Summer Holidays Study

[99.99]

Hi guys,

I've just finished VCE and I'd like to offer my opinions on this for your benefit. When I went into year 12, there was a lot of pressure on me from peers and teachers (as well as parents) to study up my course over the holidays and finish it before the year began, this was seen as the norm amongst my friends and I completed my Specialist course, Methods course, Physics and Chem U3 and studied up Literature and Bus Man extensively. Also, there will be people who will try to profit off you by telling you that finishing the course over the hols is essential (tutors and TSFX)

I can honestly tell you guys, this was the biggest mistake I made throughout VCE and I sincerely regret it. The year is so long and by the end of it most people can not lift a finger, I myself finished three days ago and haven't moved more than 3 metres and am still exhausted. The year is that long that everybody and I mean everybody has more than enough time to finish their course and have an in-depth knowledge that is beyond what is required in the VCE and thus the knowledge to score well. If you finish your course before the year begins, I promise, you will be bored, unmotivated and feeling absolutely drained learning the stuff you already know. The worst part of it all is that you will have had no break over the summer and will feel sick of it before the year even begins.

To give you a picture:
I did two VCAA mid-year physics exams before the year even began and got 100% on both, but I barely paid attention in class, I tried really hard to get motivated but found it excruciatingly boring and repetitive and got an A for my mid-year.
 
I seriously recommend you do some light reading on your subjects starting ~1 week into January but you make sure that the day you start year 12 you are relaxed, refreshed and ready for a really long year of hard-work.

[simpak]

I second this, I don't understand the obsession with studying over summer for VCE.  If you're given holiday homework by your 1/2 teacher then do it!  Probably towards the end of the holidays, sometime mid-Jan.  Read your English or lit texts.  But don't start covering the entire course!  Perhaps familiarise yourself with what you're going to be asked to do in the first two weeks of school or revise some of the things you learnt in 1/2 if its something that has a bit of repetition in 3/4, like maths or chemistry.

But you will burn out terribly if you work hard over the summer.  I also recommend doing as little work as possible in the winter break, because in my September break I started to study from 9am to 1am every day.  Had I not had a tiny break in Winter, I probably would have burnt out by the second week in term 4.

[funkyducky]

Thirded! There's really no benefit in learning the entire course for each subject over the summer - these precious few months are your last respite before the hard yards begin. Make the most of your free time. Having said that, it's probably best to read your English texts (at least, the ones you'll be studying in Semester 1) and make a habit of reading the news, keeping an eye on contemporary issues. If you do Maths/Science, then it's probably better to revise last years work and make sure you have a sound knowledge of it all, so you have a solid foundation to build on next year, rather than plunging head first into the deep end. There's no point trying to learn 3/4-level calculus (for example) if you're having trouble with the basics from 1/2 Methods.

[paulsterio]

I fully agree here, although it's good to get a head start in the holidays, don't overdo it, have a flip through of your book to see what you're doing and maybe take a look at the study design for your subjects, I wouldn't recommend doing much more than just starting the first few topics, that's what I did and it helped me ease into the year quite well, but I definately wouldn't recommend doing too much further study!

[Thu Thu Train]

hol·i·day /ˈhäliˌdā/
Noun:   

• A day of festivity or recreation when no work is done.

Calm the fuck down. Holiday's are for RELAXING. It's good to get a head start but don't over-exert yourself.

re·lax /riˈlaks/
Verb:

• Make or become less tense or anxious.
• Rest or engage in an enjoyable activity so as to become less tired or anxious.

Sometimes I wonder about this place.

[TrueTears]

Best idea: dont treat studying as 'studying', treat it as a hobby, thus ull be having fun while 'studying'

[taiga]

I agree that you shouldn't be finishing the courses during the holidays, it is pointless.

Do an amount of study a day which doesn't consume your time for social activities/extra-curricular etc. Like it's not difficult to spend an hour a day reading an english book, or flipping through and making notes on some subjects.

I regret not doing that.

[thushan]

Hmm. Yeah, my summer holiday was spent through constant studying (reluctantly though! *cough* parents), I think all I covered was Englang Unit 3 (not very well though) Chem Unit 3 (which I had covered earlier), Physics Unit 3 Motion, and the like. I did not enjoy it at all (well I didn't really have a choice) but I think but for this I would have not done too well in year 12. But, to each his own. I'm generally quite lazy, so I kinda need a strict program.

[Jdog]

I think that you shuold definately study, but not overdo it.

getting a 2-3 chapter head start on all your subjects, and having read your texts for english will holf you in good stead for a succesful year.

[dc302]

I wanted to and tried to study in summer but it just didn't work.. Waste of procrastination too!

[Furbob]

went overboard with Accounting unit 3 during the summer holidays after riding off my accounting 1/2 prize in year 11 and feeling the need to finish the course early

then VCAA gave me a slap in the face after I got unmotivated like the OP and did not pay attention to the fine details that I thought I knew in my midyear exam- le regret.

[appianway]

I did next to no studying over summer and it worked out fine. Make sure you can still have a life.

[thushan]

Bahaha but you're appianway!

[appianway]

Mmmm I think honestly, you cover everything you need to learn in the school year. You're at a higher risk of burning out than of not learning what you need to know. Relaxation can't be overrated.