Will Fitton
College Dux
What would a typical out of school week look like?
Apart from school, I had multiple different recreational activities that helped me enjoy my Year 12 experience, without making it feel too overwhelming. For example, I participated in 2 basketball games a week, along with daily running and other smaller activities such as golf and bike riding. Overall, this took about 6 hours out of my week, however these are things I enjoyed, and took my mind off school, helping me calm down and stay healthy during Year 12.
I also worked 2 shifts a week, about 8 hours total. This is not a lot, and I understand a lot of people worked a lot more, however for me this was the perfect number of hours, so I didn’t feel overwhelmed trying to balance everything.
Other events such as parties, youth activities and holidays gave me experiences to look forward to, however would take a lot of my time when they happened. If I didn’t feel I was prepared for any upcoming school events, I would feel a bit overwhelmed when they came, however when I was on top of my work, these events were a lot of fun, and would separate my mind from school.
What did I do to reduce stress?
Taking time to do other activities other than school. School can very quickly become overwhelming if you go home every night to do 8 hours of homework and nothing else. I had running to separate my time, about 40 minutes to an hour a day after school giving me time to forget about school and do something different. If you don’t have something small that you can do daily, find something. It was such a big help in not getting overwhelmed.
What strategies did I put in place to manage my time?
Use your studies well. That was the biggest thing for me. Ensuring that I didn’t get distracted in those times, facing the staff room and working with people that kept me on task. You are given 6 hours a day at school, use them! I didn’t have much homework to do after school, because I did it at school. I also used the Wednesday after-school study to keep me focused. If you get distracted easily at home, use the after-school study, they are so helpful for getting work done in a good environment. Secondly, focus on one thing. If you have homework, don’t try do everything at once. Set yourself goals, a certain question you want to get up to, or an amount of work, then move on to a different subject. For me, sitting on the same subject for 4 hours would have burnt me out, 30-minute increments or small goals will help you not burn out and get the work done.
How to prepare for exams?
I used the 30-minute increment method during exam period; 30 minutes study on 1 subject, 10-minute break, 30 minutes next subject. This really helped me to not burn out and overdo one subject while forgetting about the others. I also did all of my study at school. At school you have teachers there to help you, as well as a less distractive environment. Secondly, I minimized my recreational activities as exams approached. Approaching exams, I only worked 1 weekend shift, and played 1 basketball game. Exam week was no work, no games. You want to be as focussed as you can during this week, hence do not burn out beforehand. It is more important to be consistent and lower workload then high workload and only studying when you feel like it. I had 4 exams; Spec, Methods, Chemistry, and Physics, and I managed by keeping my workload consistent, studying at school every day, and doing a little bit on every subject. One thing I wish I did better was more preparation for my practice exams. The time between practice and the real exams goes quickly, so prepare for the practice exams like they are the real deal.
One bit of advice?
Use your teachers. They are there to help. At the start of the year, I broke my hand, and had pneumonia. I needed extensions and a lot of help, however I never felt comfortable asking for help from teachers. I don’t know why, because they want you to succeed. They give you so many opportunities, such as after-school study, which can help you stay focussed and be more successful.
Finally have fun. Year 12 was my favourite year because I did so many things other than school. The Musical, House Captain, both Retreats and Formal were all incredible experiences for me, and didn’t prevent me from my study. Year 12 doesn’t mean you just have to focus on school, enjoy it. If you want to do something at school, this is your last year, do it and have fun. You can still study and find time to do things you enjoy, just stay consistent throughout the year.
Lucy Haythorpe
Runner-up Dux
What would a typical school week look like?
I completed a Cert. 3 (Stage 2) subject in Year 10 so I want to start by saying that gaining a high ATAR is absolutely possible via different subjects and pathways.
Outside of school, I had work and dance commitments. Monday-Wednesday afternoons I taught and took dance classes, which consisted of roughly 10-12 hours per week. I would work Saturdays and/or Sundays. Luckily where I work, they close at 5.30pm, therefore I never worked after school, this meant I could dedicate this time to homework/dance, and have my weekends free.
What did you do for your own mental health and to reduce stress?
Some points throughout the year were overwhelming, not only with school, but with life in general. In these moments, I could feel the build up of things, so I knew I would need start prioritizing things. Firstly, I created a list on my phone and on paper, of everything I needed to do, in order of most important to least important, and I would work down the list until everything was done. This made me feel more in control and it was less overwhelming.
For maintaining positive mental health, I would walk my dog to the beach, hang out with friends, or ride my motorbike (on our property) or do other jobs outside, pretty much anything that got my mind off school or whatever was blocking my mind. Making and finding the right balance between school, work, and life, is extremely important.
What strategies did I put in place to manage my time?
I used a hardcopy diary to visually see everything; due dates, reminders, events etc. and making sure I didn’t leave anything to the last minute. Using a diary helps to visually see a timeline of your life, and where you are going to dedicate your time. It really helped me map out where I could work on a particular assignment or test revision etc. Also, if you know you’re unavailable for the weekend, doing an extra hour or putting in more effort during the week to make up for it is really beneficial so you don’t fall behind.
Putting in your head the mindset of “the assignment is due the day before it actually is”, is an effective method I found, to make sure I could adhere to due dates and expectations.. Don’t force yourself to write/do an assignment when you know what you are writing isn’t the best work you can do – move onto something else and come back to it, when you have a fresh mindset. If you are organised and have planned your time, you will have this flexibility to use to your advantage.
One of the biggest advice I could give is to use the study lessons!! This not only reduces homework but ensures teachers are available, and it allows you to separate ‘home’ from ‘school’. Having one space (school) dedicated to work, allows you to associate that space with hard work and concentration, and then other spaces (e.g. home) associated with relaxation and freedom.
How to prepare for exams?
I’ll be honest, exam revision and prep is draining BUT to finish the year strong, make sure you put in the effort throughout the entire year, to make the exam prep ‘easier’. Something I did which I was extremely grateful for, was keeping notes/summary sheets/cheat sheets etc throughout the year. These are literally the key to success, re-reading them throughout the entire year (not just at exam time!) is so handy and effective for long-term retention of information. This will 110% make exam revision much more effective, as you aren’t re-learning the information and theory, you are now learning how to apply this theory into exam, like questions/answers.
Also, making a space at home dedicated for study (not just at exams, but all year round). I am lucky enough to have a study room, which allows me to separate my workspace from my bedroom, the kitchen, living room etc. Having a dedicated space for this helps your brain associate different spaces with different concentration levels. If you don’t have a separate study, find a space that isn’t your bedroom! Keep your bedroom separate so that it is associated with relaxation.
But also, don’t just work in one space, because the real exams are in classrooms. Therefore, I actually found myself taking practice exams/questions and driving down to the beach (or a park, garden, etc.), sitting in my car and doing work. This allowed me to find a different space/environment to work, which helped me learn to block out different noises and people around. ALSO, practice/revise without music, as you won’t be allowed to listen to music in exams and this could be your downfall if you’re not used to it.
One piece of advice …
No matter what you intend to do post-school, take every opportunity you get, work hard, and enjoy yourself. It sounds cliché, but this year will 110% be the quickest year of your life, it starts and finishes before you know it, so don’t waste your time or overthink that one little problem, a lower than anticipated grade, an inconvenience, or squabbles amongst friends – move on, learn from mistakes, and make the year yours!
