd gotten less than 95 after exams finished. 95 had been my goal this whole year so getting this result literally made my day. I was so so happy.)
Final thoughts:
Everyone of my friends that I talked to seemed happy with their ATAR as well, which the majority getting 90+. I'm slightly disappointed that my Legal score had been so close to a 50 as I'd been hoping for at least one 50. However, I'm still proud of what I've achieved in this subject.
My Atar and study scores are enough to get me into my first preference, Commerce at the University of Melbourne. I'm so excited for uni next year as most of my friends will be going to Melbourne as well.
To the Class of 2020 and beyond: Work hard throughout the year but take breaks when you feel the need to. Burnout and procrastination are both things that almost everyone deals with during Year 12, but having a study schedule and a routine with time for relaxation will help combat that. Do subjects that you enjoy and most importantly, don't forget to enjoy your final year of school! I've made so many memories this year that I will cherish forever which have nothing to do with academics but rather with friendship.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout the ups and downs of my year 12 journey! I'll still be active on Atarnotes so feel free to PM me if you have any questions about the subjects I did or just year 12/study techniques in general.
Signing out, Smallbean :)
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Well done on the fanastic scores, smallbean!
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I know I'm late, but congratulations smallbean! Those are some really great results, and definitely something to be proud of as they reflect all of the work you've put in this year! Do you know what you're planning to do next year? Are you heading to Uni? ;D